In this week’s episode of the podcast, we dig deep into some of the things that drive pickleball paddle performance, backed by lab testing and real-world experimentation.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

2:45 Kitchen poll verifies ‘enthusiast’ paddles are more prevalent than SFAI-DUPR study

7:49 UPA terminates contracts of James Ignatowich, Ryan Fu, Viv Glozman

14:01 Close call with a ball to the eye - saved by safety glasses

18:08 Updates on Boomstik Infinigrit vs Luzz Inferno spin durability

26:53 How much does Dwell account for Spin? Experiment using PIKKL skins

39:45 Deep Dive: Choking up on your paddle at the kitchen improves hand speed, but it also changes your paddle’s sweet spot

54:19 Tip of the Week: Think less about technique and more about footwork

1:00:00 Kew & A: Boomstik really needs a "consumer" version that's like $220-250

1:01:57 Curious to see if Slyce Slydrs cause stress/edgeguard issues like the MOI system on Boomstik paddles. Same concept essentially.

1:03:19 Which full foam paddles play like or closest to Joola Gen 3 paddles, in terms of feel?

1:08:30 How many weeks until the Honolulu J6CR replaces the Boomstick on your list mr kew????

1:11:20 Do you predict 2026 trend will be all brands chasing the longer-lasting grit?

▶️ We start with a new poll from The Kitchen, asking a simple question:

➜ “What was the last paddle you purchased?”

With nearly 400 responses, the results tell a very different story than the earlier SFIA–DUPR industry study.

While Selkirk and JOOLA still lead the pack, enthusiast brands like Bread & Butter, Ronbus, Vatic, Honolulu, Luzz, Friday, RPM, and 11SIX24 collectively account for roughly 32% of recent purchases — a meaningful shift in the market.

▶️ From there, we dive into spin durability testing, comparing brand-new vs used paddles, including the Selkirk Boomstik and Luzz Inferno, to see how much RPM is actually lost after dozens of hours of play.

▶️ We also explore one of the most debated topics in pickleball right now:

➜ How much does dwell time really contribute to spin?

Using controlled testing — including PIKKL skins and even a wooden paddle — we isolate dwell from grit, swing weight, paddle thickness, and head speed to see what actually matters.

▪️ Spoiler: dwell helps, but not as much as you might think.

▶️ In our deep-dive segment, we break down what happens when you choke up on your paddle at the kitchen and how that changes:

🔹Hand speed

🔹Sweet spot location

🔹Center of percussion (COP)

🔹Where you feel vibration in your hand

Using impact hammer data, G-force comparisons, and real physics (yes, including joules), we cover a new study from Technical Pickleball explaining what’s happening during a 25 MPH ball impact — and why it feels the way it does.

▶️ We wrap things up with a Tip of the Week ("Kew-Tip"?), a Q&A covering full-foam paddles, Boomstik pricing, edge-guard stress questions, and some final thoughts.

If you like lab-tested pickleball gear, real data, and no-nonsense explanations, this one’s for you.

🔗 Links & Resources Mentioned

🔹 Project Rudy Cutline Glasses (eye-saving moment): https://alnk.to/dLkuRnM

🔹 Clear Lenses: https://alnk.to/8tRLPyp

🔹COP Study (Technical Pickleball): https://www.technicalpickleball.net/cop

🔹Backpaddle Pickleball Footwork Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYmvlUMGM2I

🔔 Subscribe for weekly pickleball paddle reviews, lab testing, gear breakdowns, and honest analysis.

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