Review: Engage Encore Composite Pickleball Paddle

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Hey Pickle People!

My friend lent me the Engage Encore Composite this whole month and I have been playing with this on and off throughout the month. This is on of those paddles that may not look as fancy as all the other paddles out there, but really brings it in terms of gameplay. I was lucky enough to play with the red fade paddle and everything was stock. I’ve probably played around 25 games with this paddle and am hoping to give you great insight into the strengths and weaknesses of this paddle. The thing that people notice is the classic Engage stripe on the top corner of the paddle. Engage is one of the more well renowned manufactures in the US and for good reason.

Engage Encore Composite Pickleball Paddle (Red Fade)

Engage

Head

The first think you notice when you pick up the paddle is the size of the head. The paddle feels generally on the smaller and on the lighter side of the pickleball paddle range. The face seems a little shorter but also a bit wider than my other paddles. It is also a relatively thin paddle compared to other polymer core paddles. Now this might seem like it would take away from the performance, but this paddle performs beautifully in pretty much any situation. There is definite “pop” in the power shots and you can get great amounts of spin in the finesse game, but I think the place this paddle shines in in the short game. The head makes you feel each of the dinks and gives you the control to put it where you want to put it. It is also very light, so the paddle movement is quite easy when maneuvering around the net.

Handle

I really liked this handle, and it might be because of my smaller hands, but it felt really nice especially when hitting near the kitchen. The build throughout feels solid and all the hits around the court feel great in the sweet spot of this paddle. Again I am going to touch on the maneuverability of this paddle because I think it is great in the short, fast paced game. There really is no way to describe it except a very natural feel when playing close.

Overall Impressions/Specs

• Fantastic close game/maneuverability

• Lightweight

• Great handle feel and sweet spot “pop”

I have really enjoyed using this paddle and although it prefer a more power paddle, I think this paddle does not disappoint in almost all areas of pickleball. Keep in mind it is a lighter weight paddle, so it might be better for those of you that maybe don’t have as much arm/wrist strength. I think this is a great all-around paddle that excels mostly in the short game, with great kill potential. Its maneuverability is second to none and the company behind the paddle has been making amazing paddles for years.

Specs:

• Weight Average: 7.4 ounces

• Weight Range: 7.2 – 7.9 ounces

• Grip Circumference: 4 1/4" (Medium) Actual grip sizes may vary up to 1/8".

• Grip Style: Perforated Cushion Grip

• Manufacturer: Gamma

• Grip Length: 4 3/4”

• Paddle Length: 15 1/2”

• Paddle Width: 8 1/8”

• Paddle Face: Fiberglass

• Core Material: Polymer honeycomb

• Edge Guard: ¼” overlapping paddle face

Here is the Amazon link if you wanted to check the paddle out!

Engage Encore Composite Pickleball Paddle (Red Fade)

Engage

Buy on Amazon

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