Vatic Pro Prism V7 16mm Review (Feel, Power, Spin, Control, etc.)

Vatic Pro is a company that’s been making waves in the pickleball paddle scene and proven to be a major disruptor in 2023.

Vatic’s flagship paddles, the thermoformed Vatic V7 and Vatic Flash, have been massive hits. They’re excellent thermoformed paddles that are among the cheapest available, all without skimping on quality.

And now, the new Prism line from Vatic provides another round of excellent paddle tech at a mouthwatering price.

The Prism line was made to compete in both the $100 price range and with the Hyperion CFS. This really piqued my curiosity,  because the $100 price range is a good one, and the HyperionCFS is a $220 paddle(!).

So, was Vatic Pro able to deliver with such an affordable paddle line? Let’s dive in see.

In this post, I’m covering the Prism V7 elongated paddle specifically. I’ve also covered the Prism Flash in another post.

Vatic Pro Prism Paddle Technical Specifications

• Price: $99.99 ($89.99 with code DASHPB)
• Shape: Elongated
• Core thickness: 16mm
• Face: Raw TORAY T700 heat-compressed textured carbon fiber
• Average weight: 8.2-8.5 oz
• Grip length: 5.3″
• Swing Weight: 120-123
• Edge foam: Yes
• Grip size: 4.25″
• Core: C7 Polymer performance honeycomb
• Total length: 16.5″
• Width: 7.5″

Quick Summary

The Prism V7 16mm has the exact same shape and dimensions as the original thermoformed Vatic Pro V7. The high-quality Toray carbon fiber surface is the same, and so is the perimeter foam-injection. The main difference is how the paddle is manufactured.

The Prism is sort of thermoformed (i.e. heat is applied to seal in the perimeter of the paddle), but much less heat is used compared to the typical Gen. 2 thermo carbon fiber paddles, such as the original V7, Vatic Flash, Legacy Pro, Six Zero Black Diamond line, and CRBN Power Series.

This semi-thermoforming uses about 30 minutes of heat versus multiple hours and has been referred to “thermofoaming” because it’s utilizing sealed-in perimeter edge-foam. This is very similar to how the Joola Hyperion CFS is manufactured, thus the comparisons.

So, how does the Vatic Pro Prism V7 compare to the notorious Joola Hyperion CFS?

I’ve played with the Prism V7 and Hyperion CFS side by side for my past few play sessions and I’m happy to say that the Prism delivers.

The Prism V7 isn’t the same dimensions as the Hyperion (the Prism Flash is closer in shape), but it does play very similarly. Like the Hyperion, the Prism V7 is plush, controllable, and boasts an excellent sweet spot.

Like the Hyperion, this Prism V7 is best categorized as a control paddle even though it does hit harder than many other carbon fiber paddles that don’t share the edge-foam injection.

The Prism is a great paddle for people who don’t want the intense power and pop of a thermoformed paddle, but still desire a bit more power and durability than a Gen. 1 non edge-foam injected paddle.

Feel

Handle shape

The Prism V7 has the same 4.25″ handle as the original V7. It’s one of my favorite handles to play with. The handle is fully sealed in, so no exposed polymer honeycomb in the handle. It’s comfortable and just the right size for me (I like smaller handles). You can always add overgrip(s) to increase its size if you prefer a larger handle.

Handle length

The Prism’s handle length of 5.3″ is elongated enough for most people to execute comfortable two-handed backhands. I personally prefer 5.5″ handles, but the neck tapers well on the prism, enabling you to choke up on the paddle and making it feel slightly longer than 5.3″ when you want it to.

Weight/distribution

Balance and weight distribution have always been strengths of Vatic Pro’s paddles.

While I like 5.5″+ handles, the 5.3″ handle that Vatic uses allows the paddle face to be a bit larger and makes the sweet spot and balance point extra nice.

The first runs of the Prism V7 were really head heavy, but Vatic quickly adjusted the production methods and by the time I got my Prisms to review the issue had been resolved. My Prism V7 and Flash have excellent balance.

How it feels contacting the ball

The Prism V7 feels noticeably less stiff on contact compared to the original fully thermoformed V7. It doesn’t feel quite as soft and plush as my Hyperion, but it’s close. The feel is closest to my Ronbus R series paddles.

The ball also comes off more quietly than with the original V7. Overall, the paddle feels pretty dampened and controllable compared to past Vatics. I’ve enjoyed the feel a lot.

Power/Pop

The power of the Prism V7 felt exactly as advertised. It has more power than standard non-edge foamed carbon fiber paddles, but less power than Gen.2 thermoformed paddles like the original Vatic V7.

While it lacks the raw power and pop of the original V7, I don’t think that the power of the V7 Prism is at all lacking. It hits harder than my Ronbus R1.16 and only slightly less than my Six Zero Sapphire, which is an inexpensive thermoformed paddle in the same price range.

