Engage Pursuit MAXX MX 6.0 Paddle: My In-Depth Thoughts

A more cost effective option than their Pro line, but a similar feel

(Picture Dennis Rodriguez)

First Look

Personally, I have never been a big fan of Engage paddles as far as looks go. The glossy edge guard and the little pointy rubber butt cap always seemed like an odd choice for a premier paddle company like Engage. I do however like the simplistic and consistent design of the paddle face. That little pop of green also caught my eye. As I held the paddle in my hand it felt like your typical Engage paddles, very well built and, in my opinion, a bit head heavy. It was no surprise when the swing weight measured around 125. While the added swing weight does give the paddle more power, I personally prefer swing weights between 115-120. This weight helps keep my hands fast.

(Image Credit: Dennis Rodriguez)

My Experience

Consistency & Accuracy

As far as consistency goes, Engage really does an incredible job with the quality control of their paddles. When you use an Engage paddle, you can identify it pretty easily based off of feel alone. For a 16mm non-thermoformed paddle, I found the MAXX Mx 6.0 to be very poppy and powerful. I have always found Engage paddles to be on the poppier side and this one was no different. Being one of the few paddle companies that still produces paddles in the US, it’s refreshing to see how well built and durable Engage paddles still are.

(Image Credit: Dennis Rodriguez)

Power

The Engage MAXX Mx 6.0 can be quite deceiving if you are not familiar with Engage paddles. At first look, it seems like your typical 16mm control oriented paddle. Once you make contact with the ball you quickly realize the power that this paddle can generate. Ground stroke power is effortless and the pop this paddle provides makes counter attacks very comfortable. The biggest adjustment you will have to make if switching from a more control oriented paddle, is letting this paddle do the work. No more having to take huge backswings to generate the power required in today’s game. Because I didn’t have to focus so much on generating my own power, I noticed that my control actually improved. Makes sense because the less you swing, the less room for errors. My swings were short and compact yet still giving me plenty of power.

Spin

Spin…now here is where I did see a bit of a difference as compared to the MAXX’s more expensive counterpart, the Persuit Pro MX 6.0. Because the face material is a slightly cheaper type of carbon fiber, I did notice a bit of a decrease in spin with the MAXX. Engage calls it Enhanced Friction Carbon. I would say this paddle offers medium spin potential, ranging between 1700 and 1800 RPM. While not as good as some paddles that are reaching upwards of 2000, it still offers plenty of spin to keep the ball in the court. Since the paddle offers so much power on its own, swinging around 60-70% on your groundstrokes really allows you to come up on the ball and generate that spin.

Defense to Offense

I found that transitioning from defense to offense did take some getting used to. Because the paddle offers so much pop, if I was holding the paddle just a bit too tight in transition, I noticed significantly more pop ups than I typically have. Like any paddle, once I got used to it, I found that executing resets with the MAXX was actually pretty simple. Like I said earlier, you have to be comfortable letting the paddle do the work. Keeping your strokes short with minimal backswing. The benefits of a more compact type swing are, less room for error, better timing at impact, and overall less strain on your arm. All of these attribute to better control and an overall better playing experience. If you have trouble trusting the paddle and prefer taking bigger swings, this paddle might not be for you.

(Image Credit: Dennis Rodriguez)

Feedback & Feel

The Pursuit MAXX MX 6.0 has a very nice feel and a good sized sweet spot. Besides obvious corners there really are no “dead” spots on the paddle and overall it is quite forgiving on mishits. Being a poppier paddle with a big sweet spot, I don’t feel that the paddle gives the player much feedback. It is very forgiving which is a good thing but can also be a little deceiving. I would rather a paddle have a bit smaller of a sweet spot and give me more feedback on mishits. If you are an intermediate player and struggling to hit the center of the face on a regular basis, this paddle will probably almost certainly improve your game.

Looks & Design

Engage clearly abides by the saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, because they have never changed their logo nor have they really changed their overall design. Their build quality is second to none and the logo is vanilla. While other companies change designs or add different art work to their paddles, Engage keeps that same bullseye logo right in the center and you can spot it from a mile away.

Overall Experience

My experience with the Engage Pursuit MAXX MX 6.0 was overall very positive. It plays very similar to their pro line but at a $60 price difference. If you are in the market for a solid reliable paddle and want to save a bit of cash, The MAXX series might be perfect for you. It plays with a ton of power, has great pop, and also delivers a good amount of control. One negative for me is the high swing weight. I like paddles to be under 120 and with this paddle being closer to 125+, I found it a bit slow during firefights and quick movements. If you like that heavier swing weight and/or come from a tennis background I would highly recommend this paddle.