Quick question; What is the fastest growing sport in the USA? Rugby? E-sports? Nah! It’s Pickleball.
A game that started as a fun sport, is now taking the country by storm. Pickleball is gaining popularity day by day and is also being loved and played Internationally as well. A recent article from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association states that the number of pickleball players rose to around 4.8 million, which is almost double than to what it was five years back.
For those wondering why and how pickleball is achieving such heights, the answer is simple. As a sports lover myself, I have been playing tennis, badminton and ping-pong quite frequently. The beauty of pickleball is that it is a blend of above-mentioned games and playing it comes naturally to everyone who has any sort of experience with racquet games. What makes this game even more easy is, unlike tennis, it has smaller courts and also does not require years of practice to play it competitively. Even some of the baseball players love playing pickleball just because of the arm swing muscle memory they possess.
Enough about the game itself, let’s dig into the details of best budget pickleball paddles and find the one that suits your style.
8 Best Budget Pickleball Paddles for beginners as well as advanced players
Whether you are hitting the courts for the first time or simply wanting to up your game to the next level, we have compiled a list of affordable pickleball paddles that will help you become a pro in no time. After a thorough research, only the top rated and best budget pickleball paddles have been selected that come under the price point of $100. Friendly tip, add an affordable pickleball bag to your gear and keep all your game accessories organised at all times.
The Extreme Elite pickleball paddle features the traditional diamond shape that gives you more control in your rallies. Its honeycomb polymer core creates a perfect sweet spot allowing you to have the crisp feeling while you are hitting the shots. Head Extreme Elite also contains a smooth composite hitting surface along with an Ergo grip, which during the play, offers the luxury of power combined with comfort. Coming on sale at a staggering price of $49.95, this is a must-consider option for all players looking for the best budget pickleball paddles.
For anyone who has been in the pickleball circuit, I am sure they must have heard about this famous pickleball paddles brand ‘The Selkirk’.
Selkirk is one of the finest pickleball brands that has been around since the game originated. Many professional as well as budding players opt for Selkirk paddles solely because of its name. Created by the pioneers of the game, SLK Latitude pickleball paddle combines the latest paddle technology with comfort, balance and affordability. This reliable and stylish paddle is the perfect entry point any upcoming pickleball player and is easily the best pickleball paddle under $100
Wilson Echo Team paddle, suited for versatile players, is easily one of the best budget pickleball paddles out there. It offers an ideal mixture of power, control and feel that will make you fall in love with your shots. The polypropylene honeycomb core coupled with the classic frame shape gives a soft contact with the ball. Additionally, the paddle is also equipped with a longer handle to accommodate the double handed backhand players. Available in two different colours blue and black, the Wilson Echo Team is currently on sale at the discounted price of $64.95.
A perfectly designed pickleball paddle, ideal for control players to manage the drop shots at net while still being able to drive the ball on the serve. Head Radical Elite pickleball paddle, priced at $64.95, provides extreme control to the players enabling them to manage the game at their own pace. Whether it’s the hard slams or the technical dinks, this paddle has got it all covered. Its fiberglass surface along with a large sweet spot times the shot to perfection. Amongst all the affordable pickleball paddles, the Radical Elite paddle is the most versatile one, loved and chosen by many.
Lightweight but an extremely powerful paddle.
The Paddletek is one of the oldest pickleball brands and has some of the best budget pickleball paddles available in the market. Phoenix G6, boasts a large central sweet spot allowing players to have better accuracy and more control during the game. Larger the sweet spot, the more are the chances to put away the shots at the desired place. G6 has an additional graphite layer embedded in its core that shall dampen the vibration allowing you to experience minimal force while playing hard strokes.
Franklin sports is constantly raising the bar of pickleball paddles by introducing new innovative technologies in every model. The Ben Johns Signature paddle is a premium quality pickleball paddle constructed to compete and win at the highest level. Its MaxGrit technology dampens the vibrations for extreme control and precise shots. A large sweet spot will keep your shots accurate with minimal unforced errors.
The paddle also has a specially designed surface ideal for spin shots and hence, is recommended for intermediate to advanced level players. Spin-friendly pickleball paddles are mostly used by professional players who tend to rely on various advanced techniques in order to beat the difficult opponents.
As the name shows, Babolat RNGD Power pickleball paddle is designed for hard hitting players. The propylene core coupled with its huge sized sweet spot makes this paddle fast, accurate and powerful which can make the opponents regret playing against you. The Babolat Power pickleball paddle comes in two models, a lighter one weighing 7.4 to 7.8 oz and the heavier one weighing 7.9 to 8.3 oz. This gives the players luxury to choose the preferred weight according to their playing style. Lightweight paddle offers faster arm swing whereas heavier one gives stronger shots. Choose the one that suits your game and hit the courts right away!
Originally priced at $135, the Head Extreme Tour pickleball paddle is currently on sale with 45% discount. The after-discount price of $89.95 gives this paddle a worthy mention in the list of best budget pickleball paddles. It’s a high end, durable and reliable paddle loved by many professional pickleball players. What makes this paddle stand out is quality that can easily last throughout your gaming career.
This 7.6 oz pickleball paddle has a unique diamond shop for more control in every shot. A reduced head weight gives the comfort of smooth and fast arm swing speed. The Extreme Spin texture surface will allow you to add more spin in your shots making them harder to return by your opponent.
The Engage Trident pickleball paddle was selected as the Official Texas Open Tournament Paddle three times in a row (2018, 2019 & 2020) and was also awarded to the gold medalist in the prize distribution ceremony. It’s the hype and success that makes this paddle stand out amongst the other pro pickleball paddles. The new 5-layer GripTEK skin technology is optimised for ultimate control, feel and accurate ball placement with additional spin to trick your rival player. This skin is evenly distributed across the whole paddle face giving the whole paddle a balanced touch. Coming in four different colours Dark Gold, Midnight Blue, Red Horizon and Silver Shadow, the Engage Trident is the best pickleball paddle under $100.
All the above-mentioned affordable pickleball paddles are USAPA approved and hence can be used for playing in any type of pickleball tournament. You can even take these pickleball paddles internationally to play and compete at the top level.
QUICK STOP
- Wallet-friendly best pickleball paddles for beginners
From this list, the top recommended best pickleball paddles for beginners are;
- Wilson Echo Team Pickleball Paddle
- Head Extreme Elite Pickleball Paddle
- Paddletek Phoenix G6 Pickleball Paddle
- Affordable Pro pickleball paddles
Following are the affordable pro pickleball paddles recommended for advanced level players;
- Franklin Ben Johns Signature Pickleball Paddle
- Head Extreme Tour Pickleball Paddle
- Engage Trident Pickleball Paddle
The remaining pickleball paddles can be used by beginners as well as professional players depending upon their playing style.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Why stay behind? A game that is progressing so rapidly and is not even hard to play will definitely attract all the sports lovers. So, just grab any of the best budget pickleball paddles and start right away. With just a few months of practice, you can easily beat your friends at court and have a good laugh off the field. You can also participate in various pickleball tournaments happening around you and who knows, you might become so good that you go on to compete at national and international level.
