Spec · 6 min read
14 mm vs 16 mm: what the core thickness actually changes
Thickness is the first decision in any paddle brief, and the one buyers most often get wrong. Here is the trade in plain numbers.
A 16 mm core is 2 mm thicker than a 14 mm core. That sounds trivial until you hold both: the thick one absorbs more of the ball, the thin one gives it back faster. Everything else in the spec sheet follows from that.
What you gain at 16 mm
- A larger sweet spot — mishits lose less speed
- Lower swing weight feel at the same static weight, because the mass sits further from your hand
- Better control on dinks and resets, which is where most amateur points are won
What you gain at 14 mm
- Faster hand speed at the net
- A crisper, more direct block
- Roughly 8–12 g lighter in the same mould
If your buyer sells to clubs and beginners, 16 mm is the safer default. If they sell to younger tournament players, 14 mm. If they cannot decide, offer both from the same mould — that is exactly what our stock tooling is for.