Slamopus Pickleball Set Review: a no-fuss starter kit that actually feels decent on court

I picked up this Slamopus pickleball set because a few friends started playing and I didn’t feel like dropping serious money on a single fancy paddle before even knowing if I’d enjoy the sport. This one popped up with a decent rating, four paddles, four balls and a bag, so I figured: worst case, it becomes a backyard toy set. I’ve now used it over a couple of weeks, around six sessions total, both at a local sports hall and on an outdoor tennis court.

Right away, it felt like a classic Amazon bundle: lots of stuff in one box, unknown brand, description full of buzzwords like “fiberglass” and “honeycomb core”. I wasn’t expecting miracles, just something that doesn’t feel like a toy from a supermarket bin. The surprise is that the paddles actually feel reasonably solid in hand, not like flimsy plastic.

I’ve lent the set to a mix of people: two total beginners, one intermediate player who usually plays with a more expensive USAPA paddle, and my partner who just wanted something light and easy. So I got a range of feedback, not just my own impressions. We all used the stock grips, the included balls and the bag, so this review is really about the full kit as it arrives, no tweaks.

Overall, it’s not perfect, and you can definitely feel it’s a budget set if you’ve tried high-end paddles. But for getting a small group started without overthinking it, it does the job pretty well. I’ll go through what works, what feels a bit cheap, and what you might want to upgrade later if you stick with the sport.

From a value perspective, this kit is all about getting multiple people playing cheaply. You get four paddles, four balls, and a bag, which makes it easy to set up doubles games right away. If you tried to buy four mid-range branded paddles separately, you’d spend several times more than this set. So if your goal is “I want my family or group of friends to try pickleball without overthinking it,” the value is pretty hard to argue with.

Where the equation changes is if you’re a single player who already knows you like the sport and you mainly need one good paddle. In that case, you might be better off putting the same budget into one higher-quality paddle from a known brand and buying balls separately. You’d get better spin, better control, and probably longer-term durability, but obviously you wouldn’t have four paddles to share.

In practice, for my use case—getting a few people started—this set made sense. We didn’t stress about who had what gear, and nobody felt handicapped by the paddle quality at beginner level. The fact that they’re USAPA approved also means you’re not just playing with random toy paddles; they at least meet some basic standard.

So, value for money is strong if you look at it as a starter bundle or a family set for casual play. It’s less interesting if you’re chasing performance or already playing at a higher level. But for what it’s clearly designed to do—make it cheap and simple to jump into pickleball with others—it gets the job done well.

The design is pretty straightforward: wide paddle face, rounded corners, and a standard length handle. It follows the usual pickleball paddle shape, so if you’ve seen or borrowed other paddles, nothing will surprise you here. The main thing I noticed is the nice big sweet spot. For beginners who don’t always hit dead center, that’s actually a big plus. Mishits toward the top or sides still go over the net most of the time, instead of dying off the paddle.

Visually, the Vintage Green and Lucky Purple colors are simple but not tacky. No loud flames or weird graphics, just a clean, slightly retro color block look with the logo. I’m not a design snob, but I also don’t like looking like I bought the cheapest neon toy set from a supermarket. These look neutral enough that you won’t feel out of place at a club or local courts. The finish is smooth, not textured, so don’t expect any fancy spin-friendly surface.

The grip size is listed as 4 1/4 inches, and that feels accurate. In practice, it suited most of us. I have medium hands and it felt natural. A friend with larger hands said it felt slightly small but still usable; someone with very small hands liked that it wasn’t chunky. If you’re picky about grip thickness, you might end up adding an overgrip, but off the shelf it’s fine for general use.

Build-wise, you can tell it’s not a premium paddle when you tap on the face or look closely at the edge guard. The edge guard is a simple plastic rim, nothing fancy, but it’s aligned properly and not peeling. No weird rattles inside the core, no obvious glue drips. So yes, the design is basic, but for a starter set, it’s more than acceptable and doesn’t scream “toy” when you show up to play.

Comfort-wise, these paddles are light enough and easy to handle, especially if you’re new to racket sports or not very strong in the wrists and forearms. After a couple of two-hour sessions, I didn’t feel any unusual arm fatigue. The listed weight of around 7.7 ounces lines up with how they feel: somewhere in the light-to-middle range, which is a good sweet spot for casual and beginner play.

The grip is actually one of the better parts of the set. It’s cushioned, slightly tacky, and perforated, so it doesn’t turn into a slippery mess as soon as you start sweating. I played a full indoor session without wearing a wristband, and the paddle stayed stable in my hand. No twisting on off-center hits, no hot spots forming on my palm. One friend who tends to get blisters from cheap grips said this one was fine for the first few sessions, which is a good sign.

Vibration control is decent but not perfect. On clean hits, the paddle feels crisp and controlled. On mishits near the edge, you do feel a bit of a buzz in the handle, but nothing painful. If you have very sensitive elbows or a history of tennis elbow, you might still prefer a more damped, higher-end paddle. For most casual players, this level of feedback is totally manageable and might even help you learn where you’re hitting on the face.

In terms of overall comfort during play, I’d say the paddles are friendly to beginners: easy to swing, big sweet spot, and a grip that doesn’t fight you. They’re not luxurious, but they don’t get in the way of enjoying the game. For a set that’s clearly targeting new players and families, that’s exactly what you want: something you can hand to anyone without constant complaints about weight or sore hands.

