The RPM Friction Pro is one of the surprise hit pickleball paddles this year. A new name on the scene, RPM Pickleball is the first paddle company I know of to be founded by a top pro player, James Ignatowich. Lately, I’ve been seeing the RPM name everywhere – not just online either, with tons of players bringing this paddle to the courts.
I was curious about this one. The name suggests it’s built for spin – RPM (revolutions per minute) is how spin is measured and “friction” means intense grit on the paddle face. I was excited to try it for myself. After playing with the RPM Friction Pro for a week, here’s my honest review.
You won’t find another paddle that spins the ball as well as this. If that’s your priority, grab it right away, as the spin you get here is out of this world. It's not for everyone – it skews more toward power than control, and has a very light feel. I can see a lot of attacking players loving it, though. At $250, it's in a competitive price range but we have a big 15% discount to sweeten the deal.
This paddle lives up to its name – spin is crazy
There’s a reason this brand is called RPM. The spin you get off this paddle is next level. It’s definitely the spinniest paddle I’ve ever used. I let a couple of other players use it and they were blown away too.
The brush up on the ball is insane. I put it down to the “CarbonBite” grit on the face and the paddle’s lightness. You’re able to move it so fast that you can generate levels of spin that very few paddles can boast.
That’s not all the Friction Pro has going on either. Here’s what else stands out.
✅ What stands out
Power is not lacking
Some paddles with this much spin can be more focused on control and therefore lacking in power (see the PIKKL Hurricane Pro and Selkirk LABS 008). While the Friction Pro isn’t a raw power paddle like the Selkirk Boomstik or CRBN Waves, it’s a 9 out of 10 for sure. It reminds me of the JOOLA Pro IV series paddles. You won’t be lacking in putaway power here.
Spin is crazy
I have to come right back to spin as it’s the most impressive thing about this paddle. I could get so much dip on my backhand and topspin dinks to make them unattackable and put a ton of pressure on my opponents.
I like aiming for the baseline with my drives and anytime I don’t hit it cleanly, the ball goes to the middle of the court. With this paddle, though, because it gets so much spin, the ball just dives at your opponent’s feet. I got a lot of free points this way.
When I was attacking from the net, it would dip so much more than what my opponents were expecting, dropping at their feet when they were holding their paddle at chest to belly button height.
Long handle adds to spin
This handle gives you lots of room to put on that extra hand if you like, or drop your hand down to get even more wrist, to offer more spin. You can easily hit two-handers and generate awesome dip.
Grip feels great
The factory grip is really high quality. It doesn’t feel cheap like so many other paddles. Multiple people said that they liked how it felt, with no need to add an overgrip.
❌ What to consider
Light weight
While the 7.9-ounce weight adds to the spin generation, I felt that the lightness made the paddle lack some stability and sent vibrations to my arm and wrist. I have a sensitive wrist and I started to feel the feedback. Something to be aware of if you suffer from injuries like pickleball elbow.
I added lead tape
I had to add lead tape to try to stop some of that feedback going into my wrist. Also to make it not turn in my hand when somebody hit a good drive. When you’re playing against 5.0+ players, everybody has strong drives. Lighter paddles like this can turn in your hand if you don’t add weight.
If you’re the type of player who likes customizing your paddle anyway, you should be able to find the right balance and make the most out of this spinny weapon.
How the RPM Friction Pro plays
| Category | Rating | Notes |
| Power | 9/10 | Not a top-tier power paddle but definitely not lacking in power when you need it. |
| Control | 8/10 | The amount of topspin can affect controllability. Sometimes I’d aim for the baseline and the ball would go shorter, inviting my opponents up the court. |
| Spin | 10/10 | By far the paddle’s best attribute. They set out to make the best spin paddle and they nailed it. |
| Forgiveness | 8/10 | The light weight leads to a low twist weight. Basically, the paddle is more prone to rotating in your hands, which affects forgiveness. If you don’t hit the sweet spot, you can be punished. |
| Weighting | 7/10 | I’m giving it a seven because of the issues with my wrist and the lack of forgiveness. But the flip side is the light weight adds to spin, so this is subjective. |
| Grip | 9/10 | Multiple people commented on the grip’s nice feel. It’s a rare one that doesn’t need an overgrip. |
| Durability | 9/10 | No foam core but a solidly built paddle with a top-quality carbon fiber face. It held up really well for me. |
| Aerodynamics | 9/10 | Very quick because of the light weight. |
Features that matter
- CarbonBite surface: RPM’s trademark technology. They set out to create a paddle with maximum grit and spin, and it works.
- 14 mm and 16 mm cores: choose a 14 mm core if you want more pop and a 16 mm if you want a bit more cushion for control.
- Two shapes: there’s an Elongated and a Widebody model depending on your preference.
Who the RPM Friction Pro is for
I recommend this paddle to anybody who wants top-of-the-line spin. If you like to cut the ball, put topspin, sidespin, any-sort-of-spin on the ball, this is the paddle. You won’t find a better pickleball paddle for spin.
So, if spin is the most important thing to you, more than power or sweet spot, you’ll love it. Especially if you like light paddles that move fast and allow you to attack out of the air.
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