TechTalk with Engage Pickleball: New 2022 Poach Infinity Paddles

Engage Pickleball is a US pickleball company well known for their top-of-the-line paddles, developed with science and performance in mind. Engage uses applied physics, extensive prototype testing and only the best materials to create an extensive line of paddles that deliver excellent feel and power. We recently chatted with Engage about their new Infinity paddles which we're excited to be launching this week.

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How does the Infinity differ from the Pursuit and Encore paddles?

We designed the Infinity paddle for players that have an issue (or tendency) to have tennis elbow or arm fatigue issues. The Infinity is also a great choice for players who love soft-feeling control paddles that can easily generate lots of spin, along with the ability to provide power when they want it.

What changes have you made with the Infinity over the Poach Advantage paddle?

The Infinity leverages several technological innovations that help to mitigate tennis elbow and arm injuries:

• Vibration Dampening Skin - Eliminates vibration at the point of contact (not lower within the paddle or through other materials placed inside the paddle that only stops vibration from traveling to the hand).
• Variable Release Technology - Engage's proprietary 6-layer skin produces more power the faster you swing, when you want it.
• Counterweight Technology - Lowers the center of mass (balance point) closer to your hand, which helps to prevent tennis elbow by making the paddle more balanced (not head heavy, which is one of the main reasons tennis elbow develops) and by increasing maneuverability (hand speed).

The Infinity paddle also uses technologies developed to enhance control, spin and power:

• Omni-directional Friction-based Texture - The rough surface texture spreads out in all directions to create more spin with friction that hits the upper limits allowed. In addition, the extra soft skin helps to hold the ball longer, a major factor for putting more spin on your shots.
• Proprietary ControlPro ‘Black’ Polymer Core - This core creates the softest hitting paddle, ideal for players that like soft feeling paddles or have a tendency for tennis elbow.
• Variable Flex Technology - Designed to flex at the point of contact for more foregiveness with shot-making.

The new Infinity paddles offer a diverse range, with four different shapes to fit any playing style:

• Poach Infinity EX (standard), 16' long x 8' wide, 5.25 inch
• Poach Infinity SX (short grip), 16.25' long x 7.7' wide, 4 inch
• Poach Infinity MX (elongated), 16.5' long x 7.5' wide, 6 inch
• Poach Infinity LX (blade), 17' long x 7' wide, 5.25 inch

The Poach Infinity EX, and its predecessor the Poach Advantage, are more traditional shapes. What are the characteristics and advantages of the new Infinity MX, LX and SX paddle shapes?

Poach Infinity MX:
Extra reach, plus a longer grip, which enables the paddle to not flex at the net but to flex when you need it (when you are in the transition zone or baseline), and giving you more power and spin.

Poach Infinity LX:
The same characteristics as the MX, but even more of both (extra reach plus longer grip).

Poach Infinity SX:
Designed with a shorter handle for those that choke up and hold directly under the paddle face.  Usually the negative with most other paddles when you do that is you lose reach, but the SX was extended longer than the standard paddle to give you extra reach.  So by choking up, you don't have to compromise.

You do a lot of research into the effect of handle length and how a paddle plays. Can you break that down for players and what they can expect from handle length?

Engineering of paddles is one of the main strengths of Engage. Our engineering and testing process takes into account how the length of the handle affects how each paddle plays.  We make varying handle lengths to create paddles that play differently based on individual playing styles.  A longer handle will make the paddle flex the faster you swing (but you have to get it right or it will flex too much).  You don't want that same paddle to flex when you are at the net, or you lose control. We excel at getting this right.

Players that choke up (because they feel they have more control or they come from a table tennis background) don't want to give up reach.  So with the Poach Infinity SX we shortened the handle but extended the overall length of the paddle to give them more reach.  Why?  Because the closer to the balance point your hand is, the further you can stretch the paddle to create the ideal balance. 

Engage paddles are considered some of the most powerful on the market. How do you get so much pop off your paddles?

Engage designs paddles for every playing style.  We are known for some of the most powerful paddles, but we also make some of the best control paddles, such as the Encore 6.0 line.

We design every model for specific players.  Engage's owner Rob Elliot is a pro-level medalist and one of the top instructors in the game, so he understands what players need.  Some players can more easily generate their own power, so need a more control-based paddle.  Others need a little more help generating power to help them stay in control (by not swinging faster than they need) and to put the right ball away.  Engage designs all paddles with this in mind.  Whether it's control or power, we have the right paddle for every player style and preference.

Anything else you would like to share about Engage?

There's a lot going on in the industry, such as which paddles are made in the US or overseas and whether pickleball companies make their own paddles or outsource the fabrication.  We are proud that all of our paddles are entirely American-made.

Poach Infinity fun facts (this applies to all Engage paddles):

• 100% made with material (core and skin) fabricated in the USA
• 100% made by Americans in the United States
• 100% made by Engage employees in Engage factories

Check out all of the Engage paddles here.

Still not sure which one you should get or want to know more about a certain paddle? Call us at 1-888-854-0163. Nothing makes us happier than helping you find a paddle that fits your game. Buy with confidence, knowing you have a 30-day test drive to make sure it works on the courts – where it counts.