Thread for looking for paddle after starter paddle

[ByeByePoly]

We tested our Pickleball interest with Amazon starter paddles … and we are in. I figure most/many of us end up where we are … now we need our real game day paddles.

Well … that sounds easier than it turns out to be. Maybe post good “how to choose a paddle” videos in this thread so newbies can start here.

 

[ByeByePoly]

I thought this was good overview

 

[ByeByePoly]

I liked this for one for practical advice and overview

 

[1HBHfanatic]

I thought this was good overview

-agreed
-he covers the basic differences pretty clearly

-ive also gone down this rabbit hole, "which paddle works for me?"
-i like the fact that i started with a cheap/economical amazon paddle "that looked good", but now i am into a more specific choice
-ive tested both $15-$300 paddles
-the sound and the feel are the main differences that one can hear/feel right away
-power is a somewhat easy aspect to detect between paddles
-spin and/or control is a bit more difficult to see and/or achieve consistently, but overtime, one paddle will show up as a favorite in this categorie

 

[ByeByePoly]

-agreed
-he covers the basic differences pretty clearly

-ive also gone down this rabbit hole, "which paddle works for me?"
-i like the fact that i started with a cheap/economical amazon paddle "that looked good", but now i am into a more specific choice
-ive tested both $15-$300 paddles
-the sound and the feel are the main differences that one can hear/feel right away
-power is a somewhat easy aspect to detect between paddles
-spin and/or control is a bit more difficult to see and/or achieve consistently, but overtime, one paddle will show up as a favorite in this categorie

$200-$300 paddles to hit a wiffle ball … lol

 

[1HBHfanatic]

$200-$300 paddles to hit a wiffle ball … lol

-yeah, no joke
-i know someone who traded a NEW tennis racquet for a NEW selkirk PB paddle
-i got to try it, and i did not like it that much, im glad i did not spend the money for it

 

[ByeByePoly]

-yeah, no joke
-i know someone who traded a NEW tennis racquet for a NEW selkirk PB paddle
-i got to try it, and i did not like it that much, im glad i did not spend the money for it

$200+ for a paddle is either a long term commitment or a gambling problem

 

[djNEiGht]

for reals...and some say well you don't have to restring it....but then there is this

I'm far from this type of player...but there is a tennis teaching pro I know that breaks paddles just because of how hard he hits and often he plays. The center of the paddle starts to feel different and on a couple of them you can even see the paddle surface dented and even squishy.

I've also heard that certain paddle faces really wear down and what ever grit/texture it has changes. As to be expected. I don't play enough or hit with enough spin in PB to wear it out.

but yeah...prices are redonkulous

 

[mikeler]

$200+ for a paddle is either a long term commitment or a gambling problem

Take this for what it's worth but in my less than 1 week of playing pickleball, I've gotten to try a few different paddles out. I told myself I'd buy a cheap paddle from a large retailer. That paddle broke on day 4. So then I said I'd spend less than $100 on a decent paddle which I tried out tonight. Definitely better but...

The one paddle of the few I've tried that had the "wow" factor was the Diadem Warrior. I like the additional weight and thickness of it but I'm too cheap to pay $200 for a paddle. So now I have something that I can ask for come Xmas.

 

[ByeByePoly]

Take this for what it's worth but in my less than 1 week of playing pickleball, I've gotten to try a few different paddles out. I told myself I'd buy a cheap paddle from a large retailer. That paddle broke on day 4. So then I said I'd spend less than $100 on a decent paddle which I tried out tonight. Definitely better but...

The one paddle of the few I've tried that had the "wow" factor was the Diadem Warrior. I like the additional weight and thickness of it but I'm too cheap to pay $200 for a paddle. So now I have something that I can ask for come Xmas.

How the heck are you doing … hope you are past knee issues. I have seen that Warrior “wow” comment often … sounds like it must be a very good paddle. Our cheap starter paddles haven’t broke in our 5 outings … and actually seem to play fine. Played even better when I put 1/16 foam rubber on the surface. I posted that R&D here.

