Best Pro Pickleball Paddles in 2024 - Top 5 Picks | Pickleheads (2024)

1. JOOLA Perseus

2. Selkirk VANGUARD Power Air Invikta

3. JOOLA Scorpeus

4. Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta

5. Paddletek Bantam ALW-C

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A high-level all-court paddle from the elite JOOLA brand

This is my top all-court paddle of the best pickleball paddles in 2024, as well as my favorite advanced control paddle. When I had to pick my best pro paddle of the year, I found that nothing offered me a more rounded game for tournament play than the JOOLA Perseus.

Who it's for

While some advancing intermediates might be able to tame this paddle, I think its unforgiving feel makes it more suitable to high-level players. It was built for the world's #1 Ben Johns, after all.

It's a pro paddle, and particularly suited to those pros who want to play an all-court game.

Features

As an update to the JOOLA Ben Johns Hyperion, the Perseus has an upgraded unibody, thermoformed design. JOOLA also changed the surface material to a different type of carbon, but I find the spin less impressive than the Hyperion.

JOOLA's characteristic foam edge walls and comfy grip are here. They managed to knock a full 0.4 oz off the weight too.

Design and feel

I always liked the Ben Johns signature on the Hyperion. The Perseus looks really similar with slight color updates. It's a slick, professional-looking paddle.

Many people (including myself) had complaints about the feel of the Hyperion, so I'm pleased to see the Perseus fixes some of those issues. During my testing sessions, it felt lighter and more maneuverable, making me faster at the kitchen line.

The 8 oz base weight also gives pro players lots of room to customize with lead tape.

Performance

The Perseus maintains the same excellent control as the Hyperion. My drops, blocks, resets, and dinks all feel on point. I feel like I could play a high-level touch game against advanced power players.

I do find the spin and power slightly reduced, but definitely more than enough, and the sweet spot is small.

Value for money

If you are willing to fork out the cash, the Perseus is a top paddle that will last you a lot longer than most paddles on the market.

My verdict

A pro-level paddle designed for hard hitters

There are some excellent hard hitters around this year, like the awesome Bread & Butter Filth. However, when it comes to advanced power play, I still think the VANGUARD excels.

This paddle focuses purely on power and spin. Advanced players won't mind its lack of control and forgiveness—it does exactly what it's made for, and is a ton of fun to play with.

Who it's for

This is definitely one for high-level bangers. It's a livewire, loaded up with pop and spin. Control players will prefer the JOOLA Perseus, but hard hitters will get a lot out of this paddle from Selkirk.

Features

The first thing you'll notice about this paddle is the "air dynamic" open throat. I was happy to find that this feature actually works. This paddle is aerodynamic, which I find helps me to play fast with plenty of extra swing speed for more spin and power.

The paddle face is gritty, which is great for spin, but I'm not sure how long the grit will hold up.

Watch me test the paddle's speed:

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Design and feel

The design is unique to Selkirk, making these "Air" paddles really stand out. While it's not a pure raw carbon fiber paddle, the materials from Selkirk Labs are high quality and the paddle itself feels premium in your hands. It's lightweight for a power paddle.

Performance

The Power Air Invikta is hands down one of the most powerful paddles I've played with. The aerodynamics help a lot on drives. I can hit hard third-shot drives that routinely set up easy fifth-shot drops. The gritty face gives me high levels of spin too.

Forgiveness and control are lacking, so I'd recommend looking elsewhere if you want a more complete game. Otherwise, if you're looking for a pure power paddle, this is where I'd start.

Value for money

$250 is a lot, but many high-level players are looking in that price range anyway. If you want a paddle that focuses mainly on power and spin, it's worth it for you. As I said, if you need more control or forgiveness, try the Perseus or Scorpeus instead.

My verdict

An advanced paddle that's strong on defense

Of all the pro paddles I've tested in the last year, two from JOOLA had 10/10 control: the Perseus and the Scorpeus. I'm picking the Scorpeus as the best control paddle because it just really excels at control and defense, while the Perseus has better all-court attributes.

Who it's for

If you're a high-level player who prioritizes your touch game (and especially if you play doubles), you'll get a lot out of this paddle. It's very soft for a thermoformed paddle, so will suit anyone who plays like Collin Johns, arguably the top defensive player in the world.

Features

Available in both 14 mm and 16 mm versions, the Scorpeus is a strong, unibody paddle that will last a long time. Its hyperfoam edge walls give it a lot of stability and a decent sweet spot. It's thermoformed but soft. The textured carbon surface gives you just enough spin in your game.

Design and feel

The Scorpeus has the same sleek design as other JOOLA paddles but with Collin Johns' signature on it rather than his brother Ben's. It has the same premium feel we've come to expect from JOOLA. Its light weight makes it much more maneuverable than the head-heavy Hyperion.

Performance

One of the most noticeable differences between this and the Perseus is that the Scorpeus has a larger sweet spot, which makes it more forgiving. The Scorpeus also has a softer feel, which really helps me to take pace off the ball.

