Engage Pickleball has quickly become one of the top paddle brands for competitive and aspiring players. Their paddles stand out for innovative designs that blend control, power, feel, and arm-friendly engineering.
I tested five of Engage’s the most popular paddle models to see how their technologies translated to real-world performance. Keep reading for detailed engage pickleball paddles reviews of each paddle, including information on key features, technologies, performance, and ideal playing styles.
Engage Pickleball Pursuit Ultra EX 6.0
About the Pursuit Ultra EX 6.0
As the flagship paddle in Engage’s lineup, the Pursuit Ultra EX 6.0 focused on optimizing touch and feel through an innovative graphite face and Control Pro core. It’s designed to provide unmatched control and responsiveness for a smooth, accurate attacking game.
Technical Construction and Innovations
Face Technology:
The Pursuit Ultra utilizes an exclusively designed graphite face engineered specifically to match the properties of the paddle core. The multi-directional rough texture is seamlessly built into the paddle face rather than layered on top. This provides long-lasting grip and friction to grab balls on contact.
Core Technology:
At the heart of the Pursuit Ultra is engages proprietary ControlPro polymer core. It’s formulated to be the softest in the industry, allowing for excellent compression and responsiveness on shots. Vibration dampening technology protects the arm to off-center hits.
CounterBalance Weighting:
By redistributing weight lower in the paddle, CounterBalance technology lightens the paddle head to make it more maneuverable and easier on the arm. This avoids shoulder and elbow strain.
- Excellent control and feel
- Soft touch on ball contact
- Large sweet spot for stability
- Generates heavy spin
- Arm-friendly construction
- Lacks power of other paddle shapes
- Not as quick and nimble as lighter paddles
Performance and Playing Experience
Control and Feel:
The graphite face and ControlPro core combine to provide exceptional touch and feel on ball contact. Every shot has a buttery smoothness to it, letting you shape and place shots with precision. The paddle seems to mold around each hit.
Stability and Forgiveness:
Despite its soft touch, the Pursuit Ultra offers excellent directional stability even on off-center hits. Shots retain their accuracy thanks to the paddle’s large sweet spot and controlled compression.
Spin Potential:
The grippy rough graphite texture grabs balls with authority to impart heavy spin on all shot types. The spin potential takes finesse shots to the next level.
Arm Friendliness:
The low-vibration core and CounterBalance weighting reduce arm fatigue, so you can play longer with continued accuracy. The smooth paddle feel helps avoid tennis elbow flare-ups.
Ideal Playing Style
The Pursuit Ultra EX suits players who prioritize optimized ball control, touch, and responsiveness over raw power. The blend of spin, stability, and arm-friendly engineering makes it easy to control the action.
Engage Encore EX 6.0
About the Encore EX 6.0
The Encore EX 6.0 provides versatility for all-around play. The focus is blending power, stability, and optimized ball contact through an innovative core and diamond surface texturing. It suits developing players looking to add control and finesse.
Technical Construction and Innovations
Core + Skin Dimensioning Technology:
This innovation maximizes the paddle sweet spot for enhanced stability across the entire face. It provides power and control on off-center hits most paddles would mishit.
Control Pro Polymer Core:
The 5/8″ Control Pro core uses vibration dampening technology to optimize feel on contact. It compresses then rebounds in a controlled way to maintain directional stability.
Fiber Tex Composite Face:
The durable, textured composite face provides multi-directional friction to control pickleball with precision. The rough texture helps impart spin for shaping shots.
- Great blend of control and power
- Expanded sweet spot increases reach
- Textured face adds spin potential
- Touch and feel optimize ball contact
- Versatile for all-around play
- Lacks the finesse of ultra-soft paddles
- Not as powerful as elongated paddle shapes
Performance and Playing Experience
Control and Responsiveness:
The Control Pro core gives a great touch and feels on shots with a high degree of control. The ball stays connected to the paddle face rather than bouncing or vibrating off uncontrollably.
Power and Reach:
The expanded sweet spot provides extra reach to put away shots with authority. The controlled power lets you go big without compromising control and finesse.
Spin Generation:
The textured face grips balls for added spin on touch shots and quick exchanges at the net. The Encore EX makes it easier to shape and place balls just out of reach.
Ideal Playing Style
With its blend of stability, power, and optimized ball contact, the Encore EX 6.0 suits developing players looking to evolve to a more controlled finesse game without sacrificing versatility.
Engage PURSUIT EX GRAPHITE
About the Pursuit EX Graphite
The Pursuit EX Graphite provides exceptional touch in a lightweight package thanks to its specialized graphite face and soft Control Pro polymer core. The focus is feel, control, and arm-friendly engineering.
Technical Construction and Innovations
Graphite Hitting Surface:
The high-friction graphite face features multi-directional textures built seamlessly into the paddle face for long-lasting grip and spin potential. The graphite construction optimizes paddle responsiveness.
Control Pro Polymer Core:
The ultra-soft Control Pro core enhances feel while controlling the rate of compression and rebound for more accuracy, reduced vibration, and maximum spin potential.
Counterbalance Weighting System:
By moving the balance point closer to the handle, CounterBalance technology gives the Pursuit EX Graphite a “featherweight” feel along with increased maneuverability and reduced arm strain.
