The Best Pickleball Paddle Shape For You
There are two basic paddle shapes (widebody and elongated), along with a hybrid of both designs to consider. And to help players determine which shape works best for their game, we will break down the most popular shapes for a pickleball paddle, tout their benefits and explain their differences.
The Two Basic Shapes
Elongated or widebody, rectangular or square, long or short. Any of these phrases pretty much sums up the two basic shapes used by most players. Longer paddles are often narrower, and the shorter, square-ish shaped paddles are typically wider. The primary reason why these two shapes have emerged relates to their proven function. Another reason is that the sport's governing bodies' have put a limit on paddle dimensions. Officially, the collective dimension of a paddle cannot exceed 24 inches when adding the length and width.
The classic elongated paddle shape features a 16.5" x 7.5" length and width. The classic widebody is a 16" x 8" with both shapes being 24 inches overall.
Pros and Cons of Elongated and Widebody Shapes
Elongated Paddles
| Pros | Cons |
|
More leverage, or length based power |
Lack maneuverability (can feel clunky) |
|
Increase your reach to shots |
Can be too powerful for some players |
|
Have a narrower paddle face, making it easier roll shots with topspin |
Because of the narrower paddle face, they can feel unstable (wobbly) if they are too light |
|
Often have longer handles (5.25 inches or longer), which leaves room for two handed shot makers |
Sweet spot is further away from hand |
|
Are often an easier transition from other racquet sports |
Less connected feel to the ball |
Widebody Paddles
| Pros | Cons |
|
Easy to swing |
Afford less reach |
|
Laterally very stable |
The increased stability makes it a bit more challenging to roll volleys w/topspin |
|
Offer more core "pop" and feel like the sweetspot is sweeter |
Less length based power |
|
Provide a more connected feeling to the ball/sweet spot closer to hand |
Can feel less aerodynamic in windy conditions |
|
Are perhaps easier for beginner players to use |
|
|
May be an easier transition for table tennis players |
Hybrid Paddles
For a period of time, if you wanted a longer handle, you had to go with a longer paddle. And the same was true for widebody paddle shapes; they were almost all matched with short handles.
Most paddle lengths were and are still between 15.75 - 16.5 inches overall. That said, paddle manufacturers are now offering longer paddles with shorter handles as well as shorter paddles with longer handles.
As a result the third paddle shape is referred to as a hybrid design. If a paddle is 16.5 inches it would be considered as an elongated paddle. Anything between 16 and 16.3 inches is usually categorized as a hybrid paddle shape. In addition if the paddle is shorter than 16 inches but is matched with a longer handle, it may also be considered as a hybrid shape.
Paddletek's Bantam ALW-C and Bantam ESQ-C are good examples of a widebody and hybrid paddle shape, respectively. Both are under 16 inches overall, but the ALW-C has a shorter handle to go with its shorter overall length, while the ESQ-C features the longer handle.
Hybrid paddle shapes have caught on quickly with recreational and competitive players alike and now account for a large portion of paddles sold.
| Pros | Cons |
| Option for a longer paddle with shorter handle | A bit less reach and leverage than official elongated shapes |
| Option for a shorter paddle with longer handle | |
| Blends the best qualities of both widebody and elongated paddle performance |
In Conclusion
Aside from discovering how materials and technologies affect the way a pickleball paddle plays and feels, we have discovered how much paddle shape also dictates performance. And nowhere is this more evident than when playing with paddles that feature the same materials and construction in a variety of different shapes. We hope this article helps players narrow down the combination of paddle qualities to the ones that will suit them best.