ACU-NSX1$77,332—AST-DB12$226,393−14.9%AST-VANT$200,500—AUD-RSGT$170,500—BEN-BTYG$183,023−19.3%BEN-CTGT$168,788−40.7%BMW-I7XD$106,200—BMW-X7XD$40,084−54.2%BMW-IX3X$61,500—BMW-E30M$74,346—BMW-M5SD$104,066−15.6%BYD-SEAL£29,595−35.3%CAD-ESCL$58,338−36.0%CAD-ESIQ$130,300—CHV-ZR1C$137,995—CHV-ZR1X$207,395—FER-PURO$538,473+25.4%FER-12CI$645,476+36.8%FER-SF90$485,676—FER-ROMA$192,845—FER-458I$400,391—FER-296G$343,866+1.7%LAM-REVU$652,284+7.2%LAM-TEME$535,670+82.2%LAM-GALL$129,851—LAM-URUS$253,114−9.8%LRV-D110$63,500—LRV-RNGR$85,875−25.6%LEX-LX60$108,550—LUC-GRAV$79,900—LUC-AIRP$36,448−49.7%MAS-MC20$242,995—MCL-ARTU$188,699−27.5%MCL-750S$358,567−1.8%MBZ-AMGT$138,150—MBZ-S580$130,700—MBZ-CLAE$47,250—MBZ-G550$147,980−4.6%MBZ-EQSS$38,218−62.2%MBZ-M680$175,169−28.3%POR-GT3C$269,900+14.5%POR-TRBS$276,625+2.3%POR-CAYN$92,250—POR-CAYE$111,350—POR-993C$87,300—POR-911C$130,210−3.9%POR-TAYC$69,900−31.8%POR-MACE$69,675−13.3%RIV-R1SP$83,990—RRY-CULL$360,624−16.6%RRY-GHST$324,563−12.5%RRY-SPEC$369,970−7.0%TSL-MDLS$90,191−18.0%TOY-SUPR$95,702—VOL-EX90$47,883−38.7%AFU-OPXR$1,650—COH-BH52£2,330—COH-SIG6£3,460—COH-MSIG£1,589—DAV-WCRB$507—HUP-MG54£1,115—MON-NO02£1,109—MON-PET2£880—OLI-MLRB$92—PAD-64EX$410—PAD-26N9$588—PAR-SD04£1,020—RYJ-CHTB£63—RYJ-WCHB£1,245—BAN-PGRX$299—CAP-MEGA$468—FLR-MJ57$355,000—HON-VADR$224—HOT-MK3G$424—HOT-MK32$660—HOT-BFLS$300—HOT-SIMN$420—LEG-EXSD$721−9.8%LEG-DNTN$403+15.2%LEG-PLST$165−8.2%LEG-PKBL$226−24.6%LEG-UCMF$704−17.2%LEG-ATAT$1,190—LEG-TITN$762+12.1%LEG-EIFL$647—LEG-RIVN$464−7.2%LEG-DS10$904—LEG-ISDS$1,120—LEG-LKCS$724—MTG-LOTU$72,000—MTG-M21C$490—MAR-H181$21,500—MAR-AF10$32,500—MAR-AF40$165,000—NIN-PKRD$401—NIN-MTPO$203—NIN-SMBS$1,219—NIN-SMBC$218—NIN-SWI2$520+4.0%PKM-BL10$8,002—PKM-CZ09$3,538—PKM-CZ10$30,550—PKM-1E09$33,573—PKM-1E10$334,399—PKM-DRBB$606—PKM-MEBB$329—PKM-ILLU$16,492,000—PKM-1EBL$22,231—PKM-1EVE$13,074—PKM-SL09$15,000—PKM-SL10$50,000—PKM-GSCZ$181,415—PKM-GSRQ$365,750—PKM-GSUM$477,050—PKM-BS1B$204,000—PKM-BSBB$10,488—PKM-MB10$3,550—PKM-MBRW$1,773—PKM-RQ10$1,913—PKM-RQRW$1,000—PKM-CZ51$282—PKM-CZOF$93—PKM-GR10$3