JOOLA has filed a continuation patent application that appears to expand beyond its existing Propulsion Core patents toward a fully floating core surrounded by foam. What does that actually mean—and could it affect the future of pickleball paddle design?

In Episode 116 of KewCast, we break down the patent claims, discuss prior art, and explain why protecting innovation and protecting competition are both essential parts of a healthy patent system.

We also cover:

• New spin durability testing on the PAKLE Fuse, Spartus Spitfire, and Ronbus Tenon

• Why the PAKLE results were disappointing

• What USAP's new direct spin testing limit actually means

• Whether USAP and UPA-A appear to be converging on spin testing

• A fascinating new research article analyzing over 22,000 professional pickleball shots

• Engage's upcoming X2 Pro

• Mission First's new FireFight Pro

• Viewer Q&A covering Quanta vs Tenon, Coral Pro, JOOLA Gen 4, MPP foam, and more.

➡️ Check out my newly updated paddle database/comparison lab: https://www.johnkewpickleball.com/

Chapters/ Timestamps:

0:00 Preview

2:27 JOOLA continuation patent going for full foam ring

21:11 Is modern pro pickleball won with power or with touch and spin?

30:09 Paddles of the Week: Engage X2 Pro

34:51 Paddles of the Week: Mission First FireFight Pro

37:57 Tales from the ball cannon: spin durability testing updates - PAKLE Fuse

41:49 Spartus Spitfire Spin Durability Results

43:52 Ronbus Tenon Spin Durability Results

45:42 Tales from the ball cannon Part 2: Are USAP and UPA-A aligned with direct spin testing, and what does the 2,100 RPM limit actually mean?

56:17 Kew & A: Will Today's Elite Spin Paddles Pass Future USAP/UPA-A Spin Testing?

57:18 My B&B lost its grit fairly quickly - is the Six Zero Coral Pro a good alternative?

59:24 Anna Bright mentioned that most pros do not prefer full foam Gen-4 paddles. Curious to know your thoughts

1:00:48 Is the MPP Foam Feel Profile Better Suited for Amateurs Than Pros?

1:02:56 Viewer Spotlight: A Look at Pickleball's Rapid Growth in the Philippines

1:03:44 Viewer Perspective: Is Pickleball in Southeast Asia Transitioning from Boom to Sustainable Growth?

1:06:41 Are "All-Court" Labels Being Influenced More by Feel Than Actual Performance?

1:07:29 Which Offers Better Control—the Quanta R2 or the Ronbus Tenon?

1:09:02 Where's the Line Between Inspiration and Copying in Paddle Reviews?

1:11:48 How is it that your controlled cannon testing puts the Spartus Spitfire in Tier 3, while Braydon's testing puts it in Tier 1?

➡️Products mentioned in podcast:

🔹Engage X2 Pro (launching end of July) - save 10% with code JOHNKEW: https://www.engagepickleball.com/JOHNKEW

🔹Mission First FireFight Pro - save 10% with code JOHNKEW: https://missionfirstpickleball.com/products/project-matic-firefight-pro-edition?sca_ref=11830625.l0kpr7cFhZHVyPA

🔹Spartus Spitfire (launching end of July) - save 10% with code JOHNKEW: https://gospartus.com?sca_ref=6068787.EPfiuPRWyI

🔹PAKLE Fuse - save 10% with code JOHNKEW: https://paklepickleball.com/products/fuse-new-gen5-pickleball-paddle?rs_ref=2aQegQcw

🔹Ronbus Tenon (coming July 24) - save $20 with code JOHNKEW: https://ronbus.com/collections/tenon-series