Whenever I play against hard hitters, I love how good this paddle is on blocks and resets under pressure. Drops and dinks work too for a complete control game. Spin and power are adequate, but if you're an aggressive player like me, you'll find them lacking.

Value for money

At $250, this is right up there with the most expensive paddles. The only reason it justifies the cost is because it's a JOOLA paddle. You know it's made well and you can confidently pack it for a tournament.

If you're a defense-focused player, it's worth it for you. If you're not, you'll find plenty of other paddles to suit your game.

My verdict

A premium control paddle loaded up with spin

While the Selkirk VANGUARD Power Air Invikta narrowly beats the LUXX for spin, that one is better for power players. So, the next best thing is the LUXX. It gets you the same wicked spin as spin-heavy paddles like the Legacy Pro, which surprised me as it's a 20 mm control paddle.

Who it's for

This is for any advanced player who likes spin. It will especially suit those who skew more towards control over power. If you like spin on top of your touch game, you'll get a lot out of this paddle. However, more aggressive power players will prefer the VANGUARD.

Features

I dig the "air dynamic" open throat on this series of Selkirk paddles. It's a rare marketing gimmick that actually works in my opinion. It makes these paddles aerodynamic.

The other standout feature here is the LUXX's 20 mm thick core, which really helps to take pace off the ball without sacrificing too much pop.

One possible downside is that the grit is sprayed onto the face. From my experience, this usually means it won't last as long as paddles with a built-in textured surface. Only time will tell.

Design and feel

I'm also a fan of the Selkirk Air paddles aesthetically—they look like no other thanks to the air throat design. In my hands, the LUXX feels very high-end, with one of the comfiest and most premium grips I've ever held.

Performance

I scored this highly on spin because it rips topspin. My drives and passing shots are scary good. That said, beware on serves because the ball can sail long sometimes.

Control is the other area where this paddle excels. My topspin third-shot drops, usually the hardest type of shot, are relatively easy to hit. Power, while not a 9 or 10, kicks in whenever I need it to.

Last but not least, you'll find a better sweet spot here than on most pro paddles thanks to the soft feel from the 20 mm core.

Value for money

This is designed for high-level players and comes with a price tag to match ($250). If you like Selkirk's paddles or you want to see what the aerodynamics are all about, I'd recommend giving this one a try—so long as you're the type of player to put control over power.

My verdict

The new paddle of choice for world #1, Anna Leigh Waters

I couldn't make a pro paddles list without mentioning the sensational Anna Leigh Waters. She recently upgraded to this paddle from the Paddletek Bantam TS-5. The ALW-C adds way more spin while keeping the excellent forgiveness of the original.

It goes up a touch on control and power too. While the JOOLA Perseus tops this list thanks to a better all-round performance, the Bantam ALW-C deserves an honorable mention for sure.

Who it's for

This is for players who need control and forgiveness, but want the awesome spin that a carbon fiber paddle brings.

It's an ideal upgrade to the Bantam TS-5. It's great for ALW fans and players who love fast, lightweight paddles. Despite its marketing, it won't appeal to anyone looking for power in my opinion.

Features

You'll notice the unique core thicknesses for this paddle: 12.7 mm and 14.3 mm. Another interesting feature is that Paddletek is using raw carbon fiber for the first time. This is an upgrade from the fiberglass of the TS-5.

The type of carbon is PT-700 which is something I haven't seen before. It's essentially Toray carbon with an extra epoxy coating. It feels super gritty to the touch and grabs the ball really well.

People will either love or hate the light weight here (7.5-7.8 oz). There's also no foam injection or thermoforming in this paddle.

Design and feel

The design differs from the TS-5 with a more minimalist face design. Fans of Anna Leigh Waters will like the cool ALW logo, available in several different color options.

Lots of people complain that the grip feels cheap and uncomfortable, and I have to agree. Slap an overgrip on this one the first chance you get. On the courts, it has a light weight with no drag. I like this as it makes me very quick in hand battles, but it will be too light for some players.

The ALW-C has the shortest handle of any paddle on this list (5"), so I'd avoid it if two-handed backhands are a big part of your game.

Performance

The new carbon fiber face grips the ball and helps me get good spin with minimal effort. The large paddle surface and light weight boost my touch game. There's a lot of forgiveness with this paddle.

While I like the speed I get from the light weight, it does mean there's a compromise on power. I have to swing really hard to get any, which tires me out quicker than I'd like. If you need pop and drive, look elsewhere.

Value for money

At $230, this paddle is the same price as the CRBN-3X Power Series. However, it's not thermoformed and there's no foam injection, so it's not quite as premium as its competitors.

This is a steep price increase from the $100 Bantam TS-5. For that reason, I think it's only worth its price tag if you're a big ALW fan, you really love light paddles, or you don't want a thermoformed paddle.

My verdict