Top 5 Control Paddles 2023
If you are a player who likes to dink, block, reset, and drop, then this is the perfect list for you. Today we’ll be discussing the best paddles you can buy when it comes to control.
There are hundreds of options on the market that you could choose, but this is what I have narrowed down as the top 5 that should cover a wide variety of players at different performance levels, price points, and shapes.
#5 Vanguard 2.0 Line
In #5 we have a paddle I didn’t think I would be recommending anymore, but when it comes to control, durability, and top class warranty, it’s impossible to look past the Selkirk Vanguard 2.0 line.
The two biggest drawbacks to the Vanguard line of paddles is that in 2023, the spin is very poor relative to most paddles on the market coming in around 1150 RPM. The other drawback is the price of $200. Overall, the price to performance ratio is pretty low on this line of paddles.
However, the two biggest pros are that you get a lifetime warranty and Selkirk is probably known for having the most generous warranty in Pickleball and you also get a top tier control paddle. There are still a number of higher level players in my state that prefer this paddle because they aren’t people who put massive amounts of spin on the ball and they love the control that the paddle gives them.
You also have a variety of shape options with the Vanguard line. They have the S2, Epic, Invikta, Omni, Mach 6 and Maxima shapes which should make it easy to find something that fits what you need.
I definitely believe this is the lowest price to performance paddle in this list, but if you don’t care about spin, value a good warranty, and solid durability, it’s hard to look past the Vanguard paddles for control.
Pros:
Great control
Lifetime warranty
Good durability
Cons:
Very poor spin (1150 RPM)
Cheap feeling handle
Performance for the price isn’t great in 2023
#4 Hudef Apex Pro
In #4 we the Hudef Apex Pro. This is Hudefs standard shaped gen 1 raw carbon fiber paddle and
It has a low swing weight so it’s fast in the hand, the twist weight is high which makes it a stable paddle, great spin at 1800 RPM, and the best of all, an $89 price tag and with a discount code it’s even cheaper.
It doesn’t have any mind blowing technology, but for the price, it does it’s job fantastic. If you are in search of a standard shaped paddle that’s great for control, I don’t think it gets much better than this for the price. It’s just a simple no fuss paddle with good performance.
Pros:
Fast in the hand
Very stable
Fantastic price
1800 RPM
Limited lifetime warranty
Cons:
Cheap feeling handle
#3 Joola Scorpeus 16mm
In #3 we have the Joola Scorpeus. This paddle has a lot of really nice things going for it. First, it’s a 16x8 paddle which gives you two great things. One, it has a lower swing weight so the speed in your hand is very fast as well as giving you a nice big sweet spot which is great to have for a control oriented paddle.
The combination of those two things makes this a very fun paddle to use. It’s no surprise that this would be great for control when it is Collin Johns signature paddle and he is one of the best right sided players in the world and resets like a monster.
The only thing I would note is that they advertise this paddle has a 5.25” paddle, but the only reason for that is because they wrap the grip lower than they should. If you wrap it up to the usable space on the handle, it’s actually 5.5” like the Perseus. So keep that in mind in case a longer handle is important or a deal breaker for you.
Pros:
A blocking and reset machine
Fast in the hand
Very solid feel
Cons:
Joola quality control is hit or miss
Price is high
#2 Selkirk Labs Project 003
In 2nd place we have the Selkirk Labs Project 003. This was one of my favorite paddles in 2022. I still think to this day it’s one of the best control paddles you can buy and has such a satisfying feel.
The major downside to the 003 is that it costs $333 and many of the other paddles in this list are half the price, or even a third of the price. So this is really for someone where money is not a factor, if it is, I would probably push you toward some of the other options in this list.
If you do decide to purchase one, I would highly recommend adding lead tape. Most people I know added lead tape from the throat up into the sides of the paddle to help give it more stability and open up the sweet spot. I did the same thing and enjoyed the paddle much more after doing that. I think you realize this paddles full potential after adding the lead.
Aside from having great control, another benefit is that these paddles are very fast in the hand. The 003 Epic has a swing weight of 98 and the Invikta is 105. Both of those are incredibly low numbers.
The last thing I would warn is that I have seen pictures of what appears to be the production version of the 003 floating around online, so if you are interested in this, it may be coming soon. However, I don’t know know an exact release date at this time. It could be a week, it could be several months.
Pros:
Very low swing weight (105 for the Invikta)
Good spin (1800 RPM)
Edgeless
Multiple shape options
Cons:
Really needs lead tape to reach full potential
Very, very high price. Can purchase several other paddles in this list for 1/3rd the price
#1 Vatic Pro Prism
In #1 we have the Vatic Pro Prism again. This paddle is #1 for a few reasons. One, the price tag is highly appealing at $100 and if you use code PBSTUDIO it will be $90. Not only that, but it’s a top tier paddle without a doubt. Resets are an absolute breeze, you get two shape options the v7 or the Flash and basically you’re going to choose these based on what hand speed you want.
The Flash has a swing weight of 114 and the v7 is 128. Just so you know, 128 is VERY, VERY high. That’s nearly identical to the original Hyperion which gave people a lot of elbow issues or people just found it too slow at the net. I can confirm that it does feel sluggish, but I was still able to use it, I was just a bit slower. So if hand speed is very important to you, go with the Flash.
It’s really hard to beat the Prism when it’s going for such a low price. When you compare the Prism to a Scorpeus, you can buy two and a half Prisms, or against a 003, you could buy 3 Prisms.
All of the paddles in this list have small things that make them cater to specific types of players, but the Vatic Pro Prism is the one that is easiest for me to recommend overall because of it’s price to performance ratio.
Pros:
Price to performance ratio is very high
Two shape options
Great spin (1900+ RPM)
Cons:
3 month warranty