Paddletek Honeyfoam TKO-X 16mm Review: Quiet Power With a Soft Touch

The Paddletek Honeyfoam TKO-X 16mm does not scream for attention. It absorbs pace, rewards a committed swing, and delivers power without turning every touch into a missile. The question for Malaysian buyers is whether that refined performance justifies RM1,025.

Pickleball's paddle market has a volume problem. Not the sound coming off the paddle. The noise around it.

Every new release promises more power, more pop, a bigger sweet spot, some flavour of next-generation construction. Against that backdrop, the Honeyfoam TKO-X takes a surprisingly different route. It feels dense and composed at rest, then wakes up the moment you commit to a swing.

That makes it one of the more interesting power paddles on the market right now, not because it puts up the biggest numbers, but because it knows when to stay calm.

Pickle361 Quick Take

Best for: players who want controlled power, a softer impact feel, and enough handle space for a two-handed backhand.
Think twice if: you want instant pop with no learning curve, a widebody sweet spot, a slim grip, or maximum value for money.
The standout: its power is swing-dependent, and opinions genuinely differ on just how lively it feels.
The concern: at RM1,025 in Malaysia, the Honeyfoam sits in premium territory without fully silencing questions about surface longevity and value.
Pickle361 verdict: a refined power paddle with a real identity, but not an automatic recommendation for everyone.

The Specs at a Glance

First, Choose the Correct Version

The Honeyfoam TKO-X ships in 14mm and 16mm builds, and they do not carry the same tournament status. The 16mm covered here is approved for both USA Pickleball and UPA-A play. The livelier 14mm exceeded the USA Pickleball power threshold in testing and is approved for UPA-A only.

For players competing across different Malaysian tournament formats, check which governing standard the event follows before buying the 14mm. If you want the version that clears every format, the 16mm is the straightforward choice.

What Does It Actually Feel Like?

Forget the loud, hollow response of most modern power paddles. The TKO-X 16mm feels composed. Contact is dampened without going lifeless, and the ball appears to sit on the face slightly longer, giving you time to shape a drop, soften a reset, or guide a dink. Defending against pace, the core absorbs some incoming energy instead of firing it straight back.

That is the paddle's biggest strength. It gives you access to power without forcing you to manage that power on every single shot. Compact swings stay controlled. Add body and acceleration, and the paddle returns considerably more energy.

In simple terms, the Honeyfoam does not do all the work for you, but it gives back what you put in.

Soft Game: Calm Under Pressure

The TKO-X 16mm is especially comfortable when the rally slows down. Drops, dinks, and resets do not jump uncontrollably off the face, which makes it easier to place the ball and reduces the fear of sending a defensive reset too high or too deep.

Players moving from a dedicated control paddle will still need time to learn the extra energy on tap, but the transition should be gentler than moving into a stiff, highly poppy power paddle. The muted contact builds confidence in the transition zone: when the ball arrives fast at your feet, the TKO-X lets you keep the motion small and let the core soak up part of the pace.

Power and Pop: It Depends What You Are Used To

The TKO-X is marketed as a power paddle, and hands-on impressions of just how hot it plays vary more than usual for a single model. Pickleball Studio's hands-on take described it as dampened and controlled, calling it a “soft and dense feeling paddle” that doesn't hit as hard as typical power paddles. Matthew K Pickleball, testing the same paddle, called it “still very poppy” and cautioned that players who can't handle pop should look elsewhere. Both readings are accurate. The Honeyfoam sits in the middle of that range, which is exactly why it rewards a bigger swing rather than handing you power for free.

Swing small, and the paddle stays controlled. Swing through the ball, and the core produces a noticeably stronger response. Counter firmly, and there is enough pop to finish. Block passively, and it will not launch the ball long on its own. That split personality suits aggressive all-court players who want to attack without sacrificing the soft game.

Sweet Spot and the Handle

The sweet spot is respectable for an elongated paddle, though not the feature that defines it. Centred contact feels plush and connected; move toward the edges and the response gets less convincing, particularly for players used to a widebody's lateral stability. Pickleball Studio noted a clear improvement over the older Paddletek Bantam line, especially higher on the face, where earlier Bantam paddles felt noticeably weaker.

The 5.75-inch handle is a genuine standout for two-handed backhands, with enough room to fit both hands without a finger creeping behind the face. Tennis converts and aggressive backhand players will notice this immediately. The grip itself is more polarising. At 4.25 inches it runs medium and can feel a touch blocky, so players with smaller hands or a strong preference for a slim, rounded grip should test before buying.

Malaysia Pricing and Where to Buy It

MyPickleball.my lists the Paddletek Honeyfoam TKO-X 16mm at RM1,025, available in three colourways (Center Court Blue, Final Call White, Title Run Orange) and currently in stock.

Approx. US$252 at 1 USD is about RM4.07 (13 Jul 2026). That lines up closely with Paddletek's own US listing of US$249.99, so Malaysian pricing is not marked up against the US market.

At the time of writing, MyPickleball.my is not just competitively priced, it is the only Malaysian retailer stocking the Honeyfoam TKO-X 16mm at all. Neither Picklefox nor Dinklab currently carry it in their Paddletek lineup, so for now, MyPickleball.my is the practical option for Malaysian buyers who want to try this paddle without importing.

There is one more factor worth knowing before buying. JOOLA and Paddletek settled a patent dispute in May 2026 covering several of Paddletek's foam paddles, including the Honeyfoam line. Under the terms, Paddletek can keep selling the affected paddles while paying royalties, phasing them out through fall 2026. That does not make the paddle illegal or unusable, and the 16mm remains tournament-approved under its listed standards, but long-term availability may shrink. Players who fall in love with it may want to think about buying a backup rather than waiting.

Who Should Buy It

• Players who want a paddle with real pop but a manageable learning curve
• Aggressive players who generate their own swing speed
• Control players who want more offensive output without excess pop
• Two-handed backhand players who need a genuinely long handle
• Paddletek Bantam owners looking for a more modern, forgiving upgrade
• Tournament players who need both USA Pickleball and UPA-A approval

Who Should Skip It

• Players chasing effortless, top-tier power with zero adjustment
• Widebody loyalists who prioritise maximum lateral stability
• Smaller hands that dislike a blocky grip
• Buyers expecting class-leading value at this price point
• Anyone who wants long-term certainty that the paddle will stay on shelves

Pickle361 Verdict

The Honeyfoam TKO-X 16mm is not the paddle that wins everyone over in the first five minutes of a demo. That may be exactly why it deserves a closer look. Its appeal shows up across a full rally: a controlled third-shot drop, a calm reset under pressure, a soft block at the kitchen, then a committed drive that finally unlocks the core's power.

There are real reasons to hesitate. The price is high for Malaysian buyers, the elongated sweet spot is good rather than exceptional, the grip will not suit every hand, and the paddle's long-term future is uncertain following the JOOLA settlement. But for players hunting a power paddle with genuine touch in a market full of stiff, hollow options, the Honeyfoam fills a real gap, and MyPickleball.my is currently the only place in Malaysia to try it.

Sources: Pickleball Studio and Matthew K Pickleball on YouTube.

This article is in collaboration with Malaysia No.1 Pickleball Store, MyPickleball - www.mypicklebal.my.