I have been obsessed with Pickleball Apes given their fun name, the unique design of their paddles, and how well I’ve heard the paddles play. My first pickleball clothing purchase was actually Pickleball Apes shirts. As such, I wanted to know which is the best Pickleball Apes pickleball paddles to share with you.
Let’s go through the first impressions of each paddle, the rankings and cost considerations (and how you can stack the code BEPICKLEBALLER), and my final thoughts.
1. Charm S 16MM Pickleball Paddle
The Charm S 16mm pickleball paddle was super impressive on the court. I believe its Pickleball Apes first full-foam style construction instead of a traditional honeycomb core (generation 3). The idea behind the paddle (Source) is pretty simple: give players a softer, more connected feel while still keeping enough power to finish points.
Playability
The first thing that stands out with the Charm S is the dwell time. This paddle seems built for players who like to feel the ball stay on the paddle a little longer. That should help on drops, resets, dinks, and controlled drives because you get more feedback instead of that overly poppy trampoline feel that some power paddles have.
I also like that Pickleball Apes used a Poly-Aramid Fiber Weave surface. I noticed that right away, and here’s a close up of the grit.
That grit should give the paddle solid spin potential, especially for rolls, serves, and shaping the ball. I would not expect this to be the most raw-power paddle on the market, but it looks like a very strong all-court paddle for someone who wants control first with enough power when they swing through the ball.
I believe this paddle is great if you are a player who wants a hybrid shape, better hand speed than a long elongated paddle, and a plush feel around the kitchen. If you are someone who already generates your own power and you want a paddle that helps with resets, placement, and spin, this one makes a lot of sense.
The only concern I’d have is that some players may find the softer feel a little muted at first, especially if they are coming from a very crisp thermoformed paddle. Also, if you want the biggest sweet spot possible, the widebody Charm V may be worth considering instead.
Overall, the Pickleball Apes Charm S looks like a premium all-court paddle with a unique foam-core feel, good spin potential, and a strong focus on control. At $199.99, it is not cheap, but the team has been super generous for my readers as they offer a discount code bepickleballer that takes nearly $20 off the price tag.
10% Off Discount Code: BEPICKLEBALLER
2. Harmony S Pickleball Paddle
I played one of my most dominant performances in 2026 with the Pickleball Apes Harmony pickleball paddle. It was a very unique combination where I had the power and spin dialed in right away. What was even more surprising is that I checked the price afterwards and found that this paddle is actually under $100 (before the bepickleballer discount code).
In my first game with this paddle, my oppoonents called the Harmony S the blue angel because of just how dialed in the paddle was. I noted that my serves were quite powerful, and that my defense while trying to get to the line on serves was really solid.
It just felt that all my balls were going over the net and dropping perfectly in the kitchen.
Here’s the look of the Harmony S that has this really nice blue and black comination.
Check out the grit on the “Blue Angel”
Surprisingly, the Harmony S is just $79.99 on sale now, and you can use the discount code BEPICKLEBALLER to stack on top of it to get an additional 10% off. That’s an incredible value for such a great pickleball paddle under $100.
10% Off Discount Code: BEPICKLEBALLER
3. Pro Line Energy Pickleball Paddle
The Pickleball Apes Energy S is a great value paddle in the Pickleball Apes lineup, especially at its sale price. The first thing that stood out to me on the court was the extra elongated handle. I checked the website, and the grip lenght on this paddle is a massive 6.25 in, making this paddle one of the easiest paddles to do a 2 handed backhand.
The aramid fiber surface is super interesting on the court. For example, this paddle is really comfortable on drops, resets, dinks, and blocks. I would expect it to feel forgiving and easy to control rather than overly explosive or hard to tame.
That said, the Pro Line Energy S still has enough pop and power for drives, counters, and finishing points when you swing through the ball. It won’t be the hardest-hitting paddle compared to some premium power paddles like the Boomstick, but for most intermediate players, there is plenty of power.
Overall, the Pickleball Apes Pro Line Energy S is a very solid budget-friendly all-court paddle. At the sale price, it is especially interesting because you are getting a USA Pickleball-approved paddle with a softer aramid fiber surface, good control, decent power, and a lot of positive reviews.
Plus, you can use the code bepickleballer to stack the discount, which is very generous of the Pickleball Apes team.
10% Off Discount Code: BEPICKLEBALLER
Final Thoughts
The Pickleball Apes pickleball paddles really impressed me. I thought that the combination of power and spin on each of the paddles were present from the beginning. Overall. the Charm took my heart as it has a really nice balance of power, spin and good control.
For a power paddle, I felt that I could still maintain control while getting to the line, and also while dropping shots into the kitchen.
The Harmony and Pro Line Energy were both fantastic paddles, but if I had to choose one, I would choose the Harmon as the paddle is so playable, especially if you can this paddle under $75 after code.
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