The Vatic Pro V7 is a pickleball paddle that has been getting a lot of hype in the pickleball community. Much like the XS XSPAK, it’s a great budget option for a T-700 raw carbon fiber paddle that performs similarly and in some cases, better than premium $200+ pickleball paddles.
I decided to get my hands on a Vatic V7 (16mm and 14mm) and put it through various tests to see if it can compete against the major brands and if it’s a paddle you should consider.
Let’s dive into the review.
Vatic Pro V7 Specs and Technology
| Weight Range: | 7.6 ounces (14mm), 8.1 ounces (16mm) |
| Paddle Length: | 16.3″ |
| Paddle Width: | 7.7″ (14mm) 7.5 (16mm) |
| Handle Length: | 5.4″ |
| Face Material: | T-700 Raw Carbon Fiber |
| Core: | Polymer |
| Thickness: | 14mm or 16mm |
| Grip Circumference: | 4.125″ (14 mm), 4.25″ (16 mm) |
| Shape: | Elongated |
The big trend for paddles in 2023 has been T-700 carbon fiber with thermoforming, edge foam, and unibody construction.
Joola pioneered this disruption in the market last year with their Hyperion CFS, which had carbon fiber and edge foam but used traditional paddle-making methods, which led to poor durability. Now in 2023, we have brands like CRBN, Vatic, Legacy Pro, and SixZero producing great paddles with amazing spin and durable construction.
There is a slight break-in period if you haven’t used a thermoformed pickleball paddle before. The paddle will start out very rigid, but after about a week, you’ll notice that the paddle will begin to soften up.
Other thermoformed paddles have had issues with delamination, but the Vatic pro is heat-sealed over a long process and encased in more carbon fiber. However, over my time with it, I have noticed my (and other reader’s) paddle have delaminated over time.
The T-700 raw carbon fiber face will change over time and improve. I’ve found that as the woven carbon fiber begins to fray, it gets easier to generate spin.
Vatic Pro V7 Pickleball Paddle Review
Spin
Obviously, the most crucial factor for generating spin is your technique, but if you have the technique, the Vatic V7 will help you generate more spin on the ball.
The spin is identical to $200+ CRBN paddles on the market. My serves were dropping and diving quickly, while my dinks, resets, and drops all were landing softly. I was able to really control the spin on work the ball off the paddle face with the Vatic V7. It performs just as well if not better, any premium raw carbon fiber face.
Both the 16mm and the 14mm impressed me when it came to spin, but personally, the 16mm face just felt so much softer.
Control/Feel
This paddle is so well balanced for control. My dinks and drops were so easy to execute, and the overall playability was just so easy and consistent. The paddle face is forgiving and offers just enough pop without sacrificing control.
I saw a huge improvement in placement while using this paddle. Resets were a little tricky the first week while it was rigid, but after the paddle broke in and got softer, the resets nd hands battles got significantly easier.
Although the 14mm and the 16mm both were impressive with control, I’d say the 14mm is more geared towards power, whereas the 16mm is perfectly balanced for control.
For a paddle that’s a little closer to an elongated shape, it plays like a standard-sized paddle in terms of stability and control. You feel the ball making contact with the paddle face, and you can easily adjust as needed based on the contact.
Power
The power from the Vatic V7 alone wasn’t that impressive. However, the fact that this paddle had such an amazing balance of control, spin, and enough power was what was really impressive.
It wasn’t nearly as springy as the Selkirk Power Air Invikta, but it was controlled power. I had no issues with put-away shots or drives and on top of that I had more control over the placement which made this paddle lethal on the courts.
The elongated handle makes this paddle great for singles. You can still be aggressive and have the added reach. The 14mm paddle feels a little more springy than the 16mm, but the sweet spot feels slightly smaller.
Vatic Pro V7 VS. CRBN 1
CRBN’s new power series is excellent, but for a much lower price, you can get a paddle like the Vatic Pro or the XS XSPAK that offers very similar performance and almost identical build quality.
The carbon fiber weave, elongated body and handle, and unibody construction look identical on both the Vatic V7 and the CRBN 1. Spin is high, and pop is good. The only reason you would probably prefer the CRBN is if you prefer a square/widebody paddle with a shorter handle
Drawbacks of the Vatic V7 Pro
One drawback of the Vatic V7 Pro is that after a lot of use, you may experience delamination issues. Some tell-tail signs of delamination issues are inconsistent and more springy feel and a louder clunkier sound.
Vatic does have a 90-day warranty for any defects and you get a new paddle free of charge. So if you do experience any delamination issues reach out to customer support.
Here is a video showing the results after a delaminated paddle by Tickle My Pickle:
Kyle, My paddle just had the same issue days after posting this. I talked to Vatic and was able to get a refund have you had any luck with their customer support?
I also posted your video!
What do you mean there’s no delamination issue with the Vatic Pro? https://youtu.be/1yuN8BxnNNg