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Paddletek
Paddletek Bantam ALW-C 14
The lightweight Bantam. At 7.7 oz it is one of the fastest paddles in the database through hands battles, and Paddletek's core keeps the feel soft rather than tinny.
From Paddletek
The Bantam EXL-C continues a legacy of elite-level performance. It provides a combination of forgiveness, power, spin, and flexibility. PT-700 unidirectional raw carbon fiber is combined with our more forgiving Bantam core to give serious players power, control, and spin capability. This combination along with its light/medium weight makes the EXL-C a versatile paddle for performance-minded players.
Official Paddletek product page →Cross-shopping? Most buyers weigh the Bantam ALW-C 14 against the JOOLA Magnus 3S 16 — see them side by side, or browse every Paddletek paddle.
- Core
- 14 mm
- Weight
- 7.7 oz
- Swing wt
- 105
- Twist wt
- 6.9
- Shape
- standard
- Surface
- Textured carbon
- Grip
- 5.25 in
- Released
- 2026
Pros
- Fastest hand speed in the premium group
- Light enough for arm-sensitive players
- Soft, quiet feel
Cons
- Low plow-through on drives
- Thicker 4.375 in grip is not for everyone
AI verdict — generated from measured specs
Last updated: July 2026
Should you buy the Bantam ALW-C 14?
The Paddletek Bantam ALW-C 14 scores 86.3/100 on our IQ index, built from all 15 Paddle DNA traits. Its signature is maneuverability (84/100, 89th percentile of the database), backed by control at 90 and sweet spot at 89. The 14 mm Bantam polymer core core and Textured carbon face at 7.7 oz put it in the all-court — comfortable driving and resetting in the same rally bracket.
Where it gives ground is plow through (74) and spin (84). With a 105 kg·cm² swing weight and a 5.25 in handle it suits beginner/intermediate/advanced players, one-handed backhands, hands battles at the kitchen. Skip it if you specifically want the opposite profile — maximum pop and minimum dwell time.
Closest paddles by DNA: JOOLA Magnus 3S 16 ($230), Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard ($180), Volair Mach 1 Forza 16 ($170). If budget matters, the Vatic Pro Oni 16 lands within 2 IQ points for $70 less. Overall: a strong buy for the right player, though not the outright best paddle in the database.
- Best for
- beginner/intermediate/advanced players, one-handed backhands, hands battles at the kitchen
- Playing style
- all-court — comfortable driving and resetting in the same rally
- Avoid if
- you specifically want the opposite profile — maximum pop and minimum dwell time
Community consensus
What other players say about the Paddletek Bantam ALW-C 14
Verbatim excerpts from public discussion and independent reviews, plus the themes they add up to. These are other people's opinions, not ours, and every quote links back to where it was written.
No sourced community excerpts are published for this paddle yet. We only quote text we can link back to.
Who should buy the Bantam ALW-C 14?
- One-handed backhand players who want more face for the same length
- Soft-game specialists who reset and dink their way through rallies
- Players who live in hands battles at the kitchen line
- Players still tightening up their contact point
- Newer players wanting one paddle to grow into
- Anyone not ready to spend $200+ before knowing their shape preference
- Two-handed backhand players — the handle is short for it
AI paddle match
If you like the Bantam ALW-C 14, you'll probably like…
Each pick is the database's best answer to one specific question, ranked by how far it moves the needle versus the Bantam ALW-C 14.
- Better controlJOOLA Perseus CFS 16Control 95 vs 90, touch 93 vs 88IQ 87.1 · $240
- More powerGearbox Pro Power ElongatedPower 94 vs 85, pop 95 vs 84IQ 76.6 · $200
- Better valueFranklin Ben Johns Signature ProIQ 74.7 at $60 — $140 less than the Bantam ALW-C 14IQ 74.7 · $60
- Similar feelJOOLA Magnus 3S 16Closest DNA profile in the database to the Bantam ALW-C 14IQ 87.6 · $230
- More spinCRBN CRBN-2X SquareSpin 96 vs 84 off a Raw T700 carbon peel-ply faceIQ 87.3 · $229
- More forgivingSix Zero Quartz ControlForgiveness 91 vs 88, sweet spot 92 vs 89IQ 88 · $190
Bantam ALW-C 14 head-to-head comparisons
The matchups people actually cross-shop, each with a full 15-trait breakdown.
Paddle DNA™ — all 15 traits
Every trait normalised 0-100 against the full database, so these numbers mean the same thing on any paddle page. How we measure →
Key attributes
DNA match — paddles within 5% of the Bantam ALW-C 14
Our similarity engine ranks the whole database by average DNA deviation. Tighten or widen the band to see how far you have to travel to save money or gain a trait.
Paddle DNA™ match
Paddletek Bantam ALW-C 14
IQ 86.3 · $200
8 paddles within 5% of the Bantam ALW-C 14
Ranked by DNA deviation
- +8 spin-6 pop+5 swing weight-4 maneuverability
+8 spin · -6 pop · Higher IQ score (87.6 vs 86.3)
- +10 swing weight+8 launch angle-7 maneuverability+6 plow through
Saves $20 versus the Bantam ALW-C 14 · +10 swing weight · -7 maneuverability
- +10 swing weight-9 maneuverability+8 plow through+3 spin
Saves $30 versus the Bantam ALW-C 14 · +10 swing weight · -9 maneuverability
- -13 pop-12 maneuverability+8 swing weight-7 power
+8 swing weight · -13 pop
- +13 swing weight-11 maneuverability+11 plow through+4 spin
Saves $40 versus the Bantam ALW-C 14 · +13 swing weight · -11 maneuverability
- -7 touch-7 softness-6 maneuverability-5 control
Saves $101 versus the Bantam ALW-C 14 · +5 spin · -7 touch
- -12 pop-7 power+6 spin+6 twist weight
+6 spin · -12 pop · Higher IQ score (88 vs 86.3)
- -12 softness-8 maneuverability-7 forgiveness-7 sweet spot
Saves $40 versus the Bantam ALW-C 14 · +6 plow through · -12 softness
Best alternatives to the Bantam ALW-C 14
Each pick beats the Bantam ALW-C 14 on one specific thing — price, power, control or forgiveness.
