Best Pickleball Paddles in Australia (2026): 14 Compared on Price, Specs and Approval

Short answer: There's no single best pickleball paddle in Australia. The right one depends on what you'll do with it. If you'll play sanctioned tournaments, buy a paddle that's on the USA Pickleball or UPA-A approved list. For social play, a fibreglass paddle around $65 to $100 is a sensible first paddle, and a raw carbon 16mm paddle is the usual step up. Our X1 All Court is the lowest priced raw carbon 16mm paddle in this comparison. Below we compare 14 paddles from brands with an official Australian website, including our own, on price, face, core, thickness, weight, approval and warranty.

Last checked: 20 October 2026. Prices change often, so check before you buy.

How did we choose these paddles?

• Each brand sells to Australians through its own Australian website or an Australian locale of its site.
• We picked paddles across three price bands: under $100, $100 to $200, and over $200.
• We used only what each brand publishes on its product page and warranty page. Where a brand didn't state a figure, we say "not stated".
• "Approval" shows what each brand claims on its page. Check the official USA Pickleball or UPA-A list before a tournament.

How do the paddles compare?

Sources: each brand's Australian product and warranty pages, checked 20 October 2026. "USAPA" is the old name for USA Pickleball.

Which paddle should you buy?

Here's how we'd match the paddles to players, based on their published specs.

If you'll play sanctioned tournaments

Buy a paddle on an approved list. Pickleball Australia's player FAQ says paddles at sanctioned events must have passed UPA-A or USA Pickleball testing. PPA Tour Australia's Pro Divisions accept UPA-A certified paddles only. Eight of the 11 other paddles above state USA Pickleball or UPA-A approval on their pages. Only two state the UPA approval that PPA Tour Australia Pro Divisions need: JOOLA's Perseus 3S and the Elongated version of Six Zero's Coral. Our X1 listing is in progress, so check with your organiser before a sanctioned event.

If you're buying your first paddle

Under $100 you have real choice. HEAD's Kickstarter ($79.99) and PikPok's Magpie Swoop ($79) are fibreglass. Nuplay's nüLITE ($75 on sale) has a carbon composite face and, at 215g, is the lightest of the paddles here that publish a weight. Our X1 Control is our entry level paddle: a fibreglass face, a light 220g build and a 20 cm wide standard widebody face, the shape Pickleball Australia says has the largest sweet spot. It's $98, or $64 in our sale until 6 December, with a 30 day play trial and a 1 year warranty. See our beginner paddle guide for more detail.

If you play every week and want a step up

The common step up is a raw carbon face with a 16mm core. Our X1 All Court is our mid level all rounder and the lowest priced raw carbon 16mm paddle in this comparison: $139, or $90 in our sale. Nuplay's KÄRBAN16 ($160 on sale), PikPok's Panther Fury ($189) and HUSTL's G-5 ($259) use a similar raw carbon face and 16mm core. The All Court also comes with a 1 year warranty and a 30 day play trial. Read 14mm vs 16mm and fibreglass vs carbon fibre to see what those specs mean on court.

If you want a foam core

Six Zero's Coral ($275) uses a foam core. Pickleball Australia says foam and hybrid cores give a more consistent feel and better durability. Most paddles in this table, ours included, use polymer honeycomb, the most common core.

If you want our Pro level paddle

The Ace X1 ProPower is our Pro level paddle. It shares the All Court's T700 raw carbon face, 16mm thickness, 230g weight and 42 x 19 cm shape, and is built with a high-density polymer honeycomb core for a firmer, more solid response. It's for regular players who want our premium build. It's $189, or $120 in our sale until 6 December 2026.

What do the specs actually mean?

