Ep. 03 — Face Material: Carbon, Kevlar, Fiberglass

"Raw" means the carbon weave is left exposed instead of painted over, and that gritty surface grips the ball better than anything else — it's why raw carbon dominates spin rankings. The face is stiff, so the ball comes off predictably and you place it where you aimed. The trade-off: less free pop than fiberglass. Your pace comes from the swing and the core, not the face.

Firm, precise, connected. The texture holds up well over time, though every raw face smooths a little with use.

Anyone who plays with spin — The Power Hitter, The Strategist and The All-Courter. It's the safest default face for most players in 2026.

Ben Johns, Anna Bright and Collin Johns (JOOLA Pro V line), Christian Alshon (Paddletek Bantam TKO-C).

Softer than carbon. Kevlar absorbs some of the hit, so the ball sits on the face a touch longer and comes off slower. That makes dinks, drops and resets easier to control. It gives up some pop.

Plush and quiet. Hard hits sting less.

The Dinker and The Wall. Also worth a look if hard hits bother your arm.

More pop than carbon. Fiberglass bends and springs back, so the ball leaves the face with extra speed and you don't have to swing as hard. It gives up some spin and precision.

Lively. The ball jumps off the face.

The Power Hitter who wants easy pace.

Brands stack materials to get two things at once. The common recipe is a raw carbon top layer for spin with a fiberglass layer beneath it for pop. The order matters: fiberglass closest to the core gives a livelier face; carbon closest to the core gives a firmer, more controlled one. Titanium faces belong here too — the titanium layer is mainly there to dampen vibration on blocks.

Depends on the recipe — which is the point. Read the layup (the list of layers in the face and the order they're stacked), not just the headline material.

The All-Courter who wants carbon spin with a bit more pop, and The Wall if a titanium face is on the table.