I hear you … I won’t be buying $400+ worth of paddles for our first winter of Pickleball. I am currently leaning toward buying a couple of head radical elite for $60 each for this winter … at least the grip will feel like a tennis racquet. If we are still hooked on Pickleball next year … can upgrade again later. I would just play with our “rubber enhanced” paddles … but wife is a rules girl.

 

[djNEiGht]

@mikeler great to see you!

@ByeByePoly look out for last seasons models/colors. Sometimes there are "blem" sales where the printing is not straight.

 

[mikeler]

How the heck are you doing … hope you are past knee issues. I have seen that Warrior “wow” comment often … sounds like it must be a very good paddle. Our cheap starter paddles haven’t broke in our 5 outings … and actually seem to play fine. Played even better when I put 1/16 foam rubber on the surface. I posted that R&D here.

I hear you … I won’t be buying $400+ worth of paddles for our first winter of Pickleball. I am currently leaning toward buying a couple of head radical elite for $60 each for this winter … at least the grip will feel like a tennis racquet. If we are still hooked on Pickleball next year … can upgrade again later. I would just play with our “rubber enhanced” paddles … but wife is a rules girl.

The one I bought was on sale for $64 from Diadem, Riptide I think. It's nice for spin, just wish it had a little more weight. I bought some overgrips for it, see how that helps with weighting. If I still want more, then I'll go the lead tape route.

 

[mikeler]

@mikeler great to see you!

@ByeByePoly look out for last seasons models/colors. Sometimes there are "blem" sales where the printing is not straight.

Good tip, I'll have to ask for those next time.

 

[ByeByePoly]

The one I bought was on sale for $64 from Diadem, Riptide I think. It's nice for spin, just wish it had a little more weight. I bought some overgrips for it, see how that helps with weighting. If I still want more, then I'll go the lead tape route.

The overgrips don’t add much weight with those short handles. Our paddles started at 7.8 oz … after tournagrip 7.9 oz. Ironically … after the thin neoprene foam rubber paddles weighed 8.3 oz. I much preferred the 8.3 oz … also the feel of my cheat sheets/Pickleskins/Picklerubbers. Probably most coming from tennis would prefer 8+ oz.

Sounds like players add lead tape on edge guard and then cover with electrical tape. If you care about balance of weight … head light or head heavy … weight accordingly. I don’t see how that could matter much on a paddle like a tennis racquet … but we are tennis players. We will probably bring our racquet preferences to the paddle.

 

[ByeByePoly]

for reals...and some say well you don't have to restring it....but then there is this

I'm far from this type of player...but there is a tennis teaching pro I know that breaks paddles just because of how hard he hits and often he plays. The center of the paddle starts to feel different and on a couple of them you can even see the paddle surface dented and even squishy.

I've also heard that certain paddle faces really wear down and what ever grit/texture it has changes. As to be expected. I don't play enough or hit with enough spin in PB to wear it out.

but yeah...prices are redonkulous

How does one break a paddle with a 26g wiffle ball? I get how spray on texture would wear off … and who knows how any internal cardboard would break down … but you would think fiberglass or graphite surface would survive. My guess is eventually something like replaceable rubbers like table tennis paddles happens rather than this grit space race. Then the rubbers become our restringing … and ByeByePolyRubbers for me.

 

[ByeByePoly]

for reals...and some say well you don't have to restring it....but then there is this

I'm far from this type of player...but there is a tennis teaching pro I know that breaks paddles just because of how hard he hits and often he plays. The center of the paddle starts to feel different and on a couple of them you can even see the paddle surface dented and even squishy.

I've also heard that certain paddle faces really wear down and what ever grit/texture it has changes. As to be expected. I don't play enough or hit with enough spin in PB to wear it out.

but yeah...prices are redonkulous

I told my wife about paddle prices and got a “whaaaaaat”? She played 4.0 doubles, same racquet for 10 years, fresh restringing of Wilson Sensation before summer USTA … good to go. Could care less about spin.

