New Pickleball Paddles Launched At US Open

by karenthomaspbc on May 23, 2017

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Big tournaments like last month’s US Open Pickleball Championships in Naples, FL are exciting times for the launch of new pickleball products. The best of the industry gathers together and the manufacturers put their best foot forward with new products.

Several companies showed off new paddles at the 2017 US Open including Paddletek, ProLite, Onix and Gamma Sports. If you were fortunate enough to be in Naples you might have gotten a glimpse of some of these hot new paddles in person. We would like to share a summary of the newly launched paddles we were excited to see at the US Open and have been having fun trying out.

Three new paddles introduced by Paddletek include the Paddletek Phoenix Lte, a lighter weight paddle with well-balanced weight distribution and touch, a great choice for newer players.

For those seeking greater reach, the Paddletek Horizon’s elongated shape and 17-inch length is a compelling design, featuring a polymer honeycomb care with composite face, weighing in at about 7.3 oz.

Younger players (and their parents) will be pleased to see the Paddletek Ranger, the first paddle designed for youth 12 and under. The lightweight Ranger features a slim profile, longer handle (helpful for little players who like to use two hands), broad face and large sweet spot—a great paddle for kids to have fun and success playing pickleball.

Another longer-handled paddle that got a lot of attention at the US Open is the new ProLite Supernova. The second release in their Black Diamond series, the ProLite Supernova follows its predecessor the Titan. This cutting edge paddle was designed to the specifications of ProLite Pro and National Champion Simone Jardim, a Triple Crown Winner in the 2017 US Open.

The ProLite Supernova incorporates many of the Titan's features with a stunning 100% carbon fiber surface and durable QuadCore polymer honeycomb core. The 5-1/4' handle allows double-handed backhanders like Jardim enough length to fit both hands on the handle, and the balance and heavier weight appeal to power-hitting tennis players transitioning to pickleball.

Prolite’s new CRUSH PowerSpin paddle stands out with its great looks. It features a light head, textured surface, large sweet spot, QuadCore™ with Spintact fiberglass face. The CRUSH comes in three colorful designs with beautiful graphics and an edgy style, a fitting choice for athletes who play hard and want to look good while they’re at it.

The new Onix Evoke Pro paddle has a polymer core and composite face that delivers fine touch and helps with spin. Thanks to a slightly wider body it provides a generous sweet spot. The 8-1/6“ width, medium grip size and 7.8 - 8.3 oz weight suit a wide range of players.

Gamma  and Phaser

Gamma added to their paddle line up with the launch of six new paddles that offer something for every player type. The Gamma Phaser 2.0 features a wider 8-1/8” graphite face, Nomex core and smaller grip. For a heavier option, the Gamma Atomic 2.0 paddle has a textured fiberglass face, Nomex honeycomb core and flush edge guard that helps to prevent mishits.

We have been having a great time trying out these new paddles and know that you will too. You can learn more about all of these paddles on our site. We will be sharing more detailed reviews for the Onix Evoke Pro and new Paddletek paddles in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for updates.