Sam’s Top 5 Paddle Picks
20th September 2023 by Sam Basford
Often players have no idea where to start when selecting a paddle: which brand is the best, does weight matter, which colour do I want, how much should I spend? This post digs into a variety of brand, budget, colour and weight options that may help you swing one way or another on your next paddle purchase!
UK Pickleball Shop Club Graphite Paddle
If you are just starting out in the game and don’t really know if you are going to be in it for the long term, this paddle is a great option for you whilst testing the waters. It is the best value paddle under £50 available in the UK market, and you get lots of paddle for your money! The paddle is midweight, so easy to get along with and also looks the part!
Buy here: https://www.pickleball.co.uk/paddles/p/club-graphite-paddle
Paddletek Phoenix G6
Paddletek are one of the original pickleball paddle manufacturers, having been in the paddle business for over a decade! The Phoenix G6 is a paddle that you see very frequently around the country and the world, and there is a very good reason for it. Similar to the UKPBS Club paddle above, the Phoenix G6 is a great bang for buck paddle. It comes in at around 7.7-7.9 ounces, which is again middleweight, and has features such as an additional graphite layer for extra control, and reinforced structure to reduce vibrations.
Buy here: https://www.pickleball.co.uk/paddles/p/paddletek-phoenix-g6-paddle-dual-core
Franklin Signature Paddle
This paddle is my personal favourite, and if you’ve spoken to me before about paddles chances are I have mentioned this one! The Franklin Signature Paddle was originally designed by Ben Johns to provide maximum spin. The trademarked MaxGrit surface technology is one of the roughest surfaces out there, generating copious amounts of spin to trick your opponents. This paddle comes in both a 13mm and 16mm version - the 13mm will give you a bit more pop and power off the paddle and is a bit lighter, the 16mm version will help a bit more with control but comes in a bit heavier. The other great part about this paddle is the longer handle (5.6”), which makes it a great option for tennis converts, who often love the extra space between grip and sweet spot!
Buy here: https://www.pickleball.co.uk/paddles/p/franklin-signature-paddle
ProXR Zane Navratil “The Standard”
This paddle is the one with the biggest impact on the 2023 pickleball paddle market. ProXR have unleashed a beast with this paddle, with players instantly loving the feel they get from it. The Zane Standard paddle uses a T700 Ultra Raw Carbon Fibre face to generate a longer contact between ball and paddle, resulting in even more spin! The Zane Navatil signature is also a part of this range and is the preferred paddle of top British players, Thaddea Lock, James Chaudry and Pei Chuan Kao. ProXR also debuted their new shock foam edge guard to dampen vibration to give an even better playing experience.
Buy here: https://www.pickleball.co.uk/paddles/p/proxr-pickleball-zane-navratil-the-standard
SixZero Double Black Diamond
The Six Zero Double Black Diamond caused a stir in 2022 when the Australian company launched a paddle that used never before seen technology in the pickleball industry. These paddles are completely exclusive to the UK Pickleball Shop, and we are so pleased to be launching them into the UK market! When I personally first tried this paddle, I was shocked at how quickly I came to like it and play well with it - the founders of SixZero spent over 12 months working on their paddles before launching them, and the patience has paid off! There are so many awesome features to this paddle, it is impossible to select just one to highlight - click the link to find out more!
Buy here: https://www.pickleball.co.uk/paddles/p/six-zero-double-black-diamond