I heard that pros using the Ben Johnson signature paddle often take multiple paddles to a tournament because the spray on texture wears off that quickly. They should send out a spray can with paddle … and we could go spray it in the garage.

I wonder what plays better and more consistently over a year 1) $200 paddle that wears down 2) $65 paddle replaced three times a year, or $100 paddle replaced twice a year?

Seems right $pin is the culprit … and yet USAPA doesn’t want a high spin game. So we are paying premium to get to 1500 rpm, and everyone is going … wow … 1500. They might not want to look at the tennis rpm stats. btw … I wonder how the USAPA measures paddles for compliance. Is there a max rpm (result) … or a rubbing of the surface (predicted result). What if a paddle manufacturer comes up with a perfectly smooth surface but something internal causes 3000 rpm. Uh oh

 

[jonestim]

The one paddle of the few I've tried that had the "wow" factor was the Diadem Warrior. I like the additional weight and thickness of it but I'm too cheap to pay $200 for a paddle. So now I have something that I can ask for come Xmas.

I had the same response when I played the Warrior. I was demoing it right when they came out and the first batch had horrible quality control. They were breaking regularly, so decided to wait and bought a Gearbox instead. The Gearbox doesn't have as big a sweet spot and it isn't as nice feeling - BUT it plays the same as when I bought it. I figured I'd wait for the second batch of Warriors, which by then they were lasting long enough for people to complain about the grit-paint wearing off and them losing spin. I'm hearing rumors that they are coming out with a Warrior V2 early next year, and they have said this week that some of the tech in their non-legal Vice paddle is going to be in their next round of paddles. It won't be the holes (not legal) or the core (not legal), which leads me to believe they are working on an edgeless paddle. The edge guard on the Warrior was a big fail point, so I would be very curious about an edgeless Warrior.

 

[ByeByePoly]

I had the same response when I played the Warrior. I was demoing it right when they came out and the first batch had horrible quality control. They were breaking regularly, so decided to wait and bought a Gearbox instead. The Gearbox doesn't have as big a sweet spot and it isn't as nice feeling - BUT it plays the same as when I bought it. I figured I'd wait for the second batch of Warriors, which by then they were lasting long enough for people to complain about the grit-paint wearing off and them losing spin. I'm hearing rumors that they are coming out with a Warrior V2 early next year, and they have said this week that some of the tech in their non-legal Vice paddle is going to be in their next round of paddles. It won't be the holes (not legal) or the core (not legal), which leads me to believe they are working on an edgeless paddle. The edge guard on the Warrior was a big fail point, so I would be very curious about an edgeless Warrior.

Stupid question… are the edge guards for protection or to hold to sides together?

 

[ByeByePoly]

If the smiley gap in the Selkirk paddle face is legal … can we Dremel a smiley in our paddles?

 

[jonestim]

Stupid question… are the edge guards for protection or to hold to sides together?

Both.

On edgeless paddles it is still good to run protection tape on them to keep them from wearing down on ground strikes, but you don't have to worry about the glue failing and them falling apart.

 

[ByeByePoly]

Both.

On edgeless paddles it is still good to run protection tape on them to keep them from wearing down on ground strikes, but you don't have to worry about the glue failing and them falling apart.

hehehe … the edgeless paddles look better until you start wondering if a side would fall off. I was easy on my tennis racquets and lasted forever … this paddle thing is going to be an “adjustment“.

 

[1HBHfanatic]

Stupid question… are the edge guards for protection or to hold to sides together?

-mainly for protection
-PB paddles get scrapes/ed on the ground ALOT!

