The MARK unMARKed 2026 is the pick for power players who already have a soft game, because it hits about as hard as the Selkirk Boomstik Elongated for $162.01 less with the code. It's a 16mm dual-foam elongated with a power score of 95 out of 100, and only six paddles of any shape I've tested hit harder, three of them elongated. It also swings light for an elongated, so you get that pace without a slow paddle in a hands battle. What you give up is control compared with most paddles, and that's the one thing to be honest with yourself about before you buy. This 2026 version is a new dual-foam paddle, not the older honeycomb unMARKed, and it only comes in the elongated shape. If you don't need an elongated, though, the Pickleball Apes Zen S+ matches or beats it on every one of my scores for $1 less with the codes. As of October 21, 2026, it's sold as a pre-order, and MARK says new orders ship November 13, 2026. It's $189.99. The code STSPICKLEBALL takes 10% off, which brings it to $170.99. I earn a commission when you use my codes.
Pros and cons
Pros
- It scored 95 out of 100 for power and 90 out of 100 for pop, and it's one of only seven paddles I've tested at 90 or better for both.
- Swing weight is how heavy the paddle feels when you swing it, and lower means faster hands. The unMARKed's swing weight of 112.2 is clearly lighter than the average elongated's, and only nine elongated paddles I've tested swing lighter. That also leaves room for lead tape.
- It scored 66 out of 100 for sweet spot, and only 15 elongated paddles I've tested have a bigger one.
- The 5.75 inch handle flares out wide at the neck, so there's plenty of room for a two-handed backhand.
- With the code, it's $162.01 less than the Selkirk Boomstik Elongated, with about the same power and spin.
Cons
- It scored 45 out of 100 for control, and nearly three out of four paddles I've tested score higher. Your resets and drops have to be clean.
- It hits harder than it feels, so a midcourt ball you catch wrong can fly.
- It's pre-order only, and you pay half when you order. As of October 21, 2026, new orders ship November 13, 2026.
- It's USA Pickleball approved, but MARK doesn't list UPA-A approval, which is the approval PPA qualifiers use.
Quick answers
Is the MARK unMARKed 2026 worth it?
Yes, if you're a power player and your soft game is already solid. You get about the same power as the Selkirk Boomstik Elongated, a power score of 95 out of 100 against 97, for $170.99 with the code instead of $333. If your resets still pop up, the Enhance MPP Turbo ArmorGrit Elongated helps a little, with a control score of 53 out of 100 against 45, at $119.99, or $99.99 with code STSPICKLEBALL. The bigger fix is the Pickleball Apes Zen S+, with a control score of 71, at $188.88, or $169.99 with code STSPICKLEBALL, if you don't need an elongated.
Is the unMARKed 2026 USA Pickleball approved?
Yes, the unMARKed 2026 is USA Pickleball approved, so it works for USA Pickleball sanctioned events. The page doesn't list UPA-A approval, so it isn't an option for UPA-A events like PPA qualifiers. That's how MARK's page reads on October 21, 2026.
When does the unMARKed 2026 ship?
MARK ships it in batches. As of October 21, 2026, the August 26, September 14 and October 1 batches are sold out, and new orders ship November 13, 2026. You pay half when you order and the rest when it ships.
Is the unMARKed 2026 the same paddle as the unMARKed Alpha?
No. The older unMARKed, also sold as the unMARKed Alpha, has a honeycomb core. The 2026 version has a dual-foam core MARK calls VelosiCore, with a new grit MARK calls VelosiGrit. Every number on this page comes from the 2026 version.
Stiff with a hollow edge, and it hits harder than it feels
So, the unMARKed 2026 is stiff with a slight hollow feel, not extreme in either. You get a lot of feedback at contact, so you can tell right away where on the face you hit the ball.
The pace comes off in a straight line with your swing, with no trampoline kick to it. That's why the unMARKed doesn't feel as powerful as it plays. An easy swing still sends the ball, and the pace sneaks up on you until you're used to it. Next to the Boomstik Elongated, the unMARKed is quieter, with a crisper sound at contact.
Big drives and fast hands, as long as your soft game holds up
How its spin stacks up against other elongateds you can buy
More spin than most elongated paddles, 61 RPM above the average
The top three for spin
- 1Honolulu J6CR Crystal Blue2,424
- 211SIX24 Hurache-X Jelly Bean 22,39529 RPM behind
- 3Engage Axiom Elongated2,39430 RPM behind
- 13MARK unMARKed 20262,32599 RPM behind
Drives, serves and put-aways
Drives and serves are why you buy this paddle. The unMARKed scored 95 out of 100 for power, which is clearly more than the average elongated. Only six paddles of any shape I've tested hit harder, three of them elongated. The grit grabs the ball, so a topspin drive or serve dips into the court instead of sailing long, and you can swing hard and still keep it in. It spun 2,325 RPM in my spin test, for a spin score of 84 out of 100, and only 12 elongated paddles I've tested spin more. The long face adds reach and leverage on overheads, too.
