Episodes
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In this week's episode, John and Eddie discuss our picks for the best paddles of 2024, give details on the final week of our Holiday Giveaway, and John presents the results of his dissection of the Apes Pulse V.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
4:25 Gearbox Ripple clarification
5:55 Giveaway: last week's winners
8:12 Analysis: Sweepstakes entries reveal a clear favorite ball
12:55 This week's giveaway details
22:14 Best of 2024: John & Eddie's paddle & gear choices
22:40 Best Performing Breakout Company
25:32 Best Performing Legacy Company
28:02 Best Budget Paddles
29:54 Most Underrated Paddle
34:00 Best & Worst Looking Paddles
39:01 Biggest Flop of 2024
41:49 Biggest Paddle Trend
43:13 Most Ridiculous Marketing Claims
44:58 Most Innovative Technology
48:48 Biggest Fad
52:10 Best Ball
54:51 Best & Worst Accessories
58:59 Best & Worst Training Devices
1:03:53 Best Tournament Experience
1:06:24 Paddle of the Year
1:11:35 Pickleball Apes Pulse V Dissection
1:26:49 Kew & A: Do lighter or heavier paddles provide more whip?
1:29:22 Why are pickleball paddles square when all other raquet sports have circular raquets and paddles?
1:33:07 Should eye protection be mandatory? -
In this episode, John & Eddie discuss the details of Week 2 of the Holiday paddle giveaway, latest paddles and gear we’re testing, discuss how paddle shape affects performance, and answer viewer questions.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
5:46 Latest News/Gear Gossip: New Melin Code
7:12 More Ronbus Ripple launch issues
14:47 Winners of Week 1 Christmas Paddle Giveaway
17:50 Analysis of paddles listed by giveaway participants
25:14 Week 2 Christmas paddle giveaway details
30:30 Paddles of the Week: new 11Six24 power paddles and shapes
41:26 Analysis comparing 11Six24 power paddles to existing power paddles on the market
1:04:58 New Diadem Max widebody paddles
1:07:53 Do ugly paddle shapes perform better?
1:20:45 Gear of the Week: Winner's Edge shoes update
1:24:39 Favorite productivity apps
1:29:51 Kew & A: Is Twist Weight Relative to Paddle Shape?
1:31:06 Are soft handles better for tennis elbow?
1:33:19 When you hit outside of the sweetspot on an Apes Pulse, does the ball die faster than a J2K?
1:35:37 Is John more excited by new archaeological discoveries or paddles? -
Missing episodes?
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In this episode, John interviews PPA CEO Connor Pardoe, and John & Eddie discuss the details of the 12 Days of Christmas giveaway, latest paddles we’re testing, check out different makes of handles, and answer viewer questions.
TO ENTER THE CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY: leave a comment below telling us what paddle you’re currently playing with, and which of today’s giveaway paddles you would prefer (and why), AND FILL OUT THIS FORM ON MY WEBSITE: https://www.johnkewpickleball.com/christmas-giveaway-week-1
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
8:35 Connor Pardoe Interview
39:24 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway
50:08 Paddles of the Week: Selkirk Labs 007 10mm
57:02 Body Helix Flik
1:07:07 Aiso Ryu
1:11:29 Deep Dive: Paddle Handle Construction
1:24:38 Kew & A: Which pros play with standard or widebody paddles?
1:28:00 When you test so many paddles, how do you choose your favorites? -
In this episode, John & Eddie discuss current pickleball news, reveal the paddles we just keep coming back to, and talk about our favorite things as we lead up to the holiday season.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
8:10 Latest News: UPA-A list of paddle companies in the paddle certification program
13:41 Newest Black Friday paddle deals
16:50 Paddles we keep coming back to
29:17 Our Favorite Things
1:00:06 Kew & A: Is DUPR rating deflation a thing?
1:05:05 Can a 4.8-level control-oriented player use a Ronbus Ripple? -
In this episode, John and Eddie discuss more Black Friday deals, changes to the production model Ripple, Bread & Butter Invader, Chorus Fire, and our favorite shoes.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
5:47 Additional Black Friday Deals
10:26 Paddles of the Week: Chorus Fire
21:45 Bread & Butter Invader
25:05 Ronbus Ripple production models
31:15 Gear of the Week - our favorite court shoes
32:37 Lotto Raptor Hyperpulse
34:37 Adidas Barricade
35:56 Babolat Jet Terre
36:52 Babolat Jet Mach 3
39:13 Head Revolt Pro 4.0
40:33 Winner’s Edge
44:51 Kew & A: Why do pros return serve with an open stance, pushing off the right leg?
