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Bantam EX-L Pro Paddle

Paddletek

Bantam EX-L Pro Paddle

93Universal Acclaim

The Bantam EX-L Pro is widely praised for its excellent balance of power and control, larger sweet spot, and solid build quality, making it a strong choice for intermediate to advanced players. However, the shorter handle length and heavier weight are consistent pain points that may not suit all players, and some reviewers note the paddle can feel fatiguing during extended play.

Sentiment Breakdown

86 positive / 9 neutral / 5 negative

Pros

  • Excellent balance of power and control
  • Large, consistent sweet spot
  • Solid feel on soft shots and dinks
  • Good weight for generating power without excessive effort
  • Responsive and accurate paddle

Cons

  • Handle is noticeably shorter than expected
  • Heavier weight may cause fatigue or adjustment issues
  • Not ideal for players preferring lighter paddles

What Reviewers Mention

Power
18% of reviews
Control
15% of reviews
Weight
13% of reviews
Sweet Spot
12% of reviews
Handle Length
12% of reviews

Specifications

Weight8.8 oz
Core Thickness14.3 mm
Surface MaterialComposite
Core MaterialPolymer

Where to Buy

Most Recent Reviews: Showing 50 of 68 reviews

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Pickleball Central

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80Universal Acclaim

paddletek paddle: nice but prefer needle shape

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Control: Great addle , my placement and and control has been awesome. Love this paddle

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Pickleball Central

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40Generally Unfavorable

Length of Handle: The length of the handle is way too short. I'm returning for the Bantam EX-L model instead. ***PBC Response***Hey Diane, thanks for taking the time to leave a review! We know that not every paddle will be right for every player which is why we offer our 30-day no questions asked test drive allowing you to send the paddle back within 30 days of arrival for any reason at all. - Joseph, PBC Team

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Bantam EX-L - Great Paddle: Paddle is all I hoped for - plenty of power but also have control and very responsive. One month in - very happy with choice.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Increased power & control. : Increase your power with this racquet as well as control. Top heavy weighted makes it easy to generate power. Only drawback is grip length is under 5" so I had to modify and lengthen grip.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Great all around paddle: Feels very comfortable and has great control. Highly recomend.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Solid paddle so I bought a 2nd: Tried several others but this is a great paddle for the price ——just wish PC had sent the balls that were supposed to be a added gift.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Pickleball Product Review: Love the paddle… it is a little heavier than my previous Bantam… more power … better touch…

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Christmas gift:

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Bantam EX-L Pro paddle: Excellent feel for soft shots as well as power to drive the ball. Have recommended this paddle to others.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

The Perfect Upgrade for Me: Loved everything about my Bantam EX-L except I needed just a little more "feel and control" on dinks & drops. The EX-L Pro gave me noticeable improvement PLUS some other unexpected nice attributes: 1) larger more consistent sweet spot - you can hear and feel it just by bouncing the ball all around the paddle face. The sound and feel are consistent over a much larger area compared to the EX-L. and my off center shots on the court are more productive; 2) great power bu

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Pickleball Central

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40Generally Unfavorable

not powerful enough: The handle is short. It is not powerful enough.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Pickleball Product Review: Delivery took several days longer than initially expected

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

All around: A durable paddle with all around capability for hard hitting as well as dinking.

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Pickleball Central

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80Universal Acclaim

Good paddle: Received it promptly and in new condition. Nice weight and great handle length.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Pickleball Product Review:

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Great Paddle - Can’t beat a classic.: As a long-time Paddletek user, I had no desire to look elsewhere when upgrading. The Bantam EX-L Pro has the weight I prefer, and the mildly textured surface provides just enough ‘grab’ to help my spin game. Will be a favorite paddle for a long time.

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Pickleball Central

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80Universal Acclaim

Bantam EX-L: Good quality paddle but still a bit overpriced even with the sale. Still getting used to it, but it does seem to fit the bill. I ordered the large grip and its diameter is fine; was surprised to find its length a bit short for my taste. I have relatively large hands and will pay more careful attention in the future to all dimensions as grip "feel" is very important to me.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Pickleball Central Purchase: My purchase of the Bantam EX-L Pro Paddle through Pickleball Central was Excellent. A good friend loaned me his earlier version of this paddle to try. I was happy with the paddle so decided to order the EX-L Pro. My new paddle arrived quickly and in perfect condition. Pickleball Central's 30 return policy was comforting in the event that I could have decided the paddle was not for me after using it. The paddle is excellent and will not be returned.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Works for me : I was having a problem with paddles with dead spots. So I ordered a heavy paddle and it seems to have less dead spots. Is it possible that the heavier paddles have less dead spots? I don’t know but it works for me.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Christmas Present: Really like my new Bantam EX-L Pro Paddle. Very attractive look, like the heavier weight.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Pickleball Product Review:

