I have around 50 pickleball paddles, and many of those advanced player paddles, so I thought it would be helpful to cover the best pickleball paddles for advanced players.
According to USAPA, advanced players start at 4.0 while expert and pro players start at 5.0, but these paddles are geared more towards 5.0+.
To create this article, I wanted to combine:
- My learnings from my research what the top pro pickleball players use and whether the pros use 14mm or 16mm paddles
- My learnings playing with advanced paddles.
Before we begin, these paddles are quite expensive, so I added a 6th option, which is the best budget pickleball paddle for advanced players.
1. JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus 3S UPA Pickleball Paddle
I have tried this Joola Ben Johns Perseus 3S paddle, and it’s an entirely different beast of a paddle. This paddle is a spin/control paddle with ample power. It has an entirely different pop than the Joola Ben Johns Hyperion CFS 16mm, and I believe this paddle was created because the Joola Gen 3 paddles were banned. Here’s a more background about the technology.
The JOOLA Perseus 3S 16mm paddle, the trusted choice of world champion Ben Johns, is crafted for unmatched performance. Engineered for consistency, its 3S technology ensures every game feels reliable and controlled.
The paddle’s Propulsion Core enhances stability and shot precision, delivering an ideal balance of power and finesse. With an optimized sweet spot and Charged Carbon Surface, players experience exceptional energy return and accuracy. Certified by the UPA-A, the JOOLA Perseus 3S paddle is designed to elevate your game and help you dominate the court with confidence.
As you can see, Ben Johns is currently using this paddle.
The price of this paddle is not for the faint of heart, but thankfully you can get this on Amazon, so you can get fast shipping and potentially free returns. 🙂
2. JOOLA Perseus MOD TA 15 on Amazon
Federico Staksrud is currently using this pickleball paddle, and it’s also an incredible paddle for advanced players.
This paddle has a ton of technology including the GEN 3 Propulsion Core for a perfect blend of power and control. It also has a “Charged Carbon Surface” for precision and energy return.
What I found crazy is that this paddle has an embedded NFC chip that connects you to the JOOLA app for exclusive content. So bizarre. I would hope that someday these paddles can tell you how well you are playing.
This paddle was hard to find, but I did find the model on Amazon, but a slightly different colors.
3. Selkirk Project 007 Pickleball Paddle
The Selkirk Project 007 pickleball paddle is the newest edition to Selkirk’s line, and it is a true power paddle. I strongly believe this paddle will be much stronger than the Selkirk VANGUARD Power Air Invikta and the Selkirk Project 02, which Dylan Frazier used to play with.
That said, I just watched this video of top 10 player, Quang Duong, using this 007 paddle, and it had INSANE power. Here’s more information about this new release.
The Selkirk LABS Project 007 is a pure-power paddle designed for players who prioritize speed and explosive shots. Its 10mm core, enhanced by a Patent Pending Titanium Mesh Layer System and Florek Carbon Fiber Face, delivers exceptional power, expanded sweet spots, and faster hand speed for aggressive gameplay. With a durable InfiniGrit Surface offering up to 2000 RPMs of spin and advanced features like DuraEdge technology and an Air Dynamic Throat, this paddle provides unmatched performance and precision.
Many people thought this paddle was going to drop at $444 on my social media circles, but it ended up at $333, still making it a very expensive paddle.
4. Volair Mach 2 Forza Pickleball Paddle
Julian Arnold (DUPR: 6.7) is a co-founder of Volair and uses the Volair Mach 2 or Volair Mach 1, so this is a fantastic paddle for an advanced player. The paddle has raw TORAY T700 Carbon Fiber with heat-compressed texturing, including a Unibody Foam injected walls for an increased sweet spot and added control. It also has optimized C7 Polymers and high-grade performance honeycomb.
This paddle has an insane spin profile.
In fact, this is currently the best pickleball paddle for spin in my opinion. Here’s my full review covering why the Volair Mach 2 Forza is an incredible paddle.
Even the box has “spin” written all over it.
Unfortunately, this paddle is not cheap. So, I reached out to the team and they were kind enough to provide the discount code: bepickleballer that provides a $17.99 discount as you can see below.
Here’s a picture showing that the code indeed works!
5. Joola Ben Johns Hyperion CFS 16mm Pickleball Paddle
The Joola Ben Johns Hyperion CFS 16mm is one of the best advanced pickleball paddles because of the technology. Here’s some features:
- Perforated anti-slip ridge grip elongated handle to increased shock absorption. Idea for two-handed shots.
- Carbon Friction Surface technology utilizes more advanced Carbon-Flex5 textured surface for great spin.
- Aero-curve that creates better swing speed, and less drag.
- Carbon forged handle that provide additional power and comfort.
- Hyperform edge wall to increase stability and better sweet spot (I 100% agree with that).
- Specially tuned reactive honeycomb core that maximizes the consistency of the bounce.
In addition, Ben Johns used to use this paddle before he started using the Perseus 3s, and at the time of this writing, the Joola Ben Johns Hyperion CFS 16mm paddle is $120 cheaper than the Perseus 3s.
Like I said, I have used both the Perseus 3s and the Hyperion CFS 16mm, and I am not sure whether the $120 difference is worth it. That said, the Perseus may be a better paddle, technology wise.
The caveat is that when you lookup this paddle on Amazon, you will find multiple paddles that look the same, so I added a link to the one that I purchased below.
6. Top Budget Advanced Paddle: Vatic Pro Prism Flash 14mm
I own both the Vatic Pro Prism Flash 14mm and 16mm, and I would argue that the 14mm is a better paddle for advanced players.
The Vatic Pro Prism Flash 14mm is still a $90 paddle after using the discount code: bepickleballer, but it is a fantastic paddle.
Additionally, you may want this paddle if you are in the 4.0 range, but you may grow out of this paddle in the 5.0+ range.
What Advanced Paddles Didn’t Make The Cut
I really wanted to like the Six Zero Double Black Diamond paddle, but this paddle has continued to disappoint me. It’s a vastly popular paddle, so I know this may confuse many.
I don’t get the power nor the control or spin that I am looking for an advanced player paddle. I know that Six Zero sponsors Jaume Martinez Vich, which is a top 10 player in the world, but I just cannot get to a place where this paddle makes sense for me.
This is why I could not add it to the best advanced players pickleball paddles.
Conclusion
As you can see, the best pickleball paddles for advanced players tend to have a lot of technology and come from big names that have been in the industry for a long time.
Hopefully, this list is helpful. If you have an addition you’d like me to review, please feel free to email me directly.
Leave a Reply