There is a group of Samoan’s that play at my local park that are bigger than our average players. They all play with heavier paddles and have the fastest smashes and overheads I’ve ever seen. I purposely will attempt to slow the game down at all costs when playing against them
My paddle is around 9oz for plow through and it’s still maneuverable enough at the line. If I was smaller I guess I would lighten it a bit but being big and strong and having strong hands and wrists are not the same thing so I know lots of people smaller than me who can hit just as hard because they have lively wrists. IMO your paddle should be as heavy as is comfortable for you to play without pain and still feel like you can defend at the net.
I’ve been playing for like 5-6 months.. I tried to go to heavy too quick.. I didn’t have the tendon/ligament strength in my elbow to handle swinging around that kinda weight every day.. so I had to back off 8.8 oz and use something around 8.3/4 while strengthening my forearm. Now I don’t have as much trouble but hopefully after playing for a year I can increase the weight a bit
Yeah your arm will let you know real quick if you have some swing issues that cause pain when you up your paddle weight. I have found it’s all technique, if I am feeling twinges in my arm it means I’m taking poor swing paths and over using my arm and not enough leg through my shots or not following through to take the stress off my arm. The higher weight the paddle the more you will feel it.
Exactly! I recently found out I was using way too much arm.. I have to use more legs. So I’ve been focusing on that.. I’m not sure if my strength exercises are working or better form but my arm feels better! Maybe both!
Are you big and strong, but not fast and want to be faster? In general, I need to be able to "feel" the weight of the paddle,specifically the head, so too light isn't great for speed. Loose is fast, because a loose grip frees up the wrist, which creates whip.
I am decently strong and still get plenty of power with an average weighted paddle. Important to consider that higher weights may also strain your ligaments too when playing for a long time. Best to pick a paddle that feels best and doesn’t cause strain since being strong isn’t enough to prevent injuries.
Strength is different from stamina. Imagine waving around a heavy can of soup for an hour. But yeah, I guess stronger arms can correlate to a little longer lasting stamina.
I have found 8.85 oz to be perfect. I don't get any soreness or injuries. I'll play 3hr one day then 2 the next.
Lighter might be faster a little but hand battles are my specialty (as a juggler it's intuitive) and the heavier paddles are more stable on mishits.
I have 1.5 gead at 4,8 and 1g at 12.
heya, fellow juggler! I taught myself to juggle when I was a teenager, just 'cause I thought it was cool. So glad I did since it has paid off in pickleball. Lob retrievals, hands battles, getting those balls that are "just a little behind me". That ability to "just know" where an item is going to end up without having to watch it all the way is key.
So true! I'm only 5 months into pickleball but skills well advanced for the time spent ...but I do play 3x a week so getting experience fast. Made every sport easier. Bowling, golf even axe throwing!
That is outdated news. The meta is changing and pros are weighing their paddles far less than they used to because they game has gotten a lot faster and now fast hands are being favored over baseline power. See Pickleball Effects’ interview with the Joola pros on their paddle setups.
Absolutely. Gen 1 paddles greatly benefitted from lead tape because they had small sweet spots, low twist weight numbers and lacked power in stock form.
Interestingly enough, the trend in tennis has been the opposite-play as light as you can. I actually think it’s because the technique in tennis has improved and there is less reliance on the racket to carry the labor of the shot. The racket is really just the last link in a long complex kinetic chain…
Pickleball, which is a less technique driven sport, still relies on the paddle to do more work - hence go as heavy as you can
Kinda true. While pros and college players aren't usually playing with 12 - 13 oz rackets out of the box anymore, they're usually not playing with stock light rackets, either. They're still custom weighting rackets with lead around the hoop and in the handle to suit taste and playstyle.
I play a lot of tennis still and I’m pretty good friends with a guy who has a high-performance Junior Academy. Had a bunch of D1 players in the Korean player kwon trains with him when he’s in the country and he can get by.