Speed-ups and counters
Pop is the pace you get off short swings at the net, and the unMARKed has a lot of it. It scored 90 out of 100 for pop, clearly more than the average elongated. The light swing is what makes that pop usable in a hands battle. Its swing weight came in at 112.2, clearly lighter than the average elongated's 117.6, so it gets the face up fast on a ball at your body. That's rare for a paddle this long.
Dinks, resets and third-shot drops
This is where the unMARKed asks the most of you. Control and sweet spot are my scores from the same ball-machine dink, drop and reset drills every paddle gets. The unMARKed scored 45 out of 100 for control. Against the average elongated, that's about the same. Against every paddle I've tested, nearly three out of four score higher. All that pop is still there on soft shots, so a reset you push or a dink you catch late pops up. If your drops already float, this paddle will make them float higher.
Mishits
For an elongated, the unMARKed is steady. It scored 66 out of 100 for sweet spot, which is clearly bigger than the average elongated. Its twist weight came in at 6.53, against 6.21 for the average elongated. Twist weight is how much the face resists turning when you miss the center, so a block off the edge stays closer to where you aimed than it does on most elongated paddles.
How it feels in your hand next to other elongateds you can buy
Quick in your hands, and steadier than most when you miss the middle
How heavy the paddle feels when you swing it. A lower number swings quicker.
Only six elongated paddles you can buy swing lighter.
How much the paddle fights twisting when you miss the middle. A higher number is steadier.
Steadier than most elongated paddles.
How its sweet spot stacks up against other elongateds you can buy
A bigger sweet spot than most elongated paddles
Both rings are sized to their score.
A light elongated with a handle made for two hands
The unMARKed is 16.5 inches long and 7.5 inches wide, with a 5.75 inch handle and a grip circumference of 4.125 inches. MARK flares the neck out wide where the handle meets the face, so your top hand has room on a two-handed backhand. The head is rounded and narrows a little toward the top, which is why it looks a bit like a popsicle. It isn't the prettiest shape, but the rounded top keeps weight out of the tip, and that's part of why it swings so light.
That light swing also leaves room to customize. The unMARKed's swing weight of 112.2 sits about 5 points under the average elongated's swing weight of about 118, so you can add lead tape on the edges at 3 and 9 o'clock for more stability and still come in under the average elongated.
Two foams, a carbon face and MARK's VelosiGrit
Inside is a 16mm dual-foam core MARK calls VelosiCore, with a floating EPP center inside an EVA perimeter. The face is T700 carbon fiber with a fiberglass mid-layer, and the surface is a grit coating MARK calls VelosiGrit. MARK calls VelosiGrit ultra-durable.
MARK lists the weight at 7.8 to 8.0 oz, the swing weight at 112 to 115 and the twist weight at 6.0 to 6.4. I measured a swing weight of 112.2, so that checks out. I measured a twist weight of 6.53, which is higher than MARK lists, and higher is the good direction, because the face stays steadier on mishits.
The warranty is one year against manufacturer defects for the original buyer, and MARK says it covers handle breaks, face cracking and a loose end cap. You have 30 days after delivery to ask for a return, and the paddle has to be unused and in the condition you got it. MARK says a restocking fee of up to 20% may apply if it isn't in its original condition. You pay the return shipping.
Pre-order only, with the next batch shipping November 13
As of October 21, 2026, the unMARKed 2026 is still a pre-order. MARK ships it in batches as production catches up, and the first batch went out August 26, 2026. The September 14 and October 1 batches are sold out too, and orders placed now ship November 13, 2026. You pay 50% when you order and the rest when it ships. All three colors, Cosmic Haze, Martian Mist and Solar Vapor, are the same paddle at the same price.
Owners have had it since late August 2026, and as of October 21, 2026, I haven't found a single owner report of a structural problem like a cracked face. The one complaint I found on MARK's store is cosmetic. One owner says the painted edge guard chips easily, and that the paint peeled when they put edge guard tape on.
unMARKed 2026 or Selkirk Boomstik Elongated?
The Boomstik Elongated is the paddle I'd weigh the unMARKed against first, and the price gap is most of the story. The Boomstik is $333, and its code INF-STSPICKLEBALL adds a $40 Selkirk gift card without lowering the price. With the code STSPICKLEBALL, the unMARKed is $170.99, so it's $162.01 less with the code. That gap doesn't count the $40 Selkirk gift card.
