Pickleball Apes
One of the more genuinely inventive engineering shops in the category, with bold visual design.
United States · Founded 2023
- Country
- United States
- Founded
- 2023
- Leadership
- The ProDrive line is credited to engineer Henrik Andersson
The story
Apes is quietly one of the more genuinely inventive engineering shops in the category. While most of the market converged on the same floating-foam-perimeter formula, Apes went a different direction with the Charm series' full diced foam core.
The result is a paddle that behaves like a controlled all-court paddle at normal swing speeds and unlocks a distinct extra gear of power when you swing big. The brand identity leans heavily on bold visual design.
Shape decoder
| Model / shape | Category | Dimensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charm X | Elongated | - | Maximum reach and two-handed backhands |
| Charm | Hybrid | - | - |
| Widebody variant | Widebody | - | - |
The Charm series standardized one core/face spec across three shapes. Confirm the exact shape names for the widebody and hybrid variants from the product pages.
Surface technologies
- DuPont Kevlar x Toray T700 Carbon Fiber · Blended face.
- Aramid fiber face · On the Charm series: high spin with a denser, slightly softer feel than pure raw carbon once broken in.
- Grit Paint · On the ProDrive line.
Core technologies
- Diced Core Technology · The signature innovation. A full 16mm diced EPE foam core with horizontal precision incisions on both sides extending roughly 25% into the face, plus TPU corner padding. It is not an EVA perimeter wrapped around a floating core, which Apes argues gives more consistent long-term feel.
- Triple-layer core · On the ProDrive.
Series and models
Pro Bounce, ProDrive, Charm / Charm X, Pulse, Harmony.
Worth knowing
Classified as Gen 4 construction. The "on-demand power" profile is a real differentiator and suits a wider range of players than the always-hot foam builds.