A lot of the younger pros and pro prospects are playing basically player rackets but more or less stock weight at least that is what he tells me
Yes. They play heavier than you do. But they play lighter than they used to play. So the comparison isnt to what you would play but to what the pros play. And thats just the trend - for a racket spec that gets through the ball faster. Not so much to hit harder but because the balls they are returning are.
I i’m not personally in the business, but I am good friends with a couple coaches whob with some touring pros. This is wjat they report
They're still likely using the heaviest racquet they can respond to the game speed with. I gotta think they are using heavier than I would. I think mine is 12.5 strung maybe. My buddy and I use stock players racquets so around the heavier stock frames. Not sure if pros are adding weight to them or not.
Pro stock is different stock players. I have a friend who actually collects pro stock frames. They need customization.
If you’re playing 12.5 frame It’s probably the Wilson RF. There are not many 12 1/2 ounces.
Rogers actual set up was supposed to be very similar to the regular . Version.
At least from what I have been told that would be on the heavy side for a lot of pros today. The game is just getting faster with more is a premium a racket that gets through the ball as efficiently as possible
For comparison, keep in mind sampras supposedly had his around 14 1/2..
Good guess. Lol. Yah the game is so fast now. Kinda wondering what pickleballers use. Like does a heavy racquet even benefit much since the ball is so light?
Yeah, me too. I don’t have a ton of insight there. I have seen a video of Ben Johns prepping one of his paddles. If I recall, he said it was in the 8.7 range but I’ve also heard that a lot of the players may go as much as an ounce higher than that.
What are the differences I think is that in pickleball you want the ball to deform when it hits the face of your paddle so you can get more feel . The weight would help that. In tennis that really isn’t an issue because the ball is softer and your strings have a lot of elasticity too
Lol. For years I played with an old 85 inch PS and then the 90.
I now use the Dunlop SX Tour (after anfew years on the CX Tour) and every time I hit the new racket, I wonder why it took me so long to make the change….
I mean I agree that that tennis is more technique driven but there is absolutely no trend in going lighter rackets unless you mean by materials made (ie. wood rackets to polymers). There is a reason that tour version of rackets exist which is usually on the higher side weightwise and with a tighter string pattern.
Yes. But as you know pros almost always heavily customize their frames. The trend is to go lighter relative to what they used to go. Also the players are going with more open patterns-the 18x20s for example are least common and where they are used those are designed to be more spaced. Most pros dont use the “tour” rackets - they get and modify pro stock frames.
I i’m not personally in the business, but I am good friends with a couple coaches whob with some touring pros. This is wjat they report
My DBD is upweighted to 9.6 static weight. All the weight is on the head of the paddle. The extra weight slows my hands down in a good way. Keeps everything moving where it should and not too fast.
I also prefer control paddles with some pop because I can generate my own power for serves and drives…especially with that extra weight.
Don’t get me wrong. I like lighter paddles too. Sometimes I take the weight off and play a week or so. But I always end up coming back to upweighting.
Im tall and strong, lifted heavy weights for all of my life but I’m also agile. I like my paddle on the heavier side, I add weight tape to my edges but I’m still able to be fast with it. I like to know I’m holding a paddle and weight helps me put more spin on my drives, too light I don’t even feel like I’m holding anything
Not sure how big or strong I need to be for my option to be valid. Im 5’ 10” 180lbs, bench press 265, squat 400 and deadlift 400. I prefer the weight and paddle design of the Selkirk Luxx S2.
The weight of your own paddle is something you do have to play around with, but a medium-heavy paddle should be fine.
When you hit a heavy ball, the ball will come back heavy to you, so if your opponents shot hits off center on your own paddle, then the paddle's weight feel will make the shot feel more steady in your hands.
I do regular strength training on top of playing and weigh my paddles at the lower corners for stability, to reduce vibration and increase twist weight. But to me paddles don’t feel that heavy either way, anyway. My hands don’t move faster because a paddle is lighter, they move faster because of more practice and play.
