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Best Pickleball Paddles for Spin


on Aug 03, 2023

Each year the game of pickleball becomes more aggressive and fast-paced. There will never be a day where the soft game (dinking, drops, etc) is not a part of the game, but with this changing landscape, it can be important for players to impart spin on the ball to keep up with today’s aggressive play.

Overall Best Paddle for Spin

The Ultimate Spin (and Power) Paddle, the Power Air is the preferred paddle of current top pickleball pro, Catherine Parenteau. It is also the preferred paddle for players coming from Tennis. The most Aerodynamic Paddle we have produced, this edgeless design and ProSpin+ Texture gives you effortless spin. Perhaps most importantly, the spin won't wear off after a month of play!

Best Paddle for Spin Under $150

Similar to the Power Air, but without the air dynamic throat, the SLK Omega Max is the power and spin paddle for the everyday player.

Best Paddle for Spin and Control

The 003 is the thickest paddle on the market with a 20mm core giving you unmatched control. And with the Prospin+ texture, the 003 has a high spin potential. Labs Project 003 takes what players love most about the AMPED and VANGUARD paddles and elevates it to an entirely new level, with a larger sweet spot, more power, and more spin.

Best Paddle for Spin with a Traditional Shape

The Power Air Epic has the classic paddle shape giving you a larger sweetspot than the other elongated paddles on this list, but you sacrifice a small amount of power and spin due to the shorter overall total length of the paddle. The epic shape is the best all around paddle.

Best Carbon Fiber Paddle for Spin

The Halo line of paddles with T700 Raw Carbon is the paddle of choice for beginner to Pro level Pickleball players alike, who are looking for optimal spin and control in their paddle. The Halo is available in our 16mm Control Core or 13mm Power Core to give you your choice of performance while also giving you maximum spin in both models.

Best Beginner Pickleball Paddle for Spin

The EVO 2.0 Power from SLK by Selkirk, the ultimate paddle for tennis enthusiasts and newcomers seeking a powerful, spin-friendly, and consistent performance on the court.

Overall Best Paddle for Spin

The Ultimate Spin (and Power) Paddle, the Power Air is the preferred paddle of current top pickleball pro, Catherine Parenteau. It is also the preferred paddle for players coming from Tennis. The most Aerodynamic Paddle we have produced, this edgeless design and ProSpin+ Texture gives you effortless spin. Perhaps most importantly, the spin won't wear off after a month of play!

Best Paddle for Spin Under $150

Similar to the Power Air, but without the air dynamic throat, the SLK Omega Max is the power and spin paddle for the everyday player.

Best Paddle for Spin and Control

The 003 is the thickest paddle on the market with a 20mm core giving you unmatched control. And with the Prospin+ texture, the 003 has a high spin potential. Labs Project 003 takes what players love most about the AMPED and VANGUARD paddles and elevates it to an entirely new level, with a larger sweet spot, more power, and more spin.

Best Paddle for Spin with a Traditional Shape

The Power Air Epic has the classic paddle shape giving you a larger sweetspot than the other elongated paddles on this list, but you sacrifice a small amount of power and spin due to the shorter overall total length of the paddle. The epic shape is the best all around paddle.

Best Carbon Fiber Paddle for Spin

The Halo line of paddles with T700 Raw Carbon is the paddle of choice for beginner to Pro level Pickleball players alike, who are looking for optimal spin and control in their paddle. The Halo is available in our 16mm Control Core or 13mm Power Core to give you your choice of performance while also giving you maximum spin in both models.

Best Beginner Pickleball Paddle for Spin

The EVO 2.0 Power from SLK by Selkirk, the ultimate paddle for tennis enthusiasts and newcomers seeking a powerful, spin-friendly, and consistent performance on the court.

But let’s be clear, you do not have to put insane amounts of spin on the ball to be a great player!

I never thought about spin for the first 2 years playing pickleball as I progressed from a 4.0 to a 5.0 level player. But I realized it could add new weapons to my arsenal by learning this skill.

What are the benefits of putting spin on the ball?

Spin gives you additional shots that are difficult for your opponents to handle by:

  • Keeping your opponents guessing.
  • Letting you hit the ball harder without the ball landing out.
  • More consistent and harder to return baseline drives.
  • More aggressive serves.

All these can result in free points! If you want to learn more, check out these free lessons on how to effectively use spin:

 

Tips for using spin in pickleball:

  1. Don’t overdo it! The last thing you want to do is “chop” at the ball to generate spin. These exaggerated motions are not high percentage shots, and more importantly, they aren’t necessary! This leads us to tip number 2…
  2. Let the paddle do the work! All paddles can impart spin on the ball and your natural stroke often puts plenty of rotation on the ball. You should use a modest high to low motion (for backspin) or a low to high motion (for topspin). When it comes to spin: LESS IS MORE.
  3. Use a paddle designed for spin! As mentioned in tip number one, we don’t want to use exaggerated chopping motions because these are incredibly difficult to control. So a paddle built to generate spin creates rotation on the ball and keeps your shots under control.

 

What type of paddle face generates the most spin?

When you are executing that low to high (topspin) or high to low motion (backspin), a rough paddle face “grabs” the ball creating rotation.You can create this “roughness” with a variety of materials including carbon fiber, graphite, fiberglass, T700 (a form of carbon fiber), wood, etc.

 

How long does the grit last on a pickleball paddle?

The most overlooked factor when purchasing a paddle for spin is “how long will this spin surface last?” The amount of spin “out of the box” and the amount of spin as short as a week later can vary dramatically. 

It’s a little known fact that many pro players are using a brand new paddle each tournament (if not twice a tournament). These players want the high performance spin and consistency you get “out of the box” before wear and tear quickly lowers the performance level of the paddle.

The surface of the paddle will wear down (yes, even if it is not an overlay material). This will depend on how often you use the paddle, but we have found it can be a quick drop off even for players playing only 1 or 2 times a week. You can expect a significant decline in spin performance from most pickleball paddles after just 1 to 2 months if you play moderately to frequently.

We’ve recently developed the ProSpin+ technology that not only generates insane RPM on the ball, but it will keep that spin potential 6 months later! We believe you shouldn’t have to buy a paddle every month for top tier spin!  These paddles give you:

  1. Maximum spin
  2. The longest lasting spin surface on the market

We have implemented this prospin+ technology on 2 of our latest paddles: the Project 003 and the Vanguard Power Air.

You can check out the independent review of the Vanguard Power Air to learn how this spin compared to others on the market and if the spin potential stood up over time:

So What is the Best Spin Paddle in Pickleball?

It's different for each person and there's no definative answer! But as mentioned at the top of this article, here are our top 4 suggestions for best pickleball paddles for spin:

  1. The Vanguard Power Air Invikta
  2. The SLK Omega Max
  3. The Selkirk Labs Project 003
  4. The Vanguard Power Air Epic
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