Best Elongated Pickleball Paddles | Which Blade-Style Paddle to go for in 2023?

Whether you’re transitioning to pickleball or improvising your game with magical power, pace, and reach, I’ve got the best elongated pickleball paddles for each of you! This new trend of elongated paddles is just another case of how effectively tennis is filtering pickleball. While it has challenged the original legacy of pickleball, it did bring several positive changes in the game, i.e. speeding up tennis players’ transitions to pickleball, professionalizing the game, renewing the concept of power, and many more.

I’m an original pickleball player though, and as much as I care about the traditional size and natural vibe of the game, I’d definitely value these fresh changes in the game for why I’ve focused on paddles providing added length, as well as good handles for control, and a decent sweet spot, to get the best of both worlds. Jeez! Not an extremist, you’ll also get the category of true-shaped elongated paddle primarily for tennis players.

Selkirk Amped Invikta Gamma Needle Paddletek Helo Onix Summit C1 Head Racial XL Prolite Chrome N-R-G
Weight 7.3 to 8.4 oz 7.6 oz 6.8 to 7.5 oz 7.8 to 8.2 oz 7.6 oz 7.6 to 8.0 ounce
Core X5 honeycomb core Sensa poly core Polymer honeycomb Polypropylene OTC honeycomb QuadcoreTM core
Surface Fiberflex Fiberflex Fiberglass Composite Graphite Fiberglass vinyl surface
Length 16.5 inches 16 ⅝ inches 17” 16.375 inches 17” 16 ⅝ inches
Grip size 4.25 inches 4 ⅛ inches 4 ½ inches 4.5 inches 4 ⅛ inches 4 ¼ inches

9.4/10 – Our Score

Selkirk Amped Invikta
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Top Features:

  • X5 honeycomb core
  • Fiberflex facing
  • Consistent sweet spot
  • Spin technology
  • Vibration dampening system
  • Torque suppression ability

Analyzing paddles based on quality, playability, and how they react when contacted with the ball, amped Invikta tops the list. Invikta was built in partnership with former tennis player Tyson Mcguffin, which helped him to become the best national champion of pickleball. Other than Tyson; Enrique Ruize, JoAnne Russell, and Kaitlyn Christian further won numerous games and medals with these paddles.

Selkirk Amped Invikta
playing with Selkirk Amped Invikta

The reason is the 8” larger sweet spot. Its sweating and slicing ability is top-notch through its 16.5 mighty length and 5.5 inches handle that gives you control. However, the width from 7 to 7.3 inches is what gives a generous sweet spot to bounce the ball and spin it in the opposite direction. 

Accurate and back-to-back fast volleys–the next best feature. The Fiberflex facing minimizes the game time from 10 minutes to 8 with a great speed and fewer faults. Plus, the Torque suppression ability makes sure you don’t run out of accuracy. The paddle also makes stacking powerful with the paddle’s response and quick ball contact during critical moments.

Along with physical, its mental benefits are a great stability and light positioning through tackier and larger grips. Keeping up the medical benefits as well, by reducing tennis elbow through two weight options running between 7.3 to 8.4 oz.

  • Power and control in one
  • Large sweet spot
  • Technological core
  • Vibration dampening system<
  • Different weight ranges
  • Fairly expensive

Gamma Needle

9.5/10 – Our Score

Gamma Needle
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Top Features:

  • Honeycomb cushion grip
  • Textured graphite face
  • Sensa poly core technology
  • Cushion comfort grips
  • Solid edge guard

The Gamma Needle is the first elongated paddle with traditional elongated specs. It was designed to maximize power, spin, and reach without sacrificing the control and the size of the sweet spot.

Gamma Needle
Gamma Needle

The paddle provides maximum stability and balance via its larger sweet spot backed with a 0.5” powerful Sensa poly core–providing maximum maneuverability and efficient control and finesse. 

At 7.6 oz, the paddles feel super lightweight to give you wins at Diamond Regionals through its unpredictable spins forming on the top of textured graphite surface. 

And guess what? With a handle length of 4 ¼ inches, you’ll have enough space on the handle to maintain your grip firm on the paddle, while placing your thumb on the surface. On the top, the paddles feature accessibility for all skill levels from beginner to expert due to the excellent blend of power and control, plus the comfortable cushion grips.

  • Large spot
  • Provides control and finesse
  • Durable
  • Extremely lightweight with power
  • Has extra pop effect

Paddletek Helo

9.6/10 – Our Score

Paddletek Helo
03

Top Features:

  • High-end fiberglass surface
  • Responsive Polymer honeycomb core
  • Ping pong style grip
  • Oblong sweet spot
  • Different weight ranges

Paddletek has a unique lineup of the best elongated pickleball paddles and, among them, Helo stands out due to its responsiveness and highly reactive technology.

