EPP core and TPE perimeter: what they bring to a pickleball paddle

Technical specifications are useful when you understand them. INVICTA V combines a Kevlar face, a central EPP core and a TPE perimeter in a 16 mm construction. Here is what those terms mean.

EPP: foam at the centre of the paddle

EPP stands for expanded polypropylene, a closed-cell foam. As a material family, it combines low weight, energy absorption and recovery after compression. Its behaviour varies with density and component design, so two EPP cores will not necessarily feel the same.

TPE: an elastic material around the perimeter

TPE stands for thermoplastic elastomer. Think of a flexible material with rubber-like behaviour. In INVICTA V it surrounds the central core. TPE is a material family; the name alone does not mean that the component is a foam.

The image accompanying this article illustrates INVICTA V's construction. It helps visualise the components; it is not a laboratory measurement.

What this combination is designed to offer

• A response you can judge and control. Core and perimeter choices are part of designing the paddle's feel.
• Complementary components. The centre, perimeter and faces form a single structure. Looking only at the face material misses part of the construction.
• A different feel to explore. It is worth trying if you want to compare core types during dinks, blocks and drives.

Trade-offs and limitations

More cushioning does not automatically mean more power: absorbing energy and returning it to the ball are different things. It does not guarantee more spin either. Performance depends on the whole construction, including core density, thickness, faces and bonding.

Feel is also personal. If you prefer a very crisp, direct response, compare that sensation with INVICTA V before deciding. EPP and TPE alone cannot tell you how durable a paddle is or how much vibration it reduces.

How to decide whether it suits you

Use the same ball for a repeatable sequence of dinks, volley blocks and drives. Notice how easily you control depth and how confident you feel at impact. Do not choose solely by how hard the face feels when you press it with your hand.

Explore INVICTA V and its colours or read why surface roughness does not tell the whole spin story.

Material references: BASF: expanded polypropylene and KRAIBURG TPE: thermoplastic elastomers. These describe general material properties, not INVICTA V performance tests or suppliers of this paddle.