For those who are new to pickleball and want to pick up an set, check out the Vivid Sports Graphite Pickleball Paddle Set.
I am familiar with the Vivid Sports products, but I’m not so familiar of the company as they seem to sell their products primarily through Amazon and also, their products are featured on the USApickleball.org as USA Pickleball approved.
Pickleball has become the fastest growing sport in America (4.8 million players nationwide), growing nearly 40% between 2019 and 2021 and it’s also quickly growing worldwide.
As there were a few Pickleball companies in the beginning, with a few dozen to now over a thousand.
But one thing that Vivid Sports definitely showcases through their products is being “USA Pickleball Approved” which is a big thing in the sport.
The pickleball paddle comes with a neoprene cover.
The Vivid Sports Graphite Pickleball Paddle Set comes with two paddles with a neoprene cover for both, pickleballs (two green, two yellow) and a bag to hold everything. .
First, let’s talk about the bag. The bag is quite roomy to carry extra balls, paddles, shoes, clothes, towel, etc. It’s quite a roomy bag with extra pockets and features thick zippers. So, this is a good quality bag (the thinner the zipper, the trashier it is. So, fortunately this bag contains thick zippers).
You get two indoor and two outdoor pickleballs and it’s about $80 for the entire set.
The paddle features ablack edge border, white logo on black strap above the grip. The paddle features red and light blue on the face of each paddle. And the black non-slip grip is a comfortable grip with a ridge (aka high tack contoured surface) on the grip (this is important as some like their grips to be smoother without the high tack contoured surface).
Paddle specs are 15.6″ H x 8.11″ W. The weight is about 8 oz and features a grip length of 4.9 inches. So, you get a bigger width than other paddles by a margin, but that means a larger sweet spot.
The paddle features a polymer honeycomb core and a graphite surface.
This is a graphite paddle, I don’t see it mentioned being a carbon fiber blend or 100% graphite. But graphite paddle surfaces are thinner, lighter, but slightly heavier than carbon fiber and slightly less durable. While more cost effective vs. carbon fiber,many players believe that graphite paddles are much better to direct balls.
To show you how great of a deal this is, Vivid Sports offers a single paddle, a rainbow one with same specs for under $55. You are getting two paddles, two balls, two covers and a bag for under $80.
I have played with this paddle quite a bit and like the sweet spot, grip is also very good. If anything, this is a great entry paddle for those who want to get into pickleball.
Overall, the Vivid Sports Graphite Pickleball Paddle Set is great for new players and you do get your money’s worth! A great deal overall.
