ProXR Zane Navratil Signature - pickleball paddle review

The ProXR Zane Navratil Signature paddle may be good enough for the king of spin Zane Navratil, but is it good enough for you? I've spent the last two weeks testing this paddle to see how it plays.

I'm a huge Zane fan, and I like to think I play a similar game to him (or at least I try to!) with plenty of topspin, lots of control, and good power too. After testing the ProXR "Standard" model, I was excited to see how this elongated model compared. Is it a great paddle for intermediate players or better left to the pros?

The ProXR Zane Navratil Signature should be on your radar if you play with lots of spin, value accuracy on your drops and dinks, and you don't need extra power in your game. The grit won't fade either, since it's not sprayed on, so you get a great pickleball paddle for spin that'll last.

I thought this paddle would hit really hard, but it's nowhere near big-hitting paddles like the Gearbox Pro Power ($275) or the Six Zero BD Power ($180). I just can't drive the ball as hard as those paddles, which gives my opponents an extra half-second of reaction time and earns me fewer cheap points off the drive.

The 8/10 power isn't a bad thing if you're more focused on accuracy and your touch game. Control and spin combine here to make this a great paddle for advanced players, or any intermediate player.

Check out my first thoughts here:

The Zane Signature is comparable on control and spin with the Volair Mach 2 FORZA, one of the best control paddles I've tested. Be sure to look at the Standard model too, because it has more control, more forgiveness, and even better spin (which I'm surprised by, as this paddle is Zane's signature).

If you need more power, paddles like the Bread & Butter Filth and CRBN-1X Power Series offer far more drive and power with the same elongated shape as the Signature. However, if you don't need the extra reach, I'd skip this paddle and opt for the "Standard" model instead.

Zane Navratil's Signature paddle has a lively design to match his charismatic personality. I like the bright blue edge guard, and it's cool to have one of my favorite pro's names on there.

This is a comfortable, lightweight paddle with a good grip. Let's dig into its special features.

ProXR calls their carbon fiber "Ultra-Raw". The "Ultra" might be a marketing gimmick, but if you've seen Zane hitting his signature serve with this paddle, you'll know he can get some serious topspin.

Watch Zane's signature serve here:

To my surprise, I didn't find the same spin here as I did with the Standard model, which I scored 10/10 for spin. They both use the same tech, so it might be down to inconsistencies in the manufacturing process.

The vibrant edge guard isn't just for protection. It's injected with foam like the JOOLA Perseus and the Vatic Pro Flash. This boosts the sweet spot while improving control and stability.

The "Standard" model has a wide face and square shape (16 x 8"), while the Signature has a classic elongated shape (16.5 x 7.5"). If you like two-handed backhands like Zane, you've also got an elongated 6" handle here to play with. I personally don't need it but it's a nice rare feature.

As you'd expect from the elongated shape and 14 mm core, this model has more power than the Standard (I tested the 16 mm version of that one). I expected Zane's signature paddle to have even more power, though. I've only gone up a half-point here.

Remember, this isn't meant to be a power paddle—it's not thermoformed or heavyweight. What you might miss in power, you gain in control. That makes it good value for players at intermediate level (3.5-4.0) where control wins games.

If you treat this as a control paddle with great spin, you'll find the power level more than adequate for a strong all-court game. You can always throw a little lead tape on to boost the power.

Control surprised me here. It's really good for a 14 mm paddle. I'm always a little shaky on my third-shot drops, especially in the first game or two of a session. With Zane's Signature, I can drop them from my very first shot. There are very few paddles I can say that about.

I feel confident in long dink rallies, and my shots feel precise, whether it's an angled overhead winner or a passing shot.

Given that Zane is known for his big spin game, I was surprised to get less spin generation here than on the Standard model. It might be the particular paddle I received, or maybe they're using a different grit, but I had to dock a full point for it.

That said, I still have plenty of spin to work with. The control plus spin was a winning combo for my game. It reminds me of the Volair Mach 2 FORZA, one of my favorite control paddles. I enjoy hitting topspin serves, drives, and especially topspin third-shot drops and dinks.

Considering this is an elongated paddle with an extra-long handle, it's quite a forgiving paddle. I expected the sweet spot to be small but it's a nice medium size.

In fact, forgiveness is only a half-point down from the Standard, which has an extra-large paddle face. I had very few mishits, flyers, or pop-ups.

Like the Standard, the Signature has decent power while playing light in the hands. That means the weight design is working as expected, which is a rarer trait than I'd like for paddles. That's why I scored it near-perfect marks for weighting.

ProXR actually started out making specialized ergonomic handles for MLB baseball so you'd expect a real standout grip on their pickleball paddles.

Unfortunately, there's nothing special to report here. The grip is completely fine and sufficient, though, and holds up over long sessions without getting too sweaty.

The Signature is made from strong raw carbon and has a foam-injected edge guard to protect it. The grit is not sprayed like some paddles, so it should last a long time.

It's not the quickest paddle but I'm happy it's not heavy or slow in hand battles. It feels light and nails its 8.2 oz static weight—solid and not prone to twist in your hands playing up at the kitchen.

Who uses the ProXR Zane Navratil Signature?

As the name suggests, this is the signature paddle of Zane Navratil, the men's world #1 in 2022. He has 18 APP Tour gold medals, 2 PPA Tour gold medals, and is a 2x MLP champion.

These Zane paddles are the only ones I've tested at this price point ($209.99). This puts them right between up-and-coming brands like Six Zero and Bread & Butter ($165-$180), and top-range paddles like the Selkirk LUXX Control ($250).

While I don't think this paddle is better than the Bread & Butter Filth or the Six Zero DBD, it definitely gives JOOLA and Selkirk a run for their money. I do think the Bread & Butter Filth and Six Zero DBD give you more power and spin for less money and for most intermediates.

That said, the ProXR Zane Signature is worth your investment if you're a big spin player, someone who likes to hit two-handed shots and wants an oversized (6") handle, or you're looking for a softer alternative to elongated thermoformed paddles.

If you can, I'd recommend trying the ProXR Zane Navratil "Standard" alongside this one to decide for yourself if the spin and control are better on that model.

If the ProXR Zane Navratil Signature isn't the right one for you, here are a few other paddles I recommend:

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