This is the ultimate Head Radical Elite paddle review.
For this review my team and I spent weeks playing and testing the paddle’s performance thoroughly.
Also, we included other players’ opinions who have already played with this paddle.
If you want to know…
- How the Paddle Actually Perform
- What people don’t like about this paddle
- The Pros & Cons
- How it compares to similar paddles
- Where to find the best deal for the paddle
Then you have come to the right place.
Let’s get started…
In A Hurry? Here’s The Verdict
✅ Skill level Beginners to Intermediate
💰 Pricing Around 70 $ range (see the price)
😍 Pros Highly rated (1600+) on amazon, recommended by Pro players (Like Eric Lange, & Sarah Ansboury), Solid comfortable grip, great control, decent power, and a large Sweet Spot. Also, USA pickleball approved.
😩 Cons No cover included, Smooth surface may impact spin
🏅 Verdict One of the top pickleball paddle in this price range, Highly Recommended…
OVERALL RATING (4.5/5)
Head Radical Elite – Specification
| Paddle Weight | 8.1 oz |
| Paddle Length | 16” |
| Paddle Width | 7⅞” |
| Handle Length | 5” |
| Grip Circumference | 4¼” |
| Face Material | Fiberglass |
| Core Material | Polymer Honeycomb |
| Core Thickness | 0.51(13mm) |
| Sweet Spot | Large |
Pros and Cons:
Pros
- Ergonomic Grip
- USA Pickleball approved
- Large sweet spot
- One year warranty
- Longer handle, good for big hands
- Control and power paddle
Cons
- No cover included
- smooth surface may impact spin
- Only 2 color option
- For some handle may feel a bit heavy
Performance of Head Radical Elite:
Power: 7.5/10
Although Head Radical Elite is not a power paddle, but it has a decent power to it. As I am not a very aggressive player, I find it quite powerful to play. It is a middleweight paddle, so it can generate enough power. Also, the paddle has high-quality fiberglass face, which contributes to its power too.
Control: 8.5/10
Head Radical Elite is much of a Control paddle than power. Cause this paddle is a single piece construction paddle, so much more stable and secure overall.
Forgiveness: 9/10
The best part of this paddle is its Forgiveness. Head Radical Elite has a large sweet spot and a nice pop. Because of its large sweet spot, my mishit still lands on well. The forgiveness of this paddle is perfect for beginners and also intermediate players.
Spin: 7/10
Head Radical Elite doesn’t have a very good spin. Because of its smooth fiberglass surface, the paddle can’t generate much spin. If you are a beginner learning the game, its spin wouldn’t be that much of a prob. But if you are an advanced player then the spin wouldn’t be enough. So if you want a paddle with great spin, you need to go for more expensive paddle
Durability: 8/10
Head Radical Elite has quite a good longevity record. The paddle also gives you i year warranty with it. Some players said, they played for 6 months and still the condition is quite good, except some scratches on the edge.
Weight: 7/10
The weight of head radical elite is 8.1 oz. So it’s somewhere in the middleweight range paddle.
As it has a single piece construction, overall weight distribution is quite good. This gives me easy maneuverability and play fast at the kitchen.
Grip: 8/10
This Head paddle has a solid, Ergonomic Grip. The grip is comfortable and good quality. Despite playing in hot weather outdoor, it didn’t get much slippery with sweat.
Return & Refund policy
If you buy from Pickleball Central:
- Pickleball Central has 30 day return policy for this pickleball paddle.
They said “You can return paddles and other merchandise within 30 days of date of purchase. If you are not 100% happy, ship the item back to us and we will refund your money. We ask you to cover the cost of shipping the paddle back to us, to include your order number and name inside the package, and we recommend sending your item by a traceable method such as via UPS, FedEx, or USPS with tracking. “
For more details visit the Return Policy page.
But keep in mind that you can’t exchange the product. Also, Return is not applicable for customized products.
If you buy it from Amazon:
- Amazon also gives 30 day return policy for this paddle.
Bottom Line ( Head Radical Elite Review )
Before using the paddle I didn’t realize that a budget paddle can be that good. Head Radical Elite is truly a high performance paddle.
If you are looking for a beginner paddle I recommend you to put it high on your list. It has also been featured in Forbes, Money and Men’s Health Like big media too.
In summary, it has all the making of a top paddle but at a budget friendly price.
Highly Recommended…
OVERALL RATING (4.5/5)
Sample Buyer Review:
I signed up for Pickleball lessons and wanted my own paddle instead of the wood based paddles offered with the class. I did quite a bit of research and found this paddle had solid ratings on several Pickleball forums. I like it a lot. It seems to be built well with a large sweet spot that is pretty forgiving. The elongated shape is nice for hitting balls close to the ground or stretching out for a ball farther away than you expect. I have a decently large hand and the paddle fits well in it. I don’t see….Read more.