I’ve been reviewing a lot of the big hitters in the pickleball paddle industry, so I wanted to find out if any of the up-and-comers were making anything worth trying. I found a new thermoformed paddle that I enjoyed playing with and can’t wait to dive into the review to share my thoughts.
I am talking about the Neonic Force 16mm paddle in this review. This a very new pickleball paddle company out of Southern Californian and they only offer one model right now either with green lettering or pin lettering that both look very nice set on all black carbon fiber face.
Neonic also offers a 30-day money back guarantee with no questions asked at a $129.00 price point making this one of the few companies you can try risk free. The $129.00 is before any discount codes as well making this one of the cheapest thermoformed paddles around. So let’s find out if the discount in price means a discount in performance.
Neonic Force 16mm Specs
| Length: | 16.5” |
| Width: | 7.5” |
| Surface: | Toray 700 Carbon Fiber |
| Grip Length: | 5.3” |
| Grip Circumference: | 4.25” |
| Thickness: | 16mm |
| Average Weight: | 8.1oz |
Other Features
- Thermoformed with Unibody Construction and Foam injected edge walls all along the perimeter into the handle.
- Warranty: 3 Months
- 30-Day Money Back Guarantee no questions asked.
Neonic Force Paddle Review
Power
My Neonic Force came in at 8.1oz and the power came with it. The power comes easily with this paddle, and I was not lacking anything on my overheads, serves and drives. I didn’t feel like I had to swing any harder than normal to finish points. The power is slightly less than some of the thinner thermoformed paddles but that is to be expected and it isn’t by much. I think the little power being sacrificed for extra control is worth it with this paddle.
Spin
The first thing I noticed about the Neonic when I got it in my hands was how gritty it felt. When I got out on the court the spin did not disappoint, it blew my expectations out of the water. The spin the Neonic generates is top tier and you will love it. My drives and drops where dipping beautifully and with a little bit more bite than normal. I was able to crank up the power on my serves due to the spin keeping them in. I was seeing people let my speedups go because they thought they were going long just to see them drop in at the last second. I was impressed with the spin and I hope it holds up because the Neonic does work.
Feel/Control
I think my favorite thing about the Neonic Force is the feel and control I had while using it. The paddle feels so plush when you are hitting it and I felt like the ball was programmed to go wherever I hit it. Placing my shots felt so smooth on every type of shot I hit. Looking for a nice tear drop third shot drop? Done. Looking for silky smooth dinks? Got it. Want a nice dipping drive down the middle? Yes, please!
There was one slight issue I had, and I think it has to do with the balance of the weight. When it came to blocking hard drives and digging out overheads, I would sometimes feel the paddle does not respond as I wanted it to. When I put lead tape on the corners the stability increased enough where I didn’t notice this problem anymore but that does require adding a bit of weight if that is an issue for you as it does come at an average stock weight of 8.1oz.
Durability
This is an area that is the biggest concern for new paddle companies as there just isn’t enough data to know how these paddles will hold up. After a month of using the Neonic Force I haven’t had any issues and it seems like the grit isn’t wearing down. The best thing about Neonic is you can go use this heavily for 30 days and if it doesn’t hold up you can send it back and get your money back.
Pros and Cons of the Neonic Force
I want to touch on three big pros for this paddle, but it has many more. The first is how fast this paddle feels in your hands due to the balanced weight. The combination of the handle length being just right, and the weight made for some of the fastest hands I have had while playing. The second and third are the price point of $129.00 and the 30-day money-back guarantee making this one of the best deals on the market.
Final Thoughts
I enjoyed using the Neonic Force a lot. I enjoy it so much that I am still using it and rotating it in with another new paddle (review coming soon). Is my Legacy Pro about to become a distant memory? Maybe.
The Neonic Force 16mm is a great thermoformed paddle at an amazing price point of $129.00. It has great balance in all aspects of game play, and I think this paddle would work for just about anyone. I was able to hit two-handed back hands easily with the 5.3” handle length and really enjoyed my time reviewing this paddle.
