Feel like your game would benefit from a little extra reach? Or are you a tennis player that would appreciate your sweet spot a little further out on the paddle face? Either way, the ProLite Cypher is a worthy paddle to consider adding to your quiver.
Now admittedly, when I first looked at the paddle…well I would say it was closer to LIKE at first sight. The Cypher does have a beautiful, gloss carbon fiber face in a unique, tear-drop shaped body. And for those of you who really like to be able to confidently index their grip on the handle, you’ll love the more squared off handle profile. Black and understated (almost stealthy), I think a lot of us can appreciate the cleaner graphics.
Now let’s talk about the way the paddle plays—because I do not lie when I say “LOVE at first strike.” From my serves to my drops, and from the baseline to the kitchen line, the Cypher proved far more consistent than any paddle that I’ve played with before. With this paddle, I haven’t noticed any shots that come off like a crazy trampoline, or shots that feel like I hit the ball with a wet noodle, it’s just smooth consistent power throughout. Speaking of power, this paddle is not lacking for it. I’m not sure if it’s the extra leverage gained from moving the sweet spot more towards the end of the paddle or something hidden in the core, but this paddle can put some heat on the ball.
Now all of this power is great when you have the advantage on the court, but it’s equally as devastating when you have to face off against one. As many of the area players know, Terry Otis is quite the competitor. When I asked him about his use of the Cypher (his current paddle of choice), he had these thoughts to share:
- The paddle has fantastic pop and moves super quick.
- He loves the way the paddle plays at the net: super fast, with extra reach (I chuckled too, he’s 6′ 4″ and still appreciates more reach).
- With the added length, the paddle really helps his placement of shots (he can create more advantageous angles).
You’ll notice Terry mentioned how fast the paddle moves. It may be due to the shape, or maybe it’s due to the lightness (my paddle comes in at 7.3 oz), but either way, this paddle moves extremely well.
Wrapping things up, I personally love the Cypher. With its extended length and consequently higher up sweet spot, the paddle just works really well for my game. And if you think the paddle is solely for the power guys, well I handed it over to a couple of ladies and it just might have been love at first strike for them too—because they asked for my number (not my phone number, but what price it would take to buy it off me).
If you are interested in taking the ProLite Cypher for a test drive? You have two options, we can meet up at one of our local courts, or you can take a 30-day test drive by purchasing the paddle here. And remember, if you do decide to purchase on PickleballCentral, be sure to use our club’s code to get a 5% discount, CRTahoe. Finally, a big thank you goes to Pickleball Central for sending us the paddle for review.
Cheers,
Matt