What Pickleball Paddles Do the Pros Use?
We track what the pros actually play with — not just what their sponsors sell. Every entry below carries a verification level, a source, and a last-verified date. Sponsorships change fast in this sport; check the date before treating any entry as current.
How to read this tracker
| ✓ Match-verified | Visibly used in recent match footage or official event imagery |
| Brand-confirmed | Brand or player officially states the player uses it |
| Sponsor-associated | Player is sponsored by the brand; exact current model unverified |
When reports conflict, we show the conflict instead of picking a winner quietly. See the conflict notes under the tables.
Men's pro paddles
| Player | Paddle | Thickness | Status | Verified | Source / notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Johns | JOOLA Perseus Pro V | 16mm | ✓ Match-verified | 2026-10-01 | Seen at PPA Nationals, Cary NC (Sept 2026) |
| Federico Staksrud | JOOLA Kosmos Pro V | 16mm | ✓ Match-verified | 2026-10-01 | Seen at PPA Nationals (Sept 2026); returned to JOOLA in 2026 after Adidas stint |
| JW Johnson | PIKKL (unreleased model) | — | Brand-confirmed | 2026-10-01 | Signed with Paddletek Group / PIKKL July 2026 after Franklin contract expired; seen on unreleased PIKKL paddle at Nationals |
| Gabe Tardio | Facolos Elite X V2.0 | — | ✓ Match-verified | 2026-10-01 | Seen at PPA Nationals (Sept 2026) |
| Hayden Patriquin | Franklin C45 Dynasty (Patriquin edition) | 16mm | ✓ Match-verified | 2026-10-01 | Seen at PPA Nationals (Sept 2026) |
| Christian Alshon | Paddletek Honeyfoam TKO-X | — | ✓ Match-verified | 2026-10-01 | Seen at PPA Nationals (Sept 2026) |
| Tyson McGuffin | JOOLA Magnus Pro IV | 16mm | Brand-confirmed | 2026-10-01 | JOOLA lists the 16mm as his competition paddle of choice |
| Dylan Frazier | Volair CMD HYB | 16mm | Brand-confirmed | 2026-10-01 | New signature paddle (Volair, Oct 2026); previously played the SHIFT HYB 14mm |
Women's pro paddles
| Player | Paddle | Thickness | Status | Verified | Source / notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anna Leigh Waters | Franklin C45° (Aurelius 12.7mm; unreleased Franklin model spotted Sept 2026) | 12.7mm | Brand-confirmed | 2026-10-01 | Long-term Franklin deal signed Jan 2026 (ended 7-yr Paddletek run); Aurelius UPA-A approved Feb 2026; testing unreleased Franklin model at Nationals |
| Anna Bright | JOOLA Scorpeus Pro V | 14mm | ✓ Match-verified | 2026-10-01 | Seen at PPA Nationals (Sept 2026) |
| Catherine Parenteau | Luzz Glider | — | ✓ Match-verified | 2026-10-01 | Seen at PPA Nationals (Sept 2026); previously on JOOLA. Switch confirmed |
| Parris Todd | Franklin C45 Parris Todd Signature | — | ✓ Match-verified | 2026-10-01 | Seen at PPA Nationals (Sept 2026) |
Biggest recent switches
- Anna Leigh Waters → Franklin (Jan 2026). Ended a seven-year Paddletek partnership for a long-term Franklin deal; her signature C45° Aurelius (12.7mm) was UPA-A approved in February. She was spotted testing an unreleased Franklin model at September's Nationals. Her exact match paddle is currently in flux. We're tracking her gear live at the Rate Las Vegas Open fan guide (Sept 28–Oct 4), where she's chasing career title No. 200.
- JW & Jorja Johnson → PIKKL (July 2026). After their Franklin contracts expired, the Johnsons cycled through several brands before Paddletek Group acquired PIKKL and signed the whole family. Both are now on unreleased PIKKL paddles.
- Catherine Parenteau → Luzz Glider (2026). Previously listed on JOOLA (and older Selkirk listings still floating around are stale). September 2026 Nationals footage confirms the Luzz Glider.
- Federico Staksrud → back to JOOLA (2026). Left JOOLA for Adidas in 2025, returned in 2026 on a signature JOOLA Kosmos Pro V 16mm.
The thickness split nobody talks about
Look at the tables: nearly every pro man plays 16mm, while nearly every pro woman plays thinner than 16mm. Thickness is the power-vs-control dial — our paddle thickness guide breaks down why the tours split this way, and what it means for your game.
A note on pro paddles and your game
Pro gear is often customized (added weight, prototype builds) and chosen for games nothing like yours. And as this tracker shows, what a pro plays can change mid-season. Use this page as research, not a shopping list. Nearly every match-verified setup above lives in the $200+ tier, where we rank the same flagship paddles on reviewer consensus instead of sponsorships.
Submit a correction or sighting
See a pro playing something different in recent footage? Email tracker@thepicklepicker.com with the event, match, and timestamp — verified corrections get credited on this page.