Project Pickleball

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Pickleball has been on my radar for about two years now. I was planning to give it a shot last year (September-May season), but couldn't do it. I'm really considering giving it a shot this season. Looks pretty fun! It can't be by accident it's such a success and the fastest growing sport in the US.

There's abosutely no proper infrastructure available where I live to try it right away. Only a couple municipal courts I play tennis at, but it's not possible to putting in and out the proper lines for the pickleball court every time. I would like like an "alien" playing Pickleball in this small town anyway!

For starters, there's a private abandoned tennis court I can play at whanever I want to and that has the advantage of privacy and Pickleball sounds won't be annoying for any houses nearby (only one across the street).

First things first, I have to find one or two of my tennis hitting partners or a couple of amateur friends into trying it, once I've set lines, net and have a couple of Pickleball paddles to use.

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Looks like there are 3 main candidates for starters:

Selkirk Dude Perfect pack
Diadem Hero pack
Head Flash pack
Joola Ben Johns/Tundra pack

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

2 Pickleball Paddles along with 12 Pickleball balls are on their way from Zhuge Liang's motherland.

All badget-friendly introdactory paddles available for sale in Europe are 80€+ and have fiberglass finish.

The ones I ordered for 25€ have the following specs (supposingly):

16mm thickness Carbon Fiber
Polypropylene honeycobe core
Frosted finish
7.8 oz weight
5 inch grip (I think)

 

[BlueB]

there's a private abandoned tennis court I can play at whanever I want to

Just stay there

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Introductory gear is here. Balls arrived in 10 days and the 2 paddle pack arrived in 30 days, exactly as stated.

These paddels are indeed USAP approved.
I'll share first impressions when I manage to hit with them.

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Exchanged some balls with my 8 year old nephew today for 20 minutes under our house kiosk (no net, no nothing). This thing is incradibly easy to pick up and just have fun. He said "even grandma can play this!". Can't wait to hit a tennis court with it and try it with the net (a bit lower) etc

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

A couple tempting "edvocate" offers at hand, one is much more tempting than the other, but I'll see what I can get until the end of the week.

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Hi!

Is anyone aware about the cost of Customs, tariffs, taxes, or duty fees applied upon delivery of a Pickleball package to European country (Greece) is?

I now have at hand some great sponsorship offers from Pickleball brands from the US, but I don't want to be caught off-guard by ridiculous cost of importation.

Talking about a package of commercial price of 1000$ with several paddles, bag and balls included.

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: total import costs are 400€ give or take, since two couriers I had a phone chat with couldn't be sure about the Customs Duties charging policy...

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Due to uncertainty about Customs/Duty Costs/Tariffs and other "EU - von der Leyen" importation "laws", I have put on hold or should I say turn down Sponsorships/Ambassador offers from some US Pickleball brands like Selkirk, Gearbox, Neonic, 11six24, Six Zero.

Tennis Warehouse Europe doesn't stock enough options from these top brands, yet. I hope this will change in time, as the sport will grow.

I clinched a pretty damn good deal with Juciao from China for 6 paddles. Until they arrive, I'll be using the 2 paddles I have and try set-up the pickleball court.
In time, I'll be trying to get my hands on whatever paddle I can get.

 

[I Dink Too Much]

I just joined the largest privately-owned indoor pickleball club in the country. (I'm sure that status will not last; somebody will build a 40 or 50 court facility.) But for now ... 24 courts!

Konstantinos, do I understand you have a difficult time buying Selkirk, Paddletek or Engage paddles (as examples) because of heavy tariffs? Wow! Do you have any American friends who can *gift* you with some paddles?

See if you can find some paddles with carbon fiber faces. The fiberglass face had a very brief life in the sport; not nearly as much control / spin as one can get with carbon fiber.

- Dink

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Konstantinos, do I understand you have a difficult time buying Selkirk, Paddletek or Engage paddles (as examples) because of heavy tariffs? Wow! Do you have any American friends who can *gift* you with some paddles?

Selkirk or other US-based brands sending a package to someone else in the US and that guy opening the package, removing the "bill" and then sending the package as his gift to me could work.
Makes total sense. Thanks! I will definitely check this case out and if it is valid, I'll see who I can find to assist on this.

