Friday · ranked #14 of 16
Original 16
Best for budget all-court starters.
Raw carbon16mm coreStandard8 ozswing wt ≈113Under $100
84DinkScore
Spec-class ratings
Spin4/5
Power3/5
Control4/5
Forgiveness4/5
Our read
The Original 16 is a raw carbon-faced standard build on a 16mm polymer honeycomb. That combination tells you most of the story: the thick core absorbs pace, which is where its control and forgiveness ratings come from — you give up some put-away pop in exchange. The raw carbon face grips the ball for top-tier spin class.
Who it's for: budget all-court starters. Players with elbow sensitivity should look at our arm-friendly shortlist instead. Cross-shop it inside its price band below, or answer five questions in the Paddle Finder to see whether it actually fits your game.