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Best Power Pickleball Paddles (2026)
Chris Olson
These are the best power pickleball paddles you can buy in 2026. All play-tested on court. Whether you're looking for maximum power on drives, heavy counters, a foam core with a massive sweet spot, or power with lasting grit, these are our honest picks for aggressive players. Updated monthly.
You can use code PBSTUDIO to save money on any of these paddles.
These paddles are not ranked in any specific order. Every player is unique in what they want or need, and we think this list covers a wide variety of those players. Think of this list as a way to get a head start on the paddles to research further.
How we tested
All paddles in this list have been play-tested on court between drilling, rec games, and tournament play. We independently measure every paddle's swing weight, twist weight, spin RPM, balance point, and more using calibrated equipment. You can view the full spec profile for any paddle in our paddle database.
Bread & Butter Loco $199
The Bread & Butter Loco has been one of our most recommended power paddles because it is extremely well rounded. It comes in all three shapes with none of them being very polarizing. It also has very high tier pop and power, without going completely over the top compared to paddles like the Selkirk Boomstik, RPM Q2, or Gearbox GX2 Power. Because of this, I find it easier to use without sacrificing the ability to be very offensive. They also offer very generous sweet spots. It's biggest downside in 2026 is that it doesn't offer a longer lasting grit texture like many competitors are starting to add. You can read our review here
Pros
- Great sweet spot in all shapes
- Controllable power
- A very well rounded power paddle
Cons
- No long lasting texture like competitors in this list
- They have had a hard time keeping them in stock, which makes purchasing one difficult
Spartus P1 Hybrid $219
The Spartus P1 Hybrid is a particularly special paddle because of what Spartus calls "PermaGrit" this is their long lasting texture that is designed to wear down considerably slower than regular raw carbon fiber paddles. In our testing it has held up extremely well and is one of the best spinning paddles you can get at the kitchen line. The enhanced friction compared to other paddles allows you to grab the ball much easier on slower swings.
To our knowledge, it's also built identical to a Loco, but because of the PermaGrit texture being applied on top, it does dampen the feel of the paddle quite a bit. It feels a bit toned down in terms of pop and power from the Loco and feels a little softer, which may be appealing to some, since the Loco is a stiff and hollow paddle.
The main downside to the P1 right now is that stock is very limited, and early reports have seen edge guards coming loose frequently. Spartus has said they are working on this, so we will keep an eye on it and update as we know more.
At this time, it only comes in a hybrid and elongated. The widebody is still pending certification approval.
Pros
- Long lasting grit with Spartus' PermaGrit
- More controllable power than other paddles in the list
- Softer more dense feel than some of the other stiffer hollow power paddles
Cons
- Higher swing weight than typical for each shape because PermaGrit adds extra weight
- Early reports of edge guards coming loose
Enhance MPP & EPP Turbo $119
While the Enhance EPP & MPP Turbos might have a low price, they certainly don't have low performance. These can compete with anything in this list at a fraction of the price. The difference between the two models is the foam core material they are using. One model is using EPP foam and the other is MPP foam. This changes the feel profile of each paddle. the EPP Turbo plays closest to a Bread & Butter Loco, while the MPP Turbo plays closest to a Luzz Inferno.
These are both very high powered paddles that can allow you to be extremely aggressive, and they won't cost you an arm and a leg.
Pros
- The most affordable high pop and power paddles
- Different feel profiles with different foams between MPP and EPP
Cons
- Can be hard to control
- The widebody and hybrid aren't very conventional shapes for 2026
Luzz Cannon $109
If you prefer gen 3 paddles, the Luzz Cannon is a great option to consider. In our opinion, it plays like a stiffer Joola Pro IV, at nearly a third of the cost. The Joola Pro IV is a good paddle, but when the Cannon is this much cheaper, it's hard to recommend a Pro IV over this. The only downside is that it only comes in two shapes. The elongated (Cannon) and hybrid (Glider, which we haven't tried) unlike Joola, which offers their paddles in a variety of shapes.
Pros
- A very affordable gen 3
- Offers that gen 3 feedback that a lot of high level players prefer over foam
Cons
- It's still a gen 3 paddle, which means eventually it is going to core crush
- Only 1 warranty replacement
- Only two shape options
RPM Q2 $250
The RPM Q2 is the closest playing paddle to the Selkirk Boomstik, at a considerably lower price. After discount code PBSTUDIO, it drops down to $212, which is a steep drop from Selkirk's $333 price tag.
There have been paddles that have tried to play close to the Boomstik, and in my opinion, the RPM Q2 16mm is extremely similar.
The biggest difference is that it doesn't come with the MOI tuning weights out of the box, so if you're someone who likes to tinker with weight, you basically have a Boomstik with no weight on it. Which also means they are highly maneuverable out of the box.