For now, I'm waiting delivery of the 6 Juciao paddles I attach above. A couple of them are regulated. All of them will be more than fine for kicking-off Pickleball here.

I have to test the surface of the tennis court I have available, see what parts of it are decent to play Pickleball.

EDIT: "gift" can be sent to Greece with the sender writing "gift" and a "value" < 22€, so a tax of 24% will be paid for the value of the gift (<22€) and little to none customs fees.

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

2 hours of dinking drills today. Without having played any other paddle, but having learned the reviewing terminology, the Temu "Zttenlly" paddle seems to have very little "pop" on dinking and quite large dead spot/small sweet-spot. Volleys with power like playing beach tennis have enough amount of power. Topspin is "just ok", since we're talking about dinks only.

These are some first observations about the Zttenlly paddle. Super good offer for getting into Pickleball and starting doing some drills and getting the feel for the game. I'll be more conclusive when I play on a full-length court and hit some groundstrokes.

I hope the Juciao paddles, or some of them, will have more easy "pop" on dinks and "resets" and a bit larger sweet-spot - a bit extended towards the top of the hoop -.

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Juciao paddles arrived today. Took it two weeks, expected more. Grit is on another level compared to Zttenlly ones I have. The less grit is felt on the thick red 3rd one in order. They look stunning up close. Some balls included that are different from the 12 pack I have. They feel different on the Zttenlly paddles.

I can't wait to give them a try. Very different "molds". Excited!

 

[I Dink Too Much]

You will be popular!!!

- Dink

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

You will be popular!!!

- Dink

Day #1 of skinny singles groundstroke-hitting with my 8 year old nephew. So easy and so much fun!
Played with all 6 paddles. There are some significant differences between them from the baseline. Some feel softer and with longer dwell-time, some easier to hit the top-spin.
Very few dinks with each one, some have easier "pop" than others.

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

https://tennisnerd.net/pickleball/my-introduction-to-pickleball/41638

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Took the total-black T700 for a straight one-hour groundstroke hitting sessions today at low pace (playing with my 8 year old nephew) and briefly switched to the "18K" paddle that immediately felt much more powerful.

As I say in the clip's discription about the T700:

Control is pretty accurate and top-spin assistance are quite good.

Not the most powerful and not the biggest sweet-spot of the batch.

Not a paddle for complete beginners.

The handle is quire rectangular, like a old Head TK82 pallet or Tecnifibre grip shape, close to L2 size.

The large grip takes away something from the maneuverability. I like the more round and smaller grip size from some of the other paddles.

I'll play them all about an hour at this kind of pace and will for sure hit with them with some of my tennis hitting partners at higher pace.

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Played the "Titanium" Juciao paddle today, switched briefly to the total-black T700 and back to the "Ti".

Very comfortable sensation from the baseline, but specially at the "touch game" at the kitchen. Dinks and resets feel better than the total-black T700 model. The "Titanium" weave seems to offer a more mute response from the baseline, while eliminating "dead spots" on the "soft game" and resets.

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

https://tennisnerd.net/pickleball/my-introductory-pickleball-sessions/41762

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Played another good hour today, drills of serving/returning/lots of kitchen play and strong serves practice at the end. I used the Aeolus 1.0 and the "cheap" 13mm.

The 13mm feels very flimpsy at the kitchen, heavier than all the paddles (I'll measure all of them to see), quite stiff feel. Not enjoying any aspect of pickleball with the 13mm.

The Aeolus 1.0 feels much softer. It's very maneuverable at the kitchen, long dwell-time, comfortable and offers very good "Reach", especially on the low-backhand kitchen shots. From the mid-court, it's still very maneuverable, no issues there. From the baseline, I don't feel it offers nearly the same control as the "Ti - my favorite paddle so far". Could be the unusual shape that I'm not confident enough to play with yet.

Tomorrow, I'm taking the blue Spin 1.0 and my most favorite so far, the "Ti".

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Took the Juciao Spin 1.0 for an 1.5-hour-spin today. Briefly switched to the 18K and the T700. The Spin 1.0 offers much softer and controlled feel at the kitchen. On the other hand, these two offer easier power from the baseline - at the kitchen balls would pop-upwards easier and needed to be more careful.