48:14 John seeks help from a coach to improve game
50:47 Can you use prescription lenses in CRBN Drift glasses?
52:03 Have you noticed a trend for paddle break-in, and how do you know when break-in is finished?
1:00:49 How does Vatic Saga firepower compare to 11Six24 Monarch Jelly Bean? -
In this episode, John and Eddie discuss upcoming Black Friday deals, John's experience at Worlds, our impressions of the new Chorus paddle shape options and Volair CTRL Forzas, dive into polypropylene cell size and the mental game, and address viewer questions.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
6:57 Gearbox giveaway: Ultimate Elongated and Hyper
8:16 24-hour Melin Code for 25% off
8:46 Guide to Black Friday deals on paddles & gear
13:19 John's experiences at Worlds
33:42 Paddles of the Week: Volair CTRL Forza
37:06 New shapes for Chorus Shapeshifter
46:16 Gear of the Week: CRBN Drift Glasses
50:22 Tip of the Week: the Mental Game
55:51 Deep Dive: polypropylene cell size - does it matter?
1:01:37 Kew & A: Any updates on Apes Pulse V break-in?
1:04:41 Thoughts on the Neonic Flow Prime X gradient edges?
1:06:00 With all the paddles you're testing, do you currently have a main? -
In this episode, we all sit down together to talk about gear, current events, and answer viewer questions.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:38 Latest News
2:45 Plans for the Tournament
11:03 What paddles are we using for the tournament?
28:13 Why are companies releasing ultra-thin paddles?
33:33 Is low swing weight always better?
38:32 More on paddle x-rays
42:02 Kew & A -
In this episode, John and Eddie discuss the results of an experiment testing the durability of frozen pickleballs, reveal notable paddles scheduled for release in November, and our first impressions of the Vatic Pro Saga, Selkirk Labs 007, Diadem Icon Infinity, and Neonic Flare Prime.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
3:27 Pickleball Blue Book
7:02 Corrections/clarifications on USAP's PBCoR rollout
10:41 Notable paddle releases for November
16:33 New Melin hat 24-hr code coming
17:35 Paddles of the Week: Vatic Saga
23:47 Selkirk Labs 007 initial impressions
31:24 Diadem Icon Infinity
36:12 Gearbox Pro Power Ultimate Widebody coming
37:37 Neonic Flare Prime X and Flow Prime X
42:49 Deep Dive: Does grip strength on the paddle's handle change ball rebound?
49:07 PBCoR formula revealed: is it possible to get a ballpark calculation of PBCoR without all the fancy equipment?
54:42 Experiment: hitting frozen pickleballs to see which is the most durable
1:06:42 Kew & A: Do you now prefer standard/widebody paddles over hybrid shapes? If so, why? -
In this episode, John and Eddie discuss the latest pickleball news, compare some top contenders for edgeless paddles, give updates on the Apes Pulse, and answer some viewer questions.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:32 John seeking partner for Worlds tournmanent
4:29 USAP releases regulations for new exit velocity PBCoR paddle testing/certification procedures
23:22 Selkirk is releasing new Labs 007 paddle
26:00 Survey from University of Manitoba on Health & Pickleball
31:59 Paddles of the Week: Holbrook Aero
42:57 Gamma Airbender
47:40 Thompson 515 Uni & Twill
54:19 Deep Dive: John's home rig for low-speed PBCoR
1:01:24 Gear of the Week: Slyce's new adjustable weighted cap
1:07:23 Kew & A: What's the best standard-widebody paddle option to play against bangers?
1:08:18 Side note: John's updates on Pickleball Apes Pulse paddles
1:16:53 Eddie's updates on Spartus Apollo paddle
1:19:35 Is the Spartus Olympus for advanced players?
1:23:04 Is there a good way to make grip size smaller? -
In this episode, John and Eddie discuss the latest pickleball news, compare foam-enhanced, "Gen-3" paddles, discuss whether or not Gen-3 is a useful term, and answer some viewer questions.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:17 PPA Las Vegas Recap: crazy women's doubles finals match
3:23 Andrei Daescu switched to Proton Series 3 paddle
4:46 Should I review the Proton Series 4? Testing the durability first
7:59 The Pickleball Science expert was recently featured in Scientific American
11:28 UPA-A releases certification costs for 2025
13:45 Gen-3 Paddle Comparison
18:38 Apes Pulse Series
26:57 PICKLN Alecto 3
29:54 Ace Heart
33:49 Nexus ProStar
36:52 Spartus Olympus
44:20 Our favorite Gen-3 paddles
47:64 Ranking Gen-3 paddles from most powerful to least
52:26 Is “Gen-3” a useful or problematic term?
