A11N Zenith Pickleball Paddle 16mm | T-700 Carbon Fiber with Foam Injected Walls | Enlarged Sweet Spot | Elongated or Wide Body Shape

A very good paddle similar to another companies Vanguard 2 Invikta. I added some lead tape to both sides just below the curve and found that it expanded the sweet spot and added stability to off center hits. The paddle has decent pop for a control paddle and still absorbs energy so it works great for resets and dinks too. While the surface had what felt like a little grit to start it has warn off but the carbon fiber surface itself has a good texture and I’m happy with the spin I get. If your looking for a power paddle this isn’t it but if you want a control paddle with pop and spin you should consider this one. Plus I love the grip size, length, texture and secure feeling in my hand. I think itis a good value and I would definitely buy it again.

I was provided the opportunity to evaluate and review the a11n Zenith C7 Pickleball paddle. I have previously reviewed the Zenith C8 counterpart.Initial review on arrival:Packaging - The C7 comes in a very sturdy box with molded foam surrounding the paddle. The branding on both the exterior as well as the included information on the inside of the package were very professional & informative. A side note is that I have ordered top name professional paddles that have arrived in nothing protective & with no more than a non-cushioned plastic bag surrounding them.Looks – The C7 paddle is a very nice-looking paddle with the a11n logo embossed on the paddle.Texture - The carbon fiber has a textured surface easily noticeable when feeling the blade surface of the paddle.Grip – The C7 paddle (and the C8 counterpart) has a small grip with prominent edges that to me on the C8 were very irritating to the thumb when playing. It is however longer than some @ 5 ¼” making 2 handed back hands comfortable.Initial review with play:Grip – As speculated the C7 grip is small causing me to have to grip tighter than normal to keep paddle rotation down. The prominent edges are noticeable and tend to be irritating to my thumb. I am 6’ tall so a person with a smaller stature/hands may feel differently. (I had my wife 5’6” play with it and she had the same feeling on her thumb).Blade Length/width – I primarily play with traditional shape paddles & was curious how the narrower/longer paddle blade would feel (C7 is ¾” longer & 0.6” narrower than the C8 counterpart). We were playing outside with a moderate wind. The paddle swung lighter and cut through the air easier/ faster than when using the traditional shape paddle. It took no different effort to connect with the ball in the sweet spot of the paddle.Initial play assessment – The paddle feels weighted heavier to the top, I found this comfortable on the service swing. Again, the grip was to small and rigid for me. The ball came off the paddle very well and has a very large sweet spot that seemed to encompass the majority of the width of the paddle. Ball placement was easy, and I suspect will improve when I wrap the grip. Power was good, probably better than the C8. Dinks placed well and didn’t take any extra effort.Assessment after modifying grip – I overwrapped the grip with 2 head tacky overwraps. This makes the paddle very comfortable in my hand. The paddle felt effortless to use, power increased as did shot placement. Paddle was fast and no noticeable hand/thumb pain as previously noted. I did not experience any elbow pain after building up grip either. My wife seemed to play well with the thicker grip too. She was hitting shots well, running me around in singles (She insists I tell you she beat me in a game while she was playing with the C7)!Summary – The a11n Zenith C7 is a professional level Carbon fiber elongated blade paddle. Price is very favorable when compared to similar professional grade paddles. The paddle grip is small and rigid, but easily overwrapped to the users desired size/comfort. The narrow blade makes a noticeable positive difference in outdoor play in windy conditions. I didn’t appreciate an advantage in the additional length, but many feel that it will allow for better reach on hard to handle returns. The ball comes off the paddle with authority but is still very easy to control & place shots. It is easy to speed up and or slow down play when needed. The textured carbon fiber surface will enhance play for anyone incorporating spin in their game. All in, I would recommend the a11n Zenith C7!Company Impression – I have had the opportunity to interact with the company a11n on a couple occasions now. I initially bought a portable pickleball net from them after doing research on the many nets on the market, the a11n net was consistently near the top, only surpassed by nets at least twice the cost. I was not familiar with the company but trusted the multiple reviews (both written and video). I had to contact the company customer service after purchase due to the net having a stitching issue. I emailed the support address and they reached back out the same day. I dealt with Harper, who was very thorough and helpful. After sending requested pics of the flaw in the net, the net was replaced promptly. Harper stayed in constant contact throughout the process and followed up even after the replacement was received to ensure satisfaction. That spoke volumes to me, as it seems good customer service is a lost art. I would recommend a11n to anyone, & I would not hesitate to purchase any item from them.

