In a previous article, “Power vs Control Paddles”, we discussed the important characteristics and differences between power and control paddles. In our analysis, we found that “power” paddles will tend to have softer faces than “control” paddles. Our testing methodology relied on our ability to calculate the change in kinetic energy caused by dropping a pickleball onto a paddle. We have since developed a methodology using a force gauge to quantify the stiffness of the paddle face, which warrants further investigation of Power vs Control Paddles.
Testing Methodology
The USAPA paddle standard requires no more than 0.005” of displacement of the paddle face under a load of 6.614 lbs. This corresponds to a stiffness of 1323 lb/in. According to the USAPA, paddles that have a stiffness less than 1323 lb/in may exhibit a “trampoline effect”, whereby the rebound of the paddle face after striking the ball will add speed and energy to the ball, thus giving the player an unfair advantage. There is no upper limit on the paddle face stiffness.
For our tests, we felt that a load of 6.614 lbs was too light to estimate the paddle face stiffness since in many of our calculations we have found that serves, groundstrokes, and overhead slams may apply forces to the ball that may easily exceed 25 lbs. Our tests were therefore performed by using a digital force gauge and placing loads of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 lbs on the paddle face and averaging the displacements (Figure 1). Because we are applying a significantly greater load to the paddle face, there is no correlation between the USAPA test and our stiffness tests.
Our tests have found that the paddle face stiffness is somewhat non-linear in that the displacement decreases as more load is applied to the paddle face. That is, the paddle faces appear to get stiffer as more load is applied to them. As a result, a linear curve fit was applied to the results to obtain an “average” stiffness over the load range.
A Tale of Two Paddles
Figure 2 shows test results for the compliance of two paddles, the Selkirk Invikta Power Air and the Selkirk Omni Amped X5. Compliance is the inverse of stiffness, so a softer paddle will have a compliance curve above the Test Standard (black line), and a harder paddle will have a compliance curve below the Test Standard. As shown, the two Selkirk paddles are on two different ends of the stiffness spectrum. In fact, the linearized curve for the Selkirk Invikta indicates that it has a stiffness of about 1290 lb/in whereas the Selkirk Omni has a considerably higher stiffness of about 2091 lb/in, a significant difference of 800 lb/in!
Paddles with a face stiffness less than 1400 lb/in, such as the Invikta, are considered “soft” paddles. As we discussed in our article, “Power vs Control Paddles”, soft paddles are capable of developing a lot of power because the trampoline effect adds energy and speed to the ball on rebound. Soft paddles can also increase the contact time between the paddle face and ball, allowing players to impart more spin to the ball (see our article, “How is Topspin Generated?”). Soft paddles are thus categorized as “power” paddles. The downside of power paddles is that if they are not hit near the sweet spot, it may be difficult to control the direction of the ball.
Paddles with a face stiffness of over 1600 lb/in, such as the Omni, are considered “hard” paddles. As we discussed in our article, “Power vs Control Paddles”, hard paddles are the most forgiving in that players do not need to hit the ball near the sweet spot to control the direction of the shot. Hard paddles are therefore categorized as “control” paddles. The downside of control paddles is that they do not add energy to the ball on rebound and the shorter contact time reduces a player’s ability to add spin to the ball.
Paddles with a face stiffness between 1400 lb/in and 1600 lb/in fall into the broad “hybrid” stiffness category. This should not be confused with the numerous paddles on the market that are labeled “hybrid” paddles, since the face stiffness of these paddles may not fall within the “hybrid” stiffness range (as we define it). Within the “hybrid” stiffness range, paddle manufacturers incorporate numerous combinations of face and core stiffness, paddle configuration, swing weight, and face roughness to overcome the limitations and accentuate desirable characteristics of power and control paddles.
For purposes that will become apparent in later articles, we will further subdivide the “hybrid” stiffness category into two categories: (1) hybrid paddles with low stiffness (1400 lb/in to 1500 lb/in), which we will call “power hybrid” paddles, and (2) hybrid paddles with high stiffness (1500 lb/in to 1600 lb/in), which we will call “control hybrid” paddles.
Which Paddle is Right for You?
Recognizing that your choice of paddle is a matter of personal preference, we will make some broad generalizations on the type of paddle suitable for your playing style and ability.
Let’s start with “power” paddles. These paddles (in general) will have a softer face and a heavier swing weight than other paddles. Power paddles might be ideally suited for players with intermediate to advanced skill level, above-average foot speed and mobility, and above-average arm strength and coordination. These players will also be capable of consistently hitting the ball at the paddle sweet spot with lots of speed and spin. Converted tennis players, who are used to swinging softer and heavier tennis racquets might consider using a power pickleball paddle.
“Control” paddles (in general) will have harder faces and a lighter swing weight than other paddles. Control paddles might be ideally suitable for players with beginner to intermediate skill level, limited speed and mobility, and below-average arm strength and coordination. These players might not yet consistently hit the ball at the paddle sweet spot, use spin, or hit the ball with a lot of speed. Newcomers to racquet sports or table tennis players might consider using a control paddle, as they will provide more consistent results and seem more accurate than a power paddle.
The majority of recreational pickleball players who play pickleball for fun and exercise fall into the intermediate 3.0 to 4.0 skill range. While intermediate players are often tempted to use the same power paddle endorsed by their favorite professional pickleball player, this might be detrimental to their game if they lack the skills to properly use it. Furthermore, one important aspect of power paddles is that in order to gain the full benefit of the trampoline effect, the ball must be hit hard. Because of this, the performance of power and control paddles (based on face stiffness alone) should not be significantly different for soft or finesse shots such as dinks or drop shots.
Intermediate players may still be in the process of refining their skills, or they may be undecided if they want to play a “power” or “finesse” game, or they may be seeking an “all purpose” paddle to play with indoor and outdoor balls. Intermediate players might therefore benefit from using a “hybrid” stiffness paddle. Fortunately, most paddles in the market fall into the “hybrid” stiffness range, and there are numerous paddles to choose from with different shapes, configurations, thicknesses, swing weights, and face surface treatments.
Manufacturers may mix and match different features of power and control paddles to suit a player’s style. For example, a paddle may have a higher face stiffness for control but may incorporate a gritty face covering to increase spin. Other paddles may have a softer face for power but incorporate a larger surface area (and sweet spot) to minimize mis-hits. Intermediate players should experiment with paddles with different combinations of power and control features to discover the perfect combination to suit their style of play and ability.
Future Articles
In future articles we will conduct in-depth product reviews of several paddles, including the Selkirk Invikta and Selkirk Omni paddles. While face stiffness can be a good indicator of whether a paddle is classified as a “power” or “control” paddle, we will see that other factors such as swing weight, sweet spot location, paddle dynamics, and face roughness play an important role in defining the power or control characteristics of a paddle.
