Curious what the best pickleball players in the world actually play with? We tracked the paddles used by top professional players in 2026. From Ben Johns to Anna Leigh Waters, here is exactly what gear the pros trust when money is on the line.
What Paddles Do the Pros Use in 2026?
Pro Player Gear Guide
Professional pickleball players choose their equipment based on thousands of hours of testing. Their paddle choices reveal which brands and technologies actually deliver at the highest level. Here are the paddles that dominate the pro tour in 2026.
Ben Johns – JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus 3S
JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus 3S
Ben Johns, the greatest pickleball player of all time, uses the Perseus 3S with Propulsion Core and Charged Carbon Surface. He switches between 14mm for singles power and 16mm for doubles control.
Ben Johns switched from Franklin to JOOLA in 2022, and many other pros followed. The JOOLA 3S Series has become the most popular pro paddle line. Johns uses the 14mm version for singles, where he needs maximum power on drives, and the 16mm for doubles, where touch at the kitchen matters more. His signature Charged Carbon Surface technology generates heavy spin that helps him dominate from every position on the court.
Anna Leigh Waters – Franklin Signature Paddle
Franklin Anna Leigh Waters Signature
Anna Leigh Waters signed a reported 10 million dollar deal with Franklin. Her signature paddle features Franklin's latest carbon fiber technology and thermoformed construction.
Anna Leigh Waters, the youngest number one player in pickleball history, signed a groundbreaking deal with Franklin worth a reported 10 million dollars. Her signature paddle uses Franklin’s C45 carbon fiber technology with double thermoformed construction. Waters relies on touch, placement, and incredible hand speed, and her paddle choice reflects that with a balance of control and quick responsiveness.
Catherine Parenteau – Selkirk LABS Boomstik
Selkirk LABS Project Boomstik
Catherine Parenteau trusts the Boomstik's BoomCore with PureFoam for explosive power and InfiniGrit surface for durable spin. The most expensive paddle on the pro tour.
Catherine Parenteau’s choice of the Selkirk Boomstik is significant because she is widely considered one of the best dinkers in pickleball. The fact that a touch-first player chooses the Boomstik proves it is not just a power paddle. The InfiniGrit surface gives her consistent spin over months of tournament play, and the BoomCore delivers when she needs to put balls away.
Jack Sock – Selkirk LABS Boomstik
Selkirk LABS Project Boomstik
Former ATP tennis pro Jack Sock brings tennis-level power to pickleball with the Boomstik. His aggressive baseline style pairs perfectly with the Boomstik's explosive core technology.
Jack Sock transitioned from professional tennis to pickleball and immediately made an impact. His tennis background gives him exceptional power and hand speed, and the Selkirk Boomstik amplifies those strengths. The elongated shape gives him the reach he is accustomed to from tennis racquets, while the BoomCore provides the power needed for his aggressive playing style.
Tyson McGuffin – JOOLA Kosmos
JOOLA Kosmos
Brand new hybrid-shape signature paddle launched March 2026. Combines the sweet spot of a standard shape with the reach of an elongated. Tyson McGuffin's first fully custom design.
Tyson McGuffin’s new JOOLA Kosmos is one of the most anticipated paddle releases of 2026. The hybrid shape is a new approach that gives McGuffin the sweet spot size he needs for defensive play with enough length for his powerful drives. As a March 2026 launch, this paddle represents the cutting edge of JOOLA’s technology.
Pro Paddle Trends in 2026
Several clear trends emerge from tracking pro equipment:
JOOLA dominates. Since signing Ben Johns in 2022, JOOLA has attracted the largest stable of pro players. The 3S Series is the most popular paddle line on tour.
Selkirk LABS is the premium choice. For pros willing to pay $333, the Boomstik offers technology that nothing else matches. The InfiniGrit surface is particularly valuable for pros who play hundreds of matches per year.
Foam cores are taking over. The majority of new pro signings in 2026 involve foam core paddles. The era of standard honeycomb cores at the pro level is ending.
Durable grit surfaces matter. Pros burn through paddle surfaces quickly. Technologies that maintain spin performance over time, like InfiniGrit and diamond-infused surfaces, are driving paddle choices.
Brands to watch: JOOLA and Selkirk lead, but Six Zero, CRBN, Bread and Butter, and Holbrook are gaining pro traction rapidly.
Top Pro Brands Ranked
Pro Brand Market Share 2026
| Tier 1 Dominant | JOOLA, Selkirk |
| Tier 2 Rising Fast | Six Zero, CRBN, Bread and Butter, Holbrook |
| Tier 3 Established | Franklin, Engage, Paddletek, HEAD |
| Tier 4 Emerging | 11SIX24, FLiK, Proton, RPM |
Not necessarily. Pros choose paddles based on their specific playing style at an elite level. A paddle that works for Ben Johns may not suit a beginner or intermediate player. Use pro choices as a starting point for research, but test paddles yourself to find what works for your game.
Most pros customize their paddles with lead tape to adjust weight, balance, and swing weight. Some have access to custom layups or exclusive models not available to the public. However, the base paddle must be USAP approved, so the core construction and face material are the same as what consumers can buy.
JOOLA combined aggressive athlete marketing with genuinely innovative paddle technology. The Charged Carbon Surface and Propulsion Core offer real performance advantages. Plus, signing Ben Johns created a halo effect that attracted other top players to the brand.
Pros typically switch to a new paddle every few weeks to months, depending on how quickly the surface grit wears down. This is why durable grit surfaces like InfiniGrit are so valuable at the pro level. Recreational players can expect their paddles to last much longer since they play fewer hours.
The JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus 3S Series is the most widely used paddle on the pro tour in 2026, followed by various Selkirk models including the LUXX Control Air and the LABS Boomstik.