The best pickleball paddles for spin
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If you’re buying a pickleball paddle, you’re going to see a lot of marketing about power, control and spin. But it’s important to fully understand what those elements actually mean for us as individual players.
Should I buy a spin-focused pickleball paddle?
Does spin actually matter in pickleball? Sure, it’s cool to see and satisfying to pull off.
But do players need to prioritize spin in their game, or is it just a gimmick for a couple easy points when compared to power and control?
We asked Zane Navratil, one of the pros noted for his spin and innovator of the now-banned spin serve.
He says spin is only something you should strive for once you have phenomenal execution on your flat shots:
“I love my spin. But if you don’t have the fundamentals down, you’re building a house with a poor foundation,” Navratil says.
But let’s say you come to pickleball from something like table tennis, where spin is crucial, and you already have the motor skills to apply it consistently.
If you’re still a beginner in pickleball, that skill will definitely earn you some quick points if you’re playing against other beginners. Players at low levels don’t recognize spin, so they won’t adjust and end up missing the shot you’ve just hit at them.
This might feel exciting at first, but at some point you’re going to get diminishing returns on tricky spin shots.
At the intermediate level, spin tends to be over-emphasized, so you’ll have some competition, Navratil says.
“Certain players at this level tend to see spin as more valuable than it actually is. They will go for excessively spinny shots at the expense of strong execution. Often, attempting spin leads to losing more points rather than winning more points.”
Then, at the highest level, every player can read and anticipate spin as well as the effect it is going to have when the ball contacts their paddle.
The verdict: Buy a spin paddle IF you know your style
While spin is the No. 1 thing Navratil looks for in a paddle because it plays to his strengths, spin-heavy paddles could help or hinder your game.
“I generally think players should pick a paddle which accentuates their strengths (or what they perceive to be their strengths),” he says.
“The problem arises when people think that they are a spin player when they are actually a control player (or some other misconception about their own game).”
If you don’t have any experience with spin AND you’re new to pickleball, pay attention to other elements of the game to determine your strongest point.
If you like dinking, buy a control-dominant paddle; if you’re a player who likes the fast game, consider power paddles.
The top pickleball paddles for spin
The RPM Q2 was designed in collaboration with popular paddle reviewer John Kew. It delivers everything we’ve come to expect from full-foam paddles: Big power, a consistent sweet spot and a firm feel on contact.
But it also lives up to the brand’s name, with extremely high spin on drives, aggressive third-shot drops and flicks out of the air.
Proton developed a unique 100% foam core in the company’s latest release, giving it a softer and more responsive feel with a noticeable “pocketing” effect. But what really separates Proton’s paddles from the pack is the extremely gritty carbon fiber surface. Grit + pocketing = elite shot shaping ability.
Check out our in-depth review of the Proton Project Peacock.
With the release of the Power 2 Series, 11SIX24 introduced a new grit technology called “HexGrit.” The paddle face is very gritty to the touch, and the brand claims the HexGrit is more durable than raw carbon fiber and other grit technologies on the market.
So if you’re a player who likes the feel of full-foam paddles and want something with longer lasting grit (why wouldn’t you want that?), then this is a great option.
Check out our in-depth review of the new Ultre Power 2 here.
This paddle features an intricate core design with multiple layers and cutouts that allows the paddle to absorb and transfer energy to the ball in a more controlled way.
It has more of a “pocketing” effect on contact compared to many other foam paddles, which makes it a breeze to shape the ball on shots from the baseline and flicks out of the air at the kitchen line. It also maintains the top-end power that full foam paddles have become known for over the past year.
The RPM Friction Pro V2 is an updated version that offers more power and pop than the original Friction Pro while maintaining the Gen 3 feel that many high-level players prefer.
In an interview with The Kitchen, Ignatowich said he has moved to China to be at the factory where RPM paddles are made, which has allowed him to be very hands-on and make small tweaks that ultimately impact performance. He compared the RPM Friction Pro V2 to an iPhone update — it’s not a complete overhaul, rather a 5-10% improvement from the original.
“With me in China I was able to really dial in the materials,” he said.
Honorable mention
Selkirk Omni: The Omni introduces removable/repositionable weights that let you customize swing weight, stability and power in seconds without tungsten tape or tools. Combined with Selkirk’s Infinigrit Surface and new core construction, this feels like a very different direction from the Boomstik, and honestly one that we think will fit most players better. Shop here
Friday Aura Pro: The Aura Pro features a rubber ring around the core that gives the paddle a slightly more plush/less harsh feel than a lot of other full-foam paddles, which helped us get a good feel for the ball on shots that require more touch and precise shot shaping. Shop here.
Flik F3: This paddle features what Flik calls a “triple core” that delivers a responsive feel and great shot shaping ability. Shop here.
Check out our other “best of” lists
– The top 13 paddles on the market + reviews for each one
– The best shoes for pickleball players
– The best pickleball paddles for power players
– The best pickleball paddles for control players
– The best pickleball paddles under $200
– The best pickleball paddles under $150
– The best pickleball paddles for beginners
– The best women’s signature pickleball paddles, from a female perspective
– The best bags designed specifically for pickleball