• Thickness. Pickleball Australia says thinner cores (11 to 13mm) give more pop and power, and thicker cores (14 to 20mm) give a softer feel and more control. Testers disagree on some of the detail. More on thickness.
• Face. Fibreglass is generally described as more flexible with more pop. Carbon is described as stiffer with more control. More on face materials.
• Weight. Pickleball Australia's midweight band is 7.7 to 8.2 oz, about 218 to 232g. Most paddles above sit there. More on weight.
• Shape. Longer paddles give reach. Wider paddles give a bigger sweet spot. Our paddle buying guide covers shape and grip size.

Why choose an Ace paddle?

• Value. The X1 All Court is the lowest priced raw carbon 16mm paddle in this comparison, at $139, or $90 in our sale.
• A paddle for every level. The X1 Control is our entry level paddle, the X1 All Court our mid level all rounder and the X1 ProPower our Pro level paddle.
• Warranty. Our 1 year warranty matches HEAD and is longer than the 6 month default at JOOLA and HUSTL.
• A 30 day play trial. Play with your paddle, and if it isn't right, return it within 30 days of delivery. See our refund policy.
• Australian owned. We're a small Australian brand run by two founders.

Frequently asked questions

What's the best pickleball paddle for beginners in Australia?

One you'll enjoy using that doesn't cost too much. Several fibreglass paddles cost under $100, including HEAD's Kickstarter, PikPok's Magpie Swoop and our X1 Control. See our beginner guide.

Is a 14mm or 16mm paddle better?

Neither is better for everyone. 16mm is generally described as softer and more stable. 14mm is generally described as having more pop. Read the full comparison.

Can I use any paddle in a tournament?

No. Pickleball Australia sanctioned events need a paddle on the UPA-A or USA Pickleball approved list. PPA Tour Australia Pro Divisions need UPA-A. Check the official list, not just the sticker.

Are Ace paddles USA Pickleball approved?

Our paddles are made to USA Pickleball's specifications, and our listing is in progress. If you're entering a sanctioned event before it's confirmed, check with the organiser.

How much should I spend?

In our comparison on 20 October 2026, paddles under $100 cost $64 to $99, raw carbon 16mm paddles cost $90 to $275, and the dearest paddle was $309.95. A higher price doesn't guarantee a better fit for your game.

Why don't you list Selkirk or Franklin?

We only included brands with an official Australian website we could check. We couldn't find one for Selkirk, and Franklin's Australian site couldn't be read when we checked.

More pickleball guides

• Best pickleball paddle for beginners in Australia
• 14mm vs 16mm pickleball paddles
• Fibreglass vs carbon fibre pickleball paddles
• What weight pickleball paddle should you get?
• How to choose a pickleball paddle
• When to replace your pickleball grip tape
• Pickleball elbow: what the evidence says

Shop the Ace X1 range

• Ace X1 Control: our entry level paddle. Fibreglass face, 11mm, 220g. $98, sale $64 until 6 December 2026.
• Ace X1 All Court: our mid level all rounder. T700 raw carbon face, 16mm, 230g. $139, sale $90 until 6 December 2026.
• Ace X1 ProPower: our Pro level paddle. T700 raw carbon face, 16mm, high-density core. $189, sale $120 until 6 December 2026.

Sources

• Pickleball Australia, FAQ: Players and Choosing the right paddle. Checked 20 October 2026.
• Pickleball Australia, Official statement on UPA-A paddles, 5 November 2024.
• PPA Tour Australia, UPA-A standards for 2026 Pro Divisions, 23 February 2026.
• Product and warranty pages: HEAD Kickstarter, HEAD Radical TOUR15, HEAD warranty, PikPok Magpie Swoop, PikPok Panther Fury, PikPok warranty, Nuplay nüLITE, Nuplay KÄRBAN16, Wilson Energy Plus, JOOLA Hyperion CAS 13.5mm, JOOLA Perseus 3S 14mm, JOOLA warranty, HUSTL G-5, HUSTL warranty, Six Zero Coral 16mm. All checked 20 October 2026.
• USA Pickleball approved paddle list and UPA-A certified paddle list. Checked 20 October 2026.