1:00:52 Deep Dive: building my own exit velocity rig for measuring pop
1:08:42 Kew & A: what exactly are percentiles and how do you use them in the paddle database? -
In this episode, John and Eddie discuss the newest PaddleTeks, and Connor Garnett joins for a pro tour recap.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:52 Guest appearance by Connor Garnett to discuss this week's pro tour
17:04 Upset in Virginia Beach - Johns Bros taken out by Fed & Hayden
19:22 Paddles of the Week: PaddleTek ALW-C and ESQ-C
35:42 Gear of the Week: Our favorite bags
53:46 X-Rays of PaddleTeks reveal internal weighting system
1:08:00 Hand Speed Index update
1:14:15 Kew & A: How does the ESQ compare to the Ripple and the Scorpeus 3S?
1:20:30 Is it bad if a paddle rattles when you shake it? -
In this episode, John and Eddie discuss the newest Selkirk release (Vanguard Pro), the JOOLA Scorpeus Anna Bright 3S, the best budget paddles, and using X-rays to detect core crushing.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:37 Life Time Balls
4:26 75% Rule for out balls
10:41 UPA-A equipment guidelines manual
15:00 Paddles of the Week: JOOLA Anna Bright Scorpeus 14mm
20:49 Budget paddle showdown: Quartz, Monarch Jelly Bean, Vatic Prism Flash
24:57 Selkirk Vanguard Pro
31:12 Deep Dive - detecting core crushing with x-rays
38:32 Kew & A: If you took 3 paddles to a tournament, what would they be? -
In this episode, John and Eddie discuss the latest gear and tech news, John details his conversation with JOOLA about their new 3S paddles, and the performance of the 3S paddles is detailed.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:40 13 new paddles with metrics added to database
3:39 Paddle radar charts now available on user interface
6:57 Updates on paddle analytics user interface
8:29 Life Time stock up 56% due to pickleball
11:00 Property values decline 10% to 20% near pickleball courts due to noise
14:19 Newest PPA serve rule
20:09 Anna Leigh Waters and Catherine Parenteau handed first loss in ages
21:35 Do the new JOOLA 3S's provide a competitive advantage? Breakdown of PPA Atlanta medalists by paddles they were using
25:18 Paddles of the Week: JOOLA 3S models
26:06 Breaking news on Gen-3 cores, and John's conversation with JOOLA about new technology in the 3S's
32:32 New information about JOOLA 3S core technology
37:41 Our impressions of the JOOLA 3S paddle performance
46:12 Comparing JOOLA 3S side-by-side with other power paddles: Gen-3's, Ronbus Ripple, and Gearbox Pro Power
56:15 Updated thoughts on Honolulu J2Ti, and direct comparison to J2K
1:00:49 Deep Dive: paddle x-rays
1:03:49 Comparing how different perimeter weighting setups on the Ripple affect performance (hand speed, power, pop)
1:11:44 Kew & A: How difficult is it to control the Ronbus Ripple compared to the JOOLA Gen-3s?
1:14:32 Two questions 1) is the Pikkl Hurricane Pro still on your radar for a full review ? And 2) what treatment(s) ultimately cured your Plantar Fasciitis? -
John and Eddie give their predictions on the future of paddle innovation, and their thoughts on new paddles, including the Spartus Olympus and Honolulu J2Ti.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:39 John's trip to Memphis
6:58 Update on release of Ronbus Ripple
9:17 Modifications to the Ripple
12:40 Website update: glossary of paddle terminology
13:57 Titanium paddles actually shiny polyester
21:06 Babolat discount code
22:07 Paddles of the week: Franklin Tour series
30:02 Honolulu J2Ti
35:52 Spartus Olympus
42:59 Nexus ProStar
46:49 Deep Dive: Predictions on Future Paddle Trends
1:17:11 Kew & A: How to secure Slyce caps?
