Pickleball Paddle Weight, Thickness & Grip Size, Explained

Three numbers tell you most of what you need to know about how a paddle plays: weight, core thickness and grip size. Here's how each affects your game.

Weight

• Lighter (under 7.8 oz): faster hand speed at the net, easier on the elbow, but less power.
• Mid (7.8–8.4 oz): the all-round sweet spot most players choose.
• Heavier (8.4 oz+): more power and stability, but slower hands and more arm strain.

Core thickness

• 16 mm cores feel soft and controlled, with a bigger sweet spot — great for dinks, resets and all-court play.
• 14 mm (or thinner) cores feel punchy and powerful, but less forgiving.

Both DYSSC paddles use a 16 mm core — the modern standard for control and forgiveness.

Grip size

Grip size affects comfort, spin and injury risk:

• Too big strains the wrist and reduces wrist snap (and spin).
• Too small can cause over-gripping.
• A ~4.25 in grip suits many players, especially those with smaller hands; you can add an overgrip to build up if needed.

Putting it together

For most players — and almost all beginners — a mid-weight, 16 mm, ~4.25 in paddle is the easiest to play well. That's exactly the build of the ProFoam Pro (control) and HexCore Pro (power).