In this video I put the Paddletek Bantam ESQ-C—Andrea Koop’s signature paddle—through the kind of playtest that actually matters: serves, drives, drops, dinks, and a bunch of defensive resets under pressure. The big story here is the shape and build. You’re getting a widebody face for stability, plus a longer 5.5" handle that gives you more leverage on two-handers and counter swings. On top of that, it’s built around Paddletek’s powerful Bantam core with a raw carbon fiber surface, and it comes in two thickness options (12.7mm and 14.3mm) depending on how much pop vs. dwell time you want. Performance-wise, this paddle really shines when the pace ramps up. My drives and serves came off aggressive with heavy topspin and solid precision, and in hands battles it felt like a defensive powerhouse—stable, predictable, and quick to counter. The one area that takes a little more finesse is the soft game: drops and dinks have plenty of spin potential, but you’ll want to be intentional with touch and face control to keep things from sitting up. I also compare where it fits versus the Paddletek ALW-C, so you can decide which one matches your style—power hitter, kitchen grinder, or somewhere in between.