Every company claims that they have produced a paddle that has the perfect balance of control and power. I used to believe that this was impossible until I got my hands on the Flow.
A hybrid paddle that boasts a Swingweight in the medium-low range while providing a Twistweight in the medium-high range. This essentially means that the Flow is light to swing and stable when making contact.
Being a thermoformed paddle with foam-injected edges adds power back into the paddle, allowing it to still be a weapon without just being a pillow.
All of this, combined with the surface texture granting high spin rates, results in a paddle that I truly believe anyone from beginner to professional could use and not have to hold back while using it.
Note as well that I never added any lead to this paddle, just an over-grip to build the grip up to my desired thickness. Continue reading to learn more about the Neonic Flow
Neonic Flow Specs
Other Features
- Unibody construction for better control and feel
- Thermoformed for added power
- Foam-injected edges for increased sweet spot
- Swingweight: 116
- Twistweight: 6.61
Pros and Cons
- Easy to swing and maneuver for fast hands at the net.
- Stable and consistent on dinks, digs, resets, and drops.
- Very high spin to shape the ball however you need.
- Plenty of power and pop to maintain aggression and offense.
- Long handle for two-handed backhands.
- Medium-high range power, but swingweight is low enough to add lead for more power if desired.
My Personal Thoughts
I just recently won my first gold medal and leading up to the tournament I was in between testing other paddles. But when it came down to deciding what paddle I was going to use, my mind immediately went to the Neonic Flow because of its reliability and stability.
Fast in the hands while not being too poppy really solidified my decision as I knew the opponents in the 4.0 bracket were going to be more aggressive and speed up whenever possible.
I settled down and played with the mindset of, instead of countering with full force, use the Flow and just block the ball back, downwards, putting the opponents in a worse position.
With the mid-range pop of the Flow, counterattacks stayed in play and stayed offensive instead of defensive in hand battles. These features won me over and that is why the Neonic Flow quickly became my go to paddle whenever I play competitively.
Neonic Flow Pickleball Paddle Review
Spin
I gave the Neonic Flow a 9.5/10 for spin because it really is a weapon with this paddle. Testing side by side with paddles like the Volair Mach 2 Forza, or Selkirk Luxx, It feels great.
Slightly less than the Volair Mach 2, but still well over the 2,000 rpms mark. Being raw carbon fiber, I would highly recommend having a paddle eraser to clean the paddle once dust from the balls begin building up on the surface, to preserve the spin.
One of my favorite shots to hit is a cross court drop with a little pace, something like a drop/drive hybrid at about 50% power, to the opponent’s backhand while they are moving forward after their return.
Hitting this shot to their backhand on the move has caught so many people off guard, resulting in a pop up, Erne, or just a clean winner.
Having more topspin to dip the ball down to their feet makes this much more aggressive, which I could not pull off without the Flow’s incredible spin.
Control/Feel
This paddle easily deserves a 9.5/10 as it has some of the best control and sweet spot as any other thermoformed paddle. Off-center hits still are stable and do not completely die off the paddle face as some other paddles would.
It is also rather plush and soft so dinks, drops, and resets are very consistent and easy to place. Being unibody, you can also really feel the contact from the ball and the feedback from the paddle.
Foam-injected edges plus the wider body of the paddle compared to most hybrid paddles gives this paddle a higher twist weight resulting in this enhanced stability. I cannot say better things about the amount of control you feel from the Neonic Flow.
Power
If there is any negative, it is that the Flow does not have the inherent power that other hybrid thermoformed paddles do. The shorter construction and less head-heaviness droops the power down; however, this in not saying that the Flow lacks power whatsoever, just that POWER is not what I think of when I use the Flow.
I gave it a 8.5/10 because of this, which is still on the upper end, because it is still easily in the top half of paddles for hitting speed. I can easily generate pace on serves and drives with the Neonic Flow, and if anything, I do not feel that I need to hold back in fear of hitting the ball out of bounds.
Letting loose while playing, I feel much more in “the zone” while playing, as in my comfort zone. I can play hard without having to constantly worry about hitting too hard.
I keep my serves and returns deep, I can keep pressure, even in singles with the Flow. Overheads are still put-aways, drives are still fast, and speedups still have pace to be effective.
Durability
Easy 9.5/10 for Durability as the paddle is thermoformed, unibody, and foam-injected edges, all contributing to it having enhanced durability, lasting and playing like new for a long time. Coupled with a 6-month warranty to put any fears of breakdown to rest. Keep this paddle well maintained and cleaned, bring it inside during the freezing cold and sweltering heat, I don’t foresee any issues such as the delamination cases that we have seen in the past.
Neonic Flow Vs. SixZero Double Black Diamond
- Weight: 8.1 oz
- Length: 16.25"
- Paddle Width: 7.625"
- Grip Length: 5.5"
- Tickness: 16mm
- Face: T700 Carbon Fiber
- Coupon Codes: AllDriveNoDrop10 for 10% Off
- Weight: 7.8 - 8.0oz
- Length: 16.3"
- Paddle Width: 7.7"
- Grip Length: 5.3"
- Tickness: 14 mm or 16mm
- Face: T700 Carbon Fiber
- Coupon Codes: "ADND10" for 10% Off
The Double Black Diamond feels to have the slightest edge over the Neonic Flow, only in terms of power. Control, Feel, and Spin I give the Flow the upper hand.
Not to mention I felt the Flow was more maneuverable and quicker in the hands. Lastly, I preferred the length of the grip on the Neonic Flow as the 5.5” grip (which I wrapped up to 6” comfortably) gave me better control during two handed backhands, not to mention more whip and leverage on overhead put-aways. Between the two, my vote goes to the Neonic Flow .
Final Thoughts: Who Is The Neonic Flow Paddle For?
The Neonic Flow is the first paddle where I have said that truly almost anyone from beginner to advanced level could use it and play to their fullest. Its versatility is unmatched in the sense that it is soft enough for beginners to be consistent enough with it during resets and dinks, but also powerful enough for advanced players to hit powerful drives and maintain offense during hand battles. Out of every paddle that I have tested up to this point, the Neonic Flow would be the paddle that I would choose if I could only use one paddle for either singles or doubles. Truly, the best All-Around paddle that I have played with, especially for doubles.
If my review has drawn your attention to this one-of-a-kind paddle, use the link below to order one for yourself or use code AllDriveNoDrop10 for 10% off your purchase on any Neonic paddles.
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