Tested by Matt Khoury
4.5 player · 2 yrs testing paddles · 630+ reviewed
Reviewed
APRIL 2026
Updated OCTOBER 2026
Gherkin Draco Widebody 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
- 60.6 mph
- Serve speed percentile
- 69.7%
- Serve speed z-score
- 0.659
- Punch volley speed
- 39.2 mph
- Punch volley speed percentile
- 82.7%
- Punch volley speed z-score
- 0.857
- Spin
- 2287 rpm
- Spin percentile
- 72.8%
- Spin z-score
- 0.537
- Swing weight
- 106.2
- Swing weight percentile
- 5.7%
- Swing weight z-score
- -1.486
- Twist weight
- 6.8
- Twist weight percentile
- 75.9%
- Twist weight z-score
- 0.669
- Static weight
- 7.66 oz
- Static weight percentile
- 3.7%
- Static weight z-score
- -1.698
- Balance point
- 23.9 cm
- Balance point percentile
- 26.6%
- Balance point z-score
- -0.500
- Surface roughness (Ra)
- 6.80 µm
- Surface roughness (Ra) percentile
- 36.9%
- Surface roughness (Ra) z-score
- -0.328
- Firepower
- 76/100
- Control score
- 69/100
- Power rating
- 4/5
- Control rating
- 4/5
- Spin rating
- 4/5
- Pop rating
- 5/5
- Forgiveness rating
- 4/5
- Matt's star rating
- 5/5
- Balance offset from center
- +3.6 cm
- Core thickness
- 16 mm
- Shape
- Widebody
- Length
- 16 in
- Width
- 8 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
- #50 of 522 measured paddles
- Market comparison
- 518 measured paddles across 9 metrics