In this article we will introduce the idea of the Paddle Effective Weight, and why it should be used instead of the Paddle Swing Weight. But first, let’s review what we know about the swing weight and its relationship to the static weight.
What is the Swing Weight?
As described in our article, “Paddle Weight vs Swing Weight”, the swing weight is simply the paddle moment of inertia (MOI) about the pitch axis (Figure 1) measured from a pivot point located under the center of your palm on the handle. The swing weight is therefore not absolute, as it depends on where the player grips the paddle. A paddle gripped near the throat (close to the paddle face) will appear to have a lower swing weight than a paddle gripped near the end of the handle.
A paddle’s swing weight provides an indication of how much force (or torque) is needed to rotate the paddle about the pitch axis from the pivot point. On one hand, a paddle with a low swing weight might be desired because it will be easier to maneuver from backhand to forehand sides for quick volleys near the net. On the other hand, a paddle with a high swing weight might be desired because it will feel more stable since it will be less prone to rotation when striking the ball. Players with slow reaction times, limited arm strength, or arm injuries (such as tennis elbow) might therefore benefit from using a paddle with a low swing weight.
Weight and Power
Does a paddle with a high swing weight have more power? Not necessarily. As described in our article, “Paddle Weight and Momentum”, the paddle’s mass (or static weight) traveling at a certain velocity (i.e., the “swing speed”) creates momentum that is transferred to the ball. The static weight of the paddle (and therefore not the swing weight) is the determining factor for momentum and power transfer to the ball. Paddles that have a greater distance from the pivot point to the center of mass (the cG offset) will tend to have greater power since the tangential velocity of the paddle during a swing will be larger than a paddle with a smaller cG offset.
On one hand, a player may want a paddle with a high static weight and larger cG offset to provide more speed or power. On the other hand, a player may want a paddle with a low static weight and lower cG offset because it will be easier to swing and can be accelerated faster, which may result in a higher swing speed. In our “Paddle Weight and Momentum” article, we show that power is more easily generated through increases in paddle swing speed as opposed to increases in paddle weight.
Effective Weight
There are several problems with providing a numerical swing weight for different paddles. As described above, the swing weight is essentially the moment of inertia measured from the paddle pivot point. It is expressed in terms of a mass unit multiplied by a distance unit squared (in technical terms, this distance is the radius of gyration of the paddle.) The units for swing weight are therefore oz-in2 or kg-cm2.
What is an oz-in2 anyway? The problem with the units of numerical swing weight is that they are not “relatable” to non-engineers, like common measurements such as ounces, pounds, inches, feet, miles per hour, etc. We can interpret the swing weight on a numerical scale as they do in golf, where clubs are put into swing weight classifications from A0 to F9. Once again, such classifications are not “relatable” to typical players.
Recognizing that we will only use the swing weight to compare different paddles to one another, Pickleball Science has developed an alternative way of expressing the swing weight. In our calculations, we obtain the swing weight by computing the paddle’s moment of inertia about the paddle center of mass (cG) then transferring it to the pivot point located 2” from the end of the handle. We then convert the swing weight into an “Effective Weight” (in ounces) by dividing the swing weight by the square of paddle radius of gyration or cG offset measured from the pivot point to the cG. The static weight, effective weight, swing weight, and cG offsets of several paddles are summarized in Table 1 below.
| Paddle | Static Weight (oz) | Effective Weight (oz) | Swing Weight (oz-in^2) | cG Offset (in) | Classification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TMPR Tantrum GXT | 7.55 | 8.89 | 459 | 7.2 | Light |
| ProKennex Pro Flight | 7.13 | 8.95 | 408 | 6.8 | Light |
| TMPR Tantrum XT | 7.69 | 9.03 | 483 | 7.3 | Light |
| TMPR Tantrum LX | 7.69 | 9.05 | 468 | 7.2 | Light |
| Engage Pursuit MX 6.0 | 8.01 | 9.45 | 567 | 7.8 | Light |
| TMPR Oculus LX | 7.90 | 9.48 | 464 | 7.0 | Light |
| TMPR Terra TC-16 | 7.80 | 9.49 | 516 | 7.4 | Light |
| TMPR Terra TC-13 | 7.83 | 9.57 | 486 | 7.1 | Medium |
| Ronbus R3 Pulsar | 8.04 | 9.74 | 566 | 7.6 | Medium |
| Selkirk Labs Project 003 | 7.72 | 9.86 | 483 | 7.0 | Medium |
| TMPR Expanse Beta LX | 7.97 | 9.95 | 488 | 7.0 | Medium |
| Ronbus EV2 | 8.08 | 9.96 | 524 | 7.4 | Medium |
| Selkirk Omni Amped S2 | 8.08 | 9.96 | 524 | 7.3 | Medium |
| Selkirk Invikta Power Air | 8.01 | 9.96 | 524 | 7.3 | Medium |
| Vulcan V530 Power | 8.20 | 9.97 | 506 | 7.1 | Medium |
| TMPR Terra LX | 8.40 | 10.00 | 525 | 7.3 | Heavy |
| CRBN 2X | 8.43 | 10.05 | 528 | 7.3 | Heavy |
| Bread & Butter Filth | 8.18 | 10.08 | 548 | 7.4 | Heavy |
| CRBN 1X | 8.43 | 10.25 | 577 | 7.5 | Heavy |
| Diadem Vice | 8.20 | 10.27 | 540 | 7.3 | Heavy |
The effective weight describes how heavy a paddle feels when swinging it. It is essentially the equivalent weight of the paddle if all of the mass was concentrated at the paddle cG location. The effective weight is therefore entirely “relatable” to typical players because we all know the difference between a paddle that swings light verses one that swings heavy.
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How to Use the Effective Weight
As indicated in Table 1, the differences in effective weight are subtle, with the maximum difference between the paddles with the highest and lowest effective weights being less than 1.5 oz. How do you use the effective weight table?
Let’s consider for example the Engage Pursuit MX 6.0 paddle compared with the Selkirk Invikta Power Air paddle. Both paddles have static weights of 8.01 oz, however, there are some significant differences on examination of the effective weight and swing weight.
- Looking at the effective weight numbers, the Engage paddle swings like a paddle with a weight of 9.45 oz, whereas the Selkirk paddle swings like a paddle that weighs 9.96 oz, a difference in effective weight of more than one-half ounce! What accounts for such a large difference in paddles of the same static weight?
- Looking at the swing weight numbers, the Engage paddle has a numerical swing weight of 567 oz-in2, whereas the Selkirk paddle has a lower numerical swing weight of 524 oz-in2. Why would the Engage have a lower effective weight than the Selkirk paddle if the swing weight is in fact greater?
The answer to the above questions lies in the fact that the Engage paddle has a longer handle than the Selkirk paddle. As indicated in Table 1, the cG offset of the Engage paddle is one-half inch longer than the Selkirk paddle, accounting for the increase in the numerical swing weight. However, the Engage paddle has a more efficient distribution of weight about the paddle center of mass (cG), making it swing slightly lighter than the Selkirk paddle. One player might prefer the Engage paddle because it is more maneuverable and feels lighter. Another player might prefer the Selkirk paddle because of it feels more stable when striking a ball.
Future Articles
We will continue to add to our swing weight table as we obtain more paddles to test. If there are some particular paddles you want us to evaluate, please Contact Us. In future articles we will compare the spin capabilities of several different paddles, then integrate our findings with the paddle effective weight and paddle power. A paddle’s effective weight, power, and spin capability will fully define the criteria on which base your selection of a perfect paddle to suit your skills and playing style.
