Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 12.7mm Paddle Review: My In-Depth Thoughts

(Picture Stephen Sullivan)

First Look

There is no doubt that the Bantam TKO-C is a sharp-looking paddle with its clean white-on-black design. The paddle I tested featured an elongated shape and a 5.3″ handle. Although I almost exclusively use a one-handed backhand, the handle is unquestionably long enough for a two-handed backhand due to the size of the neck, making it perfect for those who employ such a shot.

My first impression upon picking up the paddle was that it felt light and lacked the headweight I prefer. If I were to use this paddle regularly, I would add weight to the handle and possibly to the middle of the paddle to achieve a more balanced and weightier feel. 

(Picture Pickleball Central)

My Experience

Power

After drilling and playing with the Bantam TKO-C for almost a month, I’ve found it to be an absolute menace to opposing players. Its significant pop makes driving the ball effortless. Even more impressive is that Paddletek has accomplished this without sacrificing durability, unlike other Gen 3/foam paddles. The power and pop are similar to JOOLA paddles I’ve used in the past and my daily use paddle, the Gearbox CX14.

Spin

As expected with the raw carbon fiber surface of the Bantam TKO-C, this paddle allows players to generate significant spin on the ball. While playing with it, I noticed that many shots I expected to sail long would dip, bite, and drop in the court—especially drives from the baseline. The carbon fiber surface also enabled topspin dinks and backspin drops, making the paddle exceptionally enjoyable to use.

Consistency/Accuracy

One area where I would categorize this paddle as “needs improvement” is the sweet spot. I found it to be quite small, which made my resets less consistent and predictable. Admittedly, using the paddle for a longer period might have helped. If I were to use this paddle daily, I would almost certainly apply lead tape to the sides to increase the sweet spot for those inevitable mishits.

Feel/Control

As a high-power paddle, I expected the Bantam TKO-C to be challenging to control, especially when responding to opposing drives. Straight out of the box, I found the paddle’s responsiveness difficult to predict, particularly with shots where I wasn’t trying to generate power, such as resets, dinks, and blocks. Blocking drives with the Bantam TKO-C proved to be less predictable and harder to control. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the paddle’s control and predictability with baseline drives and dinks.