As every year, brands present us with their novelties for the new season. This year, finally, without any pandemics in between, we will be able to enjoy a season full of innovations and updates of the best paddles of the moment.
Once again, from Travel To Padel, we bring you the list of the best paddles of 2023 to delight all of you. Whether you are constantly changing paddles and want to try something new every now and then, or if your old faithful court companion needs a renewal and you think this year is the right time.
We hope that in this 2023, with no trace of the pandemic, we can continue to fully enjoy padel. Let’s go with the list.
The most versatile: Bullpadel Vertex 03 2023
Once again, Bullpadel presents the renovation of one of its reference paddles, both for the brand and for the world of padel in general. We are talking about the renewal of Juan Tello’s paddle, the new Bullpadel Vertex 03. It is a diamond-shaped paddle, perfect for players seeking power in their shots. The core of this paddle is composed of MultiEVA foam, and the paddle faces are made of XT-Carbon 12K carbon fiber, giving the paddle a medium touch.
The new Vertex 03 is a complete renovation of last year’s model. They have incorporated a more dynamic chromatic range into the paddle, leaving aside the silver touches of its predecessor and introducing gold tones on the lower part of the paddle face, adding orange tones instead of red. We still have the Air React Channel in the frames, giving it an extra aerodynamics, the Metalshield as a protector that adapts to the Custom Weight weight plate system, allowing us to modify the balance of the paddle according to our needs in each match. Finally, the brand renews the Hesacore grip to reduce vibrations and improve grip.
The Vertex 03, like every year, competes to be one of the best paddles of the year once again. It is designed for professional-level players with high technical qualities in defense and a preference for powerful and aggressive shots to get the most out of the paddle.
The most powerful: Babolat Technical Viper Juan Lebrón 2023
Once again, we have the renovation of the paddle with which the world number one Juan Lebron played last year. The brand has presented the renewal of its top-selling paddle from 2022, even considering that “El Lobo” has his own paddle this year, which we will see him using throughout the World Padel Tour.
In the levels at which professional players compete, having a paddle with great hardness or a higher balance benefits them in the game, provided they have the proper technique to make the most of it. In this new 2023 model, we follow the same pattern as the previous model. It has the same diamond-shaped mold, high balance, medium-hard touch thanks to the double-layer X-EVA foam, and the traditional 12K carbon in the paddle faces, making it the most powerful paddle on the market.
It features a material in the core to absorb and reduce vibrations, and a rough surface on the decals. Its reduced and high sweet spot make it a paddle designed for players with an advanced level, who use power play as their main objective to finish points.
This paddle will be seen on many courts in 2023, especially among those with more aggressive backhands and a medium-high level. What is clear is that we will no longer see it in the hands of the best player in the world, Juan Lebron.
The most comfortable: Head Speed Pro X
Head has presented its novelties for 2023, and they come with their new Speed collection, led by the Head Speed Pro X, which we are going to talk about. It is a teardrop-shaped paddle, with a core composed of Power Foam, a paddle frame made of a blend of Graphene and Carbon Fiber, and paddle faces made of 12K Carbon, giving it a medium-hard touch.
With the new Speed range from Head, we can enjoy the Auxetic technology, which, according to the brand, offers an unbeatable impact sensation. In addition, thanks to the Optimized Sweet Spot, we will have an enlarged sweet spot, gaining greater control in hitting. The paddle weighs 375 grams and features a design that combines glossy and matte effects, along with an elegant grayscale palette.
The new Head Speed Pro X is developed for professional or advanced-level players who seek absolute versatility in a paddle. It is designed for players with highly developed technique and an offensive style, and thanks to the introduction of 12K carbon, it offers a harder touch and increased power in smashes, without losing control thanks to its wide sweet spot. Undoubtedly, one of the great innovations in padel for 2023.
The paddle with the best value for money: Alkemia Ignis 2023
Once again, the Spanish brand Alkemia presents the renewal of its top-selling model for 2023, undoubtedly a brand with the best value for money. Alkemia is characterized by selling directly to the end customer, without selling to stores or intermediaries, which minimizes commission fees and allows for maximum price adjustments.
The new Alkemia Ignis, a tear-shaped paddle with a medium balance, is made of 100% 3K carbon on the paddle faces and features a high-recovery Black EVA foam core, providing a medium-hard touch. The tear-shaped mold of this paddle gives it a wide sweet spot and excellent maneuverability, making it one of the tear-shaped paddles with the largest sweet spot.
As a great novelty for this year, Alkemia incorporates a new anti-vibration reinforcement system that reduces the transmission of vibrations to the arm. They also introduce a new 3D rough system on the decals, providing greater ball effects.
