Equipment
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.
Thermoformed (or 'T-formed') paddles are pressed into a single rigid shell rather than being assembled from separate face panels and a core. Result: more pop, more transfer to the ball, less energy lost in the paddle itself.
The trade-off is forgiveness — thermoformed paddles tend to have a smaller effective sweet spot than traditional cold-pressed paddles. Most flagship 2024+ paddles are thermoformed.
Related terms
Carbon fiber
The dominant face material for modern paddles. Stiff, light, and grippy enough to generate significant spin.
Polymer core
The honeycomb material inside almost every modern paddle. Light, durable, and tunable in cell size for power vs. control.
Sweet spot
The area of the paddle face where contact produces maximum power with minimum vibration. Bigger sweet spot = more forgiveness on off-center hits.