The short version
- The number is the thickness of the paddle's core, measured in millimetres.
- 16 mm feels softer and steadier. It is the control choice.
- 13 mm feels firmer and livelier. It is the power and hand-speed choice.
- If you play mostly at the kitchen line, or you are still building consistency, go 16 mm.
What the number measures
Every paddle is a sandwich: two thin faces with a core in between. When a paddle is described as 13 mm or 16 mm, that is the thickness of the core.
Three millimetres does not sound like much. On court it is one of the biggest differences you can feel between two paddles, because the core is the part that absorbs the ball.
You will also see 14 mm paddles, which play close to 13 mm, and the occasional paddle thicker than 16 mm. The two numbers in the title are the common ones, and the same logic applies to anything in between.
How a thicker core changes the feel
Think of the core as a cushion. A thicker cushion has more material to soak up the impact.
- The ball stays on the face a touch longer. That gives you more feel on dinks, drops and resets.
- Hard shots are easier to tame. When someone drives the ball at you, a thicker core takes pace off it, so your block lands in the kitchen and not at the back fence.
- Mishits are steadier. A thicker paddle twists less in your hand when you catch the ball off centre.
- Less sting. More of the vibration is absorbed before it reaches your hand.
How a thinner core changes the feel
A thinner core has less cushion, so more of the ball's energy comes straight back.
- More pop. The ball leaves the face faster with the same swing.
- Quicker through the air. A thinner paddle often feels faster to move in a hands battle at the net.
- Less margin. The same liveliness makes soft shots harder to control. Dinks can float long and blocks can sit up.
Side by side
| 13 mm | 16 mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Feel | Firm, lively | Soft, steady |
| Best at | Drives, counters, quick exchanges | Dinks, drops, resets, blocks |
| Off-centre hits | Less forgiving | More forgiving |
| Suits | Players with reliable touch who want extra pace | Newer players, control players, most doubles players |
Neither is better. They are tools for different jobs.
Which one suits you?
Ask yourself where your points are won and lost.
Go 16 mm if:
- You lose more points to errors than to a lack of power.
- You play doubles and spend most of each rally at the kitchen line.
- You are in your first couple of years and still building a soft game.
- You want a paddle that feels calm when the ball is coming fast.
Go 13 mm if:
- Your soft game is already reliable and you want more put-away power.
- You play a lot of singles and hit plenty of drives and passing shots.
- You like to speed the ball up and win the fast exchange.
Most social players fall into the first group, which is why 16 mm is such a common choice for a first serious paddle.
Thickness is not the whole story
Two other things shape how a paddle plays.
Core material. Many paddles use a polymer honeycomb core, as our 14 mm paddle does. Others use a foam core, as our 16 mm paddle does. The thickness rule holds for both: thicker is softer, thinner is livelier.
Head shape. A wide face is more forgiving and a long face gives more reach. We explain the trade-offs in our guide to paddle head shapes.
Weight and grip size matter too. If you get the chance, hit a few balls with a paddle before you settle on one.
Common questions
Does a thicker paddle weigh more?
Not always. Weight depends on the whole build, including the face, the edge and the handle. Check the listed weight, not the thickness.
Will 16 mm cost me power?
A little, on a full swing. Most players get that back through better placement and fewer errors. Power that lands out is not worth much.
Can I get spin from a 16 mm paddle?
Yes. Spin comes mostly from the face texture and your swing. A raw carbon fibre face grips the ball well at any thickness.
The Dinkwell paddles
For control: the Dinkwell Carbon Paddle, 16 mm, with a raw carbon fibre face on a foam core. It is the one we suggest to most club and social players, because control wins more of their points than raw pace does.
For power: the Dinkwell Carbon Paddle, 14 mm, with a carbon fibre face on a honeycomb core. It sits at the thin end of the range and plays the way this guide describes a 13 mm paddle: firmer, with more pop and faster hands.
For a classic feel: the Dinkwell Carbon Paddle, 16 mm honeycomb core, the same carbon fibre face and honeycomb core as the 14 mm, in the thicker 16 mm build. Honeycomb is the traditional paddle core: consistent and predictable, with a little more feedback in the hand than foam. At 16 mm it plays soft and controlled.
For a brand name and a colour: the JUCIAO Speed X, a raw carbon face on a polypropylene honeycomb core, sold in both 14 mm and 16 mm and four edge colours, with a cover included. Same thickness trade-off: 14 mm for pop, 16 mm for control.
Whichever you try, you have 30 days from delivery to send it back for a refund.