The pop is slightly dampened compared to the power. This isn’t a super poppy paddle by any means. This makes it less fast and aggressive, but makes your control game easier to dial in.

Overall, I didn’t have any problem attacking and putting pace on my drives with the V7 Prism. I have to swing a bit harder to get the same power as the original V7, but it’s not a bad trade off for the easier time I have controlling the Prism. After a couple games adjusting to the Prism V7, I was back to smashing balls with plenty of power and pace. There’s always the option to add lead tape to the Prism to up its power output.

Control

What I lost in raw power with the Prism I easily gained back in improved touch and control over the original Vatic Pro V7. The softer more plush feel of the paddle makes it so much easier to reset, dink, and drop with than standard Gen. 2 thermoformed paddles.

The sweet spot is large and I didn’t have any moments where I was surprised by dead balls or mishits. I was able to keep balls in play even when I hit near the throat or edges of the paddle.

I definitely love the power of thermoformed paddles and the original V7 is one of my favorite paddles to use, but I have to say that I really enjoyed moving back to a plush and more easily controlled paddle in the Prism V7. The paddle absorbs pace off incoming balls and helps me block without popping the ball up nearly as much as with the original V7.

The edge-foam injections that the Prism shares with the Hyperion make it feel very solid and stable in the control game. It also makes drops and resets just feel more reliable. I felt like with the Prism that I could handle aggressive serves and drives from my opponents with ease.

I think the Prism V7 is going to land right in the ideal range control wise for most players. Those who want a really soft and plush paddle can go with a true Gen.1 paddle like the Ronbus R1.16 and those who prefer the firmer stiff feedback can go with a controllable Gen.2 thermoformed paddle like the Ronbus Pulsar (currently my favorite paddle).

Spin

The original Vatic Pro V7 is one of the highest-spinning paddles I’ve played with this year. The Prism V7 is right up there with it.

With the Prism, I can dip my serves and dinks on command and give my opponents headaches on returns with my backhand and forehand slices. You can do anything spin-wise with the Prism and do it better than you could with the vast majority of paddles.

I do get slightly more spin with my original V7 and Flash paddles than with the Prism V7 and Prism Flash, but the difference is negligible. The Prisms are top-tier with spin and easily landed on my list of the best paddles for spin.

Hand speed

The Prism V7 is solidly in the mid-weight category and moves pretty quickly for an elongated paddle of around 8.3 oz.

I didn’t have any issues keeping up with high-level volleying at the net with the Prism V7. But the Prism Flash was noticeably quicker in my hands, which wasn’t surprising given it’s more aerodynamic shape.

Durability

In my experience, Vatic Pro makes solid and reliable paddles. I’ve been playing extensively with multiple version of the original Vatic Pro V7 and Flash paddles for months and haven’t experienced much in the way of durability issues. One of my original version Flashes developed core crush issues, but the later versions that addressed those issues have been solid and reliable for months.

Since the Prism is unibody but not fully thermoformed, it should get the best of all worlds. It won’t suffer from durability issues at the throat of the paddle since it’s made as one solid piece, and it’s unlikely to run into any thermoforming issues like core crush, disbonding, and delaminating because it’s not utilizing the same long-duration heat treatment production processes.

I will update this article if I run into any durability issues down the road with my Prisms.

Value

At $89.99 after discount code DASHPB, this paddle is an absolute steal considering the closest paddle on the market to compare it to is the Joola Hyperion which costs $219 and suffers from durability issues that the Prism does not.

This paddle really is a steal for the price. Props to Vatic for making high-quality paddles so affordable. High quality Toray T700 carbon fiber and “thermofoaming” under $100 has been unheard of until now. This makes the Hyperion CFS look ridiculously overpriced the makes the Prism V7 an easy addition to my best paddles under $100 list.

Should you buy the Vatic Pro V7 Prism?

I think that Vatic Pro hit a home run with the Prism series. I really enjoy the Prism V7 and would still recommend to players of all levels even if it was priced higher. Even though I have tons of high-priced paddles, I’ll be playing with my Prisms for that Hyperion-like softness and overall performance.

You can buy the Prism V7 now for only $89.99 through this link with code DASHPB. Price aside, I’d recommend the Prism over the $220 Hyperion just because of the added durability (the CFS is notorious for breaking at the handle). At under $100, the Prism feels like a no-brainer.

The Prism V7 checks all the boxes and balances power, pop, spin, and control in an outstanding manner. If you’re a beginner or intermediate player that’s not quite ready to jump into the fully thermoformed paddles and/or just doesn’t want to spend over $100 yet, then the Prism should be an excellent all-court paddle for you. I’ve featured both of the Prism models on my best paddles for $100 and under list.

If you really struggle generating power, or just want all the power you can wield, I’d recommend checking out the original thermoformed Vatic Pro V7 16mm. If you want an even softer more control-oriented paddle at the same price point as the Prism, check out the Ronbus R.16 series paddles. I also recommend taking a look at the best paddles for intermediate players list that I’ve compiled.