How to Choose a Pickleball Paddle for Beginners

A beginner pickleball paddle should feel manageable, offer a useful hitting area and support consistent contact before chasing maximum power. The OpenClip T700 16mm paddle combines a 190mm wide-body face, 16mm polypropylene honeycomb core and listed 225g weight, making it a practical option for new and improving players who want to build control across the whole court.

What matters most in a first paddle?

Ignore the longest feature list and focus on four decisions: shape, core thickness, weight and response. These affect how confidently you can prepare, contact the ball and recover for the next shot.

Why a wide-body shape is approachable

The OpenClip T700 paddle has a 190mm face width within an overall 418 × 190mm shape. A wide-body profile gives developing players a generous hitting area without requiring an elongated, reach-focused design.

This does not create perfect contact automatically. It simply gives you a practical platform for learning centre contact, short preparation and a consistent ready position. Those habits matter more than trying to strike every ball hard.

What does a 16mm core mean?

Core thickness is one part of paddle response. The OpenClip T700 uses a 16mm polypropylene honeycomb core, a profile commonly chosen when control and stability are priorities. OpenClip describes it as supporting a composed response for blocks, resets and touch play.

For a beginner, that emphasis can be useful because pickleball is not only a baseline hitting game. You also need to soften incoming pace, place the ball into space and keep compact exchanges under control near the kitchen line.

How should a beginner think about weight?

The current product listing gives a weight of 225g. Treat that as a listed product figure rather than a guarantee that every individual paddle will feel identical. Grip size, balance, swing path and normal production variation all affect perceived weight.

A useful paddle should let you prepare on time and repeat a relaxed swing without feeling that the head is dragging behind. If you have an existing injury, pain or movement limitation, equipment advice from a qualified clinician or coach is more appropriate than a general buying guide.

Raw T700 carbon fibre in plain English

The face uses raw T700 carbon fibre with a textured finish. The practical purpose of texture is to help a player work with spin and placement, but equipment cannot replace brushing contact, paddle angle and timing.

A beginner does not need to chase a laboratory spin number. It is more useful to learn a repeatable serve, a controlled return and a compact dink. The surface gives you room to develop those skills without making an unsupported promise about a specific spin rate.

Control or Power for a first paddle?

OpenClip offers two constructions in the same T700 shape:

• Control | Cold-Pressed: softer and more composed, aimed at touch, placement, dinks and resets.
• Power | Thermoformed: firmer and more responsive, aimed at drives, volleys and put-away shots.

Control is the default recommendation for many first-time players because it aligns with rally consistency and learning the soft game. Power may suit a beginner with strong racquet-sport experience who already creates clean contact and prefers a more direct response.

Your first-session checklist

1. Inspect the paddle. Check the face, edge and grip before play.
2. Warm up close to the net. Start with short, controlled exchanges rather than full swings.
3. Find centre contact. Listen and feel for a repeatable response.
4. Practise ready position. Recover the paddle in front after every shot.
5. Add pace gradually. Build from dinks and blocks to volleys and drives.
6. Record one improvement goal. Keep the next session focused and measurable.

Do you need one paddle or a two-player set?

One paddle is enough if you already have a playing group with equipment. If two people are learning together, the OpenClip T700 Pickleball 2-Player Bundle lets you choose a Control or Power construction and a blue or pink colour combination for the pair.

Balls are separate from the single-paddle offer. The OpenClip Outdoor Pickleballs 6 Pack is the current high-visibility yellow, 40-hole option for outdoor social play.

Common beginner buying mistakes

• Choosing only by colour: select the response first, then Velocity Blue or Afterglow Pink.
• Assuming more power means faster improvement: consistency and positioning usually deserve attention first.
• Ignoring the soft game: a paddle must handle dinks, blocks and resets as well as drives.
• Expecting equipment to correct technique: the paddle supports practice; it does not replace it.
• Assuming tournament approval: OpenClip does not currently advertise this paddle as USA Pickleball approved. Check current event rules before sanctioned competition.

Frequently asked questions

Is a 16mm paddle suitable for a beginner?

It can be. A 16mm core is often selected for a composed, control-oriented response. The OpenClip T700 pairs that core with a wide-body face aimed at new and improving players.

Should a beginner choose Control or Power?

Choose Control if you are building consistency, placement and the soft game. Choose Power if you already have confident racquet-sport technique and prefer a firmer response.

Does the paddle include balls or a cover?

No. The current single-paddle Shopify offer includes one paddle in the selected construction and colour. Balls and a cover are not listed as included.

Is 225g the exact weight of every paddle?

It is the current listed weight. Individual paddles can vary slightly, and perceived swing weight also depends on balance and grip.

Can I use it in a sanctioned tournament?

OpenClip does not currently advertise the paddle as USA Pickleball approved. Check the current approved-equipment list and the rules for your event.

Start with a paddle you can learn to trust

A first paddle should make practice clear, repeatable and enjoyable. Review the current OpenClip T700 16mm paddle, choose the construction that matches your learning priority, and build your game one reliable contact at a time.