Equipment

Polymer core

also called polypropylene honeycomb, poly core

The honeycomb material inside almost every modern paddle. Light, durable, and tunable in cell size for power vs. control.

Last revised 3w ago

Polymer (polypropylene) honeycomb is the standard core material in modern paddles. Light, durable, and quiet — the older Nomex and aluminum cores were louder and stiffer.

Cell size varies by paddle: tighter cells = stiffer face = more pop; wider cells = softer face = more dwell time. Most paddles ship in 13mm (poppier) and 16mm (softer) thicknesses; this is the most common spec dial in the catalog.

Related terms

Carbon fiber
The dominant face material for modern paddles. Stiff, light, and grippy enough to generate significant spin.
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

Carbon fiber

Thermoformed