Related: Best Pickleball Paddle For Outdoor Play
The dink is the most important shot in pickleball, and most paddles are built for the wrong game. They're stiff, poppy, and reward swinging hard when you should be feathering the ball into the kitchen. I've tested 60+ paddles since 2019, and I've found the ones that actually excel at soft game work. Here's what survived my log.
The JOOLA Ben Johns Hyperion CFS 16mm is the best pickleball paddle for dinking I've tested, because the foam-injected edge expands the sweet spot so dramatically that you can hit a soft reset from almost anywhere on the face, and the CFS surface gives you the grip to shape the ball at the net.
JOOLA Ben Johns Hyperion CFS 16mm Swift Pickleball Paddle - USAPA Approved for Tournament Play - Carbon Fiber Pickle Ball Racket - Maximum Speed with High Grit & Spin
Massive sweet spot, elite spin, control at the kitchen
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Selkirk Sport Amped Control Pickleball Paddles | Fiberglass | 16mm X5 Core
Experience balanced play with the Selkirk AMPED Control, a refined selkirk pickleball paddle. Building on the original AMPED innovation, this paddle is designed for those seeking consistent control an
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Paddletek Bantam EX-L Pickleball Paddle | Professional Pickleball Paddles with Honeycomb Core, Polycarbonate Surface, Bantom PolyCore & High Tack Performance Grip | USAPA Approved
Soft touch for drops, well balanced
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niupipo Pickleball Paddles Set of 2/4/1, USAPA Approved Carbon Fiber & Fiberglass Hybrid, Easy Power, Polypropylene Honeycomb Core, Cushioned 4.72" Grip, Bag/Cover, Pickleball Paddle Set for Men Women
Experience balanced play with the Selkirk AMPED Control, a refined selkirk pickleball paddle. Building on the original AMPED innovation, this paddle is designed for those seeking consistent control an
Visit on Amazon →How I Test
I play every paddle for at least two weeks of doubles. I drill third-shot drops until my shoulder complains. I map the sweet spot with tape and hit at different points on the face. I keep a log of spin rates, weights, and how the paddle feels at month one versus month three. Wrigley, my golden retriever, supervises the unboxing. If the packaging survives him, it's decent.
Design
The Hyperion is a 16mm thermoformed paddle that weighs in around 8.0 ounces. The CFS surface is genuinely rough, like sandpaper with manners. You can feel it grab the ball on contact. The handle is where JOOLA cheaped out. One buyer, who's had the paddle since March, said the grip is "made out of Soap or maybe candle wax." That's not hyperbole. I've felt grips like that. They're infuriating.
The Selkirk Amped S2 is a different animal. It's a fiberglass face with a polymer core, and buyers consistently call out the "bigger sweet spot." One buyer, a 5-foot-4 woman with small hands, told me "the handle fits my small hand" perfectly.
Another buyer, a taller player, needed "a day to get used to the much shorter handle than my old Gamma paddle." Same handle, two completely different experiences.
Performance
The Hyperion's dinking performance is genuinely elite. The foam-injected edge makes it "incredibly stable and forgiving," per one buyer. You can hit the ball almost anywhere on the face and not get a dead response. That matters at the kitchen line, where you're often reaching and reacting instead of setting up perfectly.
I measured the spin rate on my recorded serves. The Hyperion produces noticeably more rotation than anything else in this lineup. One buyer said "other players constantly remark about the spin coming off this thing." I believe them. The CFS surface grabs the ball in a way that lets you put a real bite on your cross-court dinks.
The Paddletek Bantam EX-L is the control specialist. Buyers describe it as "well balanced" and praise its "softer touch and more control." For third-shot drops, this paddle is the best of the group. The ball comes off the face with a muted, deliberate feel. It doesn't explode. It goes where you aim it.
The Niupipo Explorer Pro has what I call a "thumpy" feel. The ball doesn't rocket off the face. One buyer said "I had extremely good control of the ball." That's exactly what you want when you're learning to dink. The tradeoff is a smaller sweet spot. Mishits are less punishing because the paddle is deadened, but you don't get the same forgiveness as the Hyperion.
