Equipment
Carbon fiber
also called raw carbon, T700
The dominant face material for modern paddles. Stiff, light, and grippy enough to generate significant spin.
Carbon fiber (commonly T700 grade) is the standard face material for modern competitive paddles. It's stiff (transferring power to the ball) and naturally textured (grabbing the ball for spin) without being heavy.
Variants include 'raw' carbon fiber (no clear coat — maximum grip but degrades faster), peel-ply carbon (intermediate texture), and sanded finishes. Each has tradeoffs between spin generation, durability, and feel.
Related terms
Thermoformed
A paddle construction technique where the face and core are heat-pressed into a unibody shell — increases stiffness and pop at the cost of some forgiveness.
Polymer core
The honeycomb material inside almost every modern paddle. Light, durable, and tunable in cell size for power vs. control.
Topspin
Forward rotation imparted to the ball by brushing up the back at contact — makes the ball dip and accelerate after the bounce.