nico the lefty.Honest Pickleball Reviews

Mark Pickleball unMARKed 2026 vs Spartus Spitfire

Comparisons cover the paddles I've reviewed, so every score is mine. Pick any other paddle to request its review.

Mark Pickleball unMARKed 2026

Mark Pickleball

  • More Pop
Power paddle

unMARKed 2026

$170.99 w/ code · Elongated · 16mm

Spartus Spitfire

Spartus

  • Best for Control
  • Best Value
Power paddleStrong spinGood control

Spitfire

$98.99 w/ code · Elongated · 16mm

No winner on this page on purpose. The numbers are below and the call is yours. Buying through my links or with code supports the testing at no extra cost to you. How this site makes money

unMARKed 2026

  • More pop: +1.9
  • Longer handle: +0.25 in

Spitfire

  • More control: +2.6
  • Costs $72 less with code

By the numbers.

Scores run 0 to 10. Measurement bars are relative to each other.

unMARKed 2026

Spitfire

Spin

RPM, lab average

–

not published

2,390RPM

lab avg · 2 sourcesTop 10% of the database

Power

drives and serves

9.0/10

8.6/10

Pop

speed off the face on short swings

9.9/10

8.0/10

Control

stability and a calm face

5.9/10

8.5/10

Grit durability

how long the bite lasts

9.2/10

8.9/10

Swing weight

lower swings quicker

113.5

brand claims

115.4

lab avg · 3 sources

Twist weight

higher forgives mishits

6.20

brand claims

6.11

lab avg · 3 sources

Static weight

ounces on the scale

7.9oz

brand claims

7.8oz

lab avg · 3 sources

Power, Pop, Control and Grit durability are my scores on my 10-point scale. Every paddle starts from a default I compute from where its measurements land against the whole database, and I set the number myself once I've played the paddle. Power is drives and serves, Pop is speed off the face on short swings, Control is stability with a calm face, Grit durability is how long the bite lasts. Spin, swing weight, twist weight and static weight are raw measurements: “lab avg” averages the independent reviewer labs in my database (John Kew, Matt's Pickleball, Pickleball Studio, The Pickleball Blast), and “brand claims” is the manufacturer's published number. I don't own a bench rig, and I say so.

The build

unMARKed 2026Spitfire
ShapeElongatedElongated
Core16mm, VelosiCore dual-density foam16mm, Generation 4 Turbo Foam
FaceT700 carbon fiber, VelosiGrit textureQuadFiber
Length × width16.5 × 7.5 in16.5 × 7.5 in
Handle5.75 in5.5 in
CertificationUSAP approved (not UPA-A)USAP Approved
MSRP$189.99$109.99
With code NICOTHELEFTY$170.99$98.99
Nico's score8.5 / 109.1 / 10

Still deciding?

I'll email you when either paddle's price moves. One email, then nothing.