Engage Pursuit Pro EX 6.0 Review (UK 2026): 16mm Power

The EX 6.0 build sits at the more conservative end of current paddle design in 2026 in the sense that it explicitly chose not to thermoform. The non-thermoformed construction is the headline feature - Engage has chosen to deliver power through the core and face combination rather than through the rigidity of a thermoformed unibody.

Face: Raw Toray T700 carbon fibre. T700 is the same fibre grade used in the JOOLA Perseus and most of the current tour-grade paddle range; the 'raw' description means the surface has not been laminated or painted, which preserves the grit-texture for spin retention.

Core: 16mm Control Pro 'Black' polypropylene honeycomb core. The 16mm thickness sits at the upper end of the current paddle market - thicker than the 13mm and 14mm aggressive builds, thinner than the 18mm and 19mm pure-control specialist builds.

Edge: Engage's Vortex Barrier Edge Technology, which the spec sheet describes as limiting vibration. The practical effect is a slightly forgiving impact feel at off-centre contact compared to a more rigid edge build.

Shape and dimensions: standard elongated profile at 16 inches long by 8 inches wide, with a 5-inch handle and 4.5-inch grip circumference. The 4.5-inch grip is average for UK player hand sizes - smaller-handed players may need an overgrip to reach preferred dimensions.

Weight: 7.85 oz average in the Lite spec and 8.25 oz in the Standard. Both are middle-of-market weights; the Lite is the right choice for two-handed-backhand players, the Standard for traditional single-handed players who want more swing weight on drives.

The EX 6.0's on-court character is the unusual part. Third-party testing places it at 115 swing weight (moderate) and 7.37 twist weight (very high). The very-high twist weight is the source of the forgiveness claim: the paddle resists off-axis rotation on off-centre hits, which translates to fewer pop-ups on mishits and a larger effective sweet spot.

Power: review consensus places the EX 6.0 at the upper end of the 16mm-paddle power range, comparable to many 14mm thermoformed builds. The non-thermoformed construction delivers the power through face grip and the raw T700 fibre rather than through rigidity, which is the structural reason the impact feel stays cushioned rather than harsh.

Spin: third-party testing places the EX 6.0 at 94% spin (top-of-class). The raw T700 fibre face is the source - same surface technology as the tour-grade Perseus and Joola hyperion lines.

Control: 81% per the same testing. This is the trade-off for the power lean - dedicated 18mm control paddles will outperform the EX 6.0 on dink trades and resets, but the EX 6.0 is still credible for control work and the larger sweet spot helps recovery on resets that don't quite catch centre.

Feel at contact: the cushioned-feel claim holds up in the review pool. Multiple reviewers describe the EX 6.0 as feeling softer than a 16mm thermoformed comparable while delivering similar pace - an unusual combination in the current market.

The EX 6.0 is at the premium end of the UK paddle market in 2026, but not at the very top. Comparable benchmarks:

• US MSRP: $260, with 20-percent retailer discount codes (e.g. PickleballEffect's 20EFFECT) commonly available, bringing the discounted US price to around $208.
• UK retail (importer markup): typically £230 to £260 in 2026 depending on the UK distributor. Pickleball UK, Padel UK and Engage's UK distributor partners are the main routes; Amazon UK occasionally lists at higher with delivery from US stock.
• Second-hand: the second-generation Pursuit Pro line is recent enough that the second-hand market is thin in the UK in mid-2026. Expect 60 to 70 percent of new price when units start appearing on Pickleball UK Marketplace or eBay.