Paddletek paddle

The paddles feature a decent build, having a fiberglass surface that allows speed and accuracy so you don’t have to worry about directions, especially if you play in the wind. It provides a grab and bites to the ball for a spin factor. To balance the power and provide accuracy, the surface carries a highly responsive polymer honeycomb core that provides incredible connectivity to the ball. 

Along with being heavy-duty, Helo is the most lightweight elongated pickleball paddle, weighing only 6.8 oz. Ping-pong style paddles further make them unique and comfortable with which you can have a firm hold on your paddle, having an index finger on the surface without sweat and moisture to complement extended sessions with extended reach. 

Update: Paddletek Helo has been discontinued the Tempest Reign Pro with a half inch reduction in the length and an increase in the sweet spot through 7 1/2″ width. 

  • Power-oriented
  • Excellent grip
  • Highly reactive and responsive
  • Paddles have shorter handles

Onix Summit C1

9.4/10 – Our Score

Onix Summit C1
04

Top Features:

  • Polypropylene honeycomb core
  • Spin friendly
  • Composite face
  • Solid edge guard
  • USAPA approved

Onix summit C1 is an improvised and elongated version of Onix Summit C1. It comes with a composite surface, instead of pure graphite, to give your spins unmatchable speed and accuracy in a mix of touch, power, and pop

Onix Summit C1
Onix Summit C1 paddle

In terms of grip, it sits closely with the Gamma Needle, allowing your thumb to maneuver the paddle with added power. Whereas the rounded surface takes up its width to 7.5 inches–probably one of the highest with a length of 16.3 inches. Its non-sharpened edges give a nice slice to slow length shots. 

For durability, it features a solid but lightweight edge guard that shields the core and the surface material from wearing out, hence increasing the reliability period. 

From providing good control, a decent spin, and offering a wide variety of effortless shots to cover you up to ace with pace and accuracy – Onix Summit’s simply everything you need with its quality features and cost-effectiveness.

  • Highly maneuverable
  • Stylish and aesthetic
  • Excellent power
  • Spin-friendly
  • Cost-effective
  • Does not offer much control

Head Racial XL

9.5/10 – Our Score

Head Racial XL1
05

Top Features:

  • Carbon graphite surface
  • OTC Polypropylene honeycomb core
  • Extreme spin technology
  • Ergonomic grips
  • USAPA approved

Following the technological features in Radical, Head constructed the Radical XL giving it a tennis-like surface area with smaller handles. The bounce and pop is supported via its 13 mm thick optimized tabular core, plus the 17 inches length keeps your volleys on point–whether they’re from the baseline or near the kitchen. 

Covered in a carbon graphite surface, it’s both lethal and lightweight (carrying just 7.6 oz besides being the longest) to destroy the opposition by interchanging the varieties from overhead to backspin to the slower dinks.

Head Racial XL
Head Racial XL

Unlike many long pickleball paddles with smaller handles, head radical XL keeps the player comfortable with a considerable lengthy handle of 4 ¾ inches. In the 2021 Rocky Mountain Championships, 39.7% of players, in their interview, spoke about how lovely it’s to smash the opponents with radical XL, with a significant reduction in pickleball elbow. 

The paddle further features an excellent blend of power; plus the ergonomic grips, and a slicker side opening are just a few more aspects, making it the best elongated pickleball paddle.

  • Lightweigh
  • Spin availability
  • High-end core
  • Highly maneuverable
  • None

Prolite Chrome N-R-G

9.4/10 – Our Score

Prolite Chrome N-R-G
06

Top Features:

  • Triple-layer fiberglass and vinyl material
  • Gel-coated surface
  • QuadcoreTM honeycomb core
  • MicroedgeTM guard
  • Green zone approved

The tear-drop shaped Prolite chrome N-R-G comes with its incredible QuadcoreTM honeycomb core embedded with several gel-coated layers of fiberglass and vinyl that will add finesse to your paddle collection. 

Differentiating the shape, it shares the same size as the amped Invikta, having a larger sweet spot. they’re easy to maneuver. Despite being a control-oriented paddle, it doesn’t neglect the power and pace. It basically comes as a lethal weapon to win through hard volleys and short-length slow shots from the baseline. 

Prolite Rebel PowerSpin

Although the cells are closely packed, its thick and robust structure reduces the vibration as well as the weight, making the paddle highly responsive. The soundless deliveries out of this paddle further made it rank as one of the most powerful pickleball paddles in the green communities list. 