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Bantam EX-L Pro: Great service. Received purchase promptly. The only complaint is that the packaging my paddle came in was torn and the paddle was clearly visible. I was concerned that there was damage to the paddle but thankfully that did not seem to be the case. Pickleball Central was very helpful and courteous. the handling of my package was the only negative experience.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Pickleball Product Review: Very solid feel, I'm loving this so far

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Pickleball Product Review: my teacher suggested and I am glad he did. this paddle gives me confidence for the shots required

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Bantam EX-L Pro: I have been reviewing several paddles as of late and have decided that this paddle best matches what I have been looking for. It seems to be the perfect blend of feel and touch, yet powerful when needed.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Bantam el pro: Love it

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Pickleball Central

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60Mixed or Average

Pickleball Product Review: It was to heavy for me

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Great paddle: I played the paddle from a friend the first time and loved it right away.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Great Paddle: I played the paddle from a friend the first time and loved it right away.

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Pickleball Central

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80Universal Acclaim

Bantam EX-L Pro Paddle: Good paddle, but I liked the original (Bantam EX-L) better.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Replacement Racket: I was looking for a advanced player racket. The fist racket I purchased was really great but I needed more touch and power. I had used the racket for 30 days. I called PickleballCentral and they recommended the EX-L Pro. I love the rcaket and was able to return the other for a full rebate eevn though it was a week later when they received. They even said keep the cover even though the new one didn't come with one. I plan to purchase inside balls from them in the future sin

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Pickleball Central

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60Mixed or Average

It’s ok, but not great.: A little softer touch. ***PBC Reply*** Hi Candi, thanks for the review. While the Bantam EX-L Pro enjoys some great reviews and a high rating overall, you are right in that not every paddle is the best one for every type of player. You may not be aware of our great 30-day Paddle Test Drive policy, which allows you to return any new paddle for any reason within 30 days of purchase, for a full refund, no matter how much you've played with it! We want our customers to be co

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Pleasantly Surprised: I did a lot of research before making a final paddle decision. Then, somewhat on auto-pilot, I went to Amazon because they always have the lowest price, right? Wrong! There was a sale in progress at Pickleball Central that was $30+ less than Amazon AND I had a discount code that knocked off another $6. Order confirmations/shipment notifications were prompt and appreciated. I am very happy that I made my purchase through Pickleball Central.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Made to Order: Requested a specific weight and color and items were delivered as requested.

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Pickleball Central

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60Mixed or Average

Not a match for me: I ordered this paddle with high hopes, but was disappointed in that it became apparent to me after playing with it several times that it was much heavier than I was used to which threw off my strokes just enough to see them sailing long mostly. I expected I would get used to it otherwise, I liked the handle/grip,, (large) and the feel of the paddle when hitting the ball, but it just wasn't comfortable, even after playing with it for a while. I decided to return it.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Great Product : Great pop but at the same time provides a good feel

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Paddle: I have only used the paddle twice since I received it but I have noticed how much more effective my serves are. In one game I had six consecutive non returnable serves against tough competition. I am anxious to see how else my game improves as I continue to adjust to the paddle.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Paddleteck paddle: Although a little heavier than I would like, it has good reaction and a comfortable grip on the handle.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Good feeling paddle but gets heavy during a match.: Try it first as a demo.

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Pickleball Central

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80Universal Acclaim

Bantam Ex-L Pro: Good balance between power and control. The handle a little too short, so did not feel very comfortable.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Great Paddle: This is my 2nd EX-L Pro Paddle. Love the control and responsiveness I get. Purchase experience was excellent! Quick and accurate delivery.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

awesome paddle!:

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Pickleball Central

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80Universal Acclaim

Bantam EX-l Pro Paddle: Like the weight and larger grip

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Requested Weight Size Delivered: Pickleball Central was able to accommodate my request for weight size as indicated at the time of order. When the weight was not available in the color that I wanted, they reached out to me via cell and e-mail and detailed options for a different color. Very excellent communication.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Bantam EX-L Pro Paddle: I have found this paddle to be very accurate and gives me more power. I ordered it online and it was at my door promptly. Thank you for product and service. I would recommend your company.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Pickleball Product Review:

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

Good Paddle: Solid paddle with a big sweet spot.

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

GREAT SERVICE: I always order from Pickleball Central when it comes to our Pickleball stuff. I know when I call I have a knowledgeable person. Except for this last purchase my sales person will personally go to the warehouse and hand pick the paddle I'm asking for (weight and color). This purchase due to Covid he couldn't do that but typed every pit of info on our invoice to make sure we received the correct paddle...and we did. Thanks

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Pickleball Central

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100Universal Acclaim

I finally found the right paddle for me!: I've tried several paddles from different brands and the Bantam EX-L at 8.3 ounces turned out to be the perfect weight and feel for my game. I'm a 3.5 player and thought that this paddle would be too heavy. I discovered that the weight allowed me to apply more impact to the ball w/o trying to "hit" the ball hard. Plus I still have control of the shot. This paddle power and control for me and the weight does not affect my ability to return fast drives..

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