 

[1HBHfanatic]

-i also had the WOW factor for the diadem.warrior paddle
-its a very nice soft feel
-not much of a power paddle though

 

[mikeler]

I had the same response when I played the Warrior. I was demoing it right when they came out and the first batch had horrible quality control. They were breaking regularly, so decided to wait and bought a Gearbox instead. The Gearbox doesn't have as big a sweet spot and it isn't as nice feeling - BUT it plays the same as when I bought it. I figured I'd wait for the second batch of Warriors, which by then they were lasting long enough for people to complain about the grit-paint wearing off and them losing spin. I'm hearing rumors that they are coming out with a Warrior V2 early next year, and they have said this week that some of the tech in their non-legal Vice paddle is going to be in their next round of paddles. It won't be the holes (not legal) or the core (not legal), which leads me to believe they are working on an edgeless paddle. The edge guard on the Warrior was a big fail point, so I would be very curious about an edgeless Warrior.

Great info from my favorite avatar on the boards. Any idea when V2 may come out?

 

[jonestim]

Great info from my favorite avatar on the boards. Any idea when V2 may come out?

I don't know dates. I would expect the new Icon first. They are blowing those out right now for $95. The Warriors were just a rumor I read somewhere that is probably quite unreliable (maybe Reddit?). Play your Riptide for a while, and if the Warrior goes on sale everywhere you can be on the lookout for the new one.

 

[mikeler]

I don't know dates. I would expect the new Icon first. They are blowing those out right now for $95. The Warriors were just a rumor I read somewhere that is probably quite unreliable (maybe Reddit?). Play your Riptide for a while, and if the Warrior goes on sale everywhere you can be on the lookout for the new one.

Gotcha, thanks. Anyone experiment with adding lead? I'm a fan of heavier table tennis paddles and kind of think I'm leaning the same way towards pickleball.

 

[ByeByePoly]

Gotcha, thanks. Anyone experiment with adding lead? I'm a fan of heavier table tennis paddles and kind of think I'm leaning the same way towards pickleball.

How heavy is your Riptide now? I know 8.3 oz on what appears to be fairly even balance does not feel too heavy to me.

fyi … I’m leaning strongly toward Head Gravity LH paddles for us. Checks off a lot of boxes to get us started in doubles for $100 a paddle.

btw … it looks like a heavier paddle would be good for singles, and probably not matter much in doubles. My guess anyway

 

[djNEiGht]

How does one break a paddle with a 26g wiffle ball? I get how spray on texture would wear off … and who knows how any internal cardboard would break down … but you would think fiberglass or graphite surface would survive. My guess is eventually something like replaceable rubbers like table tennis paddles happens rather than this grit space race. Then the rubbers become our restringing … and ByeByePolyRubbers for me.

I can only imagine just a pure striker type of player. He already crushes it on the tennis court so from what I've seen/heard the center of the paddle...well..i dunno. i give up. just put me in the beer league

 

[jonestim]

Gotcha, thanks. Anyone experiment with adding lead? I'm a fan of heavier table tennis paddles and kind of think I'm leaning the same way towards pickleball.

I do use lead. I play Gearbox paddles, which have a low swing weight and a smaller sweet spot. The lead helps with both. On my CX11E 8.5 oz paddles I have a strip of 1/4 lead up each side and some head guard tape along the top that weighs about 2g. I also have a leather grip on them, bringing them to about 9.25oz.

On my CX14E paddles that are 8oz I ended up with two strips of lead around 90% of the head, and a leather grip to bring it up to 9.2 oz.

I also did a full strip on a Stiga paddle that had a dismally small sweet spot.

My OneShot Proshot does not need lead.

 

[ByeByePoly]

I do use lead. I play Gearbox paddles, which have a low swing weight and a smaller sweet spot. The lead helps with both. On my CX11E 8.5 oz paddles I have a strip of 1/4 lead up each side and some head guard tape along the top that weighs about 2g. I also have a leather grip on them, bringing them to about 9.25oz.

On my CX14E paddles that are 8oz I ended up with two strips of lead around 90% of the head, and a leather grip to bring it up to 9.2 oz.

I also did a full strip on a Stiga paddle that had a dismally small sweet spot.

My OneShot Proshot does not need lead.

Wow … you could just give us your extra paddles

Do you find the extra weight helps in both doubles and singles … or mainly singles?

 

[ByeByePoly]

If the smiley gap in the Selkirk paddle face is legal … can we Dremel a smiley in our paddles?

