For a while, pickleball conversations seemed to revolve around power. How hard can you hit? How fast is the paddle? How much pop does it have?
But lately, I’ve been noticing a different part of the game getting much more attention: spin.
And honestly, it makes sense. Once you start paying attention to how much the ball moves after it comes off the paddle, you realize spin can completely change a shot. A topspin drive can dip back into the court, a slice can stay low, and a well-spun shot can make your opponent work a lot harder than a straightforward hit.
That’s why I was curious to see what Pickleball Central currently has for players who want to add more spin to their game.
Why Is Spin Suddenly Such a Big Deal?
Power is still important, obviously. But you can only keep chasing more power for so long before control becomes just as important.
Spin gives you another way to make an aggressive shot difficult to handle. Instead of simply hitting the ball harder, you can use rotation to change its trajectory and placement.
That’s also why the paddle surface matters so much.
Pickleball Central explains that raw carbon fiber can grip the ball and help generate more spin, which is one reason textured paddle surfaces have become such a big part of the conversation.
And when I looked through Pickleball Central’s current paddle selection, there were several interesting options specifically for players who want to make spin part of their game.
CRBN 3X Power Series
The CRBN 3X Power Series immediately stood out because Pickleball Central currently highlights it as its paddle pick for spin.
The raw carbon face is designed to grab the ball, which can help players generate heavy topspin on drives and rolls. It’s particularly aimed at aggressive baseline and transition play, so this is the kind of paddle I’d look at if spin is something you actually want to use offensively rather than just having as an extra feature.
What I like about this one is that the spin focus feels very connected to how the paddle is supposed to be played. You’re not just buying a textured surface and hoping it makes a difference. The whole idea is to use that extra ball bite when attacking.
