Start with your level
Most players fit one of three levels, and we sort our paddles into them. Beginner pickleball paddles suit someone who has played a handful of games and is hooked: a wide sweet spot, a forgiving feel and a price that won't sting if the game does not stick. Intermediate paddles are for the club regular with a reliable serve who is learning to dink, usually with a carbon fibre face for more spin and control. Professional paddles are for tournament play, and for players who know exactly what they want from weight, shape and feel.
A paddle can suit more than one level, so some appear in two lists. If you are torn, go one level lower than you think: while you are still building your game, control tends to win more points than power. Or answer three questions about your level, style and budget in the paddle finder, and it will point you at paddles that suit how you play.
Pick a shape
Shape is a trade between reach and forgiveness. The rules cap a paddle at 17 inches long and 24 inches for length and width added together, so every extra bit of length costs width. An elongated paddle, usually around 16.5 inches long, gives you more reach and a longer lever for power and spin on serves and drives, with a narrower sweet spot. A widebody is shorter and wider: the biggest sweet spot, quick to move at the kitchen line and the most forgiving on an off-centre hit. A hybrid sits in between, which is where many all-court players settle. You can filter the full range of pickleball paddles by shape, as well as by level, play style and core thickness.
14mm or 16mm core
Most paddles have a core 14mm or 16mm thick, usually a polymer honeycomb and sometimes foam, and the difference is easy to feel. A 16mm core is softer and more stable: the ball sits on the face a fraction longer, the sweet spot feels bigger, and dinks and resets are easier to keep low. A 14mm core is crisper, with more pop and a faster response at the net, but it asks for cleaner contact. Choosing between two versions of the same model? Take the 16mm for control and the 14mm for power. A few paddles come in other thicknesses, such as 13mm or 15mm.
Weight, swing weight and grip
Most adult paddles weigh between about 7.5 and 8.5 ounces, roughly 210 to 240 grams. A heavier paddle drives through the ball and feels steady on blocks; a lighter one is quicker in fast exchanges at the net. Static weight tells you less than swing weight, which is how heavy the paddle feels as it moves and depends on where the weight sits, so two paddles that weigh the same can swing very differently. Check the swing weight in the specs when the maker publishes it.
Grip size matters as well. An overgrip builds up a thin handle and keeps it tacky through a humid summer, and lead tape lets you add weight exactly where you want it once you know how you like a paddle to feel.
Balls, sets and the rest of the kit
Indoor and outdoor balls are built differently, so buy the one that suits your court. Pickleball balls for outdoor play are harder, with more and smaller holes (usually 40), so the wind moves them less; indoor balls are softer, with fewer and bigger holes (usually 26), for a gym or sports hall floor. Starting out, or kitting out a family, a school or a club? A pickleball set puts paddles and balls in one order, and some include a portable net. For everything else, from bags and nets to grips and ball machines, the pickleball equipment range keeps it in one place.
We don't carry every paddle
We carry the ones we'd play with. Ben and Chris started Pickld after one too many long waits on paddles shipped from the US, and we still choose every brand on the shelf ourselves. Each one has its own page in our list of pickleball paddle brands, with the paddles we stock from it, and our guide to the best pickleball paddles in Australia for 2026 puts our picks side by side, with the reason for each one. On the product pages we describe how a paddle plays and what it suits, not only what it is made of, so you can tell a 14mm widebody from a 16mm elongated before it reaches your door.
Delivery, returns and the Price Promise
Paddles marked In stock are on our shelves in Sydney. Order by 12pm Mon to Fri, ships same day. Delivery within Australia is free on orders over $150, except bulky items (nets, 100-pack ball boxes and ball machines), which are charged real freight at checkout, and you can choose pickup on Sydney's North Shore instead. We ship to Australia and selected destinations overseas: enter your address at checkout to see the options, times and rates, and our shipping policy has the delivery estimates. A paddle marked Pre-order is not on our shelves yet, and its product page sets out what you pay today and when to expect it.
If something is not right, you have 30 days from the day it arrives to ask for a return of anything unused and in its original packaging; the refund policy has the details. Many paddles carry a manufacturer's warranty, and a faulty item is covered under the Australian Consumer Law. Seen the same paddle cheaper at an Australian store? Tell us before you buy and we'll match it under our Price Promise.