The Spin 1.0 is excellent for an introductory paddle, maybe equally-"excellent" along with the "Titanium" paddle.

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

I find the black-T700 a bit too stiff for my taste, but most importantly, I don't like the large and rectangular handle. I think a smaller grip size and rounder shape would help the maneuverability a ton!
Power level from the baseline feels: T700 > 18K >> Spin 1.0.
I have the feeling that the 18K and most probably the Titanium paddle will be the best all-around paddles from the 6 Juciao paddles I have.

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

My first imperssions about the Juciao Spin 1.0 paddle. I will be playtesting and reviewing the rest of what I have and in time, re-visit them one-by-one, as my level picks-up.
https://tennisnerd.net/pickleball/juciao-spin-1-0-pickleball-paddle-review/41903

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Juciao Titan 1.0 is not as soft as the Spin 1.0. It stands in-between the Spin 1.0 and the 18K/T700.
Plays quite soft and comfortable at the kitchen and "stiffens-up" a bit from the baseline.
I feel it's better overall than the Spin 1.0 and from all the rest I have.
Of course, I'll put more hours into each paddle.
So far, so good.

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Feels like a long(er) dwell-time helps more with top-spin than the severeness of the grit on the paddle's surface.

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

New hitting partner added today. Tennis player, pretty advanced that in Tennis hits with lots of top-spin on both the forehand and backhand side with Pure Aero 100. Took him about 10-15 minutes to dial in with the Pickleball-thing, shorter strokes and much closer to the body. Then, get his mind around the whole non-volley zone.

Turned out we played 1 full hour of point-games and he kicked my ass pretty well.
TONS OF FUN! I'll make sure I'll record some hitting next time.
It's just to addictive to pass!

 

[Nostradamus]

Pickleball has been on my radar for about two years now. I was planning to give it a shot last year (September-May season), but couldn't do it. I'm really considering giving it a shot this season. Looks pretty fun! It can't be by accident it's such a success and the fastest growing sport in the US.

There's abosutely no proper infrastructure available where I live to try it right away. Only a couple municipal courts I play tennis at, but it's not possible to putting in and out the proper lines for the pickleball court every time. I would like like an "alien" playing Pickleball in this small town anyway!

For starters, there's a private abandoned tennis court I can play at whanever I want to and that has the advantage of privacy and Pickleball sounds won't be annoying for any houses nearby (only one across the street).

First things first, I have to find one or two of my tennis hitting partners or a couple of amateur friends into trying it, once I've set lines, net and have a couple of Pickleball paddles to use.

Sock will win 28 majors and become the GOAT of all time and make it into the Hall of fame and will have his own statue

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Sock will win 28 majors and become the GOAT of all time and make it into the Hall of fame and will have his own statue

The learning curve to pick-it-up and play fun point-games is just too small to pass on.
Of course tennis is the king of racketsports, but whatever instant-fun Pickleball or any other kind of sport can bring-in, I'm all in!
If weather is good, I'm getting back in playing tennis this week after 3 months.

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

Wind gasps didn't allow for full-mode singles today, but I had 1.5 hours free-time and hit the court either way.
Played the Aeolus for half an hour straight and then I would switch between the 18K and the Titan.
The Aeolus felt quite demanding from the baseline groundstrokes. Felt unforging towards the sides. When hitting the sweetspot with flat forehands, the power was quite high. It likes to be hit flat?! It played much better at the Kitchen, most probably because of the extra "reach". I noticed I had to work less with my feet to reach some balls I couldn't get as easily with the Spin 1.0. Still, I think the Aeolus needs some adjustment period, especially from the baseline.
Grabbed my lovely Titan, felt right at home. This paddle just delivers everything very very well.
The 18K produced much easier "pop" and spin at the Kitchen and from the baseline it's a tank. I think it can produce a heavier ball to hit some spots towards the lines. The ball just dips faster.
Still, working on some stuff, so that I can produce some good hitting clips the following weeks. Still introducing some people in Pickleball.

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

(not so out of context) I played 1+ hours Tennis today with arguably the best tennis hitting partner (the lefite one), after 3 months. It took me about 20 minutes to dial-in my strokes. Pickleball got me into bending my knees much more than usual.

Thing is, I didn't miss tennis these past 3 months and to be honest, Pickleball is much more fun!