There are so many people buying all the newest technology in paddles, which Onix has in their paddles. But I wanted to talk about and review the old faithful – the Onix Z5 Graphite Pickleball Paddle. I believe this is the best paddle on the market for the average 2.5 – 4.0 player, which is most of us. I find when using it, I make fewer unforced errors and am able to control the ball more. Also, I hit fewer pop-ups, which my partners appreciate. There are many reviews that rave about its spin or quickness in the hands and balance, which I agree with 100%.
Handle & Weight of Paddle
The handle of the Onyx Z5 pickleball paddle is four and a quarter inches long. In my experience, using it as my second pickleball paddle, I found the handle to be somewhat short, particularly for backhand shots. This made it a bit challenging to comfortably accommodate both hands on the handle.
As I progressed in my pickleball skills, I opted for another paddle with a longer handle, which I now use as a backup. If you’re considering the Onix Z5 and prioritize a longer handle, you might find that this paddle falls short in that aspect. However, this is a subjective preference, and individuals may have varying comfort levels with different handle lengths. As a former tennis player, I put my index finger on the paddle and prefer a short handle.
Regarding weight, it’s interesting to note that the manufacturer states a range from seven and a half to 8.2 ounces. This is a mid-weight paddle, and while most paddles don’t have such a wide weight range, it’s due to the manufacturing process. I personally didn’t have any issues with the weight, and it falls more on the light to medium side, making it suitable for women as well.
Onix Z5 Graphite Pickleball Paddle Review
I am a former tennis player I’ve been playing with Onix’s flagship paddle, the Onix Z5 Graphite, and it’s fantastic. It has great control without sacrificing power or pop. Weight is 8.16 Ounces, and swing weight is 116. Without delving into boring technical jargon, the thermoforming process is different (and even better) than that used in another terrific paddle, the Paddletek Tempest Wave Pro. It also looks great and the famous logo is a classy touch. Imho under an affordable package it’s among the best deals out there.
I tested the Onix Z5 Graphite Pickleball Paddle using Onix Dura Fast 40 balls because the majority of high-level tournaments use this ball and here are my initial thoughts:
Power (9/10): Wowzers…the ball explodes off the paddle. This has a tad bit more power than my Joola Perseus 16mm. This made dinking a little more difficult as I had not completely dialed in the extra power.
Spin (9 out of 10): This paddle has a solid spin. I’m not sure if they used a different carbon fiber from the ONIX Voyager Pro but this one is grittier to the touch. I feel that generating spin on my drives was easier than the Joola Perseus as it seems the grit on my Perseus is inconsistent across the face.
Touch (5/10): This paddle has a ton of power it’s still not completely thermoformed. They added an extra plate between the carbon fiber face and the honeycomb. I think they did this to help prevent delamination. I noticed the dwell time was not as good as some other expensive new models but my original ended up delaminating.
Hand Speed (7/10): The swing weight is more than the joola perseus but less than the popular models so I would imagine the swing weight to be around 116.
Conclusion: In summary of the review, the Onix Z5 Graphite Pickleball Paddle Review is a great plastic paddle for beginners and professionals alike. This paddle has all the bells and whistles as the more expensive paddles and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a nice paddle without spending a few hundred dollars.
The alternative of the Onix Z5 Paddle
Babolat MNSTR:
It’s basically just a slightly better Onix Z5. You would think one of the world’s oldest tennis companies would bring something new and innovative to pickleball, but nope. It’s your basic graphite paddle like the Onix Z5, but it feels a little more aerodynamic with a better grip and a more compact edge guard. Within the first few games with it, I noticed paint chipping off already. This is unacceptable even if it is the first product from Babolat; it was during rec play with some casuals. The construction feels nice otherwise. Decent amount of texture on the paddle face. It has a certain sturdiness to it from the nice grip and balanced weight distribution; in other words, there’s some good degree of confidence you have with your shots, especially volleys.
Will I keep it for its price? Unlikely. I think there are better paddles in this price range. If you want something with similar performance, you can grab a Z5 as recommended. Hope this helps some people thinking about buying it!
