Engage Pursuit Pro1 6.0 Hybrid - pickleball paddle review

If you're in the market for a quick paddle with a strong balance of power, control, and spin, check this one out. This is a new hybrid version of the Engage Pursuit Pro1 6.0 Elongated, one of the best paddles released in the last year. The hybrid model has a smaller handle and a slightly thinner core.

Read my Engage Pursuit Pro1 6.0 Hybrid review to see if it can offer something over the elongated 6.0 model and justify its $259.99 price tag.

The Engage Pursuit Pro1 6.0 Hybrid strikes a nice balance between the Widebody and Elongated models. It has strong all-court attributes, balancing power and control alongside spin and speed. It's priced highly, though, so I can see it being mainly for advanced players.

Watch my first thoughts on the Pro1 6.0 Hybrid:

Let's talk about the power. It hits hard considering it's 15 mm, like the widebody model. That's great if you want a hybrid paddle that's also powerful.

Spin is great too, especially on serves and third-shot drops where I can shape my shots with precision. The maneuverability/pop combo gives me an edge when countering attacks. I can respond quickly and stay aggressive without sacrificing control.

For me, the only downsides are the bulky grip and the pop. While the grip makes it really stable, I'd prefer a thinner grip for maneuverability. Secondly, power is great, but pop can be hard to control.

During quick exchanges, shots occasionally jump off the paddle faster than expected. I've had to adjust my game to regulate the pop and maintain control, particularly when playing at higher speeds.

At $259.99, this premium paddle is worth it if you're ready to invest and you want a balance of the Widebody and Elongated Pro1 models. It delivers an excellent power/spin/control combo, though you can find similar performance for $100 less. Try the Six Zero DBD Control, 11SIX24 Pegasus Jelly Bean, and the Engage Pursuit V2.0 for good cost-saving alternatives.

I'm a big fan of the Engage style with the bullseye logo. Their paddles look great and seem intimidating in a way, almost like you're expecting the paddle to hit really hard.

Let's take a look at the main features.

The exceptional grit and friction on the paddle face is what gives it such high-level spin (9/10). It helps with deep serves, aggressive topspin drives, and deceptive slices.

Even after extended play, the spin remains consistent and doesn't wear down quickly. I'm able to shape shots exactly how I want, giving me a confidence boost during rallies.

The Engage 6.0 series paddles have thicker cores (around 15 mm) than the original Pursuit paddles (12-13 mm). It gives you a nicer blend of power and control, allowing for extended dwell time on the ball. You'll find it easier shaping shots, while still being able to drive through the ball with force.

The mix of stability and responsiveness makes this paddle suitable for a variety of playstyles. It absorbs vibrations really well, which makes playing long matches more comfortable. This also makes it a great paddle for tennis elbow, so check it out if you've struggled with injuries before.

The foam-injected edge walls expand the sweet spot, reducing mishits and providing more consistency on off-center shots. This is great in fast exchanges where any mishit can lead to a ball flying in the wrong direction. Even when I don't make perfect contact, the ball still moves predictably.

While this doesn't have the pop of the Paddletek Bantam TKO-C or Gearbox Pro Ultimate Power Elongated, it has strong, reliable power for a hybrid, 15 mm paddle. It feels like a power paddle when hitting drives and overheads, and it's easy to hit deep serves with a lot of pace behind them.

I like hitting third-shot drives and being aggressive at the kitchen with this paddle. I can shape the ball how I want to, allowing me to send it flying without it going out. Lastly, speeding up balls at the kitchen to score points or force pop-ups is really effective.

It'll take some adjusting to get used to the extra pop. Like with the Paddletek Bantam ALW-C, you'll have plenty of control once you get used to the pop because the power is consistent and the sweet spot runs throughout the paddle.

In long dink rallies, I can easily switch from sliced backhand dinks to double-backhand topspin dinks and forehand dinks, all without hitting a pop-up. The carbon fiber makes it feel like I can hit soft shots like resets or third-shot drops with consistency.

The raw carbon fiber face grips the ball well, generating high spin rates. It's most noticeable on serves, third-shot drops, and aggressive passing shots.

I'm able to set up lots of drives with my serves because I can hit a looping serve to my opponent's backhand with pace and spin. This causes short/high returns that I can then attack with a third-shot drive.

Speaking of drives, this paddle may reinforce some bad habits because it makes me feel like I can drive the ball from anywhere on the court. Even when the ball is low, I can spin it over the net while staying low enough to stay in the court and avoid being attacked.

For me, mishits are less punishing here than with the elongated model, allowing for better control in defensive situations. The "Vortex Barrier Edge Technology" helps reduce instability on off-center hits.

Mishits are only a problem during hand battles when I hit a ball closer to the handle. Here, the pop dies down a good amount, so I feel like I have enough swing to get the ball over, but it goes into the net instead. If you want even more forgiveness, I'd recommend the Pro1 6.0 Widebody model instead.

The weight distribution is balanced and neutral, making it comfortable for extended play. It doesn't feel head-heavy or too light, and I can swing freely without feeling fatigued over hours-long play sessions. If you like to customize with lead tape, you'll have a good base to work with here.

The tennis-style octagonal-shaped grip is comfortable but slightly on the thick side. While it provides a solid hold and reduced strain, I prefer a slightly thinner grip for added control. Over time, I've gotten used to it, but I still wish for a slightly slimmer handle.

Engage paddles are known for their durability, so I'm confident this one will hold up well over time. The carbon fiber face appears resilient, so I'm optimistic the spin won't decrease any time soon.

This paddle swings faster than the elongated model and I don't feel any drag when I'm in hand battles or trying to attack balls quickly.

While not as fast as the Paddletek Bantam ESQ-C, it's still in the upper 25th percentile of fast paddles—impressive for a hybrid paddle. You can be aggressive at the kitchen and defend speed-ups really well.

At $259.99, this gives some of the best advanced paddles from Paddletek, Selkirk, and JOOLA a run for their money.

It's well-rounded and has good control, but you must be able to handle a poppy paddle. If that's you, this is a good choice if you're looking for enough power to put balls away and hit aggressive drives, but not so much power that it's hard to control.

While beginners and intermediates would love hitting drives with this paddle, they'll struggle to get the ball into the kitchen and dinking without creating pop-ups.

If that's you, try a paddle with better control like the 11SIX24 Jellybean Pegasus or Spartus Apollo. Alternatively, check out the Engage Pursuit V2.0 for a cheaper Engage paddle under $200.

If the Engage Pursuit Pro1 6.0 Hybrid isn't for you, here are some alternative paddles I recommend:

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