 

[mikeler]

I do use lead. I play Gearbox paddles, which have a low swing weight and a smaller sweet spot. The lead helps with both. On my CX11E 8.5 oz paddles I have a strip of 1/4 lead up each side and some head guard tape along the top that weighs about 2g. I also have a leather grip on them, bringing them to about 9.25oz.

On my CX14E paddles that are 8oz I ended up with two strips of lead around 90% of the head, and a leather grip to bring it up to 9.2 oz.

I also did a full strip on a Stiga paddle that had a dismally small sweet spot.

My OneShot Proshot does not need lead.

Love all the details, so thanks again. Any particular brand of lead you use?

 

[1HBHfanatic]

-i got 2x wilson paddles,
-1x unaltered wilson.ECHO carbon 8.7oz, with just 2 overgrips
-1x altered wilson.JUICE carbon 10oz, with 2 overgrips + lead tape
-the JUICE has 5' of 1/2" lead on it
-1' of lead on each side, from 11-5 oclock, and 3' of lead in the handle
-the balance point is now "less HL" than half of what it started, originally
-i had to redo my tennis racquet balance board for pickleball paddles

-as for play, i like/prefer the heavier paddles
-i wont buy anything less than 8.0oz weight
-the weight 2me is not an issue
-i am used to 13oz tennis racquets!, soo 10oz "short stubby paddles" are no problem
-IMO heavier = more stable!

 

[ByeByePoly]

-i got 2x wilson paddles,
-1x unaltered wilson.ECHO carbon 8.7oz, with just 2 overgrips
-1x altered wilson.JUICE carbon 10oz, with 2 overgrips + lead tape
-the JUICE has 5' of 1/2" lead on it
-1' of lead on each side, from 11-5 oclock, and 3' of lead in the handle
-the balance point is now "less HL" than half of what it started, originally
-i had to redo my tennis racquet balance board for pickleball paddles

-as for play, i like/prefer the heavier paddles
-i wont buy anything less than 8.0oz weight
-the weight 2me is not an issue
-i am used to 13oz tennis racquets!, soo 10oz "short stubby paddles" are no problem
-IMO heavier = more stable!

You might want to comment in the thread I just posted about tennis strokes not meaning much in higher Pickleball doubles. This is all thoughts before I have played much … just by observing play. Right now my eyes tell me the paddle would/could matter a lot for singles, mainly for passing shots. But my eyes tell me not sure how much carbon matters in the doubles kitchen shootout … seems like light and big a.$.$ flyswatter might be best.

 

[1HBHfanatic]

You might want to comment in the thread I just posted about tennis strokes not meaning much in higher Pickleball doubles. This is all thoughts before I have played much … just by observing play. Right now my eyes tell me the paddle would/could matter a lot for singles, mainly for passing shots. But my eyes tell me not sure how much carbon matters in the doubles kitchen shootout … seems like light and big a.$.$ flyswatter might be best.

-i also agree, in "kitchen wars", spin not a factor, too close combat to matter/care much about grit/texture
-i also would go with the biggest flyswatter paddle i could protect my face with

-for drives and punch/volleys, thats when stability/heaviness comes more into play

 

[ByeByePoly]

-i also agree, in "kitchen wars", spin not a factor, too close combat to matter/care much about grit/texture
-i also would go with the biggest flyswatter paddle i could protect my face with

-for drives and punch/volleys, thats when stability/heaviness comes more into play

I will likely start playing some indoor dubs with wife starting December. I have purchased Head safety glasses to keep in the bag because no idea what mix of “out of control” we will run into. I trusted my 4.5 tennis friends on other side of doubles court … not so much newbie Pickleball dude swinging out of his shoes. I think I will pass on the retinal tear thing.

“for drives and punch/volleys, thats when stability/heaviness comes more into play”

This will be something I am curious about. On the one hand … a blast that you reflex back with no time. Maybe lighter to get the paddle there … and then job is just to clear 7 ft.

