Spartus Pickleball Paddles

What PermaGrit changes

Most raw carbon faces arrive with plenty of bite and then quietly lose it. You notice around three months in, when the roll volley that used to dip starts sailing long, and most players blame their own technique rather than the paddle. Spartus built the brand against that problem. Pickleball Effect rated their PermaGrit surface the number one Tier 1 durable grit, which matters more than a spec sheet suggests: a face that goes slick after six weeks is a paddle you end up buying twice, and a cheaper paddle you replace twice a year is not actually cheaper.

Turbo Foam cores, tuned for pace

Under the face sits what Spartus call Turbo Foam, now in a fourth generation, wrapped in a QuadFiber carbon layup of four carbon layers. It is tuned for pace rather than plush, so the ball comes off firm and fast rather than sinking into the face. That is a deliberate choice and it suits players who win points with drives and put-aways more than players who win them with soft hands. The layup is what buys the reset back: four layers hold the ball on the face fractionally longer, so drops land where you aimed rather than springing off short.

The Spitfire Elongated

The Spitfire Elongated is the one we brought in first, at $170. It runs PermaGritNano, the newest version of that surface, over a Generation 4 Turbo Foam core and the QuadFiber layup, in a 16mm 16.5 inch elongated shape. USA Pickleball approved at PBCoR .43.

The interesting number is the swing weight. At 116 it reaches like an elongated paddle but swings closer to a hybrid, so you get the leverage without the sluggishness that puts a lot of players off elongated shapes. If you have wanted elongated reach but bounced off how slow they feel in a hands battle at the kitchen, this is the one to try. Above it sit the P1 line and the Apollo, which we will look at once we see how the Spitfire plays on Sydney courts.

Check the product page for current availability and dispatch: the first shipment was a pre-order and the page carries the live position.

Who this suits

Intermediate through to advanced players who play with pace and spin. If it is your first paddle, start in starter paddles instead. A stiff, powerful elongated face amplifies a technique problem just as readily as it amplifies a good swing, and you will learn faster on something more forgiving. If pace is already your game, compare against power paddles and spin paddles.

Buying Spartus in Australia

We stock Spartus here and ship from Sydney rather than leaving you to wait two or three weeks on a United States order. Delivery is free over $150, returns are 30 days, and if something goes wrong you deal with Ben and Chris rather than an overseas support form. See delivery and warranty.

Common questions

Is the Spitfire really a Paddle of the Year at this price? It won Pickleball Pursuit's 2026 award at USD $109.99. The Australian price reflects landed cost and local warranty, and it is still well under what this durability spec normally costs.

What is the difference between PermaGrit and PermaGritNano? PermaGrit is the surface family Pickleball Effect rated number one for Tier 1 durability. PermaGritNano is the newest version of it, and that is what the Spitfire runs.

Does the grit actually last longer? That is the claim the brand is built on and the Pickleball Effect rating supports it. It is still a raw grit surface, so treat it like one.

How do I keep the face gripping? Use a cover. Keys, zips and the floor of a car boot sand a face faster than play does. Covers are in paddle accessories.

Elongated, or something more forgiving? The 116 swing weight makes this a friendlier elongated than most, but a widebody will always give you a bigger sweet spot. The paddle finder walks through it.

Where to go next

The other brand we carry for durable grit is 11SIX24, whose HexGrit surface makes the same argument at a higher price point. Also worth a look: RPM and Aireo. Browse all our pickleball paddles, or see every brand on the brands page.