Compare up to 3 paddles side by side
Specs, weight and swing weight, all 15 Paddle DNA™ traits, and price plus availability built only from the retailer offers we actually track — never estimated.
Specs & weight
| Spec | GAMMA Obsidian 16 | JOOLA Essentials 16 |
|---|---|---|
| IQ score | 80.3/100 | 82.2/100 |
| MSRP | $150 | $89 |
| Best tracked price | Not tracked | $89 |
| Weight | 7.7 oz | 7.9 oz |
| Swing weightlower = faster hands | 102 | 108 |
| Twist weighthigher = more forgiving | 6.2 | 5.8 |
| Core | 16 mm | 16 mm |
| Shape | standard | standard |
| Surface | Textured graphite composite | Textured fiberglass |
| Handle | 5 in | 5 in |
| Released | 2025 | 2025 |
Price & availability
Sourced from stored retailer offers and their recorded price history. Paddles with no tracked offer show MSRP only.
GAMMA Obsidian 16
No retailer offers tracked yet for this paddle, so we don't show a price range. MSRP is $150.
JOOLA Essentials 16
- Tracked range
- $89 – $93
- Typical (median)
- $91
- All-time low
- $89
- Availability
- 2 / 2 in stock
Paddle DNA™
- Power7274
- Control8689
- Spin7478
- Forgiveness8891
- Sweet spot8692
- Stability7879
- Maneuverability8484
- Pop6876
- Touch8682
- Consistency8486
- Swing weight6246
- Twist weight7271
- Launch angle4666
- Plow through6862
- Softness8688
Bars listed in the order GAMMA Obsidian 16 · JOOLA Essentials 16
Verdicts
GAMMA Obsidian 16
The softest paddle in this group and one of the lightest-swinging. Softness 86 plus a 102 swing weight is a recipe for confident dinks — provided you accept a low power ceiling.
JOOLA Essentials 16
The widest measured sweet spot in our sub-$100 test group. Mishits off the top third still clear the net, which is exactly what a new player needs while their contact point is inconsistent.