HEAD Pickleball Paddles: Which Radical, Extreme or Attitude to Buy

One detail to know before reading the table: on several listings HEAD gives a paddle 'thickness' (11 mm, 13 mm, 15 mm) that is the overall thickness of the paddle, not the core. Where we show a core in millimetres, it comes from the USA Pickleball registry's core depth rather than from that overall figure.

These three are close relatives. All use a fiberglass face over a polypropylene honeycomb core in a hybrid outline just under 8 inches wide, and all sell for under $50, the Extreme Elite often for less than $30. The Radical Elite and Radical Pro share the same published size, weight and grip: 16 x 7 7/8 inches, 230 g and a 4 1/4-inch grip. What separates them on paper is the face: the Radical Pro's listing names an 'Extreme Spin Texture', and its heading says 'DESIGNED FOR PROS', while the Radical Elite is aimed at 'the mid-level club pickleball player'.

The Extreme Elite is the lightest HEAD we track at 220 g (7.8 oz), slightly longer at 16 1/16 inches, with a thinner 11 mm overall profile and a smaller 4 1/8-inch grip. It is the budget pick of the three and a reasonable choice for a spare or a guest paddle.

These models have been around a long time. The Extreme Elite's registry entry dates from April 2017, and the Radical Pro and Radical Elite have entries from 2017 onward. For the Radical Pro (three entries) and Radical Elite (two), the Amazon listing does not say which version you will receive. That does not matter for recreational play; for a sanctioned event, check the exact model printed on the paddle against the official list.

Why would one name have several registry entries? The list itself does not say. A maker can register an updated paddle under the same model name, and an older entry stays on the list when a newer one is added, so the dates are the only clue. The Amazon listing does not say which version is being sold, so HEAD's own product page, the seller, or the model details printed on the paddle are the places to confirm it. Keep the box and receipt until you have checked, in case you need to exchange it before a tournament.

These two sit in the same under-$50 band and answer opposite needs. The Radical Tour EX Grit is elongated, 16 1/2 by 7 1/2 inches, with a graphite SpinGrid face and HEAD's FoamedCore polypropylene core. Its registry entry gives a 14 mm core. The longer face gives reach, and the 230 g weight is the same as the Radical models.

The Attitude CORE is the opposite shape: a wide body, 16 inches long, with a short 5-inch handle and a 15 mm core, and it is the only HEAD listing in our catalogue that calls itself beginner friendly. HEAD does not publish its weight or grip size on that listing, which is its main gap.

If the player is new and has never held a racquet, the Attitude CORE's wider face is the safer start. If the player comes from tennis, or already likes to drive the ball, the Tour EX Grit's reach and longer face will suit them better. Our elongated vs widebody guide covers the trade-off across brands.

Within the same band, Franklin's Signature Series is the obvious cross-brand rival: an elongated 16.5 x 7.5-inch fiberglass paddle with a 5.6-inch handle and published grip sizes of 4.25 or 4.5 inches. Against it, the Tour EX Grit offers a graphite face and a smaller 4 1/8-inch grip, and the Attitude CORE offers a genuinely wide face. Our cheap pickleball paddles page compares all of them by published spec.

The EX15 is a different class of paddle from the rest of HEAD's catalogue entries. Its face is micro-forged raw carbon, and its TriFlex core combines a honeycomb centre with an EPP foam perimeter inside an EVA foam shell, the kind of hybrid foam construction several brands now use at the upper end. HEAD calls it a precision and control paddle and says it is ideal for advanced players.

It is also the heaviest HEAD we track: 240 g, plus or minus 5 g, which HEAD rounds to 8.5 oz. HEAD publishes a balance point of 230 mm (9.1 inches), a figure most listings in our catalogue do not publish. One inconsistency to know: the listing gives the length as 419 mm, which is about 16.5 inches, while also labelling it '16 in'. We show the metric figure in the table because it is the more precise number HEAD printed.

At around $120, the EX15 is HEAD's step into the price band where JOOLA's Pro IV models and Selkirk's mid-range paddles sit. If you want a heavier carbon control paddle with a 5.5-inch handle, it is the HEAD to look at; if you want a light one, look at other brands in our paddle weight guide.

Back to the doubles group. The brand-new player gets the Attitude CORE, or the Extreme Elite if price matters most. The player who keeps missing off the edge also gets a wide face, the Attitude CORE, or the Radical Elite with its almost 8-inch width. The tennis convert gets the Radical Tour EX Grit for reach on a budget, or the EX15 if they already play often. The four-times-a-week player gets the EX15.

Two specs then fine-tune the choice. First, grip: HEAD's models split between 4 1/8 inches (Extreme Elite, Tour EX Grit, EX15) and 4 1/4 inches (Radical Elite, Radical Pro). Players with smaller hands, or anyone who adds an overgrip, should lean to the 4 1/8-inch models; our pickleball paddle grip size tool helps you measure. Second, weight: from 220 g on the Extreme Elite to 240 g on the EX15. Lighter paddles are generally quicker at the net and easier on the arm over a long session; heavier ones are more stable on hard hits.

HEAD has 78 entries on the USA Pickleball list across its two registry spellings (HEAD and Head), with dated entries from 2017 onward. Its own store also sells newer paddles that are not in our catalogue yet; if one of those catches your eye, compare its published grip, weight and shape with the HEAD pickleball paddles above before deciding.