Best Wooden Pickleball Paddles

Ever since pickleball was first created, the sport has been played with wooden paddles.

This is primarily because they are easy to play with, affordable, and reasonably durable. On top of that, they are also an excellent choice for beginners.

Despite their extra weight, wooden pickleball paddles give beginners the chance to get started in the sport, making it much easier to find a paddle and get playing.

However, as the sport of pickleball has grown, so has the market. 

Now, players are greeted with an oversaturated market jam-packed with both good and bad paddles.

This can make the search for a wooden paddle surprisingly overwhelming. Today, we’re here to help!

In this article, we’re going to show you the best wooden paddles the market has to offer.

We’ll show you what each paddle offers and tell you any pros and cons you should be aware of. Let’s dive straight in!

Product Reviews

In this article, we will review the best wooden pickleball paddles you can find on the market.

We’ll cover a variety of different pickleball paddles so you know exactly what’s on offer.

You’ll learn more about what wooden paddles are good for, any cons they come with, and which brands offer the best products.

After that, we’ll show you our buyer’s guide that will help you make a positive final decision.

Buyer’s Guide

Now we’ve shown you what the market has to offer, it’s time to start thinking about what you have to look for when choosing a wooden pickleball paddle.

As handy as it would be, choosing the best paddle isn’t as easy as picking out the first paddle we see.

Whilst all the paddles on our list are great, they all offer something slightly different. Therefore, there are a number of things you have to consider before making your final decision.

To help you make your final decision, we’ve listed some of the most important things you have to consider in this buyer’s guide.

To avoid any buyer’s regret, take each point we make into consideration.

Paddle Thickness

One of the most important things most players often overlook is the thickness of the pickleball paddle.

This may seem unimportant but it can actually make a huge difference to your overall performance.

The thicker a pickleball paddle is, the more power you can strike the ball with. If you want to focus on power in your game, this is key.

A thinner paddle will be less stiff. This dissipates power as you strike the ball. 

We strongly recommend purchasing a thicker paddle if you play with an aggressive and offensive style of play.

You can find the thickness of a paddle by reading the product description.

Surface Material

It is also important to consider the surface materials a paddle features. This is important because paddles with a textured finish tend to offer more grip, weight, and durability.

Whilst paddles without this are still perfectly fine, you might benefit from the added benefits a textured surface provides.

You can find wooden paddles with vinyl or painted finishes quite easily. If you want to keep things simple though, there’s nothing wrong with a plain wooden paddle.

Paddle Length

We recommend looking for a wooden pickleball paddle that has a long handle.

The handle doesn’t have to be extremely long but a handle with some length makes it much easier for you to reach shots you would otherwise miss.

On top of that, you’ll be able to return the shots back to your opponent with more power and velocity.

Bearing that in mind, you should also look for a paddle that has a longer grip. This will ensure your comfort as you play. 

One of the main reasons you can return shots with more power if you have a paddle with a longer handle is that you can place two hands on the paddle. This offers more control, balance, and power. 

Features

Extra features aren’t a must but they can make your playing experience much more enjoyable. Besides, who doesn’t like to receive some added features with their purchases?

When it comes to pickleball paddles, there are a number of neat features to keep an eye out for.

This could include a graphite edge guard, stylish design, specialized grip, or wrist strap.

You’ll also find that a lot of paddle brands give customers pickleball balls and extra paddles with each order.

It is worth remembering that any extra features you receive could increase the total cost of your order. 

Paddle Set

When looking for your first or next pickleball paddle, you’re going to have to think about whether you want to buy a pickleball set or an individual paddle.

This decision isn’t crucial but it will determine how much you spend.

Generally speaking, it will cost you more to buy a set of two paddles than it will to buy one. If pricing doesn’t matter too much, we’d opt for a pickleball paddle set.

Purchasing a paddle set gives you the chance to play with your family and friends. Most sets come with two or four paddles and don’t actually cost that much.

Most paddle sets also come with a set of balls. This is great because they provide you with everything you need to play pickleball. All you have to do then is find your local court.

Edge Guard Durability

One of the most vulnerable parts of a pickleball paddle is the edge guard. This area is prone to getting knocked, chipped, and scratched.

As a result, it is important to find a pickleball paddle that offers a solid and durable edge guard.

Whilst most wooden pickleball paddles already have a solid edge guard, it might be worth looking for specific edge guard features. One feature worth looking out for is a graphite edge guard. 

A graphite edge guard provides the paddle with more protection, strength, and durability. It enhances ball control too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Wooden Pickleball Paddle Is The Best?

Every pickleball paddle in this article comes with pros and cons. As a result, it isn’t easy to say exactly which one is the best. Having said that, there is one that stands out more than the others.

For us, the Champion Sports Rhino Edge wooden pickleball paddle is the best. The reason for this is that the paddle comes with an extra durable graphite edge guard.

This allows players to better control the paddle and provides the paddle with more protection from scratches and chips.

Are Wooden Pickleball Paddles Good?

The very first paddle pickleball was ever played with was wooden. Today, the sport is still widely played with wooden paddles. This is because they are great paddles to play with. 

Wooden pickleball paddles are durable, easy to play with, and affordable, making them a very good option.

However, they aren’t the best paddle to play with. As technology has evolved, so has the pickleball paddle industry.

Therefore, it is now possible to buy more advanced paddles that are lighter, more stylish, easier to play with, and at times, more durable.

Is Wood Better Than Graphite For Pickleball Paddles?

More often than not, pickleball players will choose a graphite paddle over a wooden paddle.

Graphite paddles offer more ball control, more power, and an ultra-lightweight design. On the other hand, wooden paddles can be bulky and heavy.

However, it is generally accepted that wooden paddles are a better choice for beginners looking to start playing.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve never played pickleball before, finding the best wooden pickleball paddle can be quite challenging.

The market is loaded with different paddles, some of which are great, and others that are terrible.

Luckily for you, we did the hard work for you and found the best wooden paddles the market currently has to offer.

As you can see from our list, there are plenty of high-quality wooden paddles to choose from.

Aside from showing you what each paddle has to offer, we also looked at any pros and cons you should be aware of.

We even went an extra step further and provided you with a buyer’s guide that will help you make the best decision. 

Now you have our list and buyer’s guide at your disposal, you should take some time to narrow down the list and choose the paddle that best suits your needs and requirements.