Pickleball Apes Zen S+ Review: Foam Paddle Power, Pop, and Control Compared

Main Points

• The Pickleball Apes Zen S+ uses a unique foamcore design with multiple foam rings and internal weighting to boost power and sweet spot size.
• Compared with other MPP foam paddles, the Zen S+ produces the most power but has less pop on soft shots and resets.
• The paddle feels lighter and quicker in hand than many power paddles, with strong stability for its weight.
• Its softer, thuddy impact feel gives it a distinct playing experience that stands out from stiffer foamcore options.
• Spin and grit durability are solid, though the Power 2 series ranked best in both spin and long-term surface durability.
• The Zen S+ is priced at a premium, but its combination of power, control, and unique feel makes it a standout option.

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Summary

This video reviews the Pickleball Apes Zen S+ and compares it with several other popular MPP foam paddles. The focus is on how the paddle is built, how it performs in real play, and where it fits among other power paddles in the same category.

The Zen S+ stands out because of its unusual internal construction. It uses an MPP foam core with horizontal incisions and multiple foam rings that get denser toward the edge. That design creates an activated power feel, meaning the paddle can produce a lot of pace when you swing through the ball, but it has less automatic pop on softer shots like resets and counters.

In testing, the Zen S+ delivered the most power in the comparison group, while the Power 2 ranked highest for pop. The Zen also offered better control on touch shots than the more pop-heavy paddles, since the lower rebound made it easier to shape drops and direct the ball. It is lightweight, quick in hand, and still stable enough to handle fast exchanges.

The review also covers feel, spin, and durability. The Zen S+ has the soft, hollow, thuddy response common to MPP paddles, while the Power 2 and Cyclone feel stiffer at contact. Spin was strong across the group, but the Power 2 series had the best grit durability. Overall, the Zen S+ was the reviewer’s favorite because it felt different, fun to play with, and offered a rare mix of power and control.

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Tags: Control | Durability | MPP | Paddle | paddle performance | Paddle Review | Paddle Shape | Paddle Weight | Pickleball Apes | Pickleball Effect | Pop | Power | Spin | Zen