I love the shape of it. It’s like hitting with a hammer as opposed to a long sword like an elongated paddle. Build quality is really good. Sweet spot is pretty good. To me it seems a little unforgiving. It’s fairly soft but has some serious pop to it. I have to be real soft with my dinks and drives to not overdo it. It spins and serves really well. It resists twisting really well. If you are just starting out or someone that already has good control and are looking for speed and power this is it. C8 - 8.4 ozUpdate: I have used it for 3 months now. It is still very high quality construction. It has great power, decent control, and pretty terrible touch. Balls just fly off this thing, resets aren't too easy, and you need an advanced (I don't have it) soft game to get full use out of this. If you're just looking to bang drives from the back line then this paddle is a really cost effective way to do it. Again, excellent quality and construction, these are just the attributes of the paddle. I'm moving on to something with better touch. If this is your first paddle you'd be well served to get a non-thermoformed 16 mm paddle. I've played a scorpeus and this has the exact same power, the scorpeus has the edge on touch and control.

As a seasoned PB player, I own and purchased over fifty paddles. Trying out all of the major brands and several newer companies coming onto the scene. Looking for that perfect paddle. I purchased the Zenith C8 paddle and played with it for several months before moving on to other paddles. That was a very nice paddle. Since I had luck with the Zenith, I tried the Carrey 14mm, 16mm, and XL paddles and I am super pleased with them.Pros: - Balance and quality of paddle. Send light weight, and the paddle plays quieter than any other paddle I've purchased. - Large sweetspot and had power for drive and control for that soft game we all want to improve upon. - The carbon fiber face has incredible grit and produced tons of spin. The grit hasn't decided after several months of play. - sharp looking paddle that even comes with a cover.Cons: - Really there isn't any, except the price point actually should be higher.I purchased 10 paddles for gifts and for those new players looking for a good paddle and an inexpensive price point. This is a great deal and players at all levels who tried these at the courts, really enjoy the play you get from these paddles.I highly recommend this paddle. Truly plays like a intermediate to advanced paddle. No gimmicks, just a very nice paddle that will help you improve your game.

This is for the classic shape. Been using this paddle for more than 6 months now, in the less than $100 price range this is one of the best paddles IMO. It has good pop and the right balance of power & control. The surface offers good spin. I’ve tried other expensive brand paddles too but this is my go to paddle. The customer service team is very easy too work with, I had an issue with one of the paddles and the customer service team (Harper) resolved the issue promptly. I have recommended this to other fiends and everyone who has bought the paddle has been very happy with it. Bought another one for myself, will be using it in a tournament soon.* Add an overgrip for extra comfort *

Spin without trying, great paddle. High quality paddle. This thing is very very good all around paddle, power and Control and spin, more spin durable gritty carbon weaved face!You'd be doing yourself injustice for not trying

As paddle prices have soared, and quality/lifespan of my last Head paddle fell short of it older cousin, I decided it's time to try something from one of the up-and-coming paddle makers, rather than the established brands. Presentation/delivery of this C8 paddle is great, as many others have noted. My paddle was right at the very bottom of the advertised 8.0-8.4oz weight range. I enjoyed playing with it right away, but decided it felt a little light and bottom heavy to me, so I added an overgrip (I like a large handle) plus 5 lead weight strips. Total cost of these modifications: <$10. Now I'm really happy with it and playing the great spin shots I like plus with excellent power. With these small customizations, I have upped my review score from 4 to 5 stars. I can see this paddle has upped game, even after being used to Head paddles with their strong texture and good spin control. Overall, highly recommended for the price.

My double black diamond 16 mm delaminated therefore was looking for a quick replacement for now. My friend has one of these and after trying it thought it would be adequate and purchased one.Sweet spot: bigger than double black diamond (dbd) for sure. Feels much more forgivingSoftness: it's softer than dbd therefore more control for resets and dropsHandspeed: I did ask for one on the lighter side but the person said can't control that. However I did end up getting one that's 8.0 oz which is on the lower end. My friend said his is head heavy so hand speed is slower but I actually find mine less head heavy than my dbd so my hand speed is a bit faster.Pop: this has noticably weaker pop compared to dbd. I've always had trouble generating power and so the speed on my drives and smashes are noticably slower.Spin: less than dbd. My shots seem to dip less than with the dbd. Not sure if it's just me. Husband said his is fine.Drives: drives are noticably weaker and since I find this less head heavy I feel like I have to generate more power.Overall this paddle has increased control but decreased power compared to dbd which could be a good or bad thing depending on what you want. I would like more power so would prob prefer dbd but I do like the more forgiving sweetspot.About me: 3.5-3.75 woman playerUpdate: after about a week I've had to go back to my dbd. The power is just not sufficient for me. My shots are too slow and Ive always had difficulty generating my own power. The dbd is just more effortless power for me and I am willing to give up control for that.

one of the cheapest on the price range with the kind of construction and surface. It creates good spin

This paddle is great for an intermediate player. Love the power I get and absorbs the shots. It’s also great at the net.