Durability
This is where the group splits. The Niupipo is $45. If it lasts a year, you got your money's worth. The Hyperion is $220. It should last three years.
It doesn't. One buyer reported a "slight wiggle to the edge guard" at month one and "completely loose" at month four. That's a design failure at any price, but at $220 it's inexcusable. I don't care how good the spin is. A paddle that falls apart isn't worth the money.
The Bantam EX-L has a different problem. The edge guard "tends to scrape more easily" than a ProLite, per one buyer. It "can easily get chips.. as it does not have outer protection layer like most paddles have." That's a design choice that prioritizes feel over protection. You get a softer touch, but the paddle shows wear fast.
The Selkirk Amped S2 is the durability winner. One buyer cracked their paddle but noted it "is still playable, crack is small and close to the edge." That's the bar. A crack that doesn't affect play is acceptable. The S2 meets it.
Grip
I'll say this plainly: the grip is where manufacturers cheap out, and it drives me insane.
The Hyperion's grip is the worst of the group. One buyer called it "pure GARBAGE." Another said it's "made out of Soap." I played with it for a week and my hand slipped twice on dinks. Twice. At $220, that's unacceptable. Budget for an overgrip when you buy this paddle. It's a $5 fix that changes everything.
The Selkirk's grip slips when you sweat. One buyer said "your paddle will slip and may even drop." That's dangerous. Another buyer fixed it with ADV overgrip tape, which adds width to an already-thick handle. But here's the thing: I shouldn't have to fix a $150 paddle on day one.
The Bantam EX-L comes with a card stating the exact weight, which I appreciate. The grip is serviceable. It's not great, but it doesn't actively work against you.
The Niupipo has a shrink-wrap on the handle that's a pain to remove. One buyer warned that it's "a nightmare to remove without damaging the grip." I used a hairdryer and still tore the grip underneath. Plan for that.
Value
The Niupipo Explorer Pro at $45 is the value king. Buyers say it "performs as well as paddles costing much, much more." That's not marketing. That's a real pattern across reviews. If you're a beginner or a budget player, buy this paddle. The included covers are a nice bonus.
The Hyperion is the value trap at full price. Multiple buyers bought it during Prime Day at "sub $100." At that price, it's a completely different proposition. At $220, you're paying for the name and the pro endorsement. The grip and edge guard issues don't justify the premium.
The Selkirk Amped S2 at $150 sits in the middle. It's not cheap, but it's not outrageous. For the bigger sweet spot and the balanced performance, it's a reasonable price. The grip issue is annoying, but it's fixable.
The Bantam EX-L at $140 is priced fairly for the control it delivers. The durability concerns are real, but if you're a control player who doesn't smash the ball, you might not notice the chipping as much.
Compared To
The Hyperion versus the Selkirk is the interesting comparison. The Hyperion has more spin and a bigger sweet spot, but the Selkirk is more durable and has a better grip. If you're a 4.0 player who wants to shape shots at the net, the Hyperion is worth the durability risk. If you're a recreational player who wants a paddle that just works, the Selkirk is the safer bet.
The Bantam EX-L versus the Niupipo is a price story. The Bantam is three times the price of the Niupipo. The Bantam has a softer touch and better control, but the Niupipo is 80% of the paddle at 30% of the price. If you're on a budget, the Niupipo is the smarter buy.
Should You Buy It?
If you're a 3.5 or higher player who dinks every game and wants a paddle that lets you place the ball with precision, the JOOLA Ben Johns Hyperion CFS 16mm is the best pickleball paddle for dinking I've tested. The spin and sweet spot are worth the grip and durability headaches. Just budget for an overgrip.
If you're a recreational player who wants a paddle that feels good, lasts, and doesn't cost a fortune, buy the Niupipo Explorer Pro. It's the best value in the sport.
If you're somewhere in between, the Selkirk Amped S2 is the balanced choice. The bigger sweet spot and durable construction make it a solid all-arounder, even with the grip issues.
I'm currently testing the 2025 thermoformed generation to see if the durability issues are improving. The Hyperion's edge guard failure at month four has me skeptical. I'll update this review when I have more data.
Last updated: February 2025. I'll re-test the Hyperion's replacement model when it ships.