Pickleball Apes calls the Charm core their Diced Core Technology. This hasn’t been done by another brand and adds a different performance profile with a power activation element that we’ve only seen in one other foam core build.

Inside the Charms you have a full foam core that partly extends from end to end with corner foam inserts and not an eva foam perimeter wrapped around the core. That means:

• No risk of polypropylene core crushing over time
• More consistent feel and performance long term compared to fully floating foam cores because of no disconnected core that can sometimes loosen up and increase paddle rebound and performance with what people call a break in

On top of that, Apes cuts horizontal precision incisions into the core that extend roughly 25 percent of the way into the face on both sides. The idea is to add some flex and power to the paddle.

They sent me two core samples to compare. Like, just the foam itself and not the entire paddle put together. One with those incisions and one without. The one with the incisions bends noticeably easier. The one without is much stiffer. That difference shows up on court almost exactly how you would expect:

• On soft touches, the paddle feels consistent and all court oriented
• When you swing harder, those incisions activate and give you extra rebound and power

Charm S – Swing weight at 115 is a touch high for a hybrid, but still manageable for many players. Interestingly, despite the twist weight number being on the low side for a hybrid, on court it feels more solid than the number suggests.

I played it stock because it already leans a little head heavy and I did not want to push it further in that direction. My only real nitpick is that I wish Apes had made this shape a bit wider. As is, it is shorter like a hybrid, but not as wide as some other hybrids on the market. A little extra width would likely open up the sweet spot even more and give it more of that oversized, forgiving feel.

To be eligible for a full refund, items must be returned within 30 days of delivery in their original, unused condition with tags and packaging intact—returns of "like new" or slightly used products will not be accepted. Include your name and order number inside the return package and email us at get@get2Eleven.com if you have questions or need to initiate a return (we may request photos before proceeding). Customers are responsible for return shipping costs. Refunds are issued after the item passes inspection. Sale items, used items, and items marked “No Returns” are non returnable.

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