Paddle weight and core, explained
Two numbers do most of the work when you compare paddles on this site: weight in ounces, and core thickness in millimetres. Both come from the maker's page. A blank field means the maker did not state it clearly when we copied the spec.
Weight
The lowest published weight in our file is 7.7 oz, on the Paddletek Bantam TKO-C (7.7–8.1 oz). The high end of a published range reaches 8.5 oz on Six Zero Double Black Diamond Control (up to 8.5 oz, maker price in AUD). A lighter paddle is easier to move at the kitchen. A heavier paddle carries more mass into the ball and can feel slower when the rally gets fast. Those are the usual descriptions of the number, not a lab test we ran.
Some listings are a range because the maker sells more than one shape. The Selkirk SLK ERA Power publishes 7.9–8.4 oz (Elongated) / 8.0–8.3 oz (Widebody). Read the shape that matches the paddle you are holding.
Core thickness
The core is the layer in the middle of the face. Makers list it in millimetres. Thicker cores are generally described as softer and more control-friendly. Thinner cores are generally described as crisper and poppier. A model can list more than one thickness. The Selkirk SLK HALO Power lists 13mm or 16mm. The JOOLA Perseus Pro V lists 14mm, 16mm. The Selkirk LUXX Control Air (InfiniGrit) lists 19mm, the thickest single number in our file. The Paddletek Bantam TKO-C lists 12.7mm, 14.3mm.
- 12.7 mm, for example the Paddletek Bantam TKO-C. 1 paddle in the file lists this thickness.
- 13 mm, for example the Selkirk SLK HALO Power. 1 paddle in the file lists this thickness.
- 14 mm, for example the CRBN CRBN¹ TruFoam Barrage. 12 paddles in the file list this thickness.
- 14.3 mm, for example the Paddletek Bantam TKO-C. 2 paddles in the file list this thickness.
- 15 mm, for example the Six Zero Double Black Diamond Control. 1 paddle in the file lists this thickness.
- 16 mm, for example the CRBN CRBN¹ X Series. 23 paddles in the file list this thickness.
- 19 mm, for example the Selkirk LUXX Control Air (InfiniGrit). 1 paddle in the file lists this thickness.
The 16mm filter is every paddle whose core field includes 16mm. It is not an ordered list of the softest paddles.
What to do with the numbers
If you mishit on the sides, look at a wider shape before you look at a heavier weight. If the ball feels too lively, look at a thicker published core before you add tape. Then open how to choose a paddle and the comparison pages, which put two spec sheets side by side.
Questions
What weights are actually published?
Among paddles that publish a weight, the lowest number in our file is 7.7 oz and the highest is 8.5 oz. If a maker leaves weight blank, the paddle page says so. We do not fill it in.
Is 16mm the control core?
We do not rank cores. A 16mm or thicker option is generally described as softer than a thinner core in the same family. The paddle page tells you which thicknesses that model lists.
Should I add lead tape?
The USA Pickleball rulebook allows weighted tape inside the stated limits. We do not tell you how much to add. Change one thing at a time and write down the published stock weight first.