Prism Carbon Fiber 16mm - Foam Injected Walls - Includes Paddle Cover

Short Version: If you are a new or new-ish player looking for a "good paddle", this is it. It's objectively as good as paddles 2-3x as expensive and has a feel that will help teach the game whether coming from table tennis, tennis, or no prior racket sport experience.Long Version:I played pickleball 8-9 times with some cheaper paddles I bought on Amazon, enjoyed the game, but figured a nice paddle wouldn't make a huge difference. Then, I met a really good player who played in the US Open. He had a very nice paddle that retailed for about $200. I used it for about 10 seconds and my mind was blown. 2 hours of games with him later, and I decided 2 things: 1) I suck at pickleball, and 2) If I got a good paddle I'd still suck, but at least I could have a good tool to improve with.I played table tennis somewhat competitively during college, but never "real" tennis. I'm comfortable with light, grippy paddles, and a spinny game, so I wanted a paddle to match that. I also didn't want to blow my life savings on one of those crazy $250-300 paddles that some pickleball bro said is the best thing since sliced bread.After researching around 4-5 sites, this paddle always came up as a solid paddle for "control and spin", and almost always THE paddle for under $100. The semi-pro I played with recommended I go for a carbon fiber paddle since it's the latest technology in pickleball paddles, and this seemed like a good buy, so I went for it at 10 PM on a Sunday Night.At 7:30 Monday morning, a new paddle was waiting at my door. So naturally, my dad and I hit the court at 7:35.WOW.First impressions, it comes in a nice paddle sleeve that feels premium. The paddle is very light. The surface is carbon fiber, so very grippy on the ball. The bounce feels and sounds soft. If you've played with random paddles your friends gave you, they make a "clonk" sound. This makes a soft "thunk". There is no dead spot around the edges, just a tiny one near the tip of the paddle.It took 15-20 minutes for me to get used to how responsive the paddle is. I couldn't blast serves at 60 MPH, it's a soft paddle, but I could get remarkable control on short shots and slice serves. Spins felt very intuitive to me as a table tennis player. I'm still learning not to rely on wrist action in this game though... it's a learning curve! But, after that 15-20 minutes of warm-up, I soundly thrashed my dad and decided that I had ascended to Pickleball Pro with 20 minutes of practice.Then I made one of the dumbest decisions of my life. I bought my dad the same paddle. It arrived within 6 hours, the same day. The next morning, we played again, and he kicked. my. butt. This paddle magically makes you better.My dad was a tournament tennis player as a kid. He wanted a paddle that focused on power, but pickleball is all about soft shots that open up to an attack - you rarely win by always hitting fast, long shots. This paddle (definitely a soft, control paddle) has been great for him because he's had to learn to hit dinks and drop shots. He can't just rely on his insane backhand drives from the baseline.Also, in our first 2 days of playing for about 3 hours, never ONCE did we go for a shot and hit the "dead spot" on our paddle. With our old, cheap paddles, it happened probably 1-2x PER GAME. It's hard to explain how much consistency and control this paddle gives you vs. whatever cheaper ones you are using now.By day 2, we noticed our paddles were getting really dusty - a lot of dirt was getting trapped in the grippy carbon fiber surface. (See the picture - that's after about 90 minutes of playing on an outdoor court) We got a couple of carbon fiber erasers on Amazon ($10 each?) and they really helped clean our paddles and keep them nice and grippy. If you're investing $100 in a paddle, might as well drop another $10 to care for it properly.After a few play sessions, my dad and I are both incredibly happy with this paddle. For my table tennis background, it's as comfortable as a light, spinny paddle. For his tennis background, it's a consistent paddle that forces him to learn the control needed in pickleball. And all our noob friends who have tried our paddles have started salivating instantly.If you kinda enjoy pickleball, a nice paddle makes the game WAAAAY more fun, and gives you a lot more expression of skill, or suck, as the case may be. This is a fantastic option if you're considering buying a nice paddle. It is forgiving and consistent for new players, and teaches good habits to players with crossover experience. At this price point, it feels better (to my not-very-experienced hands) than some 2x-3x the $$ PrEmIuM paddles. If you can feel the difference, you aren't the type that would be reading a random review about this paddle on Amazon...Get it, a carbon fiber eraser to clean it, destroy your dad/friend/wife/boss, and enjoy the ego boost until they get one themselves.Edit, a few months later:Well, I'm officially addicted to Pickleball now. I've gotten private coaching, played multiple times per week at all my local parks, achieved a tournament rating somewhere in the late intermediate range (3.8-4.0), and still love this paddle. I'm editing this because I'm buying one for my girlfriend to learn the game on. Every single good player I've met at this point all agree that this paddle is THE one to buy if your budget is anywhere south of $150, and always a very solid option even if you have a super high budget.I'm starting to actually notice how this paddle compares to other "super nice" ones. First, it's not good at super fast shots. There are MANY other paddles that have more "pop" or hit fast. That's not a problem for me at all, but might become one in the future. This paddle is exceptionally good at slowing down fast shots and hitting drops (shots that "drop" just as they pass the net). Many players have started commenting on my drop shots, and I'm realizing my paddle really helps that playstyle.If you want to hit the ball SUUUUPER hard AND you've learned good form with a soft paddle like this, you may want an upgrade. If you learn the game on this soft paddle and want a maximally spinny paddle or paddle with a "pop" feeling, you might want to upgrade. If you want a soft paddle that will let you slow down and play a controlled game, low-key this might actually be your paddle for life... but regardless, start with this one. It will teach you the game way better than a paddle that automatically gives you a boost in power/spin/pop.Basically, even after becoming "one of those pickleball bros", I still love this paddle and highly recommend it. It's the perfect price and style for a new player. Even as I've gotten more advanced and pickleball takes over my personality, I'm very happy with it. Good stuff Vatic!

