Table of Contents
The Pickleball Apes Zen S+ has been one of the most fun, challenging paddles I've had to dial in all year. On paper, as a widebody guy, this shouldn't have thrown me for a loop. It did anyway, in the best way possible.
By Jan Dayleg | Paddle Reviews | Spinwave Pickleball
Table of Contents
- Quick Verdict
- Technical Specifications
- Power & Pop: Activated Firepower
- Control & The Transition Game
- Sweet Spot & Forgiveness
- Feel & Sound
- Spin & Surface Durability
- Who Should Buy the Zen S+?
- Final Thoughts
- FAQs
Pickleball Apes Zen S+ 16mm Hybrid Pickleball Paddle
$199.99
USAP APPROVED · TOURNAMENT LEGAL Power Without the Punishment Most foam power paddles hit hard and feel like it — stiff, loud, and twitchy at the kitchen. The Zen S+ is Pickleball Apes' answer to that. It's a Gen 4… read more
1. Quick Verdict
The short version: The Pickleball Apes Zen S+ has elite full-swing power that makes some of my top-tier power paddles feel like all-court paddles by comparison, paired with pop levels that sit at the low end of all-court. That combination is unusual, and it took real time on court to understand how to actually use it. Once it clicked, though, it clicked hard.
- Play Profile: Elite activated power on full swings, low all-court pop at slower speeds, stiff and hollow feel
- Best For: Aggressive drivers who want top-end firepower without sacrificing a controllable transition game
- Price: $199.99 (before code JDPB)
2. Pickleball Apes Zen S+ Technical Specifications
| Shape | S+ (Hybrid Wide) |
| Core | Triple Density Frame with Diced-Core Technology |
| Surface | SilverBack Grit |
| Paddle Size | 16.2" H x 7.8" W |
| Thickness | 16.5mm |
| Weight | 7.6–7.9 oz (my unit: 7.9 oz) |
| Swing Weight | 106–109 (my unit: 110, measured on my calibrated Gearfiti device) |
| Twist Weight | 7.0–7.2 |
| Grip | Leather Performance Grip |
| Grip Length | 5.5" |
| Grip Circumference | 4.25" |
| Certification | USAP Approved (+PBCoR .43) |
My unit ran a touch heavier than the brand's stated targets on both static and swing weight, but well within a reasonable margin of error. Worth knowing if you're chasing the exact spec sheet numbers.
3. Power & Pop: Activated Firepower
I'm currently playing my RPM Q2 16mm Widebody as my main paddle, so that was my baseline heading into this test. The Pickleball Apes Zen S+ reshuffled my expectations almost immediately.
The first thing I noticed was the sound. This has the deepest thunk I've heard from any paddle I've tested, and that includes multiple iterations of the LUZZ Inferno, which is supposed to be the benchmark for that deep, thonky response. The Zen goes deeper.
Power on full strokes is elite. Genuinely elite -- to the point where some of my top-tier power paddles started to feel like all-court paddles by comparison once I'd spent real time on the Zen. Pickleball Effect described this as “activated” power, and I agree with that description completely. The power is there, but it only shows up when you actually swing through the ball.
Combined with pop levels that sit closer to all-court territory, that makes this paddle very usable getting into the kitchen -- but it also means the Zen doesn't do the work for you the way a typical power paddle does.
That distinction took me a minute to sort out on court, and it's the whole story of this paddle.
4. Control & The Transition Game
Here's where things got genuinely interesting for me.
My instinct with a paddle boasting this kind of full-swing power was to bang and drive every third shot I could. Eventually I settled back into dropping, which is already my preferred play style -- but the elite firepower off the baseline kept pulling me toward driving more than usual. Once I did dial it in, my drives with the Pickleball Apes Zen S+ were as good as anything I've hit with any paddle I've tested.