On paper, the materials sound solid: fiberglass face with a 13 mm polypropylene honeycomb core, USAPA approved. That’s a pretty standard combo for entry-level and mid-range paddles. In the hand, it feels like a real paddle, not a foam or plastic toy. When you hit the ball, there’s a bit of a pop and a moderate amount of feedback in the handle, but not too much vibration.

The fiberglass face is smooth and slightly glossy. There’s no special textured coating to grab the ball, so spin is okay but nothing crazy. For beginners, that’s not a big deal. You’re mostly trying to get the ball over the net consistently, not ripping high-spin cut shots. The face doesn’t show marks too quickly; after several hours, there are some light scuffs from mishits and scraping near the net, but nothing that looks like it’s peeling or chipping.

The 13 mm honeycomb core is on the thinner side compared to some thicker, more control-oriented paddles. That means you get a bit more pop and power, less of that super-damped feel. In practice, this helped my less experienced friends clear the net without having to swing super hard. The trade-off is that you don’t get that plush, muted control feeling you find on thicker, pricier paddles. You feel the ball more in your hand, especially on hard hits.

The handle is wrapped in a synthetic grip that’s perforated and slightly cushioned. It doesn’t feel premium, but it isn’t slippery, even when sweaty. After a few sessions, the grip still looks fine: no unraveling, no weird sticky residue. Overall, the materials are clearly budget-conscious but chosen well enough that the paddle behaves like a proper piece of sports gear, not a knockoff toy. For the price and the fact you get four paddles, I’d call the materials pretty solid.

Durability so far is better than I expected for the price, but I’ve only had it for a few weeks, so keep that in mind. We’ve used the paddles on indoor courts and outdoors on a rough tennis court surface. They’ve taken a few accidental scrapes against the ground and net posts, plus the usual bag shoving and trunk transport. No cracks, no loose handles, and no edge guards peeling yet.

The paddle faces show light cosmetic scuffs, especially near the edges, but that’s normal. There are no deep chips or layers coming off. The honeycomb core still feels solid: no dead spots or weird hollow sounds when you tap around the surface. That’s usually what fails first on really cheap paddles, and I haven’t seen any hint of that yet.

The grips have held up surprisingly well. No unraveling tape, no big discoloration from sweat, and they still feel tacky enough. Long-term, I’d expect to replace the grips eventually, but that’s standard maintenance for any paddle, even expensive ones. For now, they’re still comfortable and functional.

The weakest link in terms of durability is probably the bag and the balls. The bag is thin and unpadded, so don’t expect it to protect the paddles from heavy impacts or sharp objects. It’s fine for carrying gear to the court, but it’s not a protective case. The balls are okay but clearly not top-tier; after several sessions, they’re scuffed and a bit softer. None have cracked yet, but I wouldn’t be shocked if they start going after more intense outdoor play. Overall, though, for a budget set, durability feels pretty solid so far.

On court, these paddles sit in that middle ground between power and control, leaning slightly toward power because of the 13 mm core and fiberglass face. For beginners, that’s actually helpful. My friends who had never played before were able to get the ball over the net consistently without swinging like crazy. The large sweet spot also forgives a lot of sloppy contact, so rallies last longer, which makes the game more fun for new players.

Control is decent but not super precise. When I tried to play softer dinks at the net or hit very specific spots, I could do it, but I had to focus more than I do with my more expensive paddle. The feedback is a bit more bouncy, especially on quick volleys. If you’re already an intermediate player who’s picky about touch shots and spin, you’ll notice the limits. But for casual games in the park or getting used to the sport, it’s perfectly fine.

Spin is the weak point. The smooth face doesn’t grab the ball as much as some textured paddles, so topspin serves and sliced shots don’t bite as hard. You can still add spin with good technique, but the paddle doesn’t help you as much. My friend who plays more seriously said he could feel the difference immediately compared to his usual paddle, especially on his serve and third-shot drops.

Overall, performance is exactly what you’d expect from a budget-friendly, USAPA-approved starter set: it behaves like a real paddle, lets you learn the basics, and doesn’t hold back total beginners. If you get serious and start caring about fine control and spin, you’ll probably upgrade to a single better paddle later. But as a shared family or friends set, this performs more than well enough for regular casual play.

Out of the box, you get 4 paddles (two green, two purple), 4 balls (2 indoor yellow, 2 outdoor orange) and a single soft bag made of Oxford cloth. No instructions or fancy extras, just the basics. The paddles came wrapped in simple plastic sleeves, and everything was thrown into the bag in the shipping box. Nothing fancy, but nothing arrived damaged or warped either.

The paddles are full-size, not mini ones, and they’re all the same build: fiberglass face with a 13 mm polypropylene honeycomb core. Each is around 350 g according to the spec, which feels about right in the hand. They’re not heavy bricks, but they’re not ultra-light pro paddles either. For beginners, that’s probably fine because they feel stable without being tiring after five minutes.

The balls are clearly budget balls. They bounce fine and fly straight enough, but they don’t feel like the more premium ones you get at proper clubs. For casual play, though, they work. We used the yellow ones indoors on a wooden floor and the orange ones outdoors on a rough tennis court surface. After a few sessions, they’ve picked up some scuffs but no cracks yet.

The bag is basically a simple sports tote: one big zipper compartment, enough space for the four paddles, the balls, and a water bottle or two. No padding, no special pockets for keys or phone. It’s the kind of bag you don’t care about getting dirty, which is actually handy for outdoor use. Overall, the presentation screams “starter kit” but in a practical way: you get everything you need to show up and play with three other people right away.