A Pickleball Paddle Buyer's Guide: How To Pick The Right Paddle For ...

Core Material

There are two primary core materials: polymer/polypropylene and foam. Polypropylene has dominated the market for many years and remains the most common material. Foam cores are a new alternative that has started to enter the market as of 2025.

Polymer/Polypropylene: This is a plastic material that is arranged in a honeycomb structure. There are a variety of ways to manipulate this core to get different performance results. Some brands are more transparent with the type of polymer core they use but sometimes we’re left in the dark. I’ve started using x-rays in my reviews to get a look at these types of things because brands don’t always tell us. Let’s break those different elements down.

Honeycomb cell size. Cell size affects paddle rebound, power, sweet spot size, and consistency. Larger cells (10mm) offer more power and rebound, but a smaller sweet spot and less consistent bounce. Smaller cells (6mm) offer less power, but a more controlled, consistent bounce, denser feel and better sweet spot. 8mm is the most common cell size.

Honeycomb cell wall thickness. This one isn’t often reported on by brands but it does affect performance. Thinner cell walls give you more power and pop while thicker cell walls give you more control.

Polymer density. This is the hardest one to determine and you don’t see it in the spec sheet but it is a factor. Some polymer materials are softer and more flexible while others are rigid. Softer polymers give you more power and pop while rigid cores give you more control.

Foam additions. Foam is sometimes added around the perimeter of the polymer core in varying amounts, which will change how the paddle plays. Depending on location, density, and amount it can add power, reduce vibrations, or improve stability. This element is nuanced, and its effect on performance varies. Therefore, I can’t give you specifics here but will discuss this further in the Construction Method section.

You’ll see brands advertise what cell size they use sometimes, but you’ll rarely see brands report on cell wall thickness and polymer density. That information comes from paddle tear downs that me and other reviewers do.

Solid Foam Cores: This is a new type of core that was introduced in 2025. While there is still a lot to learn about foam cores, they are different from polymer cores in that they offer a softer impact feel and have increased durability in the fact that they hold their shape and playing characteristics better over time.

Foam cores were introduced in 2025. While there is still a lot to learn about them, it is clear that they differ from polymer cores. Foam cores offer a softer impact feel and retain their shape and playing characteristics for longer, increasing their overall durability vs polymer cores. The first popular foam core paddle was the CRBN TruFoam Genesis series. You can check out my review for it here.

I’ll update this section as I learn more but it seems that the main difference between foam cores of the future will come down to the type and density of the foam used and if they make designs in the core like CRBN did or not.