In this week’s mailbag, there were several questions from aspiring Pickleheads asking, “Tim, as one of the greatest ever to play the game, which pickleball paddle would you recommend for me? (Okay, I might have made up the part about “as one of the greatest ever to play the game.” I just added that to impress my wife.)
No doubt about it, there is no shortage of choices. But of the literally hundreds of paddles out there, which one is the best for you? And how should you make your decision? First, let’s start with the myriad brands out there. Which is the best? Selkirk? Carbon Pickle? Vatic? Proton Series? Vortex? Onyx Pro? Pointer? Grand Whippet? So hard to decide, especially since I totally made up one of these brands, and the last two were just dog breeds.
There are so many features to consider. Some models focus on better control. Others maximize spin. Still, other paddles claim to give you enough power to pulverize the windshield of a Mercedes EQS 580 from a distance of 50 feet. Personally, I’d go with that brand as that obnoxious, filthy rich Mercedes owner with his 60-foot yacht and the vacation home in Maui needs to be taken down a peg.
I picked up a copy of the latest Selkirk paddle catalogue. There are no less than 26 different models, with names like the Omega Max and Amped and Invikta and Vanguard Air and the Luxx Control Pro, not to mention the Evo Omega Hybrid – so I won’t mention it. One paddle maximizes power without sacrificing control. The next one maximizes control without giving up spin. And the next one provides added spin while still providing ample power. In other words, I’m pretty sure the only differences between the paddles are their logos, colors, and handle length.
If you ask me, I’d go with the Selkirk Omega Epic Amped Air Pro Max Vanguard Ultra 2000 XL Limited Edition, mainly because that was the longest name I could find. Either that or whichever one goes best with your outfit. If you look good in red, you can’t go wrong with the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air in candy apple red. It won’t help your game any, but you will look great out on the court – unless you’re my brother-in-law Marty. He’s terribly out of shape and looks awful in just about any color gym shorts – except chartreuse, for some reason. Go figure.
You can expect to pay around $45 for an entry-level paddle, $100 to $140 for a mid-range model, and upwards of $250 for a top-of-the-line one. But I’ve seen you play. A piece of advice: Don’t blow your money on a top-tier paddle just yet. Buy a mid-level $90 paddle on Amazon and spend the money you saved on a nice dinner out with your wife. Where you took her last month, Arby’s Drive-Thru, doesn’t qualify as “nice,” buddy.
Next month’s topic: “20 Creative Uses for the Paddle You Paid Too Much for Now That You’ve Totally Given Up on Pickleball.’" Till then, Happy Pickling, everybody.
– Tim Jones [Check out more of Tim’s View from the Bleachers humor column in the Crab Cracker, at www.ViewFromTheBleachers.net and his YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/viewfromthebleachers
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