Top 5 Lightweight Pickleball Paddles

Static Weight - The weight of a paddle when you put it on a scale.

Swingweight - The measure of how much force a paddle needs to swing (How pickleball is played most often)

Both weight measurements are important in determining what constitutes a "lightweight paddle", and know that we have taken both metrics into account for this list.

While these are some of our staff's favorite lightweight paddles we carry, there are a number of other fantastic options that you can find on our lightweight paddles category page. This list represents some of our staff favorites, but there are other paddles in this category that may be a better fit for your game.

You can’t talk lightweight paddle without mentioning one of the lightest and most arm friendly paddles on the market, the ProKennex Pro Flight. With a very low static and swingweight, getting this paddle in position is truly effortless, and the powerful core and face make sure you get enough pop to get the ball over the net with interest. The typical downside of paddles this light and thin is the shock and feedback from the ball wreaking havoc on your arm. ProKennex uses their patented Kinetic System composed of tungsten beads inside the core of the paddle that immediately absorb shock on impact and actually improve the stability of the paddle. It sounds too good to be true, but it really works.

We get the question all the time, I’m coming from tennis, what’s a good paddle for my game? Well, to answer that, we got a chance to work with professional tennis player Genie Bouchard to design the perfect paddle to transition from tennis to pickleball. Now for many players, the standard weight model of this paddle is perfect, but for those looking for something even lighter, there is a lightweight model that has all the benefits of the super extended octagonal handle, just like a tennis racket, the raw carbon fiber face, and the oversized hitting surface in a paddle under 8 ounces. Plus, you get to choose from 3 different colors, and I mean who doesn’t want that.

New to the market, and a personal favorite of mine is the Holbrook Aero S, a widebody paddle with tons of forgiveness and control in a sleek edgeless carbon fiber package. I love the lightning fast handspeed I get with this paddle and the feeling of being connected to every one of my shots. What makes the Aero series so great in general is the inclusion of Holbrook's "Dynamic Weight Technology" that strategically places weight at the four corners of the paddle core, adding the stability and pop that edgeless paddles often need. The Aero S is smooth, fast, and pinpoint accurate, making it an easy addition to the list.

Last, but most certainly not least, the Paddletek ALW-C has more gold medals attached to it than the rest of the list combined, and that’s because it was designed for Anna Leigh Waters, World number one pickleball player. This made in America championship paddle features an incredibly powerful core, a best in class raw carbon fiber grit surface, and a maneuverable and forgiving standard shaped profile while still having room for two hands on the handle. So is there a downside? Short answer, no, if you can control it. This paddle was designed to compete at the highest level, so it launches the ball when you need it to, and sometimes when you don’t if you’re not careful. It also carries a higher price tag, but this much performance made stateside isn’t cheap to build, and it’s backed by Paddletek’s trusted lifetime warranty. Players looking for the best performance in a lightweight package on the market shouldn’t look past the ALW-C.

Still unsure?