,095—PKM-GRRW$793—PKM-PK10$718—PKM-PKRW$227—PKM-UE10$4,250—PKM-UERW$955—PKM-LG10$1,185—PKM-LGRW$433—PKM-MTDR$347—PKM-MCZX$601—PKM-JPCZ$28,000—PKM-JBPK$42,000—PKM-JMEW$193—PKM-JCZS$325—PKM-GFHP$930—PKM-ESBB$2,183—PKM-ESET$515—PKM-LOBB$736—PKM-STBB$505—PKM-UPC1$753—PKM-PEET$120—PKM-HFET$500—SSC-PFDV$665—SNY-PS5P$1,266+40.7%TOP-LJ10$4,157—BRL-UNJR$4,700—BRL-ALOX$2,660—BOT-DIAG$4,500—BOT-TRIB$4,200—BRC-CPOL$2,000—BRC-PLOF$1,500—BBR-KENS$2,850—CGS-HYBR$750—CRT-LOVE$6,983−12.2%CHA-BOYB$7,400—CHA-WOCC$3,850—CHA-CF11$7,630−34.8%CMP-ACHL$489—GYD-STLG$2,500+20.2%GYD-ARTM$2,980—GYD-STLP$2,495+32.0%GUC-ACES$830—GUC-HB53$1,090—HRM-KPOC$30,000+263.6%HRM-KL25$30,135+120.0%HRM-MK20$30,500+167.5%HRM-B30T$22,300+49.7%HRM-B35T$26,500+62.6%HRM-EV33$4,850—HRM-HACD$11,300—HRM-PC18$4,650+17.0%HRM-EVTP$3,500+38.6%HRM-BK25$30,800+128.1%HRM-KL28$30,500+111.8%LOE-PUZL$4,350—LRP-SWLK$730−36.5%LVT-KP50$1,410−48.0%MCL-MAYA$2,350—PRA-RNSB$3,100—SLP-SDJL$3,800—ADP-CEDV£180—AMO-INTE$304−23.0%CHA-AHSP$115—CHA-EGOI$142—CHA-ALHO$115—CHA-ANTA$142—CHA-PMON$140—CHA-BLEU$105−39.3%CRD-GITW$235−52.0%CRD-SMWT$135—CRD-AVEN$384−24.7%DIO-SELXCHF 192—DIO-EAUSCHF 102—DIO-HINT$83−37.1%DIO-FAHR$108—DIO-SAUV$160−7.5%GRL-IDEP$157—GRL-IDPF$140—HER-TERR$69−52.4%ISM-LEDI$57—LAT-KHAM$50—MFK-OVMO£360—MFK-BACC$323−10.3%PDM-PEGA$290—PDM-HERO$328—PDM-LAYT$282−29.5%RAS-HAWA$92—TFD-TOBV$300—TFD-OMBL$140−15.2%TFD-OUDW$250−16.7%VER-EROS$50—XER-NAXO$220−24.1%YSL-YEDP$114—YSL-LNLP$104—BVL-BZ03$3,200—BVL-BZ04$3,300—BVL-SVRG$2,530—CRT-LVSM$5,300—CRT-LV4D$14,000—CRT-JUCC$7,600−12.6%CRT-JUSM$4,180—DYR-CB5S$975—MSK-MUHB$3,360—TIF-T1NB$6,950—TIF-KNWB$5,900—TIF-LKBY$8,300—TIF-HWSL$7,500—TIF-HWLB$16,200—TIF-LKNB$5,400—TIF-TWWB$5,750—VCA-VABO$5,100—VCA-VABG$7,250—VCA-VAB5$5,350—VCA-VN10$10,200—VCA-VAPD$3,150—ALS-LNG1$35,665—APG-J162$79,400+98.0%APG-OD15$28,533—APG-C113$25,852—APG-R510$58,089+70.9%APG-R500$40,023—BRT-NB43$6,500−28.6%BRT-SOHR$3,270—BVL-OCTF$9,500—BVL-OFDZ$18,300—CAR-TMST$2,984−23.5%CAR-BB40$4,329−47.2%CAR-SANT$6,423−25.7%GIR-LCWE$20,900—GSK-W231$2,774−35.5%GSK-WBCH$7,592—GSK-SL09$7,399−22.1%GSK