Are Wooden Pickleball Paddles and Who Should Use Them?
Are you a beginner who just started to play Pickleball? We all know how expensive pickleball paddles are!
You can try using wooden Pickleball paddles. But Are wooden Pickleball paddles good?
From the look of it we can surely say it is durable but what about other features?
A short answer to this question is yes, wooden Pickleball paddles are good.
Now, Let me walk you through some wow features of wooden pickleball paddles, which will surely blow off your mind and change how you think about wooden Pickleball paddles.
Are wooden Pickleball paddles good?
It’s durable:
Wooden Pickleball paddles are one of the most durable, and you can expect them to last longer than any regular composite material paddle in the market.
It is just recent times when paddles made of different other materials are being used. Even today, 99% of unofficial matches are played with a wooden paddle.
Paddles made of other materials give a better feel and comfort, but wooden paddles are what give longevity.
Even official matches were played using wooden paddles a few years back.
So if you are looking for a long-lasting Pickleball paddle, the wooden one is definitely a good option for you.
It’s cost-effective:
This is one of the biggest reasons why wooden paddles are good; these paddles are very inexpensive.
As they are made of wood, the cost of making a paddle drastically drops, making the wooden paddles both affordable and widely available.
You can get an average wooden Pickleball paddle for five to ten times cheaper prices than a composite material Pickleball paddle, and a regular composite material pro paddle may even cost you 150 dollars or more.
So in case you need to buy a lot of paddles at once or you are concerned about the budget, then wooden paddles are a very good option to consider.
It gives better power ability:
Wooden paddle allows for making more power shots without using much strength.
As woods are easy to shape in any size, wooden paddles are also available in a wide variety of shapes offering more power shots, you can choose from Elongated, Standard, and Wide body shape paddles to get maximum power in each shot.
What gives Durability to a Wooden Paddle?
The wooden structure of the paddle provides longevity. The main reason the wooden Pickleball paddle has better longevity than any composite material paddle is that the wooden paddles do not have empty space in between the paddle core.
On the other hand, if you see a composite Pickleball paddle core, you will see a honeycomb structure with a lot of empty space in between the paddle core, just as shown below.
Although this structure creates a slight bend and gives a bit of spin to the ball, this structure makes other paddles a lot less durable compared to the wooden structure.
How much do Wooden Pickleball Paddles weigh?
Wooden Pickleball paddles are comparatively heavier than other composite material Pickleball paddles.
And on average, a wooden Pickleball paddle will weigh around 10 pounds. And some wooden paddles are even heavier and go up to 12 ounces.
For example, the wolf wooden premium Pickleball paddle weighs 12 ounces, and the Swinger Pickleball paddle weighs around 11.5 ounces.
This may not seem too much weight but remember, a composite material paddle weighs around 7 ounces.
So, an average wooden paddle is 42-71% heavier compared with other paddles. And this heaviness has some drawbacks too. We will discuss that in the problem section below.
Who should use Wooden Pickleball Paddles?
Wooden Pickleball paddles have some major advantages, such as cost-effectiveness and durability, that differentiate wooden paddles from the rest of the paddles available.
And following are the people who should be using the wooden paddle for those advantages.
When a person is trying a new sport, it is more reasonable to go for basic-level equipment rather than premium equipment.
And in the case of the Pickleball paddle, this decision can help a beginner to save some money and also get the durable paddle out there.
And if you are a beginner, then there is a high chance that your paddle will get much more damage compared to a pro player’s paddle.
So it is better to select the long-lasting, durable one, right?
If you are buying a Pickleball paddle just to teach your kids how to play Pickleball, then a wooden one is preferable.
Firstly because wooden ones will obviously cost you less, and secondly, wooden paddles do not get damaged in humid weather, so you will be able to take your kids in the open free environment and teach them how to play Pickleball.
There are situations when people, especially friends and family, go camping or on vacation where multiple Pickleball paddle is required to play.
And in these kinds of scenarios, it is better to select a wooden Pickleball paddle to save money.
It will be much more price convenient, too, because you can literally buy up to ten wooden Pickleball paddles for the price of a single composite material professional Pickleball paddle.
How Much Do Wooden Pickleball Paddles Cost?
The price of a wooden Pickleball paddle can vary depending on the manufacturer, but you can get an average wooden Pickleball paddle for 12-15 dollars.
And even if you go for the costliest wooden paddle, it will not cost you more than 25-30 dollars.
To understand how cheap it is, just know that a composite material pro Pickleball paddle can cost you up to even 200 dollars. And composite material paddle range can vary between 30-200 dollars.
Problems with wooden Pickleball paddles:
Heavyweight:
The heavy weight of the Pickleball paddle can be a burden if you are playing with a pro player; this is when lightweight composite paddles get the competitive advantage of better flexibility over wooden heavy-weight paddles.
Less control:
The wooden paddle must be durable, but because of its heavy weight, wooden paddles have less control compared with non-wooden paddles.
Less comfort:
Composite materials paddle comes with grip and over grip and is better known for the comfort of holding them.
But this is not the case for a wooden paddle. These paddles usually have a single grip, even though the toughness and weight of the paddle make it less comfortable.
Noisy:
A wooden paddle is a good choice for outdoor Pickleball games because a wooden paddle gives better power, but it makes louder noise too.
And when you consider the court surface and hard plastic ball along with the wooden paddle, you might just get annoyed because of the louder noise this combination makes.
Might feel pain in the wrist:
As a wooden paddle can be up to 70% heavier than a regular non-wood paddle, playing with a wooden paddle continuously for a longer period of time can give you pain in your wrist too.
FAQ for Are wooden Pickleball paddles good?
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Is a thicker wooden Pickleball paddle better?
A thicker wooden paddle may give enhanced longevity, but it will be heavier, too, so it is better to go for a wooden paddle with a standard thickness.
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Does the weight of a wooden Pickleball matter?
Yes, weight does matter. The weight of the paddle can significantly reduce the paddle movement speed and reduce the control over the paddle. And this will ultimately reduce the performance of the player.
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Are wooden Pickleball paddles only for beginners?
No, a beginner can use it as a standard choice. But people who are concerned about budget and playing for fun only can also consider buying a wooden paddle.
Final Words:
Wooden Pickleball paddles are surely not the best option. But wooden pickleball paddles are good.
They are good for you if you are a beginner or just started to play pickleball.
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