One of the highlights of this paddle over the past four years has been its great versatility, as it offers great power for smashes without penalizing too much in defense, especially due to its good ball output, although not excessive thanks to its high-recovery foam.
It is the best paddle in terms of quality/price ratio, a top-range paddle at a mid-range price, ideal for all players looking for maximum versatility on the court, performing well in both defense and attack.
The best from the backcourt: Nox AT10 Luxury Arena 2023
Nox presents the renovation of its paddle range for 2023, which concentrates most of its sales throughout the year, the Luxury range, where they also present the main novelties and technological updates. In this article of the best paddles of 2023, we bring you the new Nox AT10 Luxury Genius Arena. It is a tear-shaped paddle, with a core composed of HR3 EVA foam, a paddle frame made of 100% Carbon Fiber, and paddle faces made of Carbon Fiber 12K, giving it a medium touch.
The new and renovated Luxury range from Nox features the new Smartstrap technology, which allows us to customize the paddle by easily replacing the cord without manipulating the lower plug of the paddle. In addition, the Nox Luxury paddles renew the Anti Vibration System, which, according to the brand, ensures vibration absorption in off-center hits, and they feature Rough Surface on the paddle faces with a rough finish for perfect ball effects.
The Nox AT10 Luxury Genius Arena 2023 is conceived and developed for advanced or professional-level players seeking a highly versatile paddle. It is made for players with good technique, providing excellent maneuverability and excellent control.
The paddle with the most control: Adidas Multiweight CTRL 2023
Once again, the German brand Adidas presents its new Adipower collection, which introduces one of the main technological innovations in a paddle. It is presented in a revolutionary way, and we are talking about the new Adidas Adipower Multiweight CTRL. It is a round-shaped paddle with a wide sweet spot, a core composed of Adidas Eva High Memory foam, and 18K carbon fiber in the frame and paddle faces, giving it a medium-hard touch.
The main novelty in this paddle is represented by the Weight & Balance System. It features a system of five removable screws along the paddle frame, five on each side, and three on the upper frame, allowing the player to place them according to their needs and preferences in the game. With this new and revolutionary system, we can adapt the balance of the paddle to each player, depending on whether we need better performance in attack or control. The new Adipower Multiweight CTRL 2023 also includes the Duo Exoskeleton, a system to reinforce the paddle frame, and the Spin Blade System, Adidas’ typical rough finish on the decals for amazing ball effects.
The Adidas Adipower Multiweight CTRL 2023 is designed for professional or advanced-level players, with a playing style focused on maintaining control over the ball, with good play from the backcourt, allowing them to have control of the game throughout.
For backhand players: Wilson Bela Pro V2
If you are a backhand player and like to finish points quickly when you have the opportunity, we recommend the Wilson Bela Pro 2 as the best paddle for your characteristics.
The Wilson Bela Pro 2 will be your best ally in the game. It offers a high and hard touch with firm EVA foam and 3K carbon fiber in the paddle faces, allowing the ball to make minimal contact with the paddle and giving you good control to place the ball exactly where you want. It is ideal for players, to a certain extent, who want to maintain control and lead the game throughout, like the great Fernando Belasteguin.
This hard touch ensures that the paddle does not lose the force we apply in smashes and transfers it directly to the ball, helping us achieve great power in this shot and making it easier to bring the ball back to our court or hit a three-wall shot. Thanks to its tear-shaped mold, we achieve a medium-high balance that helps us leverage those smashes and generate more power.
If you prefer a harder touch and a controlled ball output, and are looking for a paddle that helps you with control and power, the Wilson Bela Pro 2 is your ideal paddle.
For lovers of a hard touch: Oxdog Ultimate Pro Plus 2023
We conclude the analysis of the best paddles of 2023 with one of the main innovations for this new year. The arrival of the Swedish brand Oxdog to the world of padel could mark a new step in the explosion of our sport in the Nordic countries.
At Travel To Padel, we have tested their entire new range of paddles, and specifically, the new Oxdog Ultimate Pro Plus 2023 is undoubtedly one of the hardest paddles we have tried to date. It is a diamond-shaped paddle, weighing 370 grams, with a high balance and a hard touch. It features high-quality materials both inside and outside the paddle, with Hard EVA foam in the core and HES Carbon in the paddle faces, providing rapid conversion of impact into pure power.
Additionally, the paddle features an RBS system that allows us to modify the weight of the paddle, increasing it by up to 8 grams, reaching a weight of almost 380 grams. It also includes a system of four removable silicone inserts called Vibradamp to absorb vibrations and impacts.
The Oxdog Ultimate Pro Plus is a real delight, a perfect travel companion for players looking for a paddle that adapts to their pure power play, attacking and dominating the net throughout the game.