Tested by Matt Khoury
4.5 player · 2 yrs testing paddles · 630+ reviewed
Reviewed
APRIL 2026
Updated OCTOBER 2026
Gherkin Draco Elongated 16mm Pickleball Paddle Review
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Retail Price
$179.99
Promo Code
10% off at checkout
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Videos
How players classify this paddle
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All measurements
- Serve speed
- 61 mph
- Serve speed percentile
- 92.1%
- Serve speed z-score
- 1.002
- Punch volley speed
- 38.9 mph
- Punch volley speed percentile
- 55.5%
- Punch volley speed z-score
- 0.506
- Spin
- 2298 rpm
- Spin percentile
- 83.8%
- Spin z-score
- 0.657
- Swing weight
- 112.4
- Swing weight percentile
- 35.1%
- Swing weight z-score
- -0.328
- Twist weight
- 6.2
- Twist weight percentile
- 29.4%
- Twist weight z-score
- -0.492
- Static weight
- 7.82 oz
- Static weight percentile
- 17.0%
- Static weight z-score
- -0.891
- Balance point
- 24.3 cm
- Balance point percentile
- 51.6%
- Balance point z-score
- 0.249
- Surface roughness (Ra)
- 6.78 µm
- Surface roughness (Ra) percentile
- 36.2%
- Surface roughness (Ra) z-score
- -0.339
- Firepower
- 74/100
- Control score
- 47/100
- Power rating
- 4/5
- Control rating
- 3/5
- Spin rating
- 5/5
- Pop rating
- 3/5
- Forgiveness rating
- 3/5
- Matt's star rating
- 5/5
- Balance offset from center
- +3.3 cm
- Core thickness
- 16 mm
- Shape
- Elongated
- Length
- 16.5 in
- Width
- 7.5 in
- Handle length
- 5.75 in
- Handle circumference
- 4.25 in
- Surface material
- Carbon Fiber
- Core material
- Nanocellulose Polymer
- Surface texture
- Peel Ply (Coarse)
- Manufacturing process
- Gen-4 Unibody Molded
- Classification
- Gen 4
- Approval body
- USA Pickleball
- Punch volley rank
- #193 of 522 measured paddles
- Market comparison
- 518 measured paddles across 9 metrics