But then there are the other shots I think you are referring to. I would equate it to backhand volleys in tennis where you needed to put some extra stick on it because not much opponent incoming pace.

I guess when all four at kitchen … 15-16ft gets you past the opponent.

 

[1HBHfanatic]

@ByeByePoly
-i feel that a lite PB-paddle and/or tennis-racquet makes me work harder to be able to hit hard/fast with, no mass behind it

-i was teaching some teenager this morning on putaways (as you mentioned, some ppl are WILD)
-same as in tennis IMO, aiming at the opponents knees and/or shoes are fair game!, anything higher is a "no go", you'll make/keep friends longer that way

 

[jonestim]

Love all the details, so thanks again. Any particular brand of lead you use?

Probably Tourna. Local shop was having a 20% off sale on pickleball stuff and this said "pickleball" on it. The Tourna Pickleball tape is exactly the same as every other 1/4" lead tape, but it says "pickleball" on it. Whoop de dee. Use whatever.

 

[ByeByePoly]

@ByeByePoly
-i feel that a lite PB-paddle and/or tennis-racquet makes me work harder to be able to hit hard/fast with, no mass behind it

-i was teaching some teenager this morning on putaways (as you mentioned, some ppl are WILD)
-same as in tennis IMO, knees and shoes are fair game!, anything higher is a "no go", you'll make/keep friends longer that way

I played all of my tennis … high school, singles tournaments in my 20s, USTA doubles … with stiff 10-10.5 oz racquets. I didn’t have ttw yet to tell me I was doing it all wrong. At age 55ish … I played a 28 year old ex-college player that abused my 10.5 oz racquet. He picked it up one day and said … “oh ByeBye … this will not work against me .. you need a heavier racquet”. No sh.!.t … so I started experimenting with new racquets. His 12.5 oz was too heavy for me. Eventually settled around 11.5 … the Volkl I have now. I would not go back to lighter. 13 oz … whoa … that’s a club.

 

[1HBHfanatic]

@ByeByePoly
-yeah, weight is good when countering forces
-thats why i like the feel of the diadem.warrior, its both 8.0oz and thick!
-if you want a next step/next level "feel good paddle" from the basic starter type, that is one i would recommend trying out

-if you want more power, then a thinner paddle like the prokennex one i would also suggest

-i like to try ALL kinds of paddles and racquets (as you can provably imagine by now)
-i feel i need to test it myself in order to form a good opinion

 

[ByeByePoly]

@ByeByePoly
-yeah, weight is good when countering forces
-thats why i like the feel of the diadem.warrior, its both 8.0oz and thick!
-if you want a next step/next level "feel good paddle" from the basic starter type, that is one i would recommend trying out

-if you want more power, then a thinner paddle like the prokennex one i would also suggest

-i like to try ALL kinds of paddles and racquets (as you can provably imagine by now)
-i feel i need to test it myself in order to form a good opinion

Well … I have to buy two paddles for us … and who knows if we keep playing after we start. No reason for us to test winter social dubs with $400 paddle investment. What might change that is if I find some singles competition … and I come to the conclusion I need a higher end paddle.

 

[ByeByePoly]

@ByeByePoly
-yeah, weight is good when countering forces
-thats why i like the feel of the diadem.warrior, its both 8.0oz and thick!
-if you want a next step/next level "feel good paddle" from the basic starter type, that is one i would recommend trying out

-if you want more power, then a thinner paddle like the prokennex one i would also suggest

-i like to try ALL kinds of paddles and racquets (as you can provably imagine by now)
-i feel i need to test it myself in order to form a good opinion

We will be playing at a Lifetime Fitness club. I bet no one would care or know we have foam rubber on our starter paddles. I actually love how they feel now.

 

[mikeler]

@ByeByePoly
-yeah, weight is good when countering forces
-thats why i like the feel of the diadem.warrior, its both 8.0oz and thick!
-if you want a next step/next level "feel good paddle" from the basic starter type, that is one i would recommend trying out

-if you want more power, then a thinner paddle like the prokennex one i would also suggest

-i like to try ALL kinds of paddles and racquets (as you can provably imagine by now)
-i feel i need to test it myself in order to form a good opinion

I felt the same about the Diadem Warrior. It didn't seem like the ball would just fall off the paddle like all the lighter ones I use experience on a few random shots here and there.