A micro-edge guard is yet another exquisite feature. Its diameter is 60% shrank to the typical edge guards, freeing up space on the surface, while keeping its lifespan healthy. Apart from the technological perks, they’ve attractive graphics on the surface in three deep colors.

  • Control-oriented
  • Large sweet spot
  • Durable
  • Comfortable grips
  • Slightly expensive

Pre-Purchase Consideration for Elongated Pickleball Paddles:

Look, when you’re buying an elongated paddle, that doesn’t mean a paddle with greater length size is all that matters. Since that is the basic specification of an oversized paddle there are certain features and components that shouldn’t be neglected at any cost. At this point, you can to go through this guide these features very seriously because you probably don’t want to buy disappointments. So, to buy the best elongated pickleball paddle, you need to consider…

Grippings:

Elongated paddles usually have smaller handles, so here the gripping element could be critical. If you’re one of those players who play with a long handle, shorter handles might not help you much. 

Grippings

Though some players put their index fingers on the surface and that’s a manual solution to it. However, some paddles do have longer handles, so you need to check the handle specification first because elongated in oversized paddles refers to the surface, not the handles.

Edging:

More than half of the players don’t like the edge guards around the paddles because they tend to get in contact with the ball and disturb the pace and strength. However, that depends on the “type” of edge guard your paddles feature. It should be thin but solid and it should be in line with the surface so that it won’t break in between. 

Because edge guards are important and play a vital role in protecting your paddle by keeping the surface and the core together without any defects, so consider the guidelines, and yes, do consider edged paddles on top.

Game Type: Single or Double?

Certainly, you need to consider this factor too that whether you’re a type of single or double player because these are designed for playing single. The reason is that they provide extended reach, so the distance gets covered with these paddles with an amazing retrieve and response. 

However, with a double play, the space gets already occupied and so using them might interrupt your partner because of their reach off course and thus a whole lot of disturbance can be created so consider them for single play.

Benefits And Drawbacks Of Elongated Pickleball Paddles:

Reach & Retrieve:

One of the main reasons for considering elongated paddles as a top-notch choice is because of their high reach toward the nets. One of the biggest advantages of having an elongated paddle is getting the additional reach that enables you to play at a far distance to increase the pace of your shots and play smoothly and beautifully. 

Reach & Retrieve

Aso, they’re highly responsive. There’s no chance of mishits, so a back-to-back, fast, and smooth gameplay is possible with these. And, the retrieve is pretty cool with an extra style that you can add to your game.

Power:

Besides being responsive, the paddles have an extreme power factor. Even a slow hit could be way powerful with these paddles. Plus, there’s zero chance of getting strain and injuries with these paddles since no such effort is required. That, however, should be reckoned carefully because if you’re a beginner and lack the accuracy, the paddles won’t be a happy purchase for you.

Sweet spot:

On the downside, the paddles don’t feature a larger sweet spot because the width is shrunk into a greater length and thus the sweet spot does narrow down. Players who are accustomed to playing with wider paddles would have difficulty using them, but if you’re a pro, that won’t be an issue for you.

Weight:

As commonly understood, the paddles are oversized means an extra surface and the core plus elongated handles. All these features sound amazing but they gradually contribute to the weight too. 

especially older ones easily carry

Also, that’s what creates the power in these paddles since the more the weight, the greater the power. Yet again, some people find it hard to manage the weighty paddles, especially kids and older ones. So, that is both blessing and a curse at once.

Skill level:

Though a pickleball paddle seems way attractive to own yet one should consider their skill level before making a purchase. Elongated paddles are typically designed for pro-level players for having added power so they play fast and smooth without implying any effort. However, that won’t work the same for beginners since the paddles don’t have a wide surface therefore sometimes it gets hard to manage and retrieve the ball which will result in constant mishits. 

Plus, the paddles feature a larger sweet spot, which won’t be a problem for the experts since they’re in practice but definitely a drawback for the intermediate or beginners who are used to of larger sweet spot. And one more thing, if you were a tennis player previously, elongated paddles are highly recommended for you since they give a tennis-like feel and control. So, learning will become super easy for you.

Conclusion:

Now you’re in a way better position to make the best purchase since you’ve made this far, and I’m glad that you did. As my last words, I’d like to suggest you choose a paddle in accord with your skill level with the right grip size, robust surface material, and durability as any of the above listed. 

By comparing all the reviews, I’ve reached to conclude these three as the best elongated pickleball paddles on the list. If you want nothing less than perfection, go with these. 

  • Selkirk Amped Invikta  
  • Gamma Needle 
  • Onix Summit C1 
HARRY ANDERSON
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