I have been playing pickleball for about 2½ years. I started with a cheap pickleball paddle from Amazon to see if I like the game. I did so last year, I upgraded to the Engage Pursuit EX 6.0 Paddle. The Engage Paddle definitely changed my game and I saw an immediate impact from this paddle. I could hit the ball harder and faster. It ended up making me into a banger. This was good and bad. I could definitely overpower weaker players but I was not improving the touch game with this paddle. It may have had something to do with the fact that the paddle was fiberglass based. The best thing about this paddle is if I hit the ball in the bullseye that that the ball would really take off!!
This year, I decided that I needed to change my approach and dedicate time and effort to improving the touch and dinking part of the game. Off I went to a Woodbury Sports, a tennis, pickleball and sports shop. They have a sampling of just about everything. The best part of this shop was they had a demo feature. You could end up borrowing up to 2 paddles for a nominal fee of $5. This allows you to see what paddles you are comfortable with. I have a friend who ended up demoing 5 or 6 different paddles until he found one he like.
Rokne Republic 2.16
Since my goal was to focus on the touch and dink part of my game, the owner recommended two paddles for me. First, I tried the Rokne Republic 2.16, a unidirectional carbon fiber pickleball paddle. I have no idea what unidirectional carbon fiber is. But the owner said this is a dead paddle so you will be able to make shots that you could not even dream possible.
Selkirk Luxx Control Air
The second paddle that was recommended to me was the Selkirk Luxx Control Air. This paddle was also a carbon fiber but it had a honeycomb core. This paddle has a gritty surface which I guess holds the ball a little better than a smooth surface. I do not get the cut out in the paddle but it does seem to add a coolness factor. Any coolness helps me!!
Playing Time
Off I went to try out both paddles along with a friend of mine. We each played about an hour with each paddle to get a good feel for them. Our first reaction was that the Woodbury Sports guy was dead on that the Rokne Republic 2.16 was a rue dead paddle. On the positive side, I was able to dink and play the soft game really well. On the negative front, I had to swing hard to equal my typical paddle speed with my Engage paddle. On that point alone, I decided it was not the best paddle for me.
When I used the Selkirk Luxx Control Air, I found a nice blend of softness and power. I could still drive through the ball. Also, I better ability to place dinks and other soft shots. I am not going to say I am good at that but I am much improved. The soft part of my game went from a major liability to a work in progress. My issue is that the Selkirk grip is not the best but that is easily rectified with a purchase of grip tape. I ended up buying the Selkirk paddle and after a few months, I am happy with my decision. The one thing that I have to stay on top is that the paddle can chip if you are not careful. It does not have a plastic border so when you lunge at a ball on the court, you can chip it. I also bought a pickleball paddle cover to reduce the chance that I scrape up the paddle in my bag. If that does not work, I have heard that Selkirk is good about replacing chipped paddles. Time will tell.