Another advantage is that it comes in a 14mm option as well, whereas the Boomstik is only a 16mm. So, for players who prefer thinner paddles, this might be a great option. The RPM Q2 offers the same big pop and power you expect from the Boomstik, but without the huge price tag. It's worth noting though, that while RPM offers a lifetime warranty, it is limited to 1 replacement unlike Selkirk. For some, the better warranty may be worth the extra $100+ for the Boomstik.
Pros
- Cheaper alternative to a Boomstik
- Comes in 14mm & 16mm thickness
- Very light out of the box
Cons
- May need customization to reach sweet spot performance of a Boomstik
11six24 Power2 $209
Just like the Spartus P1, the 11six24 Power2 series offers what they are calling HexGrit which is their solution to longer lasting texture. This is the paddle we have the most grit longevity testing on so far. Currently we have a unit in testing that after 300 games, has only dropped down from 2,122 RPM, to 2,029 RPM. Which, for those of you who don't know RPM numbers, that is REALLY good. Most raw carbon fiber paddles after 100 games see a 200-300 RPM drop from 4.5-5.0 players in our testing. 2,021 RPM after 300 games is as high as the brand new starting position of many paddles. So, if grit longevity is your goal, the Power2 series is proving to be one of the top options right now.
Pros
- Very durable grit with great spin
- Comes in all three shapes
Cons
- Some early users have reported disbonding of the face sheet from the core
- Lacks USAP certification and is only UPA-A approved
Selkirk Boomstik $333
The Selkirk Boomstik completely brought Selkirk back into the competitive market. Prior to this paddle being released, Selkirk had seen a big slip in the competitive player side of the market. This is one of the hardest hitting and poppiest paddles you can buy, combined with the largest sweet spot on the market. This is because of the MOI tuning weights that come attached to the paddle out of the box.
While it plays fantastic, it is the most expensive paddle in this list, and there are many paddles that play nearly as good, for a fraction of the price. The biggest downside is that the edge guard has been known to come loose very quickly, and many players have reported cracking in the fast after enough use.
The only saving grace to keep the Boomstik in this list is the fact that Selkirk has some of the best customer service and warranty system in Pickleball. The Boomstik offers a lifetime warranty and will ship you a replacement before you need to ship your defective paddle back. This makes it very easy to get a new paddle if you do have an issue. However, I really think you shouldn't even have to deal with those issues when spending $333.
Pros
- Some of the best customer service and warranty in all of Pickleball
- One of the largest sweet spots in any Pickleball paddle
- Top tier pop and power for highly aggressive players
Cons
- Since release it has had known issues with edge guards coming loose and the face cracking
- Coming pretuned with weight out of the box limits your options for your own customization
- Difficult to control
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who are power paddles best suited for?
- Power paddles are best for players who lack the ability to generate their own offense, or like to play very fast and end points quickly. If you have a heavy drive or counters, power paddles can take that skill and make it even harder to deal with. Power paddles have also become much easier to use as time has gone on with more spin, and larger sweet spots which can make them easier to control than power paddles in the past.
- Should I buy a gen 3 (polymer) or gen 4 (foam) power paddle?
- This is entirely personal perference and there is no right or wrong answer. Gen 3 paddles are prone to core crushing and often need to be warrantied much sooner than gen 4 paddles. The biggest advantage that gen 3 paddles offer is it can be easier to feel the ball when you make contact, and some players value that a lot. There are a variety of gen 4 paddles that are getting closer and closer to gen 3, but there are still a lot of players who don't prefer foam. These days, I would push most people toward a foam paddle for the better core durability.
- How often do you update this list?
- We update this list every month if there are new paddles we believe have outranked the current ones. You can refer back to this list anytime to see what our latest thoughts are.
- Are power paddles always bad for control?
- Not always! Power paddles have gotten quite a bit easier to use compared to the past. While the categories usually go: Control, All-court, power, the power category is often split into 3 sub tiers. Low tier power, medium tier power, and high tier power. Paddles like the Selkirk Boomstik, RPM Q2, Gearbox GX2 Power, are examples of high tier power paddles. These are generally maxing out pop and power as much as possible. Whereas there are some power paddles in the low to medium tier power category and those tend to offer more control at the expense of some offense. Medium tier power paddles would be the 11six24 Vapor Power2, and the Spartus P1.
- Which power paddles offer the best spin?
- Generally speaking, most power paddles offer very similar spin out of the box. However, some new paddles like the Spartus P1 and the 11six24 Power2 series have started to really stand out in these areas because of their longer lasting grit textures. As grit wears off, power paddles become more difficult to control, so the longer your grit lasts, the longer you can play with it effectively. In my opinion, the two paddles mentioned above are the most stand out for spin amongst power paddles right now.
Chris Olson is an independent pickleball equipment reviewer with a 4.70 DUPR rating, he has tested over 400 paddles since 2021, each with a minimum 10 hours of on-court play time. Companies are never able to pay for or influence a review. Follow his reviews on YouTube and the Pickleball Studio Podcast.
