Paddletek Bantam ESQ-C - pickleball paddle review

If you want a fast, lightweight paddle, the Paddletek Bantam ESQ-C was made for you. It has a raw carbon face for power and spin, a long 5.5" handle for two-handed shots, and a wide 8" paddle surface for good forgiveness.

Paddletek's recent Bantam releases have been consistent hits here at Pickleheads. We recently tested the Paddletek Bantam TKO-C and Anna Leigh Waters' Bantam ALW-C and really liked them both. Read on for my Paddletek Bantam ESQ-C review to see how it compares.

The Paddletek Bantam ESQ-C was designed for players who want a lightweight paddle for fast hands at the kitchen. The wide face and long handle give you high levels of spin and forgiveness and a good balance of control and power. Paddletek really nailed it here.

Spin is the most impressive attribute. Paddletek has done a fantastic job with spin on their Bantam paddles, and the ESQ-C is no different. Hitting topspin shots is really fun because you will catch players at all levels by surprise with the way the ball can dip down aggressively.

Check out my initial thoughts on the ESQ-C:

This paddle is great for bangers too. I had to change my play style to get the most out of this paddle because it can hit hard from anywhere on the court. It's fast too—I can easily speed up balls and win hand battles. I also love the long 5.5" handle as I like to hit hard two-handed backhands with power and spin.

While the pop is great for putting high pop-ups away, it does make it hard to keep from popping the ball up when dinking. I'm an advanced player and it took me a few sessions to control my dinks. With a more control-based paddle (like the Six Zero DBD or Selkirk LUXX Control), you'll feel more touch at the kitchen as it's softer and easier to control.

The shape also takes some getting used to. The shorter length and longer handle mean less hitting surface. There are times when I think the ball is going to hit the paddle face near the throat, but it ends up hitting the grip instead.

Overall, this is another winner from Paddletek. It suits advanced players and rising intermediates who want to hit hard and play aggressively while giving you enough accuracy and plenty of forgiveness.

If you're ready to invest in your game, the Bantam ESQ-C is worth the $250 price tag. If you need more control, check out the Selkirk LUXX Control or Engage Pursuit Pro1 6.0. For a more budget-friendly alternative, try the Six Zero DBD or Bread & Butter Invader.

Like the TKO-C and ALW-C, the Bantam ESQ-C is made from Paddletek's PT-700 unidirectional RAW carbon fiber. It works wonders, gripping the ball to give you amazing spin. The loud pop comes from the proprietary Bantam core.

The standard (square) shape is interesting. It has the usual 8" wide face but the length is even shorter, coming in at 15.87", just shy of the standard 16".

Let's see what else the ESQ-C has going on.

All Bantam paddles come in two models so you can choose your core thickness. Rather than the standard 14 or 16 mm like most paddles, you get 12.7 and 14.3 mm paddles.

The thinner 12.7 mm is a bit poppier while the 14.3 mm should give you more control, though I didn't notice much difference with the ESQ-C. The ALW-C has a more notable difference between the two.

Most standard-shaped paddles have a 5" handle. The PIKKL Hurricane Pro is a notable exception with a 5.5" handle and I really like the 5.5" handle on the ESQ-C. Two-handed backhands are a big part of my game and the longer handle helps me to amp up power and spin when I swing hard.

The ESQ-C is light compared to other high-performance paddles, with mine coming in at 7.8 oz. This makes it very fast and comfortable to swing.

Combine that with the powerful core and it's a dangerous weapon during hand battles at the kitchen. I can get to every ball with this paddle, and the pop off the face allows me to put balls away more easily.

Along with the Bantam ALW-C and the CRBN-2X Power, the ESQ-C is one of the most powerful square paddles on the market. It's easy to put away any pop-up, even with the best defenders on the other side.

Executing the shake-and-bake strategy with this paddle is a blast, whether I'm the one driving the third to set up my partner, or being set up and in charge of putting the finishing blow on the ball.

It's also great at countering speed-ups, attacking high balls, putaways during hand battles at the kitchen, and hard serves.

Of the Bantam paddles, the ESQ-C is easily the best paddle for control. The extra width gives you more stability and touch to your shots. My drops are smoother and more consistent. Dinking feels more controlled here than with the TKO-C or ALW-C.

Now, it takes skill to stop the ball from popping up. It took me a few drilling sessions to get used to hitting shots that typically require more finesse. That's why I recommend it mostly for more advanced players.

You can still be accurate with soft shots using this paddle. However, it takes more concentration and effort to control the power consistently—even with the 14.3 mm version.

This is right up there with the best paddles for spin. The only thing holding it back from a 10/10 here is the pop, which makes soft sliced shots like backhand dinks harder to execute. It's the same with the ALW-C.

Topspin shots are incredible though, especially when you combine them with power. Aggressive drives are my favorite shots with this paddle because the ball dips down so hard that it catches your opponent out, causing them to either hit the ball out or hit a pop-up that I can then slam.

I've scored a ton of points with deep topspin serves, forcing my opponent into a high bouncing return that I can drive hard.

The large sweet spot makes this a very forgiving paddle. I had to knock the score down because of the pop. If you're angling your paddle too high or too low, the ball will bounce off with pace. Also, hitting soft touch shots into the kitchen will be tough for beginners.

This paddle is lightweight. Some brands like to add extra weight to the end to generate more power, but this can result in a heavy head. I like that Paddletek chose not to do this. The ESQ-C still generates big power while having a very balanced weight distribution.

The grip is 5.5" long, which is a quarter-inch to half-inch longer than most paddles. It feels comfortable to hold, with space for two-handed backhand shots.

I personally like the Paddletek grips. They don't get sweaty after multiple hours of use and don't feel too bulky, but they are slightly thicker than paddles from Bread & Butter and JOOLA. Brandon completely disagrees with me and thinks they feel really bulky!

The raw carbon fiber face holds up after 10+ hours of use and still generates the same spin as day 1, so I'm confident it will last a long time. It's made from high-quality materials and feels sturdy.

I've had my TKO-C for a long time and the core hasn't delaminated or crushed, so I'm not concerned that this will happen with the ESQ-C.

This paddle is very lightweight and has one of the fastest swing weights of any premium paddle—even faster than the Six Zero DBD. I can get to any ball on the court and feel comfortable in hand battles because it can swing so quickly without putting any extra tension on my shoulders or elbows.

Rating:

At $250, this is fairly priced for a premium paddle. It's still cheaper than the Gearbox Pro Power, JOOLA Perseus Mod TA-15, and Proton Series One. It offers something different to those paddles: a nice balance of control and power, as well as tons of speed so you can play a fast game.

If you're a beginner, you'll find the pop off-putting, so I'd recommend a paddle like the Paddletek Bantam TS-5 or Six Zero Quartz while you're starting out. If you're after an intermediate-level paddle, you might prefer a softer paddle. If that's you, try the Pickleball Apes Pro Line Energy S or PIKKL Hurricane Pro.

If you're an advancing or high-level player who already knows how to play a strong touch game, and you want to start hitting hard and playing aggressively, this is for you. The $250 price tag makes it one of the most expensive paddles on the market, so you must be ready to invest in your game.

If the Paddletek Bantam ESQ-C isn't for you, check out some other paddles I recommend:

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