Similar paddles (within 8% DNA)
JOOLA Magnus 3S 1616 mm · standard · 8 oz · SW 110$23088
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard16 mm · standard · 8.1 oz · SW 111$18086
Volair Mach 1 Forza 1616 mm · hybrid · 8.1 oz · SW 113$17085
Engage Pursuit MX 6.016 mm · elongated · 8.3 oz · SW 118$22085- Bantam ALW-C 14 vs Magnus 3S 16
- Bantam ALW-C 14 vs Loco 16mm Standard
- Bantam ALW-C 14 vs Mach 1 Forza 16
- Bantam ALW-C 14 vs Pursuit MX 6.0
Want a different matchup? Compare any two paddles or browse the full paddle database.
Ranked in
More from Paddletek
One of the original US manufacturers, best known for the Bantam and Tempest lines and their proprietary polymer cores.
Bantam ALW-C 14 — frequently asked questions
- Is the Paddletek Bantam ALW-C 14 good for beginners?
- Yes. Forgiveness measures 88/100 and the sweet spot 89/100, both high enough that off-centre contact still produces a playable ball. At $200 it is more paddle than most beginners need, but it will not hold you back.
- Is the Paddletek Bantam ALW-C 14 worth the price?
- At $200 it sits in the 61th percentile of the database for cost and the 79th for IQ score. If those numbers do not line up for you, the Vatic Pro Oni 16 at $130 is the value alternative we point people to.
- How does the Bantam ALW-C 14 compare to the Magnus 3S 16?
- They are close on DNA. The Bantam ALW-C 14 reads power 85 / control 90 / spin 84 against 83 / 90 / 92 for the Magnus 3S 16, at $200 versus $230. Our full head-to-head breaks down every trait.
- Is the 14 mm better than the 16 mm version?
- A 14 mm core returns energy faster, so drives and speed-ups come off harder with less effort. The 16 mm build gives up some of that pop for dwell time and softer hands. Pick 14 mm for pace, 16 mm for touch.
- Is the Paddletek Bantam ALW-C 14 approved for tournament play?
- Sanctioned play requires the model to appear on USA Pickleball's official approved-equipment list. Paddletek submits its retail models for approval, but approval is per model and configuration, so check the current USAP list for the exact Bantam ALW-C 14 build before you enter a sanctioned event. We do not list approval status we have not verified.
- Does the Bantam ALW-C 14 have good spin?
- Spin measures 84/100 — the 32th percentile of our database — off a Textured carbon face. That is solid rather than class-leading; you will get shape on the ball without it being the paddle's selling point.
- Is the Bantam ALW-C 14 head heavy?
- Swing weight is 105 kg·cm² and twist weight 6.9. That is light and fast through the swing path, which favours hands battles over plow-through. Static weight is 7.7 oz.
- Does the Bantam ALW-C 14 benefit from lead tape?
- Yes — at 105 kg·cm² there is room to add. Tape at 3 and 9 o'clock raises twist weight and stability with the smallest hit to hand speed; tape at 12 adds power and plow-through but slows the paddle noticeably. Any added weight can affect tournament legality if it changes the paddle beyond the approved configuration.
- What is the best overgrip for the Bantam ALW-C 14?
- The stock handle is 5.25 in long with a 4.375 in circumference. A thin tacky overgrip adds roughly 1/16 in of circumference and a few grams above the balance point — the cheapest way to fine-tune fit. If your hand is larger than the 4.375 in stock size, build up with an under-wrap first rather than stacking overgrips.
- What should I replace the Bantam ALW-C 14 with when it wears out?
- Face wear shows up as lost spin long before the core dies. The straight replacement is another Bantam ALW-C 14; if you want to change something, the JOOLA Perseus CFS 16 adds control (95 vs 90) and the Gearbox Pro Power Elongated adds power (94 vs 85).
- Who is the Bantam ALW-C 14 best for?
- Fast-hands players and anyone managing arm strain. Skill levels we would put on it: beginner, intermediate, advanced. Handle length of 5.25 in suits one-handed backhands; two-handers will find it short.
- What shape and size is the Bantam ALW-C 14?
- standard shape, 16 in long by 7.9 in wide, 14 mm Bantam polymer core core, Textured carbon face, 7.7 oz. Released 2026.
- Is the Bantam ALW-C 14 good for two-handed backhands?
- Less so. At 5.25 in your top hand will sit partly on the throat. Two-handers should look for 5.3 in or longer.
- Bantam ALW-C 14 or Tempest Wave V3?
- Both are Paddletek. The Bantam ALW-C 14 reads IQ 86.3 at $200; the Tempest Wave V3 reads IQ 82.9 at $150. The clearest split is power (85 vs 72).
- How does PickleballLookup score the Bantam ALW-C 14?
- The IQ score of 86.3 is a weighted composite of the 15 Paddle DNA traits, normalized across every paddle in the database so the number means the same thing on any page. Performance traits carry the most weight; descriptive traits like swing weight carry none. Full methodology is published.
Bantam ALW-C 14 on video
Reviewed by
Alex Zubarev
Founder, PickleballLookupAlex built the Paddle DNA™ database behind PickleballLookup — 15 normalized traits measured against every paddle in the catalog. Every page on this site is generated from that data and editorially reviewed before publication.
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Last updated July 2026 · How we score paddles