Ep. 06 — Weight: Light, Mid, Heavy
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Light, mid or heavy — what a few tenths of an ounce actually change, why where the weight sits matters more than the scale, and which paddles come in each.
Nearly every performance paddle weighs between 7.6 and 8.4 ounces — a spread of less than an ounce. So the number on the box tells you less than you'd think. What you actually feel is where that weight sits: toward the head, or toward your hand.
Still, the scale is where everyone starts, so here's the map: light under 7.8 oz, mid from 7.8 to 8.2, heavy from 8.2 up.
Light (under 7.8 oz)
The quickest hands you can buy. Easy to flick, easy to reset, easy to play for three hours without fatigue. The trade-off: less mass behind the ball, so drives and blocks need more from your swing, and the paddle can get pushed around by hard pace.
Effortless. Almost like nothing is in your hand.
The Dinker, players coming back from arm or shoulder soreness, and anyone who wants to add weight themselves with lead tape.
Mid (7.8 to 8.2 oz)
Enough mass for solid drives and stable blocks, still quick enough for hand battles. Within this band, paddles feel different because of where the weight sits, not how much there is — more on that below.
Normal. This is the weight your hand already knows.
Everyone, honestly — The Wall, The Dinker, The All-Courter, The Strategist and The Power Hitter all have a home here. If you're unsure, start here.
- JOOLA Perseus Pro V · Ben Johns 14mm
- CRBN 1X 14mm
- Six Zero Double Black Diamond 14mm
- Paddletek Bantam TKO-C
- Selkirk Vanguard Control Invikta
- Thrive Surge
See all 31 paddles
- JOOLA Perseus Pro V · Ben Johns 16mm
- JOOLA Perseus Pro IV · Ben Johns 16mm
- JOOLA Hyperion Pro V 14mm
- JOOLA Hyperion Pro V 16mm
- JOOLA Hyperion Pro IV 16mm
- JOOLA Scorpeus Pro V · Anna Bright 14mm
- JOOLA Scorpeus Pro V · Collin Johns 16mm
- JOOLA Scorpeus Pro IV · Collin Johns 16mm
- JOOLA Kosmos Pro V · Staksrud 16mm
- JOOLA Kosmos Pro V · McGuffin 14mm
- JOOLA Andre Agassi Pro V 14mm
- JOOLA Steffi Graf Pro V 16mm
- CRBN 3X 16mm
- CRBN TruFoam Genesis 14mm
- Six Zero Double Black Diamond 16mm
- Six Zero Ruby
- Paddletek Bantam ESQ-C
- Selkirk Amped Pro Air Epic
- Selkirk Amped Pro Air Invikta
- Thrive Smoke
- Mark OneX
- Mark Two
- Mark TwoR2
- Neonic Flow
- Neonic Flare Titanium
Heavy (8.2 oz and up)
More mass behind every ball. Drives carry deeper with the same swing, blocks stay steady against hard hitters, and the paddle doesn't twist on off-center contact. The trade-off is hand speed at the kitchen and more fatigue over a long day.
Substantial. You feel the head move through the ball.
The Power Hitter and The Wall — players who hit through the ball or absorb pace all day. Not the pick if your elbow or shoulder is already complaining.
Where the weight sits
Two paddles can weigh exactly the same and feel completely different. It comes down to where the weight is.
Head-heavy: more of the weight is out at the tip. The paddle feels heavier than the scale says. More power, slower hands.
Hand-heavy: more of the weight is close to your hand. The paddle feels lighter than the scale says. Quicker hands, a little less power.
Longer shapes tend to be head-heavy. Wider shapes tend to be hand-heavy. That's why a paddle's weight only makes sense together with its shape.
So which weight is yours?
Weight is the last factor.
Shape, core thickness, face material, handle length, grip size and weight — that's all six. None of them decides a paddle on its own.
Want a shortcut? Sona's free PaddleMatch™ quiz looks at all six factors together and suggests one paddle for how you play.
Get fit. Take the PaddleMatch™ quiz