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Picture of Vatic Prism Pro 14mm and 16mm

Vatic Pro Prism Flash 14mm vs 16mm: Which Is Best For You?

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Ben

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I purchased the Vatic Pro Prism Flash 14mm vs 16mm and played with both paddles this morning in addition to my Six Zero Double Black Diamond. Thankfully, I won both games with the 14mm paddle (12-10) and 16mm paddle (11-9), and lost miserably with the Six Zero (11-2) against the same opponent.

Vatic Pro has some of the best intermediate paddles, so these are my go-to paddles in addition to my Hyperion Joola Ben Johns and Six Zero Double Black Diamond.

For example, I prefer these paddles to my Six Zero Double Black Diamond. If you look at the picture below, you will see the difference between the 14mm and 16mm is subtle.

Picture showing the difference in thickness between Vatic Pro Prism Flash 14mm vs 16mm

Let’s cover differences in control, power, speed, and the sweet spot.

Also, as an affiliate, I have a $10 off Vatic Pro coupon code: BePickleBaller, so this brings the cost below $90 for either of these paddles.

Check Price on Vatic Pro ($10 Off)

Let’s first cover control.

Control

I tend to opt for control over speed and power. The Vatic Pro Prism 16mm is the clear winner as the thicker core paddles generally allow the ball to get absorbed into the core on contact.

The sweet spot on the Vatic Pro Prism Flash is the same on the 14mm vs 16mm, you may get the same precise control. This is slightly different than other 14mm and 16mm paddles as 14mm paddles generally have smaller sweet spots that require more finesse for control.

Speed

As you can see in the specifications below, the Vatic Pro Prism Flash 14mm can weigh up to 0.50 ounces lighter than the 16mm.

As such, you will be able to have a faster hand speed to hit the ball. This will allow you to react quickly and have faster-paced rallies.

In addition, you can make faster shot adjustments for the 14mm vs. the 16mm.

Spin

In my opinion, the Vatic Pro Prism 14mm is the clear winner with a better spin. It has a thinner surface which enables you to grip the ball better and spin the ball more effectively.

While I can get a spin with the Vatic Pro Prism 16mm, I do not feel it’s as good as the 14mm.

Power

The Vatic Pro Prism 14mm feels that it provides more power due to its poppiness and better aerodynamics. That said, raw power is not the same as controlled power. This means the Vatic Pro Prism 16mm may feel more powerful.

The 16mm paddle is heavier, so you may also think you get more power.

In reality, I believe the 14mm has more power that will fit more advanced players 4.0+.

Sweet Spot

The Vatic Pro Prism 14mm and 16mm have the same size sweet spot, so I do not believe either paddle has an advantage here.

So, here are the winners:

  1. Power – 14mm
  2. Control – 16mm
  3. Spin – 14mm
  4. Speed – 14mm
  5. Sweet spot – Same

Specifications

Here are the specifications directly from the Vatic Pro Prism website for both the 14mm and 16mm.

  • Surface – Raw TORAY T700 Carbon Fiber with heat-compressed texturing 
  • Unibody Foam injects walls for an increased sweet spot and added control
  • Average Weight  16mm – 7.9 – 8.2oz
  • Average Weight 14mm – 7.7-7.9
  • Total Length – 16.3 Inches
  • Width – 7.7 Inches
  • Grip Circumference – 4.125 Inches
  • Grip Length – 5.3 Inches (elongated for 2-hand backhands)
  • Grip has 2 polyurethane inserts to reduce shock and help with tennis elbow
  • Core – Optimized C7 Polymers and high-grade performance honeycomb
  • Core Thickness – 16mm
  • Edge Guard: Anti-Abrasion TPU

Which Paddle Do I Play More With?

If you decide which paddle to purchase, I would opt for the Vatic Pro Prism 16mm over the 14mm paddle. If you are a more advanced player (4.0+), you may opt for the 14mm. Again, you can save $10 on the Vatic Pro website by typing BePickleballer in the coupon code.

Check Price on Vatic Pro

Thanks for reading. See you on the courts.

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Source(s)

  1. Title: “PRISM FLASH (14MM & 16MM) (INCLUDES PADDLE COVER)”, Retrieved on May 8, 2024. URL: https://vaticpro.com/products/prism-flash-16mm