- Extremely responsive face and soft feel
- Provides unmatched touch
- Lightweight and maneuverable
- Arm-friendly engineering reduces fatigue
- Excellent spin potential
- Touch-focused design lacks driving power
- Less stability than wider paddle shapes
Performance and Playing Experience
Responsiveness and Touch:
The graphite face and Control Pro core work together to provide unmatched touch and feel on ball contact. Shots gain precision through the paddle’s sensitivity.
Control and Accuracy:
The soft but controlled compression gives shots a high degree of accuracy and dialed-in placement. The paddle seems to follow and guide balls exactly where you want.
Maneuverability:
The lightweight design and CounterBalance system make the Pursuit EX Graphite very nimble for quick reactions at the net and reaching for shots.
Arm Friendliness:
From the vibration reduction technology to the lightweight touch, the Pursuit Graphite reduces arm fatigue, so you can maintain consistency and minimize tennis elbow.
Ideal Playing Style
With its blend of responsiveness, finesse, and maneuverability, the Pursuit EX Graphite suits players who want to elevate their touch game and control through optimized paddle feedback and feel.
Engage Pickleball Encore MX
About the Encore MX
The Encore MX uses an elongated paddle shape to provide added power and reach for driving offense. The focus is tempo control on swinging shots while maintaining stability at the net. It’s designed for intermediate and advanced players.
Technical Construction and Innovations
Elongated Paddle Shape:
At 16.5″ long and 7.5″ wide, the Encore MX has an elongated shape that provides added leverage for more pop on hard swings. The extra length boosts reach.
Control Pro Polymer Core:
The 1/2″ core uses vibration dampening technology for a controlled response and reduced arm vibration. The thinner core balances power and touch.
FiberTex Composite Face:
The grippy composite surface has aligning fibers for durability. The rough texture helps control and shape pickleballs in play.
- Elongated shape increases power
- Excellent reach and leverage on drives
- Maintains control around the net
- Powerful for intermediate and advanced players
- Touch and feel don’t match ultra-soft paddles
- Not as much finesse as control-focused shapes
Performance and Playing Experience
Powered-Up Drives:
The Encore MX provides added pop and depth on swinging shots like serves, forehands and backhands. The leverage really boosts driving power and reach.
Touch Around The Net:
Despite its power-optimized design, the Encore MX maintains excellent touch thanks to the Control Pro core’s softness and precision. It handles finesse shots well.
Added Reach:
The extra length on the Encore MX provides some bonus reach for getting to shots other paddles would miss. It expands your hitting zone.
Ideal Playing Style
The Encore MX is designed for intermediate to advanced players looking for more power and leverage on drives without compromising touch around the net. The added reach also helps.
Engage POACH INFINITY SX
About the Poach Infinity SX
The Poach Infinity SX takes paddle technology to the next level with its multi-layered face, elongated shape, and special engineering designed to maximize control and spin for experienced players.
Technical Construction and Innovations
Multi-Layer Composite Face:
The high-tech composite face features a 6-layer design tailored to grab pickleballs with unmatched control while generating friction and spin.
Variable Release Technology:
This innovation manages flex, so the face stiffens on faster swings for power but remains elastic on finesse shots for shaping ability.
SX Elongated Shape:
At 16.25″ long and 7.75″ wide, the elongated SX shape provides added reach and leverage for spin and driving power without compromising quickness.
CounterBalance Weighting System:
CounterBalance technology evenly distributes weight for lightning-quick maneuverability, increased pace on reaction shots, and less arm strain.
- Amazing spin potential
- Multi-layer face provides superior control
- Lightning-quick reflexes and handling
- Advanced technologies provide next-level performance
- Not as arm friendly as lighter paddles
- Touch players may prefer softer faces
Performance and Playing Experience
Next-Level Spin:
With its multi-layer grippy face, the Poach Infinity imparts vicious spin on serves, returns, and touch shots around the net. The spin it produces separates it from other paddles.
Superior Control:
Even with all its spin and power capacity, the Poach Infinity provides surgical precision and dialed-in control thanks to its advanced technologies working together.
Lightning Reflexes:
The elongated design, lightweight feel, and CounterBalance system give the Poach Infinity lightning-quick reflexes for dominating quick exchanges at the net.
Ideal Playing Style
The Poach Infinity SX truly maximizes the potential of experienced players ready to add more spin, speed, and quickness to their attacking game. Next-level performance.
FAQs
A: Engage stands out for integrating innovative technologies into their paddles like multi-layer faces, vibration-dampening cores, and adjustable weighting systems. These create real performance advantages.
A: The Pursuit Graphite EX has the most arm-friendly engineering, including a featherweight design, CounterBalance weighting, and vibration-reducing technologies.
A: Most Engage models are available with the two standard grip circumferences – 4 1/4” and 4 3/8”. Some models offer additional junior grip sizes.
A: The rough textures on Engage paddle faces are built seamlessly into the paddle construction so they last significantly longer than overlay finishes used by some brands.
Conclusion
From engage pickleball paddles reviews, it is derived that Engage Pickleball paddle sets themselves apart by integrating real technological innovations into their paddles rather than just using marketing lingo. From unique composite faces to vibration-dampening cores, these paddles have noticeable performance advantages tailored to help improve different playing styles. When ready to upgrade, Engage Pickleball should be at the top of your list to consider. Their paddles can elevate all elements of your game.
I am a professional physiotherapist and the author of the BallSportsPro. I worked with athletes of all levels, from amateur to professional, and i helped them overcome injuries and improve their performance. I am a certified Pickleball instructor and has been playing the sport for over 10 years.