The real adjustment came on the transition game. There were resets that my main paddle -- the Q2 -- would essentially bail out for me on pure pop alone. With the Zen, several of those same resets went straight into the net, because the pop is genuinely low unless you're actively swinging through the shot. That was jarring at first.
I'm also currently testing a low-firepower all-court paddle on the side, and honestly, there were moments where that paddle made resets easier than the Zen did. Assuming I don't have a one-off lemon unit -- and I don't believe I do -- that tells you how low the pop genuinely sits relative to today's standards. I'd place the Zen's pop into the lower end of all-court in terms of face responsiveness at slower speeds.
But the second you take a real swing, the Zen shows its teeth. That's the tradeoff, and once you understand that's simply how this paddle plays, you can dial your game around it and get a lot out of it.
5. Sweet Spot & Forgiveness
No complaints here. I did the majority of my testing with no added perimeter weight, and I didn't notice any weird or unexpected mishits throughout. I'd call the sweet spot on the Pickleball Apes Zen S+ above average.
6. Feel & Sound
The Zen S+ is stiff and hollow -- one of the hollowest-feeling paddles I've tested. There's a genuine sense of dwell time where the ball sits on the face just long enough to let you shape the shot, but make no mistake, this is a stiff and hollow paddle at its core.
For reference, I'd already call the Q2 and the Gherkin Draco stiff and hollow paddles. The Zen makes both of those feel noticeably denser on contact by comparison. That's saying something.
7. Spin & Surface Durability
Spin was never a problem. I was able to shape dinks and drops without issue throughout testing. My current favorite shot is a two-handed backhand lob off the kitchen line, which demands real touch and spin to execute -- pulling off the right dip while still clearing my opponents. That shot was very accessible with the Zen. The low pop lets you really shape the stroke rather than fighting the paddle's natural rebound.
On durability: the SilverBack Grit surface is holding up well after roughly 20 hours of drilling and competitive play. Early testing from Pickleball Effect places it in Tier 3 -- better than raw carbon fiber, but not quite elite territory like Honolulu's Crystal Blue Endurance grit.
8. Who Should Buy the Pickleball Apes Zen S+?
The Zen S+ -- rumored to be releasing in additional shapes down the line -- is built for players who want high-tier firepower on full strokes paired with a more controllable pop level than a typical power paddle offers. My kitchen arrival with this paddle was excellent specifically because of that lowered pop.
I can see this benefiting an aggressive player with a strong drive game, given the top-end power available. I tested the majority of my time without perimeter weighting, since I personally prefer a lower swing weight -- but I can absolutely imagine a banger throwing some weight on the sides or the head of the paddle and turning drives and serves into full-on rockets, all while the paddle stays maneuverable and easy to control on drops, resets, and dinks.
9. Final Thoughts
This is a genuinely good paddle, and I understand exactly why it's been selling out. It's not the easiest paddle to pick up and immediately understand -- the gap between its low-speed and high-speed response takes real reps to sort out -- but once it clicks, the Pickleball Apes Zen S+ is an excellent platform for players who want serious firepower without giving up a controllable transition game.
Coming to Spinwave Pickleball soon -- our order is in, just waiting on it to land. Until then, you can browse our full paddle lineup or catch up on more paddle reviews on the Spinwave blog.
Once it's in stock, use code JDPB at checkout to save 10%.
Questions? Find me at @threefiveforever on Instagram or drop a comment below. See you on the courts.
FAQs
What is the Pickleball Apes Zen S+?
The Zen S+ is a hybrid wide power paddle from Pickleball Apes, built with a Triple Density Frame using Diced-Core Technology and a SilverBack Grit surface. It's known for an unusual play profile combining elite full-swing power with low, all-court-level pop at slower speeds.
Is the Pickleball Apes Zen S+ good for beginners?
Not the best starting point. The gap between its low-speed and high-speed response takes real time to learn -- the paddle doesn't bail you out on lazy resets the way many power paddles do. It rewards players who can swing through the ball intentionally and adjust their transition game accordingly.
