Paddletek Bantam TS-5 Pro Pickleball Paddle | Standard Weight | Standard Grip | Red

Why it's worth it

The Paddletek Bantam TS-5 Pro pairs a thick polymer honeycomb core with an oversized sweet spot and a shock guard along the edge. It's the paddle to look at if arm pain, joint sensitivity, or a noise-conscious neighborhood is shaping your decision.

If pickleball elbow is your worry, this is the paddle in the lineup built around that problem. The polymer honeycomb core absorbs more impact shock than the Nomex or aluminum cores used in older designs, and Paddletek adds a 1/8-inch shock guard around the edge on top of that. Reviewers who focus on joint-sensitive players have recommended Paddletek's Bantam line for years on exactly this basis.

Polymer cores are also quieter, which matters more than you'd think. A lot of neighborhoods have gotten twitchy about pickleball noise, and some HOA courts have posted rules about it. This paddle is on the softer end of the sound spectrum. If you're playing on a court that backs up to houses, it's a small kindness that costs you nothing.

From our review of 8 pickleball gear for beginners, by Liam Johnson, Lead Product Reviewer

What we like

• +If pickleball elbow is your worry, this is the paddle in the lineup built around that problem
• +Polymer cores are also quieter, which matters more than you'd think
• +The face is UV-coated textured fiberglass rather than carbon
• +The extra-large sweet spot is the other reason to consider it

What to know

• –Paddletek offers this in several weights and grip sizes, and the listing options can be confusing
• –Fiberglass faces generate less spin than raw carbon over the long run
• –A few owners report receiving paddles that appeared used rather than new