Because of the sudden increase of manufacturers jumping into the pickleball market, I have decided to test as many paddles as I can. All the manufacturers tout their “special” advantages, mainly the manner in which they create a honeycomb, the grit they use, their carbon face, and so on. For the most part, these are not technological advantages, just variations on a theme.
I have, however, come across two manufacturers who really have something special to add. The first is Hudef, who introduced a “Through-Rod Engineering” design intended to increase the power of the paddle. As far as I can tell, that design works.
Then there is a radical new technology being used in the Master Athletics P2 and P2XL paddles, and when I say radical, I meant it. Before I get to what that technology is, first let me give the specs on the paddles.
P2XL SPECS:
- Core: Polypropylene Core
- Weight: 224 grams / 7.9 oz.
- Balance: 230 mm (.7 inches above dead center)
- Surface Area: 7-3/8 in. x 11 in.
- Grip Type: Master Athletics 4 Layer Cushion Grip
- Overall Length: 16-3/4 in.
- Surface: Spintex Surface
- Grip: 4 inches
- Thickness: 15 mm
P2 SPECS:
- Core: Polypropylene Core
- Weight: 230grams / 8.1 oz.
- Balance: 230mm (.7 inches above dead center)
- Surface Area: 7-3/4 in. x 9 in.
- Grip Type: Master Athletics 4 Layer Cushion Grip
- Overall Length: 15-1/2 in.
- Surface: Spintex Surface
- Grip: 4-1/8 inches
- Thickness: 15 mm
It is interesting to me that Master Athletics specifies the paddle balance. I have not seen any other manufacturer to that. I’m not going to go into details about that, but you can Google “Pickleball Paddle Balance” and see how it is determined.
SPINTEX
So, what is Spintex? Spider silk is often cited as one of the strongest biological materials in the world, and scientists have long been searching for a way to artificially synthesize this silk for human use as a textile fiber. Spintex Engineering in the UK has finally cracked the spider’s code and has developed a solution that mimics a spider spinnerets’ ability to spin fiber at room temperature without harsh chemicals, from a liquid gel. Master Athletics uses Spintex technology to create its paddle face. Master Athletics claims that its Spintex technology and its one-piece carbon construction make it the strongest paddle on the market. I don’t have a way of measuring the strength of a paddle, but I can say that there is no grit to wear out, so I believe the claim.
SPINTEX
ONE PIECE CARBON CONSTRUCTION
One piece carbon construction is a not new technology, as Franklin, Gearbox and Hudef, among others, use the same technology. Soon all paddles will be constructed in this manner. However, Master Athletics uses this technology ingeniously in its “Edge Technology,” discussed below.
EDGE TECHNOLOGY
EDGE TECHNOLOGY
The revolutionary EDGE technology (and I mean REVOLUTIONARY), the P2 and P2XL allow you to customize the paddle to fit your own specifications using Master Athletics proprietary Pickleball Tuning Kit (which is sold separately). You can easily add weight strips to change the balance of the paddle or you can add a dampening strip to reduce the vibration of the paddle. I cannot say enough about the genius of this technology.
Below is an image of the Tuning Kit. The white strips are for dampening (reducing vibration) and the silver strips are for adding weight.
TUNING KIT
The white strips weigh about 1 gram, and the silver strips weigh between 2 and 2.5 grams. You can actually trim them to get a specific weight if you so desire. I experimented with both strips.
I used the dampening strips on the P2 and they did reduce vibration and noise. How do I know? I measured the sound in decibels with and without the strips. When you reduce vibration, you reduce pitch, which means you have a softer sound. I am not going to get too technical, but if you want a discussion of sound, see my blog post here:
I then applied four weight strips to the P2XL, adding a total of 10 grams, or .35 ounces, to the paddle. That brought the total weight to 8.45 ounces.
Of course, you can always add weight to a paddle using lead tape. But think about this – as you add tape to the top of a paddle, you are changing the center of gravity, or the balance of the paddle. Essentially you might be changing a perfect on-balance hit in the middle of the paddle to a slightly off-balance hit.
By adding weights to the sides of a paddle, you are not changing the center of gravity. It remains the same, so you are not creating an off-balance situation.
PERFORMANCE
The P2 and P2XL are, in a word, great. I prefer using the P2XL because I have become enamored with extended paddles and I can beef it up a bit with the strips, but the P2 performs equally as well. The P2 is a tiny bit lighter, so, if that is what you prefer, that’s the one to go with.
Both paddles are very quiet. Unlike the Gearbox paddles I used to use, I felt no vibration in my hand/arm while playing.
Regarding spin, I can put a lot of topspin on my shots as well as underspin/side spin. I attribute this not to grit (which may wear out), but to the Spintex technology.
WARRANTY
Master Athletics offers a one-year limited warranty that covers any defects in material or workmanship under normal use during the Warranty Period. During the Warranty Period, Master-Athletics will repair or replace, at no charge, products or parts of a product that proves defective because of improper material or workmanship, under normal use and maintenance.
COST
The paddles are not inexpensive, but, in this case, I think the cost is justified. You can purchase the paddles here: https://www.master-athletics.com/collections/pickleball
TRIVIA
When we lived in Ohio, my wife and I played platform tennis in the winters. We used Master Athletics platform tennis paddles when we did. Note that the new Diadem paddle with holes resembles a platform tennis paddle!
VIDEO
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