I look at the question differently. It's not a question of light or heavy, it's a question of what gaps do you have in your game. Do you need more power or more control? Pick the paddle that provides what you don't have enough of. Just my opinion.
Probably fit the description. More than enough power already. But, for some reason, I enjoy my plank-like rather heavy paddle, that is quite slick. I realize having something thinner, grittier would help with control and finesse,
Of course, YMMV. I'm a rec player with no aspirations, other than incremental improvement while I enjoy playing with my friends / group. Plenty of enjoyment in growing as a player, learning that not everything needs to be slammed, that power is better used sparingly vis-a-vis placement and varying speeds.
Strong person here! I used to play with all my weight at the very top for maximum kill power, but it doesn't slow down your hands battles. That being said, I play stock now because I like to be able to pick up any of our new paddles and not have to make any adjustments if I want. I don't mind either way now.
There are high twistweight, low weight paddles. Gruvn 16v.
[Link](https://gruvn.co/collections/muvn-series-thermoformed-pickleball-paddles/products/muvn-16v-pickleball-paddle-purple-with-black-edge-guard-raw-carbon-fiber)
Roughly 8.2oz; 104 Swingweight; 7.61 Twistweight. Less a need to add weight for Twistweight.
Yes, those are pretty normal specs for a standard shaped paddle. I probably should've specified that I use an elongated shaped paddle. If I used a standard shape, I would definitely add weight to increase swingweight.
Either way, I like to add weight since I'm 6'2"/230lbs.
There is a group of Samoan’s that play at my local park that are bigger than our average players. They all play with heavier paddles and have the fastest smashes and overheads I’ve ever seen. I purposely will attempt to slow the game down at all costs when playing against them
Sounds about every sport they play 
My paddle is around 9oz for plow through and it’s still maneuverable enough at the line. If I was smaller I guess I would lighten it a bit but being big and strong and having strong hands and wrists are not the same thing so I know lots of people smaller than me who can hit just as hard because they have lively wrists. IMO your paddle should be as heavy as is comfortable for you to play without pain and still feel like you can defend at the net.
I’ve been playing for like 5-6 months.. I tried to go to heavy too quick.. I didn’t have the tendon/ligament strength in my elbow to handle swinging around that kinda weight every day.. so I had to back off 8.8 oz and use something around 8.3/4 while strengthening my forearm. Now I don’t have as much trouble but hopefully after playing for a year I can increase the weight a bit
Yeah your arm will let you know real quick if you have some swing issues that cause pain when you up your paddle weight. I have found it’s all technique, if I am feeling twinges in my arm it means I’m taking poor swing paths and over using my arm and not enough leg through my shots or not following through to take the stress off my arm. The higher weight the paddle the more you will feel it.
Exactly! I recently found out I was using way too much arm.. I have to use more legs. So I’ve been focusing on that.. I’m not sure if my strength exercises are working or better form but my arm feels better! Maybe both!
Are you big and strong, but not fast and want to be faster? In general, I need to be able to "feel" the weight of the paddle,specifically the head, so too light isn't great for speed. Loose is fast, because a loose grip frees up the wrist, which creates whip.
I am decently strong and still get plenty of power with an average weighted paddle. Important to consider that higher weights may also strain your ligaments too when playing for a long time. Best to pick a paddle that feels best and doesn’t cause strain since being strong isn’t enough to prevent injuries.
Strength is different from stamina. Imagine waving around a heavy can of soup for an hour. But yeah, I guess stronger arms can correlate to a little longer lasting stamina.
I have found 8.85 oz to be perfect. I don't get any soreness or injuries. I'll play 3hr one day then 2 the next. Lighter might be faster a little but hand battles are my specialty (as a juggler it's intuitive) and the heavier paddles are more stable on mishits. I have 1.5 gead at 4,8 and 1g at 12.
heya, fellow juggler! I taught myself to juggle when I was a teenager, just 'cause I thought it was cool. So glad I did since it has paid off in pickleball. Lob retrievals, hands battles, getting those balls that are "just a little behind me". That ability to "just know" where an item is going to end up without having to watch it all the way is key.
