Review of the TMPR Terra TC-13

UPDATE

I played three hours today with the TC-13, Joola Simone Jardin, and the Legacy Pro and I could tell no discernible difference between them. The TC-13 had just as much power as the other two, and had equally good precision and feel. The difference? The Joola was way more expensive. The other difference is that the TMPR paddles are made in the US.

If, after reading this review, you use the discount code LUCKY10, you will get $10 off a paddle (and backpacks). Be sure to use this link: https://tmprsports.com?aff=170

ORIGINAL POST

This is my second review of TMPR paddles.

SPECIFICATIONS

Here are the specs of the paddle:

  • Paddle Weight: This paddle has three weight selections: light, medium and heavy. When ordering, you choose from a drop-down menu.
  • Thickness: 13 mm
  • Paddle Face Material: textured T700 carbon
  • Rounded Edges: curved sides for increased response and improved performance
  • Paddle Core Material: Honeycomb Polymer Core
  • Paddle Shape: Elongated
  • Paddle Length: 16 1/4 inches
  • Paddle Width: 7 3/4 inches
  • Grip Size: Standard – 4 1/4 inches
  • Handle Length: Standard – 5 inches (good for two-handed backhands)
  • Handle Vibration Dampening Technology

TESTING

I tested this paddle using my standard set of tests:

Dinking/Volleying

This paddle is soft and quiet, and is excellent for dinking. My wife and I did straight on dinking, crosscourt dinking, and a “windshield wiper” exercise. Because this paddle is on the thinner side, it will have more “pop” than a 16 mm paddle. Because of the increase in power, my volleys were a bit crisper. We also drilled “windshield wiper” while volleying and the paddle gave me true shots all of the time.

Third shot/transition zone shot

I hit two kinds of third shots—a long “dink” and a push drive (not a blast). The paddle worked very well for all these shots. I liked the paddle for the push drive, again for the increase in power. When you use a push third/transition zone shot, you flirt with the net a lot. The Terra gave me good clearance over the net without me having to get it high over the net.

Around the World

I described this in another blog, but will do it again.

You put down six targets on the court, three across the middle, and three across the baseline.

  • One player is the feeder, and the other player the returner. The feeder hits a ball to the player starting at the NVZ and the drill proceeds as follows:
  • The returner moves across the court, first hitting dinks from the NVZ, the transition zone and the baseline.
  • The returner drops back to the middle and crosses in the other direction, again returning to the feeder.
  • The returner then drops back to the baseline, crosses in one direction and then again in the other direction.
  • The returner goes to the middle and ultimately the NVZ again, finishing where he started.

When this is done, the feeder and the returner switch roles. Then, when the second round is finished, the feeder moves to the middle and ultimately to the other end of the court. This drill accomplishes the following:

  1. Dinking (or drop shotting) from different positions on the court, emphasizing different distances and directions.
  2. Dinking to a specified point in the opponent’s court
  3. Moving your feet so that you are ready to hit the ball.

You wind up hitting 16 shots, with the goal of getting all of them back to the feeder and in the NVZ. I messed up once when I was the returner, but not at all from the transition zone. That is a good success rate.

Serving/ground strokes

This is a powerful paddle – which means, in my opinion, it is not intended for beginners, but for intermediate and advanced players. If you have good control of your ground strokes, you can hit very strong shots.

Two-handed ground strokes

The longer handle makes it perfect for anyone with a two-handed backhand (and a two-handed backhand dink, which is what I use now).

Spin

The textured T700 carbon surface grabs the ball and helps produce maximum spin. I could hit both top spin and side spin with this paddle, with the side spin kicking off the court. My top spin serves landed deep and kicked up.

Lobs off a dink

Great for the disguised lob off the dink.

SUMMARY

The Terra TC-13 is an excellent pickleball paddle for experienced players looking for a bit more power and precision, and for intermediate players who want to take their ground strokes up a notch.

Again, if, after reading this review, you use the discount code LUCKY10, to get $10 off the paddle (as well as backpacks).

Use this link: https://tmprsports.com?aff=170