Engage is one of the best Pickleball brands in the US market. Although they are marketed towards expert players, anyone can use their paddles for a smooth and controlled game.
The brand reaches this balance by offering multiple paddles to choose from while keeping them high quality.
What To Look For In A Pickleball Paddle
To know what balance makes sense for you, you need to understand the importance of your paddle. If you’re already aware, skip down to our review. If not, read out the breakdown.
Weight
The most important aspect of your paddle is its weight.
Most brands don’t offer the actual measurements, but lightweight paddles are usually under 7oz, mid-weight is between 7 and 8.5oz, and heavy paddles are over 8.5oz.
The lighter the paddle the more control you have. You can spin the ball and create small direction changes, all while easing the stress on your shoulder.
Heavier paddles have more power. It will be easier to hit a hard ball, and the speed will be greatly increased.
However, with more power comes less control, and after a while, your arm will feel fatigued.
We suggest using a mixture of the two. Light paddles for games that require detailed movements, and heavy paddles for sessions all about power.
New players should use heavy paddles until they have the skills to utilize the lightweight’s control.
Body
The body of your paddle is normally wide or thin. Wide-body paddles give you a larger “sweet spot”.
The sweet spot is the center of your paddle. When the ball hits the sweet spot the energy created in your swing is transferred to the ball at full force.
If you hit the outer areas of the paddle, less power is transferred.
However, because the paddle is wide, it isn't aerodynamic, which means moving it through the air will be slightly more difficult than a thin-body paddle.
Thin bodies can create power with greater ease as they need to cut through less air. However, their sweet spot is smaller so you have to aim well.
Wide paddles are great for strong-armed players and beginners. Thin bodies are great for experienced players and those with good aim.
Core
The core of your paddle will either be made out of wood, polymer, or Nomex honeycomb. Wood is the cheapest and the least effective.
Polymer is a flexible plastic that creates a quiet sound. They are best for experienced players as the softer noise also dampens the speed.
Nomex Honeycomb refers to the honeycomb design. They are very loud and very hard, but the honeycomb design forces the impact of your hit to distribute across the paddle, allowing more power to reach your ball.
All Engage Pickleball Paddles
Engage have 4 pickleball paddles each designed for different skill levels.
Encore is designed for intermediate players. It has the largest sweet spot in Engage’s range and was designed for comfortable play.
The comfort comes from the honeycomb core, made from fiberglass. The fiberglass makes it easier for the player to feel when the ball connects, and therefore if you’re ready for a spin.
The skin is rough which makes it perfect for spinning the ball, and the added texture makes it durable too.
In fact, daily use of an Encore Engage will not significantly harm the paddle, so if you play often, you may prefer this paddle.
The paddle is mid-weight, so some players may develop arm fatigue. Keep this in mind for long days of play.
Pouch Infinity is designed for solo players, as the handle is 17 inches long allowing for a longer reach.
The blade of the board is also narrow, creating better aerodynamics, and allowing you to move faster around the court.
The skin is made of Fiberglass, with a poly core instead of a honeycomb. All of these changes create a fast paddle with responsive skin to give you complete control over the ball.
The Pouch Infinity is the most expensive Engage paddle board, and you can absolutely see why.
It’s used by professionals and experts alike and is the leading paddle in the market.
Tridents are the cheapest Engage paddle and are designed specifically for beginners. Despite their low price, they are still well made.
The grip is soft, it has a honeycomb core and a large sweet spot. This combination allows for an easy hit without being too heavy.
The paddle is very square which means creating a good hit isn’t difficult.
The power created in the honeycomb core, and the large surface area means hitting the middle will be easy, and even if your swing isn’t strong, it will still move at a good pace.
However, the square shape does have some drawbacks. Once you hit a certain level, generating power will become difficult due to the thick shape.
It’s at that point where players need to upgrade to intermediate-skill paddles.
But because this paddle is affordable and easy to use, it is the best for beginners.
We even argue that the clear change from useful to drag makes it easy to learn when you’re ready to upgrade.
Engage In General
Engage’s paddles are well made, use updated technology and last for a long time.
You don’t need to look at another brand as you move through your skill level, simply move from Trident to Encore, and then Pursuit with a slight detour to Pouch Infinity if you play solo.
In every collection, you’ll find a powerful paddle so pick one based on your skill level.
Engage As A Company
Engage is one of the best-selling Pickleball companies on the market, and that is largely due to their approach to paddle boards.
Instead of copying other designs, or recreating old concepts, Engage uses applied physics to enhance its equipment.
They are a company known for pushing research and understanding into pickleball tools and have gathered a lot of respect from the community for its developments.
They aim to make Pickleball accessible to everyone. This means allowing more control to those at the highest skill level and creating easier hits for those with low skill levels.
Children, the disabled, the elderly, and general beginners should all have a chance to play the game, and that is what Engage strives for in their research.
The company also values its customers' experiences and the sport as a whole.
If your product arrives broken or doesn’t work as it should, they are quick to send replacements, and more importantly, they actively put portions of their profits back into the community to help popularize the sport.
Final Thoughts
All in all, Engage is a fantastic company for paddles. It doesn’t matter what skill level you’re at, as the company has something for everyone.
Their best paddle is also their most recent - the Pursuit. It's quiet and has good vibration control and a honeycomb core for true balance. Using this paddle, you’ll have a smooth experience and a lot of control.
Ideally, you should try them all before purchasing, but if you don’t have that luxury pick one based on your skill level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's The Difference Between Engage Pickleball Paddles?
The biggest difference is in the size of their paddles, as most of the Engage brand uses the same honeycomb design and fiberglass skin.
The size can determine how much control or power your paddle has. Another difference is the handle length.
What Are The Highest Rated Pickleball Paddles?
There isn’t an official ranking system, however, the top three brands are Vanguard, Electrum Model, and Engage. Engaged Pursuit is the best paddle in the Engage collection.
Where Are Engage Pickleball Paddles’ Made?
Engage Pickleballs are made in North America with Engage employees.
Engage does not use 3rd parties and instead hire staff through their own facilities. Other leading brands outsource their paddles.
Who Owns Engage Pickleball?
The owner and founder of Engage Pickleball is Robert Elliot. Elliott is also the Director of Training and Instruction Certification for the sport.
He runs the company from Florida and is actively involved in the manufacturing process. You can hire Elliott for private lessons in the Central Florida area.
Are Expensive Pickleball Paddles Better?
Expensive pickleball paddles often use better-quality polymers. This means they won’t break down as quickly, and the texture will feel consistent.
Hi, I’m Michael Walter, and I am a Pickleball enthusiast. I work as a High School Physical Education Teacher, so I have an expansive knowledge of sports and its impact on physical health.
When I first took a position at my current school, one of the many things I wanted to implement in the curriculum was Pickleball.
Pickleball is a fantastic sport to keep yourself active, healthy, keep your blood pumping, and to start a good sense of competitiveness and team work.
