Niupipo Explorer Pro Paddle Review

By: Jack Foster, Niupipo Athlete

As someone who frequents between 20-30 pickleball events per year, one question that I’m frequently asked by pickleball fans and other professional players is “Why Niupipo? Why the Explorer Pro?” As a paddle enthusiast who also appreciates making the sport accessible to the masses, the answer is that Niupipo has been incredibly supportive throughout my time in pro pickleball, but also manufactures high-quality equipment at an affordable price point. As you can imagine, a paddle that retails between $40-70 sticks out like a sore thumb among other professionals who are utilizing $200-$300+ equipment. People tend to associate low cost with low quality, and I can’t fault them for doing so. However, after competing in over fifty tournaments over the past 2+ years with the Explorer Pro in my hand, I can say that this association couldn’t be further from the truth. The Explorer Pro packs a powerful punch combined with an extraordinary touch that doesn’t play similarly to any other paddle near its price range. I’ve been very fortunate to come out on top against several top ten players with the Explorer Pro in my hand and can say with certainty that I have never felt overwhelmed by other paddle technology compared to the Explorer Pro.

Here's more: I don’t weight my paddle, add grit, or make any modifications whatsoever. The Explorer Pro I compete with is the exact same as the one you’ll receive out of the box. If the Explorer Pro is good enough for me, it’s good enough for you, too. Here is my review of the Explorer Pro, highlighting some of my favorite features of the paddle:

Polymer Honeycomb Core:

I love the core in the Explorer Pro. A lot of paddles nowadays are incredibly poppy and lack control. As a result, touch tends to suffer. Personally, I like to feel the ball when I contact, and the Explorer Pro’s honeycomb core has a perfect combo of touch and power to where I can hit confidently and feel my shots without over-hitting or losing control of the ball.

Graphite Face:

The Explorer Pro’s graphite face grips the ball extremely well and allows me to utilize topspin, helping guide the ball in. As mentioned before, combining the honeycomb core and this face allows me to hit through a ball swinging fully, and feel comfortable that I’m not going to over-hit. Many paddles with an extremely loaded core tend to require adjustments to get used to, I didn’t have this problem when playing with the Explorer Pro out of the box.

Price Point:

To be frank, as a Niupipo-sponsored athlete, I’m not paying for the equipment I play with. However, as a proponent of spreading the game, especially among the youth, I can admire a low price point that does not sacrifice quality. The Explorer Pro retails for $79.99, but frequently comes with sales ranging from 20-40% off the retail price. This results in a price that is coming in at 1/3 to ¼ of what other paddles are currently retailing for. Low equipment prices help keep pickleball accessible and allow the game to continue to grow.