-SNOW$4,951—HMS-STSA$99,600—HAM-KFLD$511—HUB-CFBD$25,100—IWC-PCHR$6,502—IWC-MK20$4,563−6.9%JLC-MCCL$9,157—LNG-SPRT$2,100—LVT-MONC$22,900—OMG-AT41$3,810−46.3%OMG-CN41$6,000—OMG-SPMW$4,800−38.5%OMG-SPMS$6,100−32.2%OMG-SMDV$4,335−35.3%ORS-ARTC$2,950—PAT-AQUA$61,000+123.8%PAT-5711$105,656—PAT-5226$36,279−23.2%PAT-5205$33,036—PAT-CALA$32,000−14.7%PAT-NAUT$190,000—RMI-RM35$391,798—RLX-DJ41$10,026+12.0%RLX-EXPL$7,871−0.4%RLX-EXP2$10,436−1.5%RLX-SEAD$13,389−8.0%RLX-YM40$13,713+3.9%RLX-AIRK$8,169+0.2%RLX-DD40$51,545+7.4%RLX-GMTP$27,595—RLX-SKYD$23,321+31.4%RLX-SUBD$15,795+39.2%RLX-SUBN$14,595+45.2%RLX-SUBG$16,195+36.1%RLX-GMTB$18,010+50.1%RLX-DAYT$36,200+114.2%SEI-SPB1$1,023—TAG-MNCO$5,118—TAG-CRGB$3,850−34.7%TAG-CRSP$6,650—TIS-PRXA$653−9.9%TIS-PRXC$525—TUD-BB58$4,300−4.4%TUD-PL39$3,529−37.3%TUD-RNGR$2,379−40.9%TUD-MNRC$5,875—VAC-OVER$27,737—VAC-OPCA$132,000—ZEN-CMSP$8,337—ZEN-DFSK$6,810−13.8%BLA-ORIG$100+20.5%EHT-SMBT$56—EAG-10YO$49—ELC-18YO$195—GTS-BTAC$155—GLF-18YO$115−8.0%HAK-12YO$156—HIB-21YO$980—HIB-HARM$100—JWK-BLUE$170−22.7%KAV-SOLV$249—KNB-21YO$250—LAG-16YO$90+28.6%PAP-20YO$400—PAP-23YO$500—PAP-15YO$1,995+565.0%RED-12YO$75—MAC-25SO$2,499—MAC-12SO$89−11.0%MAC-18SO$350−16.7%WLW-BTAC$155—YAM-18YO$750—YAM-12YO$190—ALM-2017$200+5.3%TIG-2020$1830.0%BIO-BR01$297+12.5%BOL-RD08$280—CAT-AD19$278+13.0%CHB-2019$724−8.1%COS-2016$296+12.5%BEA-HJ19$330—HBR-2016$717—LAF-2018$9670.0%LAT-1996$792—MRG-2005$945—MOU-2017$555—CLA-REPO$160—DOM-2015$285—ROU-CB18$2,904+5.1%DRC-RC15$32,833+21.7%DRC-LT18$6,357+2.3%LEF-PU07$804+3.2%LER-RI14$14,360—PIN-2016$1,408+14.2%GUI-LM21$371−2.1%EGM-SP22$208—GAJ-BB23$341+16.8%CON-MF15$1,249−2.9%QUI-AM06$480—HAR-2019$1,672—HEN-PARA$1,450—HEN-HG18$636—KRG-CM08$2,574—KRG-GC72$259—LRD-RS15$546—LRD-CR16$2820.0%MST-2015$1,123—MOE-IMPB$46—OPS-2021$389−15.4%ORN-2021$2520.0%PEN-GR20$1,600—PET-2019$4,9860.0%RMY-LX13$4,399—RMY-XO75$289—RID-MB14$280+21.2%SAL-BB15€935−5.1%SCR-CS21£2,982+23.5%TAY-VP16€88+2.3%SAS-2022$2820.0%VEG-UN16$396—
Man Target
The Pickleball Paddle Guide: Brands, Specs and the Approval List That Matters
Pickleball

