14mm Picks · Updated July 2026
Best 14mm Pickleball Paddles (2026)
14mm cores sit between 13mm (max pop, max stiffness) and 16mm (the default soft-feel option). The result is a paddle that still gives you a meaningful chunk of the lively pop that thinner cores deliver — but with slightly more dwell time and forgiveness than going all the way to 13mm. Best for intermediate-to-advanced power players who want pop without giving up all touch. Below are the 8 best 14mm paddles, ranked by power-leaning score.
Top 8 Pickleball Paddles for 14mm players
Speedup
Speedup Tide 14L
Elongated · 14mm · $169.99 (10% off)
heavy swing weight (121.4) for natural power in a 14mm elongated. The heavier moment of inertia delivers easy pace on full swings without forcing you to muscle through the ball.
SLK
SLK Halo Pro
Elongated · 14mm · $100.00
firm swing weight (118.32) with easy pop in a 14mm elongated. The heavier moment of inertia delivers easy pace on full swings without forcing you to muscle through the ball.
CRBN
CRBN TruFoam Barrage 1
Elongated · 14mm · $279.99 (15% off)
firm swing weight (117.97) with easy pop in a 14mm elongated. The heavier moment of inertia delivers easy pace on full swings without forcing you to muscle through the ball.
CRBN
CRBN TruFoam Genesis 3
Elongated · 14mm · $279.99 (10% off)
firm swing weight (117.75) with easy pop in a 14mm elongated. The heavier moment of inertia delivers easy pace on full swings without forcing you to muscle through the ball.
Rev
Rev Aria Pro
Elongated · 14mm · $99.00 (20% off)
firm swing weight (117.89) with easy pop in a 14mm elongated. The heavier moment of inertia delivers easy pace on full swings without forcing you to muscle through the ball.
Selkirk
Selkirk Project 007 Invikta
Elongated · 14mm · $130.00
firm swing weight (117.47) with easy pop in a 14mm elongated. The heavier moment of inertia delivers easy pace on full swings without forcing you to muscle through the ball.
Holbrook
Holbrook Arma Metallic
Elongated · 14mm · $199.99 (15% off)
firm swing weight (116.89) with easy pop in a 14mm elongated. The heavier moment of inertia delivers easy pace on full swings without forcing you to muscle through the ball.
Holbrook
Holbrook Arma T
Elongated · 14mm · $199.99 (15% off)
firm swing weight (115.94) with easy pop in a 14mm elongated. The heavier moment of inertia delivers easy pace on full swings without forcing you to muscle through the ball.
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Why 14mm — and when 13mm or 16mm makes more sense
14mm = lively without going all-in. Thinner than 16mm means more pop off the face. Thicker than 13mm means slightly better forgiveness and a hair more dwell time. The result is a popular middle ground for players who want to lean toward power without abandoning touch entirely.
Go thinner (13mm) if: you want maximum pop and a stiff, lively feel. See our 13mm paddle picks — the thinnest production cores in the catalog.
Go thicker (16mm) if: you want plush dwell time and maximum forgiveness. See our 16mm paddle picks — the default thickness for control and touch play.
Best for: intermediate-to-advanced power players who want pop without losing all touch. If you can already hit center consistently and you want more liveliness than 16mm offers, 14mm is the right step.
Browse all paddles in our full paddle database, or compare 14mm vs 16mm head-to-head with our comparison tool.
Common Questions
FAQ
What's the best 14mm pickleball paddle?
Based on our power-leaning score (swing weight + trending engagement), the Speedup Tide 14L is currently the top 14mm pick.
Is a 14mm paddle better than 16mm?
Different, not better. 14mm gives you more pop and a livelier feel; 16mm gives you more dwell time, forgiveness, and touch. The right answer depends on your play style — power players lean toward 14mm, control players toward 16mm.
Should beginners use 14mm paddles?
Not usually. 14mm is less forgiving on off-center hits than 16mm, and beginners mishit more often. Start at 16mm and consider 14mm later once your contact is consistent.
Is 14mm a popular thickness?
Yes — increasingly. It's become the go-to for many intermediate-to-advanced power players who find 13mm too stiff and 16mm too muted. The catalog grows in this thickness every release cycle.
Go Deeper
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