On my scores, the Boomstik is the better paddle, but not by as much as the price says. Power and spin come out about the same. The unMARKed scored 95 out of 100 for power to the Boomstik's 97, and the unMARKed spun 2,325 RPM to the Boomstik's 2,305 RPM. The Boomstik has a little more pop, 99 out of 100 against 90, and a little bigger sweet spot, 74 against 66. The Boomstik's biggest edge is control. It scored 56 for control against the unMARKed's 45, so the Boomstik is clearly easier to keep down at the kitchen.
The unMARKed's edge is the swing. Its swing weight of 112.2 is a little lighter than the Boomstik's 117, which makes the unMARKed quicker in a hands battle, while the Boomstik's extra weight gives it more plow-through. Both handles have room for two hands, 5.75 inches on the unMARKed and 5.8 inches on the Boomstik, and both paddles are USA Pickleball approved only. The Boomstik comes with a lifetime warranty, against one year on the unMARKed.
So if you want the more forgiving, more controllable paddle of the two and the price doesn't matter, get the Boomstik. If you want about the same power and spin with a little lighter swing and $162.01 back in your pocket with the code, get the unMARKed.
Other paddles to look at, and a hybrid that matches or beats it on every score
For elongated shoppers
Enhance MPP Turbo ArmorGrit Elongated, $119.99, or $99.99 with code STSPICKLEBALL. This is the value pick, at $71 less with the codes. It has a little less power and a little less pop, with about the same spin and the same sweet spot score of 66 out of 100. It's also a little more controllable, scoring 53 for control against the unMARKed's 45. Its swing weight of 112.8 is about the same as the unMARKed's, and its 5.7 inch handle has room for two hands. It's USA Pickleball approved only, and Enhance's warranty covers just the core, for one year. Get it if you want most of the unMARKed's pace for a lot less money.
Honolulu J6CR Crystal Blue, $195, or $175.50 with code STS10. It's $4.51 more with the codes, and it's the one for UPA-A players who want an easier soft game. It has more spin, 2,424 RPM against the unMARKed's 2,325, a little bigger sweet spot and far more control, scoring 69 for control against 45. You give up a little power and a little pop. Its swing weight of 111.27 is about the same as the unMARKed's, and its 6 inch handle is the longest of these paddles. It's UPA-A only, so it doesn't work for USA Pickleball events.
Luzz Inferno2 M1, $239, or $215.10 with code STSPICKLEBALL. It's $44.11 more with the codes, and it's the UPA-A pick for plow-through. Its swing weight of 121.5 is the heaviest on this page, and its power score of 99 out of 100 is the highest of these elongated paddles. The Inferno2 M1 feels very close to the unMARKed, stiff with a bit of a hollow feel, and power and spin come out about the same, with a power score of 99 against 95. But the Inferno2 M1 has clearly less pop, a clearly smaller sweet spot and far less control, scoring 25 for control against 45. It also swings clearly heavier than the unMARKed's 112.2. It's UPA-A only.
If you don't need the reach
Pickleball Apes Zen S+, $188.88, or $169.99 with code STSPICKLEBALL. If you don't need an elongated, this is the better paddle on my numbers, and it's $1 less with the codes. It has a little more power, 100 out of 100 against 95, with about the same pop and spin. It also has a clearly bigger sweet spot and far more control, scoring 85 against 66 for sweet spot and 71 against 45 for control. It swings clearly lighter, too, with a swing weight of 104.4. Its 5.75 inch handle matches the unMARKed's, and the Zen S+ plays a little softer. Just know it's a hybrid, so you give up reach. It's USA Pickleball approved only. Pickleball Apes doesn't say what foam is in the core.
Get it if your soft game is ready for the power, and skip it if your resets still pop up
Do you win points with drives, speed-ups and counters? Want an elongated with reach and room for two hands? Do your resets already stay down? Then the unMARKed 2026 gives you about the same power as the Boomstik Elongated with a little lighter swing for $162.01 less with the code. Just plan on the November 13, 2026 batch.
Skip it if you're still building your soft game, since control is what this paddle gives up. The ArmorGrit Elongated helps a little for a lot less money, and the Zen S+, with a control score of 71, is the bigger fix. Skip it if you play UPA-A events, too. And if you don't need the reach of an elongated, the Zen S+ matches or beats the unMARKed on every one of my scores for about the same price.
Testing details
- Tested
- July 18, 2026
- Power and pop
- 20 full serves for power and 20 punch volleys for pop, every ball speed read on a Stalker radar gun.
- Spin
- 20 more serves on the radar. I drop the outliers and average the rest, which gave this paddle 2,325 RPM.
- Swing and twist weight
- Measured on a Briffidi SW1 swing weight machine.
- Sweet spot and control
- The same dinks, drops, resets and drives off a Titan ONE ball machine, for every paddle.
- The scores
- Out of 100, with the same tests for every paddle. The top paddles I've tested score 100.
- Published
- Scores from
- My database, updated October 21, 2026. How I test
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