Most paddle guides online are written by brands trying to sell you the most expensive paddle in their lineup. This one is written by a brand that thinks the industry has gotten ridiculous about both price and hype. We'll tell you what matters, what doesn't, and what to look for — whether you end up buying from us or not.

If you've got five minutes, you'll know enough to pick a paddle confidently.

The five things that actually matter

Forget marketing pages, hot new tech, and athlete endorsements. When you strip everything back, there are five things that determine whether a paddle is worth buying.

1. Face material

The face is what touches the ball. Three materials dominate the market:

Carbon fiber (specifically T700) — what every premium paddle uses today. Gives you the right balance of touch, spin, and durability. If a paddle costs $80+, it should have a T700 carbon face. If it doesn't, the brand is cutting corners somewhere.

Fiberglass — older, more affordable, more powerful but less control. Fine for entry-level paddles under $60. You'll outgrow it within 6 months of regular play.

Graphite — a category mostly outdated by carbon fiber. Some legacy brands still use it but the performance gap is real.

What to look for: T700 carbon fiber, specifically. Not "carbon" generically — there are cheaper carbon grades that don't perform the same.

2. Core thickness

The honeycomb polypropylene core inside the paddle determines how it plays. There are two standards:

16mm — control-oriented. Slower off the face, more touch, better for the soft game and third-shot drops. This is what most serious players gravitate toward as they improve.

14mm — power-oriented. Faster off the face, more pop, larger sweet spot on hard hits. Better for players who win on aggression.

What to look for: 16mm if you're a thoughtful player or working on your soft game. 14mm if you play aggressive and like to drive. If you have no idea yet, 16mm is the safer first paddle — it teaches you better technique.

3. Construction method

This is where most beginners get fooled. Two paddles can have the same materials and the same specs, but be built completely differently.

Thermoformed unibody — face, edges, and core pressed together under heat into a single sealed unit. Holds its pop for 12+ months of regular play. The premium standard today.

Heat-pressed unibody — similar principle, slightly more forgiving feel, larger sweet spot. Excellent for players upgrading from a starter paddle.

Glued construction — what most cheap paddles still use. The face is adhered to the core with glue. Within 4–8 months of regular play, the bond breaks down and the paddle goes dead. You'll feel it before you understand what happened.

What to look for: thermoformed or heat-pressed construction. If a paddle's product page doesn't tell you how it's built, the answer is almost always glued.

4. Weight

Weight is the single most personal spec on a paddle. Heavier paddles hit harder and feel more stable but cause more arm fatigue and slower hands at the kitchen. Lighter paddles are quicker but transfer less power.

Light: under 7.8 oz — fast hands, finesse players, anyone with tennis elbow concerns
Mid: 7.8–8.2 oz — the sweet spot for most players
Heavy: over 8.2 oz — power hitters, players with strong forearms

What to look for: if it's your first real paddle, stay in the 7.8–8.2 oz range. You can adjust later with lead tape if you want more weight, but you can't take weight out of a paddle.

5. Handle length and grip size

Two-handed backhand player? You need at least a 5.0" handle. Most modern paddles default to this length now, but always check.

For grip circumference, most adult players land between 4.125" and 4.375". When in doubt, size down — you can always build up with an overgrip, but you can't shrink a grip.

Quick fit test: hold the paddle and try to slide your other hand's index finger between your fingertips and palm. If it fits comfortably, the size is right.

What doesn't matter (as much as you've been told)

Graphics and color. Loud paddle faces don't make the ball go faster.

Athlete endorsements. Ben Johns is sponsored by Joola. He'd play just as well with a different brand. You're paying $70–100 extra for the sponsorship.

"Revolutionary new technology" claims. The paddle industry releases "revolutionary" tech every six months. Most of it is marketing.

Brand age. Some of the best paddles being made today come from brands less than three years old. Some of the worst come from brands with a decade of history. Specs and construction matter more than how long a logo has existed.

Price above $200. Once you hit the $130–180 range, you have a serious paddle. Spending $250+ buys you marketing budget and athlete deals, not better play.

The Fjara approach

We built our paddles to address exactly the problems above. Same T700 carbon faces and 16mm cores as the major brands. Same thermoformed and heat-pressed construction. Same USAPA-spec dimensions. Built to USAPA specifications — certification submission in progress.

What we don't do: pay seven-figure athlete deals, refresh the lineup every six months, or charge $250+ for what should cost $130. That's why our paddles land at $99–$169 instead.

Two paddles in the lineup, depending on what you want:

Stillvann 16 — $129

For: Control players, soft-game specialists, third-shot drop players, anyone playing 3.5+ who wants to keep improving.
Construction: Thermoformed unibody, T700 carbon, 16mm core.
Weight: 7.8 oz.
Feel: Surgical, controlled, predictable.

Forste — $99

For: Players upgrading from a starter paddle, anyone who wants more forgiveness and power, gift-givers buying for someone new.
Construction: Heat-pressed unibody, T700 carbon, 16mm (14mm available).
Weight: 8.1 oz.
Feel: Confident, powerful, forgiving.

Two questions that decide it

1. When you miss the sweet spot, do you want forgiveness or feedback?
Forgiveness → Forste. Feedback so you can adjust → Stillvann 16.

2. What level are you playing at?
3.5 and below → Forste. 3.5+ chasing 4.0 → Stillvann 16.

That's the whole decision.

What you should walk away with

Five minutes in, you now know more than most people who walk into a pickleball store. T700 carbon face, 16mm or 14mm core, thermoformed or heat-pressed construction, weight between 7.8 and 8.2 oz, handle that fits your hand. That's the entire short list.

Apply it to any paddle, from any brand, at any price. The ones that check all five boxes are worth buying. The ones that don't, aren't — no matter what the marketing says.

[Shop the Stillvann 16 →](/products/fjara-stillvann)
[Shop the Forste →](/products/fjara-forste)

Questions? Email us at info@fjarasports.com — a real person reads every message.