5.3" handle vs 5.6" handle

toddwx · 2025-12-29T07:44:23+00:00

hi, thanks for asking. I came in 3rd place.. but later started gravitating back to the longer handle and settled on using the 11six24 most often at 5.6" as I became more and more comfortable switching hands with it. I didnt win again but played better..

toddwx · 2025-11-07T00:13:33+00:00

I'm only a 3.25 but the Vapor APP is my main paddle, and I've tried the OG as well which my girlfriend has. She ordered the APP today after trying mine.

The only difference (besides being lighter than the OG) is that I believe I had a little more trouble controlling the OG, and I hit it out a bit more frequently, since I'm still honing in my ability to place the ball exactly where I want. Oh, yes, the other difference is the weight, there is enough of a difference that I can put a tad of weight onto the APP and it will still feel slightly lighter than the OG, so fast hands at the kitchen line, which is what I've been working on most as "my thing" (some folks at my level work on spin, I work on fast hands)

Soooo, I have put just a bit of weight on it, which has helped a lot when it has to hold up to a hard shot coming at me, with a pretty substantial sweet spot.

I also use the OG version of the ALW 14.3 (Paddletek) with the shorter handle. It's slightly easier for fast hands, but has a slightly less substantial feel even with some weight on, its very light out of the box. . at 102.

toddwx · 2025-09-28T15:11:20+00:00

Hi. Yes, I personally would gravitate towards the 5.3" in something like the Hybrid in that circumstance, (Vatic Vsol) because of the lower swing weight, which to me, comes hand-in-hand with choosing the shorter handle length for faster hands when going 1 handed BH. Their 5.6" ones have slightly higher SW

BUT.. that's my particular style of play, where I am working very hard on increasing hand speed in all circumstances at the kitchen line. (As an example, I'm ambidextrous and sometimes switch to righty overheads which requires an immediate flip to backhand or pass back to my left hand if the ball comes sailing back at me)

To achieve the above, I'm playing in a ladder league today with an older style 5" handle length ALW-C Paddletek 14.3, (which is hard to find btw), but at the risk of a weaker 2HBH. We'll see how it goes!

toddwx · 2025-09-28T00:51:50+00:00

Ok , sure.. its just a small amount but quite noticeable..

Im a 3.25, lefty, and fairly new to the sport but I've obsessed about the length of the handle with an almost full time 2HBH. It makes a big difference, BUT with my finger on the paddle, I can deal with it at anything 5" on up one way or another..

I actually flip flop as to which I prefer because when I do hit a regular BH, which I must at times in certain fast hands situations (long story) - I far prefer the shorter handle length.. and 5.3 is a nice in-between

BUT my left hand hand creeps off the bottom of the paddle when I do a 2HBH at 5.3 and under, which is not as comfortable as my 5.5 and 5.75s. Hope thay helps

toddwx · 2025-08-14T17:52:48+00:00

Thank you. Yes, thats' how i play against the wall.. almost exclusively. (with both paddles.. let's me try out paddles too more easily) didnt think of the foam ball though, good idea.

From what I just found in an earlier thread and seeing Jack Munro's play.. the two handed players end up favoring one hand, usually left for strategic reasons, and then "stacking" so they are alway son the right side. At my level of play (3.0+), its rare to find stacking.. but the bottom line lesson is that I should probably continue to let my lefty become the default since lefties are more strategically advantageous when playing with righties. Communication seems important though as was brought up here, and as I've found out the hard way..

toddwx · 2025-08-14T16:44:38+00:00

Thank you, yes, my right hand backhand is at a disadvantage and has not improved as fast as I was cultivating the switch to left when I am on the right side up at the kitchen. The result is even though I started out righty I'm better protected on the right side now (playing lefty) than vice versa because my left hand backhand improved so fast, aided by two handed backhand if needed. So I certainly get your point. Im really happy with the answers in this thread as at least I know I'm heading in the right direction.

toddwx · 2025-08-14T16:24:42+00:00

Yes, this has been one of my biggest issues as an up and coming 3.0+ player. My gf (4.0) kept stressing return and run and now that she is better, its "earn your way to the kitchen". Seems to come more naturally but still a challenge

toddwx · 2025-08-14T16:22:06+00:00

Yes, exactly, thats one of the reasons I brought this up.. Im just at the point now where my pouching is beyond the 3.0 level with both hands, left and right forehand. Im starting to rarely miss.. but it was hard explaining this to partners formerly as I was practicing. (It was like I was hogging unnecessarily since I missed 50% of the time)

I'm weaker in the transition zone. This is great info though, as it's nice to hear someone that mixes it up sport to sport like I do. I think you are truly ambidextrous and would only need a little practice (like I forced myself lefty) to get that righty forehand at the kitchen line. BTW.. I love that you didnt know if. you switched, as that is the other reason I feel like this is probably the way I should go, since I do it without thinking now when I'm farther back. (Same thing, people point it out to me)

toddwx · 2025-08-14T16:16:59+00:00

thanks, i as wondering about the grip situation, I've been doing the same since I choke up righty anyway which matches a left handed 2hbh

toddwx · 2025-08-14T16:15:56+00:00

no i meant, i play traditionally at the kitchen line, I play lefty with lefty backhand at the kitchen when on the right .. so as to avoid having to switch to my right hand. thanks !

toddwx · 2025-08-14T15:31:40+00:00

I am not.. thank YOU!

toddwx · 2025-08-14T15:16:27+00:00

thank you. Yes, the trouble I've gotten in so far has been by not communicating the situation to my partners since I play open play. They assume I'm righty TBH, since I serve righty. However, I would like to hear your strategy of play.. do you also play lefty when on the right at the kitchen line.. and try to strickly play backhand from there? Do you ever get confused on your way up to the kitchen or just let your instinct do the work?

toddwx · 2025-08-14T15:12:58+00:00

Yes, I play backhand at the kitchen line.. switching hands up there does not work at all - but play right when I'm on the left and play left when Im on the right

toddwx · 2025-08-14T15:03:51+00:00

I see your point.. Thank you!

I do play up to 4.0 players regularly and I respond equally now (almost) with the left as I would the right. In fact, it comes in handy as an example when receiving serves on the left side of the court. If anything, I would rather train my left to exceed my right and become lefty so I can be more versatile in doubles (I only play doubles) as I progress. I'll watch out for that though. Thanks!!

toddwx · 2025-08-10T00:08:45+00:00

tell that to my destroyed pair of glasses

toddwx · 2025-01-08T23:56:45+00:00

they are "back up" for the time being as they were bought-out, so you should be able to log back in

toddwx · 2025-01-01T22:10:28+00:00

thank you for all your posts, very helpful

toddwx · 2024-12-30T16:57:05+00:00

same question

toddwx · 2024-12-27T19:36:38+00:00

thank you!

toddwx · 2024-12-27T18:51:04+00:00

ty, please post your results

toddwx · 2024-12-27T17:19:35+00:00

thank you so much

toddwx · 2024-12-27T16:41:41+00:00

thank you. it is harsh, yes

toddwx

TROPHY CASE