The Pickleball Paddle Guide: Brands, Specs and the Approval List That Matters

Carbon or fibreglass, 13 or 16 millimetres, elongated or standard. What actually changes your game, and how to make sure your paddle is legal.

MAN TARGET EditorsOctober 28, 2026 3 min read

WhatsApp

Pickleball looks simple until you walk into a paddle shop. Dozens of brands, raw carbon faces, thermoformed edges, foam cores: the language moves fast. The good news is that only a handful of decisions really matter, and one of them is not about feel at all. If you want to play sanctioned tournaments, your paddle must be on the USA Pickleball approved list. Start there, then choose what suits your game. Weight matters too. A heavier paddle adds stability and drive power; a lighter one moves faster at the net and is often gentler on the elbow. If you are unsure, start in the middle of the range and add lead tape later rather than buying a heavy paddle first.

The brands to know

  • Selkirk (USA). Founded in Idaho in 2014; one of the sport's best-known paddle makers, from beginner to tour models.
  • JOOLA (Germany). A table tennis brand that moved into pickleball and became prominent through its pro partnerships.
  • Paddletek (USA). A Michigan maker with a long line of control-oriented paddles.
  • CRBN (USA). Built its reputation on raw carbon-fibre faces designed for spin and touch.
  • Franklin (USA). Wide range of paddles; its X-40 is the official ball of USA Pickleball.
Face, core and shape: the three specs that define how a paddle plays.
Face, core and shape: the three specs that define how a paddle plays.

What to buy at your level

  • Beginner. A mid-weight, standard-shape paddle with a fibreglass or composite face and a thick polymer honeycomb core. Forgiving, comfortable, and easy to control in the soft game.
  • Improving club player. A carbon-fibre face with a 16 mm core for control and spin around the kitchen. A hybrid shape gives a little extra reach without losing the sweet spot.
  • Advanced or competitive. Choose by style: a thinner core or elongated shape for drives and speed-ups, a thicker core for resets and dinks. Demo before committing.
  • Every level. Pick a grip size you can hold relaxed, and add overgrip rather than starting too thick.
Most club points are won with control. Buy the paddle that keeps the ball low, not the one that hits it hardest.

Stay legal, stay safe

  • Look for the USA Pickleball Approved mark and confirm the exact model on the official approved list; models can be added or removed.
  • From 1 October 2026, newly certified paddles must pass a spin-rate test under 2,100 RPM.
  • Use outdoor balls with smaller, more numerous holes outside, and indoor balls inside.
  • Wear court shoes with lateral support; many pickleball injuries come from quick sideways moves.

Key takeaways

  • Check the USA Pickleball approved list before buying for tournament play.
  • Thicker cores (around 16 mm) add control; thinner ones (13 to 14 mm) add pop.
  • Elongated paddles add reach and power; standard shapes add forgiveness.
  • Buy court shoes, not running shoes, and a proper outdoor or indoor ball.
#pickleball#gear#paddles#USA Pickleball#equipment guide

FAQ

How do I know if my pickleball paddle is approved?

Check for the USA Pickleball Approved mark and search the exact model on USA Pickleball's official equipment list before a sanctioned event.

Is a 16 mm or 14 mm paddle better?

A 16 mm core generally gives more control and a softer feel; a 13 to 14 mm core gives more pop. Many club players prefer 16 mm.

What paddle should a beginner buy?

A mid-weight, standard-shape paddle with a thick core and a forgiving face. Demo a couple if you can before buying.

Add it to your Man Target wish list: the paddles our editors would play.

Explore

Share this story

WhatsApp

The Sunday Brief.

Gear verdicts, court tips and the pro tours, every week. Join free.

Keep reading

Pickleball 2026 So Far: Waters Rules, Haworth Rises, New Jersey Finally Wins
Pickleball

Pickleball 2026 So Far: Waters Rules, Haworth Rises, New Jersey Finally Wins

A dominant doubles duo, a new singles star, a first MLP crown in Central Park and a fresh equipment rule. The pro season in results.

MAN TARGET Editors · 3 min read

Win the Kitchen: The Third-Shot Drop, Patient Dinking and Staying Injury-Free
Pickleball

Win the Kitchen: The Third-Shot Drop, Patient Dinking and Staying Injury-Free

Pickleball is won at the net, not from the baseline. Three skills that lift club players fast, and the habits that keep you on court.

MAN TARGET Editors · 3 min read

Pickleball: Why the Racquet Sport Everyone Mocked Is Hooking Men
Pickleball

Pickleball: Why the Racquet Sport Everyone Mocked Is Hooking Men

Small court, fast hands, instant competition. Here's why pickleball wins over skeptics, and how to start right.

MAN TARGET Editors · 3 min read