Paddletek Bantam EX-L Pro.

The Gavler Review.

Paddletek Bantam EX-L Pro Review: A Soft-Game Control Paddle Built for a Big Sweet Spot

The Paddletek Bantam EX-L Pro sits at number three on our Best Pickleball Paddles list with a 9.3, and it earns that rank as the soft-game control specialist of the group. Buy it if you're an improving player who values a big, forgiving sweet spot and a paddle that's easy to place — the classic Paddletek character. Skip it if you're chasing spin, power, or extra reach at the kitchen line; the carbon, elongated paddles above it on this list are built for that job instead.

What it actually is

The Bantam EX-L Pro sits at the opposite end of the spectrum from the spin-and-power flagships that dominate the top of this category. It's built around a polymer honeycomb core — roughly 14.3 mm (9/16") thick — paired with a velvet-textured polycarbonate face rather than the carbon-fiber surfaces that define most of today's higher-ranked paddles. That composite face is the whole point: it produces a muted, connected feel that players reach for specifically when touch and control matter more than raw ball speed.

Dimensionally, it's a standard-shape, widebody frame — roughly 16" by 8" — at about 8.5 ounces (8.2-8.8 oz range) with a 4.75-inch handle, which puts it squarely in comfortable, all-around territory rather than the reach-extending, head-heavy builds of the elongated power paddles ranked above it. It's USAPA-approved for sanctioned play.

In use

The standout, across multiple testers, is the size of the sweet spot. PickleballCentral's reviewer put it plainly: "My favorite thing about the Bantam EX-L Pro is the large sweet spot. I was able to make many shots with a consistency I had not previously enjoyed." That's a specific, useful claim — it's not "great paddle," it's a direct statement about shots becoming makeable that weren't before, which is exactly what a forgiving sweet spot is supposed to deliver.

The same tester was equally specific about the dink game, which is the discipline this paddle is really built for: "Dinking with this paddle was great too, as the feel and control were very responsive." That combination — a big forgiving sweet spot plus responsive touch at the kitchen line — is the paddle's core identity, and it's consistent across the feedback Gavler's data captured.

Power is where the trade-off shows up. The same PickleballCentral reviewer who praised the sweet spot and the dink feel was direct about the limitation: "The first thing I noticed about the Bantam EX-L Pro was its soft feel... it still didn't have the pop that I prefer." And a verified owner review flagged a more specific complaint about consistency across the face: "I have found the bottom half of the paddle not to be as responsive when making short shots in particular. It feels like wood hitting the ball, and the ball falls short when hit." That's a real, honest ding worth weighing — it's not universal praise, and Gavler's scoring reflects it.

Where it shines

• An oversized, genuinely forgiving sweet spot. Testers consistently point to this as the paddle's defining strength — mishits stay playable in a way that isn't typical, even among control paddles.
• A soft, connected touch built for the dink game. The velvet-textured polycarbonate face is tuned for feel over pop, and it shows most clearly in short, controlled exchanges at the net.
• A comfortable, balanced, beginner-friendly build. The standard shape, moderate 8.5 oz weight, and 4.75" handle make it an easy paddle to pick up and control, and USAPA approval means it's tournament-legal.

The trade-offs — who should skip it

This is a control paddle by design, not a power tool, and the honest reasons to look elsewhere are specific:

• You want pop. A PickleballCentral tester said it directly — the paddle "didn't have the pop that I prefer." If you rely on your equipment to generate put-away pace, this isn't the frame for that job.
• You've had issues with dead spots on off-center contact. A verified owner flagged the lower half of the face going flat and lifeless — "like wood" — on short shots specifically. That's worth testing for yourself if short-game consistency across the whole face matters to your game.
• You want spin generation from the paddle itself. This is a composite polycarbonate face, not a textured carbon-fiber one — reach for an elongated carbon paddle if spin and power are what you're shopping for.

How it compares

The JOOLA Ben Johns Hyperion CFS 16 sits at number one on this same list, and it's essentially the opposite design philosophy: a carbon friction surface built for elite spin generation, with reviewers calling its sweet spot large enough to feel like it spans the whole face — but at a head-heavy ~8.4 ounces that testers say slows hand speed in fast net exchanges. The Bantam EX-L Pro gives up that spin ceiling and plow-through power in exchange for a lighter, more balanced frame and a softer, more forgiving touch that's easier to control right out of the gate.

The Bantam EX-L Pro's case on this list isn't that it's the most powerful or the highest-ceiling paddle here — it's that it's the most forgiving and the easiest to trust in the dink game, which is exactly what an improving player or a control-first veteran is shopping for.

The Gavler verdict

A 9.3, tracking a strong 94/91 expert-to-community split that reflects genuine praise for the sweet spot and soft-game feel, with the modest gap coming down to the lack of pop and scattered reports of a less-responsive lower face. The Paddletek Bantam EX-L Pro doesn't compete on power, and it isn't trying to — it's the control specialist on Gavler's Best Pickleball Paddles list, and that focus is exactly why it holds a top-three spot. Buy it if you want a big, forgiving sweet spot and a soft, controllable touch; buy the Hyperion CFS 16 instead if spin and power are what your game needs.

Common Questions

Is the Paddletek Bantam EX-L Pro worth it in 2026?

Yes, for players who value control and forgiveness over raw power. It ranks third on Gavler's Best Pickleball Paddles list with a 9.3, and testers at PickleballCentral specifically praised the large, consistent sweet spot. The honest trade-off is pop — it's a control-first paddle, not a power one, and at least one verified owner found the lower face went dead on off-center short shots.

Is the Bantam EX-L Pro good for beginners?

Yes. Its standard shape, balanced ~8.5 oz weight, and oversized sweet spot make mishits unusually playable, and it's USAPA-approved for sanctioned play. PickleballCentral's testing noted a consistency on shots that hadn't come easily with other paddles — exactly the kind of forgiveness a newer or improving player benefits from most.

Does the Paddletek Bantam EX-L Pro have enough power for competitive play?

It's built for touch rather than pace. PickleballCentral's own tester noted it 'didn't have the pop that I prefer,' and Gavler's data flags reports that the lower portion of the face can feel unresponsive — 'like wood' — on off-center short shots. Players who lean on their paddle for put-away power should look at an elongated carbon paddle like the JOOLA Ben Johns Hyperion CFS 16 instead.

Paddletek Bantam EX-L Pro or JOOLA Ben Johns Hyperion CFS 16 — which should I buy?

They're built for different games. The Hyperion CFS is a carbon, spin-and-control flagship with a head-heavy balance that rewards advanced, aggressive all-court play. The Bantam EX-L Pro is a softer, polycarbonate control paddle built around a big sweet spot and a muted, connected touch — the better choice for players who prioritize forgiveness and dinking control over spin generation and plow-through power.