Pickleball Paddle Size: Limits, Shapes and Grip Chart

A paddle’s size is really five numbers: length, width, handle length, grip circumference and core thickness. Only length and width have a limit. This guide starts with that limit, then lines up the sizes makers actually list for each shape, then covers the two numbers you choose from your own hand and game.

For ball, court and net measurements, see our overview of pickleball ball, paddle, court and net sizes. For ball dimensions, see our guide to pickleball ball size. Padel rackets have their own limits, which our article on how a pickleball paddle compares with a padel racket sets beside these.

The size limits in USA Pickleball’s equipment manual

USA Pickleball’s Equipment Standards Manual (Revision 3.0, January 2025) sets paddle size in rule 2.E.3:

Rule 2.E.4 adds: “There is no restriction on paddle weight.”

Two more rules in the manual matter when you change a paddle’s size. Rule 2.E.5 says “Altered paddles must meet all specifications.” Rule 2.E.5.a lists what players may change: “Player alterations or additions to a commercially produced paddle as certified, may include such items as edge guard tape/replacements, weighted tape, weights for an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) integrated weight system, changes to the grip size via inserts, grip wraps, OEM interchangeable grips, OEM replacement paddle faces, and name decals and/or other identification markings on the paddle face.”

For tournament play, rule 2.F.3 makes the model check the player’s job: “Players are responsible for confirming that the paddle they are using for match play is listed as Pass on the USA Pickleball Approved Paddle List. The lists of approved equipment may be posted on the USA Pickleball website: USAPickleball.org.”

Paddle size chart by shape

Selkirk, a paddle maker, says “most paddles are around 8 inches wide and 16 inches long” and that “Manufacturers adjust paddle lengths and widths within these parameters to deliver desired outcomes.” The chart shows how three makers do it. Each row is copied from the maker’s own product or specification page (read October 21, 2026), under the shape name that maker uses. The last column is worked out here by adding length and width.

Shape (maker’s word)	Paddle	Length × width	Handle	Length + width
Standard (junior)	Onix Z Junior	14.5 × 7.625 in	4.5 in	22.1 in
Wide body	Onix Graphite Z5	15.5 × 8.125 in	5 in	23.6 in
Standard	JOOLA Scorpeus Pro IV	16 × 8 in	5.25 in	24 in
Square	CRBN TruFoam Genesis	16 × 7.85 in	5.5 in	23.85 in
Hybrid	CRBN TruFoam Genesis	16.2 × 7.8 in	5.5 in	24 in
Elongated	JOOLA Perseus Pro IV	16.5 × 7.5 in	5.5 in	24 in
Elongated	CRBN TruFoam Genesis	16.5 × 7.5 in	5.5 in	24 in
Elongated, long handle	CRBN TruFoam Genesis	16.5 × 7.35 in	5.75 in	23.85 in

Worked from the chart: every adult paddle adds up to between 23.6 and 24 inches, and the longest is 16.5 inches, half an inch under the 17-inch cap. The junior paddle totals 22.1 inches.

The shape names overlap between brands. JOOLA’s product page calls the Scorpeus “standard,” while JOOLA’s own blog describes that class as “A traditional wide-body paddle shape,” typically 16 inches long by 8 inches wide. CRBN calls its 16 by 7.85-inch version “Square.” That is why the chart gives the numbers beside each maker’s word.

What the makers say the trade buys you, in their words:

• Selkirk: “Longer paddles = more reach and potential power.” and “Wider paddles = larger sweet spot and more forgiveness.”
• JOOLA: “The elongated paddle shape benefits players by offering added reach while the standard shape provides greater forgiveness.”

Three of the chart’s paddles are also picks in our roundups, one wide-body, one elongated and one elongated with a long handle:

The Onix Graphite Z5 is compared in our roundup of beginner pickleball paddles; the JOOLA Perseus Pro IV and the CRBN TruFoam Genesis 1 are compared in our roundup of the best pickleball paddles.

How to measure a paddle

Handle length for one- and two-handed players

The handle is part of the paddle’s length. Dick’s Sporting Goods, a retailer, explains the trade: because length plus width cannot exceed 24 inches, “every inch added to the handle length takes away surface area of the paddle face.”

Two sources tie a longer handle to two-handed shots:

• Dick’s: a player using two hands needs a handle of at least 5 1/2 inches.
• Selkirk: “handles are usually around 4.5 inches long, with a maximum of 6 inches for those who like to play some shots two-handed.” That 6-inch figure is Selkirk’s, not a USA Pickleball limit.

The adult handles in the chart run from 5 inches (Onix Graphite Z5) to 5.75 inches (the long-handle CRBN Genesis), longer than Selkirk’s “usually around 4.5 inches.” Some models come in both handle lengths. Vatic Pro lists its Prism handles as “Long Handle (5.75in) Standard (5.3in).” On some the footprint changes with the handle: Vatic Pro gives the Flash as 16.2 by 7.7 inches and the long-handle Flash LH as 16.375 by 7.625 inches, and CRBN’s elongated Genesis is 7.5 inches wide with the standard handle and 7.35 with the long one. Vatic lists its V7 and V7 LH at the same 16.5 by 7.5 inches.