I've been playing with this paddle for aabout 6-8mos. It was my first upgrade since my starter set (selkirk Neos). It gives me good spin, like I can drive a shot straight over the net and it drops in the kitchen. I make a lot of good players miss and swing high. It has good control, and has lasted well so far. I don't baby the paddle, I tap high fives with others without worry. I have a friend who has replaced his Friday paddles 5 times since I had this one due to their graphics chipping constantly. If you're interested pretty paddles this might not be for you, it's just black, but it's darn good.I have pretty sweaty hands, so I put some alien grips on it almost right away.Still loving this paddle. I'm gonna need to replace the grips soon. But that's it.Good power, good spin, good control, good durability.

Why did you pick this product vs others?:After 20+ years playing tennis decided to try pickleball to see what all the fuss is about. Got through 1st month of beginner lessons at the public courts with borrowed paddle, but friends kept telling me a 'real paddle' would result in vast improvement. Due to Type-A personality I did ton of online research before selecting this paddle and could not be happier with my choice. Friends were right - this 'real' paddle is a blast to play with. I'm able to hit with more control and finesse, the weight and grip size are perfect for my style and double-handed backhand, my game has vastly improved, and - silly detail, I know - really appreciate that came with cover. Excellent value for money. Trust - you're worth it.

Only one word. Amazing. This is the 2nd paddle that I bought after my first beginner paddle. This was a MAJOR upgrade that helped me improve my game. I love the spin and speed of this paddle, although I do think it lacks a little bit of control. You could attribute it to my lack of skill, but I have had better people than me play with my paddle and they noticed slight control concerns as well. The handle length is perfect for beginners who don't need to learn how to 2 hand yet, but I do have to say if you are an experienced player who likes to 2 hand often, you won't like the shorter handle length. Overall I loved this paddle! It's a great paddle for beginners and intermediates. Only reason it dosent get 5 stars is because I just recently upgraded to the Vatic saga, which in my opinion is better and that paddle gets 5 stars.

Never played any racquet sport and pickleball was first. Initially bought some cheap paddles. They were fine but too poppy with little or no control. So decided to upgrade to Vatic Pro Prism Flash. It definitely has the control and can give you pop also if you need it. Have been using it for past 3 weeks and am very happy with it. The weight is not too much on the wrist or the elbow. Grip is fine but some people might want to put over grip. Handle length is fine for me and I can play backhand with two hands if needed. Pretty good purchase and value for money. Hopefully it lasts a while.