Pro Kennex Kinetic Pro Speed Paddle Review

When one thinks about a paddle brand, Pro Kennex is the first name that comes to mind, especially if you are not new to pickleball. Over the last year, many players have been spotted with these paddles in various tournaments. Therefore, we decided to review this Pro Kennex Kinetic Pro Speed Paddle to find out the reason behind its popularity among professional and amateur players alike. 

Established in the 1980s, Pro Kennex has been a well-respected tennis, squash rackets, and racquetball designer for many years. Let’s find out how well they have maintained their quality reputation with their latest product. 

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Pro Kennex Kinetic Pro Speed Paddle

Pro Kennex is a design and science company that focuses on racquet sports. Coming up with a quantum racquet design leap, they specially designed Kinetic Energy technology to prevent injuries to your elbow and arm.  

The Pro Kennex Kinetic technology uses a greatly sensitive timing mechanism, using internal chambers filled with tungsten to reduce vibration and concentrate energy with greater efficiency.  MIT lab studies revealed that the technology is instrumental in lowering energy translation to the racquet handle. The Pro Kennex Kinetic Pro Speed Paddle is lightning fast and offers great touch and power while also reducing the risk of arm injury.   

This Kinetic Pro Speed Paddle is a part of the upcoming generation of ProKennex paddles. It employs brilliant engineering, elevating the gear to a higher level, and features an exceptional 7-layer face coating that causes spin and enables you to control shots with greater ease. Pro Kennex has incorporated a brand-new dispensable Air-O-Guard edge guard that allows you to change one part in the event of paddle damage instead of needing to buy a whole piece of new equipment. 

The Pro Kennex Kinetic Pro Speed Paddle encompasses the “Speed” aspect of the ProKennex Paddle line. This is an advanced second release of the line, with the technology improving on the already superior design, offering superb touch, placement, and versatility. Released in December 2020, this generation incorporated the dispensable Air-O-Guard edge protector and offered new colors. Two shapes are available with the Speed II line: the Ovation (oval) shape and the Pro (rectangular) shape.  

Who Is This Product For?

The Pro Kennex Kinetic Pro Speed Paddles weigh about 8 ounces, landing it within the mid-range weight category. It has a reduced grip circumference of 4 inches, with a handle length of between 4 and 8 inches. The squared edges offer a great balanced feel, with an extensive surface area for various shots and solid defenses. 

This makes the paddle ideal for you if you wish to improve on your defenses or shots. Its core is made of an impact-resistant polymer, enabling you to play with reduced noise and a firm yet gentle feel. This paddle is fast in your hands. It is designed to allow for reflex enhancement and quickness, with the paddle having incomparable tip speed for if you wish to increase your playing speed. 

Specifications

  • Weight Average: 7.9 ounces
  • Weight Range: 7.7 to 8.0 ounces
  • Grip Circumference: 4 inches (Small) 
  • Grip Style: High Tack Thin Grip
  • Grip Manufacturer: ProKennex
  • Grip Length: 4 ⅞ inches
  • Paddle Length: 15.43 inches 
  • Paddle Width: 7.6 inches 
  • Paddle Face: Fiberglass/Carbon Hybrid with Spin-Grab
  • Core Material: Polypropylene honeycomb matrix with high impact resistant polymer
  • Edge Guard: Replaceable Air-O-Guard Bumper System

The Pro Kennex Kinetic Pro Speed Paddle has a textured, compounded fiberglass/carbon face to offer an amazing balance between control and power. The attention is on control with the 7-layer exclusive coating, designed to react to the slightest spin techniques or wrist flicks. Additionally, if you are getting started playing, you will still appreciate the paddle face’s responsiveness as you try various playing techniques.  

The paddle has a surface area measuring 15.5 by 7.5 inches, meaning it is wide. Its size is often ideal for a majority of players because the face provides a large sweet spot while also providing easy handling. On handling, the paddle grip is approximately 5 inches in length, allowing a sufficiently large area for hitting. In addition, without edge guards, you can make use of the whole surface area rather than having to avoid the edges. 

Similar to the blue version, the Pro Kennex edgeless paddle is in the mid-range weight bracket with a weight range of between 7.9 and 8.1 ounces. Paddles in the mid-range weight bracket are usually not so heavy that they become challenging to handle. Neither are they so light as to lose power. They are ideally in-between, providing you with the best balance of control and power. 

The core of the Pro Kennex Kinetic Pro Speed Paddle has a core made of honeycombed polymer. Therefore, the core can excellently absorb impact and noise. The honeycombed polymer core is used in most paddles for this ideal property. Therefore, go for this paddle if you prefer the feel and sound of a silent, shock-absorbent paddle. 

Probably the only shortcoming of the Pro Kennex Kinetic Pro Speed Paddle is the yellow on the face of the paddle. Though the majority of pickleballs have this same color, several pickleball clubs restrict the color of the paddle from matching the color of the ball. This is because a majority of people have claimed that yellow paddles camouflage the ball as it is being hit, making it a challenge for your opponent to read.

Pros

  • Composite carbon/fiberglass face ideal for power and spin techniques
  • Sleek edgeless design that does not affect hits made off the edges
  • Comfortable weight and grip
  • Absorption of noise and vibration by polymer core

Cons

  • More costly than similar edgeless models
  • Some facilities prohibit yellow paddle faces

Final Thoughts

The Pro Kennex Kinetic Pro Speed paddle presents you with an amazingly unique power, spin, control, and forgiveness combination, making the paddle very friendly to many players. This paddle is for you if you are searching for a paddle to improve your game. It is lightweight and offers you greater placement control and power as you drive, serve, and volley. The paddle is a worthy purchase for both professional and amateur pickleball players.