1:22:24 What are the best alternatives to the Volair Mach 2 Forza? -
Timestamps:0:00 Introduction3:02 Paddle database updates5:35 USAP using X-ray for similarity testing8:38 Wave of titanium paddles coming10:06 What in the world is titanium weave, anyway?11:08 PPA Las Vegas recap15:25 Johns brothers both playing with JOOLA 3S; Collin being more aggro21:33 Paddles of the Week: Ronbus Ripple32:55 Ethos Dunamis37:11 Synergy Kevlar paddles48:47 Chorus Shapeshifter new color ways unboxing51:13 Deep Dive: clarification on last week's discussion of polypropylene core grades56:25 Deep Dive: ideal custom weighting for a standard/widebody paddle - does a Slyce cap help?1:07:40 Kew & A - How about replaceable paddle cores instead of just grit?1:11:49 How does the Jelly Bean compare to the Vatic Prism Flash?
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Timestamps:0:00 Introduction4:19 MELIN 20% off code (active for 24 hours)8:00 JOOLA 3S pre-sale; core specs11:42 Thoughts on where power should be capped for paddles17:58 Leaked Selkirk letters slamming UPA and PPL36:49 Onix patent on thermoforming41:57 Is big money ruining pickleball?47:35 Paddles of the Week: Neonic Flare56:15 Thompson paddles: 515 Uni & Twill1:02:59 Gamma Airbender 13mm & 10mm1:13:38 GRUVN CRUZ Gen 1.5 paddles1:16:46 Deep Dive: Is all polypropylene the same quality/grade?1:25:48 Kew & A: Any word on when the next CRBN paddle is coming out?1:27:31 Where can the JOOLA 3S be played if it's only UPA-A approved?
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In this episode, John and Eddie discuss the latest pickleball gear headlines, and our impression of the new Selkirk Kevlar paddle, Revolin basalt paddle, Body Helix Gold Kevlar, and Versix Vector.
Timestamps:
0:00 Hellos and pleasantries
3:38 Centerline Athletics
4:40 Latest News/ Gear Gossip: website poll winner for next paddle reviewed
7:23 Melin hat 20% off code coming next week
9:18 Most recommended write-in paddles for review
9:49 JOOLA Gen 3-S versus MOD TA-15 - is there a difference?
16:49 Updates on UPA paddle certification program
23:09 Paddles of the Week: Selkirk SLK Halo Pro
27:21 Revolin Revo Pro with basalt surface
31:55 Versix Vector
36:01 Body Helix X4 Gold Kevlar
43:30 Kew & A: Which Slyce cap is recommended: 0.5 ounce of 1.0 ounce?
47:15 Why use concentrated perimeter weighting versus lighter-weight tape spread over larger area? -
In this episode, John and Eddie discuss the most powerful paddle on the market, news about UPA paddle certification, and lots of website updates. Also, Chris Cali from Sorry Not Sorry joins for a pro tour recap.
Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
4:41 Pro Tour Recap with Chris Cali
13:59 New website poll for next paddle review
17:30 New data analytics for paddle and ball databases
20:04 JOOLA 3S paddles
21:08 Conversation with UPA-A about paddle certification program
34:46 Paddles of the Week: Diadem Hush, Owl, Ace Heart
46:34 Update on hand speed index
50:47 Kew & A: Will JOOLA Mod TA-15 have a break-in period?
57:33: Why did Gearbox not release the Ultimate in a wide body? -
In this episode, John and Eddie discuss current paddle news, and Chris Callie from Sorry Not Sorry joins for a pro tour recap.
Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
7:00 Pro Tour Recap with Chris Callie (Sorry Not Sorry)
23:44 Gear Gossip: Chorus Shapeshifter back in stock (Pre-Order)
25:09 Collin Johns MLP rant
41:17 Paddles of the Week: PaddleTek Bantam and Tempest
54:53 JOOLA MOD TA-15
1:05:40 Release of the Hand Speed Index
1:17:39 Kew & A: How did the dwell time on the Gearbox Ultimate compare to the JOOLA Gen-3?
1:19:52 Can you take an average of the Firepower and Control metrics to find the best paddle?
1:25:05 Outro -
In this episode, John and Eddie compare the current options for widebody kevlar paddles.
Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
2:09 New Denver indoor facility
6:41 JOOLA Mod TA-15 Pre-Release
10:03 UPA International Championship
12:32 Kevlar widebody paddle comparison
14:23 Bread & Butter Fat Boy
23:01 11six24 Monarch Control
28:06 GRUVN LAZR
30:17 Honolulu J3K
33:01 Spartus Apollo
34:39 Best option for different categories (price, hand speed, power, pop, control)
38:27 What gets more spin: Kevlar or carbon fiber?
43:49 New metric: control score
49:51 Update on hand speed index
54:42 Kew & A: Is the new firepower metric analogous to CoR?
56:35 Kew & A: What’s with the Proton claims that the Series 4 has exposed Kevlar? - Show more
