This 3-Year-Old Girl is Disrupting the Game with the Maverix Havik 16
| Verdict |
|---|
| The Maverix Havik – 16 Power is fine tuned for power hitters. It took a solid two hours of consistent drilling before I was really able to dial in the touch but once I did…wow. This paddle has undoubtedly separated itself from the pack, but if I had to compare I’d say the Legacy Pro, Six Zero Double Black Diamond, or even the Selkirk Project 006 are the most similar. If you come from any of those, you should have no issues transitioning to the Maverix Power. After my time drilling and playing with this paddle, I am a huge fan! The power and control you get from the Maverix Power is unlike many in today’s market. It feels so sturdy in your hand during play and really gives the player this sense of confidence in all the different game scenarios. In my opinion, the player that is going to benefit from this paddle is going to be an intermediate to pro level player who has controlled touch and needs that added power to take on the more advanced level of play. The game is changing and we are seeing some incredibly hard hitters out there. Being able to counter these shots with the same amount of pace is such an advantage and you get that with the Maverix Havik – 16 Power. After a few months of play I experienced the difference. Maverix put some real thought into this paddle and it shows. View at Amazon |
| Specs | Description |
|---|---|
| Paddle Weight | 8.1-8.3 oz |
| Paddle Face Material | Toray T-700S Raw Carbon Fiber |
| Paddle Core Material | Tetra-Core Polypropylene |
| Paddle Shape | Hybrid – Thermoformed |
| Paddle Length | 16.5” |
| Paddle Width | 7.5” |
| Grip Size | 4.25” |
| Handle Length | 5.31” |
Editors Note: Wanting to create a company in honor of his daughter, Haven, Matt Miller delved deep into the world of paddle engineering, materials, and manufacturing. The name “Maverix” was born from a blend of ‘Miller’ and ‘Haven’, with an added “X” for flair.
First Look
Maverix Pickleball is a firefighter owned company based in California and has been in the works for quite some time. Early this year they released the first of their two pickleball paddle models, the Maverix Havik – 16 Power. Right out of the box, the paddle presentation is beautiful. The Maverix Power comes in a nicely labeled box showing off their Maverix logo. You receive a neoprene head cover as well as a Maverix Sports all weather hat, included in the box. Once I put the paddle in my hand, what stood out to me was that the paddle felt durable, sturdy, and well balanced. Newer pickleball companies are coming out everyday claiming new tech or the latest innovation but not many stand out the way this paddle did to me. I will say, while I really liked the grip choice on this paddle, I did feel like the grip could have been a bit thicker. Keep in mind, this is personal preference and it is always better to have a grip be slightly smaller as you can always add over grip to make it the perfect fit for you.
Background Research
Paddle Design and Construction
The Maverix Havik – 16 Power is a thermoformed paddle meaning it is a unibody solid piece design. It also has Polyflex™ foam injected into the edge wall which Maverix states helps to reduce the chance of delamination, helps dampen vibration, as well as expands the sweet spot of the paddle. While the paddle shape is quite unique in comparison with many of today’s paddles, we have seen a similar shape before in the Head Extreme Pro.
Unique Shape and Weight Distribution
The top of the paddle head is shaped more like an octagon and Maverix calls it their “patented hybrid-thermoformed™ shape”. The idea behind this shape is that it redistributes the weight of the paddle which keeps the swing weight under 120 which is ideal for limiting arm issues such as “tennis elbow” and maintaining fast hands. The additional benefits of this head design are an increased sweet spot and well balanced paddle.
Target Audience and Suitability
Maverix Pickleball designed the Havik – 16 Power to suit the needs of many players from beginner to pro level. In my experience with thermoformed paddles, however, these paddles are best suited in the hands of intermediate to advanced levels due to their increased power and pop. It is harder for beginner level players to keep the ball from popping up. Their soft game just is not as developed yet. This is where the Maverix Havik – 16 Control might be a better fit. I have personally used both models and, while you still have plenty of power with the Maverix Havik – 16 Control, you will also see a slight increase in the soft game.
Performance Review & My Experience
Warming-Up
If you have confidence in your touch, the Maverix Power will greatly enhance your ability to generate power and speed effortlessly. I felt at ease in the non-volley zone, executing both topspin and slice dinks. My third-shot drops were both comfortable and consistent. However, for me, it did require a slightly longer warm-up to hone this touch. Due to the power this paddle produces, I noticed that diving into a game with minimal warm-up often led to me popping the ball up. But, by dedicating 10-15 minutes before a game to fine-tuning my dinks, drops, and resets, I faced no challenges executing them in the actual match.
Forgiveness on Mishits
The Maverix Havik – 16 Power is exceptionally forgiving on mishits. This paddle gave me a newfound confidence, leading me to adopt a more aggressive stance both at the baseline and in the non-volley zone. Consequently, I observed that many of my shots were landing closer to the top portion of the paddle’s face. This observation came from the natural marks the ball left on my paddle. It indicated that even if I wasn’t consistently hitting the paddle’s sweet spot, the ball was still reacting favorably, even when contact was made closer to the paddle’s edges. While mishits are inevitable in any game, having a paddle that can “forgive” those errors is vital in reducing unforced mistakes.
Spin and Serve Dynamics
As far as spin goes, I would classify this paddle as having high spin. I really noticed this on my ground strokes but even more so on my serves. The amount of power and spin I was able to generate on my serve was great. What I heard most from my opponents was that the ball kicked at them after making contact with the court surface. They said it was very hard to gauge the movement of the ball after my serve. Having a strong serve is essential in singles but still very advantageous in doubles.
Swing Weight and Physical Comfort
One of the struggles many paddle companies encounter is keeping swing weight down. A heavier paddle will equate to more power but can sometimes lead to slower hand speed. I have noticed that when I use a paddle with a swing weight at or above 120, my speed is significantly reduced which in turn requires me to swing harder to accommodate my lost speed. This ultimately has resulted in tennis elbow and other arm issues. The Maverix Power has a swing weight around 118 and felt extremely comfortable when executing back hand flicks, counters, and hands battles.
Comparative Analysis
I would say the Maverix Havik – 16 Power is most comparable to the Six Zero Double Black Diamond. It has a very similar feel and the ball response is almost identical. One thing that I enjoyed more on the Maverix was how balanced it felt. My hand speed was definitely faster with the Maverix Power compared to the Double Black Diamond. This is extremely important to me because I love a good firefight at the kitchen and also really enjoy utilizing a backing roll/flick.
Another big selling point for me was that this paddle plays like a $200+ paddle, yet currently retails for $155. You’re getting the quality and latest tech you’d expect from a top name brand paddle company, at a price point that is very reasonable for almost anyone.
References
Interview with Matt Miller, the owner of Maverix Pickleball
Very informative. Never knew anything about this brand before and will check their stuff out.
Thanks Dean, I’m glad you found it helpful! Maverix is a solid company and definitely worth checking out.
Dennis! Wow, thank you so much for taking the time to write this article. We had no idea that you were going into this detail, and we greatly appreciate it. There are many reviewers out there, but not many and play high level pickleball and also, has experience with an array of paddles and can articulate like you do. Thanks for what you do!
Thanks so much for the comment. It is always rewarding to be able to give such a positive review to an up-and-coming paddle company like yourself. Your paddle is exceptional and we at Pickleball Portal are happy we were able to highlight some of its great features.