What ProKennex is actually selling
ProKennex built its whole reputation in racquet sports on one thing: managing the shock that travels from the ball, up the paddle and into your joints. The Ovation Speed II is the comfort line in paddle form. The two ingredients that matter are the Toray T700 carbon face, which returns the ball in a controlled, muted way rather than with a harsh pop, and the Comfort Pro grip, which is cushioned enough that you can hold the handle loosely instead of squeezing. Those two things — a softer contact feel and a grip that stops you clenching — are the biggest levers you have over how much your elbow and wrist feel the game.
That’s the honest frame for this paddle: it is not sold on power or spin numbers, and you shouldn’t buy it for those. You buy it because the way it transmits impact is gentler than a stiff, lively budget paddle, and because the brand behind it has a genuine following among arm-sensitive players. That following is real, and it isn’t marketing we invented — it’s the first name that comes up when elbow-sufferers ask what to try.
How it plays
Expect a controlled, all-court feel rather than a cannon. A carbon face like this rewards placement and touch — the dinks, resets and third-shot drops that make up most points once you’re past the beginner stage — more than it rewards trying to end rallies with one big swing. For an older player, that’s a feature, not a limitation: the soft game wins more pointsagainst harder hitters anyway, and it asks far less of your arm. If you’re a power player who lives for put-aways, this isn’t your paddle, and that’s fine.
Who should buy it
- Players managing tennis elbow.This is the core buyer. If lateral epicondylitis flares when you play, a muted carbon face and a grip you can hold loosely are the two gear changes most likely to help — alongside the technique and rest that a tennis-elbow plan relies on.
- Anyone with a sore or sensitive forearm and wrist. The same comfort recipe helps a cranky wrist or a general achy arm, not just diagnosed tennis elbow.
- Players who value comfort over power and will keep the paddle for years. At this price you want to be committed to the control-and-comfort style, because that is what you’re paying for.
Where it falls short
Two honest catches. First, price: this is among the pricier paddles we cover, and if your arm is fine, you are paying for comfort engineering you may not need. A lighter, cushioned-grip paddle from the senior list can be gentle enough for far less. Second, ProKennex doesn’t publish an exact weight or grip circumference on this listing. Weight is the single most important spec for an aging arm, so buying here means buying partly on feel and reputation. We mark those cells “Not published” rather than guess a number — a brand that won’t state a figure is telling you something, and we’d rather you know that than trust an invented one.
How it compares
The obvious cross-shop is the Gamma Obsidian, which chases the same comfort goal from a different angle — a molded foam handle for arthritic hands rather than vibration control for a sore elbow. We put them side by side in ProKennex vs Gammaif you’re torn. If it’s the shock into your arm you care about most, browse the wider low-vibration roundup; if grip comfort for arthritis is the priority, start with paddles for arthritis instead.
The verdict
The ProKennex Ovation Speed II is the right paddle for the buyer it’s built for: a player whose elbow or arm dictates their gear choices, who wants a controlled, muted feel and a grip that doesn’t force a clench. For that person it’s an easy recommendation and worth the premium. For everyone else — if your arm is healthy, or your budget is tight — a lighter value paddle will serve you better for less. Buy it for the comfort, not the spec sheet.