The Most Underrated Power Paddle? Engage Alpha Pro 16mm Review (2025)

After a year or so of very similar paddles, Engage recently came out with 3 new paddles that are drastically different.

I tried the Alpha and the Profoam, and they impressed me. Will the Alpha Pro I have here do the same? Let's find out.

Quick Disclosure

This is a first impressions review, not a full review. I've only played with it for a few days, so I can't speak to long-term durability.

Shout out to Premier Racquet Sports for letting me borrow this paddle. Check them out if you're in the Atlanta area.

Specs Overview

The recent Engage release included 3 paddles:

• Profoam - Full foam core (I rated it an 8/10)
• Alpha - Gen 2 paddle with one of the grittiest faces I've felt (7/10)
• Alpha Pro - Gen 3 paddle, should be the most powerful of the bunch

Alpha Pro Details:

• Shape: Elongated only (typical Engage)
• Thickness: 14mm and 16mm options (I tested the 16mm)
• Weight: My paddle was 8.1 oz
• Face Size: Shorter elongated, looks more hybrid-like
• Setup: Stock (no modifications)

I compared it to the CRBN 4—similar face size but longer handle and top section.

On-Court Performance

Pop & Feel

My first impression? Definitely poppier than other paddles. The ball doesn't sink in as much.

Good paddle for counters since it pops off quick and hard. Not as crazy as a Boomstik, but similar in how long the ball stays on the face—it just pops off.

I typically don't prefer poppy paddles, but this one wasn't bad. The feel is a bit more muted.

Control

Resets pop up a bit more than I'm used to, especially in the beginning, but it's something you can get used to.

I wouldn't say it excelled in control, but once I got used to it, I didn't have many complaints.

Drops were great and dipped where I wanted them to, which is what I really liked.

Other than the occasional "oh that popped higher than I expected," I was able to use this paddle pretty well from the start and play well, especially in stock form.

The sweet spot wasn't especially small for an elongated shape—felt good, maybe because it's more hybrid-like.

Power

When I first hit it in some lower-level open plays, I didn't notice it having great power. Would've probably said it was a low-tier power paddle.

But later that day in another session, it definitely felt more powerful and I would consider it a mid-tier power paddle.

Since it's Gen 3, not sure if it's core crush or what. I wasn't the first person to use this, so I'm not sure. But my conclusion: this is quite powerful.

• Drives: Hit hard + you can dip them if you take off some pace. Probably drove better than a lot of paddles I've tried recently.
• Serves: Most surprising. Felt like they hit pretty deep, especially given it's not a top-tier power paddle like a Boomstik or Quanta.
• Returns: Essentially the same—powerful.

My Rating: 8/10

I was pleasantly surprised by how the Alpha Pro played, given my first impression was that it was very poppy.

Despite the poppiness, I was able to play good pickleball with it. Drives, drops, resets were pretty much all there, and the serves/returns were on the more powerful side—which is always nice, especially for me where my weakness is weaker serves and returns.

Overall, not many complaints, which is always good. I would give it a low to mid 8, but since MyPickleList only does whole numbers, I'm rounding down to an 8/10.

I enjoyed playing with this paddle and felt like I played well.

Who This Paddle Is For

✅ Great if you:

• Want a mid-tier power paddle (like the Joolas)
• Prefer more pop off the face than a Joola
• Like a bit more mutedness in feel
• Don't like modifying paddles (plays well stock)
• Like elongated paddles
• Want powerful serves and returns

Final Thoughts

Probably tied in my mind with the Profoam as the best Engage paddle out right now.

The Profoam probably had a bit better control/feel in terms of shaping my shots, but this one has more firepower, and it generally evens out for me.

If you want power with decent control and a paddle that plays well stock, the Alpha Pro is worth checking out.

Rating: 8/10 on MyPickleList

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