 

[1HBHfanatic]

@mikeler
-did you demo some?
-the indoor club in my area had some nice ones and i got to try it
-but i also try all sorts from the people i play with

-i really do wanna try a wood paddle, it should feel inetersting

-people dont like it when i say "your first paddle should be something that looks good 2 you"
-your first paddle should be something under $50, no joke
-you dont know what type of PBplayer you are yet!,
-just buy something that looks great and you can have fun with
-what good is buying a $150-200 one if you have to switch a few months after to something you'll think youll play better with
-i went from a $20 to a $40 paddle, liked everything about them ,(leaded of course) until i got an offer to sell them
-i jumped at a great offer from wilson (about $120/each retail, i paid about $60), but now im looking for DA-ONE!!
-my main PB padle is going to be a christmas gift to myself

 

[ByeByePoly]

@mikeler
-did you demo some?
-the indoor club in my area had some nice ones and i got to try it
-but i also try all sorts from the people i play with

-i really do wanna try a wood paddle, it should feel inetersting

-people dont like it when i say "your first paddle should be something that looks good 2 you"
-your first paddle should be something under $50, no joke
-you dont know what type of PBplayer you are yet!,
-just buy something that looks great and you can have fun with
-what good is buying a $150-200 one if you have to switch a few months after to something you'll think youll play better with
-i went from a $20 to a $40 paddle, liked everything about them ,(leaded of course) until i got an offer to sell them
-i jumped at a great offer from wilson (about $120/each retail, i paid about $60), but now im looking for DA-ONE!!
-my main PB padle is going to be a christmas gift to myself

best paddle ever might be a wood paddle with table tennis rubbers

or … wood paddle and bunch of holes

 

[mikeler]

I used a rental my first time. Second time they were out of rentals, so a Target wooden paddle had to suffice. That felt better to me but broke on my 3rd outing.

The Warrior's heavier weight was nice. It also had good roughness which provided some more spin. Who knows how long the roughness lasts though.

 

[jonestim]

Great info from my favorite avatar on the boards. Any idea when V2 may come out?

In an interview with the founder he said February for the Icon V2 and Q2 for the Warrior V2. Warrior Edge V2 in late 2023.

 

[1HBHfanatic]

I used a rental my first time. Second time they were out of rentals, so a Target wooden paddle had to suffice. That felt better to me but broke on my 3rd outing.

The Warrior's heavier weight was nice. It also had good roughness which provided some more spin. Who knows how long the roughness lasts though.

-thats my only hesitation on this paddle
-but i think it will last long enough time for me to enjoy it
-since i don play everyday and/or high level, durability should not be an issue "for me"
-i've also been thinking, if it does lose grit, would it stop being a "feel good" paddle?!, i dont think so
-the thick diadem warrior paddle is thick and comfortable
-and i think thats what i liked about it, not the spin!
-i am really thinking about getting one for those 2x reasons

 

[ByeByePoly]

In an interview with the founder he said February for the Icon V2 and Q2 for the Warrior V2. Warrior Edge V2 in late 2023.

That was excellent … said it just posted 4 hours ago so you were on it. Put me down as an instant Evan Specht fan … oh the irony of a guy named Specht that will be instrumental in changing the paddle specs. Also … there was no need for my (and others) paddle rubbers suggestion. I would bet a lot of $ he already has that prototype/s … and/or provide any reasons for not going that route. He is talking the exact right language with “dwell time“, vibration, feel … just a matter of time before paddles advance past the ping pong sandpaper surface era.

Thanks for posting. Daaaamn … now I will be waiting for our new plastic honeycomb to break down. Thank’s a lot … Evan.

 

[Azure]

Stupid question… are the edge guards for protection or to hold to sides together?

Somebody, stop him!!!