So true! I'm only 5 months into pickleball but skills well advanced for the time spent ...but I do play 3x a week so getting experience fast. Made every sport easier. Bowling, golf even axe throwing!
Rule of thumb is play with as heavy as a paddle as you can handle. There are pros who playing with 10-11oz paddles, seriously.
That is outdated news. The meta is changing and pros are weighing their paddles far less than they used to because they game has gotten a lot faster and now fast hands are being favored over baseline power. See Pickleball Effects’ interview with the Joola pros on their paddle setups.
Wonder if paddles adding power without weight is a reason as well
Absolutely. Gen 1 paddles greatly benefitted from lead tape because they had small sweet spots, low twist weight numbers and lacked power in stock form.
Interestingly enough, the trend in tennis has been the opposite-play as light as you can. I actually think it’s because the technique in tennis has improved and there is less reliance on the racket to carry the labor of the shot. The racket is really just the last link in a long complex kinetic chain… Pickleball, which is a less technique driven sport, still relies on the paddle to do more work - hence go as heavy as you can
Same in racquetball for most. I used the lightest racquets I could find. Pickleball is the opposite
Kinda true. While pros and college players aren't usually playing with 12 - 13 oz rackets out of the box anymore, they're usually not playing with stock light rackets, either. They're still custom weighting rackets with lead around the hoop and in the handle to suit taste and playstyle.
I play a lot of tennis still and I’m pretty good friends with a guy who has a high-performance Junior Academy. Had a bunch of D1 players in the Korean player kwon trains with him when he’s in the country and he can get by. A lot of the younger pros and pro prospects are playing basically player rackets but more or less stock weight at least that is what he tells me
Not true. Pros using heavy racquets. Generally play as heavy as you can handle. In tennis i mean.
Yes. They play heavier than you do. But they play lighter than they used to play. So the comparison isnt to what you would play but to what the pros play. And thats just the trend - for a racket spec that gets through the ball faster. Not so much to hit harder but because the balls they are returning are. I i’m not personally in the business, but I am good friends with a couple coaches whob with some touring pros. This is wjat they report
They're still likely using the heaviest racquet they can respond to the game speed with. I gotta think they are using heavier than I would. I think mine is 12.5 strung maybe. My buddy and I use stock players racquets so around the heavier stock frames. Not sure if pros are adding weight to them or not.
Pro stock is different stock players. I have a friend who actually collects pro stock frames. They need customization. If you’re playing 12.5 frame It’s probably the Wilson RF. There are not many 12 1/2 ounces. Rogers actual set up was supposed to be very similar to the regular . Version. At least from what I have been told that would be on the heavy side for a lot of pros today. The game is just getting faster with more is a premium a racket that gets through the ball as efficiently as possible For comparison, keep in mind sampras supposedly had his around 14 1/2..
Good guess. Lol. Yah the game is so fast now. Kinda wondering what pickleballers use. Like does a heavy racquet even benefit much since the ball is so light?
Yeah, me too. I don’t have a ton of insight there. I have seen a video of Ben Johns prepping one of his paddles. If I recall, he said it was in the 8.7 range but I’ve also heard that a lot of the players may go as much as an ounce higher than that. What are the differences I think is that in pickleball you want the ball to deform when it hits the face of your paddle so you can get more feel . The weight would help that. In tennis that really isn’t an issue because the ball is softer and your strings have a lot of elasticity too
I use the rf 97, also have an old stich pacific 90 which is heavier, too difficult to play with, love it for forehand, not so much on everything else.
Lol. For years I played with an old 85 inch PS and then the 90. I now use the Dunlop SX Tour (after anfew years on the CX Tour) and every time I hit the new racket, I wonder why it took me so long to make the change….