Grip circumference: size it from your hand

Grip circumference is the distance around the handle. Selkirk says “Pickleball paddle grips start at 4 inches and go up to 5 inches in circumference,” while Dick’s says most grips run from 3 5/8 inches to 4.5 inches and up. In the chart, Onix lists 4 inches for the Graphite Z5 and JOOLA 4.25 inches for the Perseus Pro IV and Scorpeus Pro IV. Our pickleball grip size guide looks at grip size on its own.

Selkirk and Dick’s give the same ruler test:

Without a ruler, height is the fallback. Selkirk publishes a height chart but says it is “less accurate than the ruler test.” Selkirk’s height chart (Dick’s gives the same three bands):

Your height	Grip circumference
Below 5 ft 3 in (160 cm)	4 in (10.2 cm)
5 ft 3 in to 5 ft 8 in (160-173 cm)	4.25 in (10.8 cm)
Above 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)	4.5 in (11.4 cm)

The centimetre figures are Selkirk’s.

You may also meet the index-finger test, borrowed from tennis. Dick’s lists it as a third method; Selkirk rejects it: “While this idea may work for tennis players, it is not the same for pickleball grip sizing.” The ruler test is the one both give.

Thickness and weight: no limit, so read the maker’s figure

USA Pickleball sets no limit on thickness or weight (rules 2.E.3 and 2.E.4 above), so both figures are the maker’s choice. Pickleball Central, a retailer, says “Paddles come in a variety of thicknesses ranging from 8-20mm.” Holbrook, a paddle maker, offers several: “Holbrook Pickleball offers a range of paddles in different sizes, including 12mm, 14mm, and 16mm.”

For weight, Selkirk sorts paddles into three bands: “Lightweight (<7.2 oz),” “Midweight (7.3–8.4 oz)” and “Heavyweight (8.5+ oz).” Our pickleball paddle weight guide looks at weight on its own.

If this is your first paddle, our guide to what to look for in a beginner pickleball paddle covers core, weight and grip for new players.

Frequently Asked Questions

There is no single standard size, only the limits. Selkirk says most paddles are around 8 inches wide and 16 inches long, and JOOLA describes its standard class as typically 16 inches long and 8 inches wide.

The manual gives its own metric limits: 43.18 cm for length and 60.96 cm for length plus width. Converted here at 2.54 cm per inch, a 16 by 8-inch paddle is about 40.6 by 20.3 cm, and a 16.5 by 7.5-inch elongated paddle about 41.9 by 19.1 cm.

The rules allow either, since thickness is not limited. JOOLA, writing about the Scorpeus Pro V it sells in both, says the 14 mm is “Typically favored by aggressive, offense-first players who want extra pop and faster ball speed” and the 16 mm is “Often preferred by players who prioritize control and feel.”

USA Pickleball sets no weight limit. On Selkirk’s bands, 8.7 ounces (about 247 g, converted here) falls in the heavyweight band, which starts at 8.5 ounces.

USA Pickleball’s equipment manual sets no separate junior size; the same limits apply. Onix sells the Z Junior as “A reduced length paddle perfect for young players,” listing it at 14.5 inches long, 7.625 inches wide, with a 4.5-inch handle and a 4-inch grip.

The makers describe a trade, not a winner: Selkirk links longer paddles with reach and wider ones with a larger sweet spot. Within the 24-inch total, a paddle already at the limit can gain length only by losing width, as the chart rows show.

Sources (15)

• USA Pickleball (governing body), Equipment Standards Manual, Revision 3.0, January 2025
• CRBN (paddle maker), TruFoam Genesis product page
• JOOLA (paddle maker), Pickleball Paddle Specifications
• JOOLA (paddle maker), Perseus Pro IV 16mm product page
• JOOLA (paddle maker), How to choose a pickleball paddle
• JOOLA (paddle maker), Scorpeus Pro IV 16mm product page
• JOOLA (paddle maker), Scorpeus: Shape Matters
• Onix (paddle maker), Graphite Z5 product page
• Onix (paddle maker), Z Junior product page
• Vatic Pro (paddle maker), Prism product page
• Selkirk (paddle maker), How do I find my pickleball paddle grip size?
• Selkirk (paddle maker), How to choose your perfect pickleball paddle: 10 key factors
• Dick’s Sporting Goods (retailer), Pickleball Paddle Buying Guide
• Pickleball Central (retailer), How to Choose a Pickleball Paddle
• Holbrook Pickleball (paddle maker), Pickleball Paddle Sizes Explained: 12mm, 14mm, and 16mm

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.