Paddle Review – Manta Cobra 2G

I have always used a fairly hard and heavy paddle, but I thought that I had overcome the obvious challenges with control and that I had actually mastered the soft game fairly well. Some bad experiences with the Dura 40 outdoor ball made me rethink my position, so I thought a new paddle might be appropriate.

My call went to Manta World Sport in British Columbia (full disclosure - I am sponsored member of the Manta Pro Team), and I decided to take the new long, thin Cobra 2G for a spin. To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement:

• at 7.8 ounces, the paddle is a bit heavier than normal (but significantly lighter than my previous weapon); this weight still puts some good power on groundstrokes and overhead shots
• the extended length (16 1/2 inches) is a full 1 1/4 inches longer than my previous paddle, and that difference is easily noticeable in shots that I am now reaching
• the sweet spot is large and easy to find, and the ball pops off of it
• the skin is fiberglass, and the core is polymer honeycomb, giving significantly improved control
• I also noticed that control is much better on those "unintentional" shots that you are lucky to get a paddle on - they no longer automatically fly off the court
• the paddle is also much more forgiving - if you don't stroke the ball perfectly, it still has a good chance of staying on the court
• the paddle feels good to hold - nicely balanced and comfortable
• the handle length is a full 5", so the paddle does not have a "stubby" feel
• this paddle is exceptionally quiet, if that is a concern to either you or your neighbors

Bottom line - this is a well made, very easy to love paddle. It is now my new weapon of choice.

If you are in the Ottawa, ON area, I have a demo of this paddle available and I would be happy to let you use it.