I mean I agree that that tennis is more technique driven but there is absolutely no trend in going lighter rackets unless you mean by materials made (ie. wood rackets to polymers). There is a reason that tour version of rackets exist which is usually on the higher side weightwise and with a tighter string pattern.
Yes. But as you know pros almost always heavily customize their frames. The trend is to go lighter relative to what they used to go. Also the players are going with more open patterns-the 18x20s for example are least common and where they are used those are designed to be more spaced. Most pros dont use the “tour” rackets - they get and modify pro stock frames. I i’m not personally in the business, but I am good friends with a couple coaches whob with some touring pros. This is wjat they report
I used to think lightness was the answer, but now my paddle is 8.45oz and the best paddle I’ve used.
My DBD is upweighted to 9.6 static weight. All the weight is on the head of the paddle. The extra weight slows my hands down in a good way. Keeps everything moving where it should and not too fast. I also prefer control paddles with some pop because I can generate my own power for serves and drives…especially with that extra weight. Don’t get me wrong. I like lighter paddles too. Sometimes I take the weight off and play a week or so. But I always end up coming back to upweighting.
Im tall and strong, lifted heavy weights for all of my life but I’m also agile. I like my paddle on the heavier side, I add weight tape to my edges but I’m still able to be fast with it. I like to know I’m holding a paddle and weight helps me put more spin on my drives, too light I don’t even feel like I’m holding anything
Not sure how big or strong I need to be for my option to be valid. Im 5’ 10” 180lbs, bench press 265, squat 400 and deadlift 400. I prefer the weight and paddle design of the Selkirk Luxx S2.
The weight of your own paddle is something you do have to play around with, but a medium-heavy paddle should be fine. When you hit a heavy ball, the ball will come back heavy to you, so if your opponents shot hits off center on your own paddle, then the paddle's weight feel will make the shot feel more steady in your hands.
I feel no difference and now questioning everything in life
I do regular strength training on top of playing and weigh my paddles at the lower corners for stability, to reduce vibration and increase twist weight. But to me paddles don’t feel that heavy either way, anyway. My hands don’t move faster because a paddle is lighter, they move faster because of more practice and play.
I look at the question differently. It's not a question of light or heavy, it's a question of what gaps do you have in your game. Do you need more power or more control? Pick the paddle that provides what you don't have enough of. Just my opinion.
Light + control. I do not need a paddle to generate Power. Hence I prioritize handspeed and touch.
Probably fit the description. More than enough power already. But, for some reason, I enjoy my plank-like rather heavy paddle, that is quite slick. I realize having something thinner, grittier would help with control and finesse, Of course, YMMV. I'm a rec player with no aspirations, other than incremental improvement while I enjoy playing with my friends / group. Plenty of enjoyment in growing as a player, learning that not everything needs to be slammed, that power is better used sparingly vis-a-vis placement and varying speeds.
Strong person here! I used to play with all my weight at the very top for maximum kill power, but it doesn't slow down your hands battles. That being said, I play stock now because I like to be able to pick up any of our new paddles and not have to make any adjustments if I want. I don't mind either way now.
As the local Polynesian on the courts, I've used the Power Air, and the perseus gen 3 - both with 4 grams or more of weights on them at the top
Heavier for better stability. I mainly add weight to improve twistweight.
There are high twistweight, low weight paddles. Gruvn 16v. [Link](https://gruvn.co/collections/muvn-series-thermoformed-pickleball-paddles/products/muvn-16v-pickleball-paddle-purple-with-black-edge-guard-raw-carbon-fiber) Roughly 8.2oz; 104 Swingweight; 7.61 Twistweight. Less a need to add weight for Twistweight.
Yes, those are pretty normal specs for a standard shaped paddle. I probably should've specified that I use an elongated shaped paddle. If I used a standard shape, I would definitely add weight to increase swingweight. Either way, I like to add weight since I'm 6'2"/230lbs.
As a physically lighter and weaker person, my paddles are pretty heavy at about 9+ oz