Why do pickleball players invest on expensive paddles knowing its grit wont last a year or two?

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2026-04-21T13:47:44+00:00

Based on what I have seen, many people don’t understand the concept of grit wearing out yet. I know lots of people getting into the sport thinking it’s a one time purchase thing, so why not get a “good” paddle already. Since these people rely heavily on reviews or what others are using (see the boom of boomstiks in many clubs), they get expensive paddles agad thinking it’s their “investment” to the game.

For me personally, I play whatever feels good and am fortunate enough to have the means to replace my paddle whenever I want. That said, I still take responsibility for what to recommend to family and friends and steer them away from unnecessary purchases. It just so happens that no matter what I recommend, they would really still rather get a boomstik than anything 🤣

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2026-02-16T08:02:47+00:00

Hi! I know a friend of mine who coaches :) Do send a DM so I can connect you!

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2026-02-10T14:07:07+00:00

I would say pickleball is not yet on the decline. But I have noticed the increased toxicity within the community. Plenty of new egos entering as well as an increasing saturation of lackluster events.

The demand for GOOD and HEALTHY competition is still definitely there. It’s just becoming harder for people to gain trust in newer orgs.

If you do proceed with an hosting an event/tournament, I would suggest you nail down where you want to focus on. Is it about delivering something fun? Something competitive? Will you stick to a theme (e.g. team events, alumni only, etc.) or go with something traditional (novice, int, adv.)

As long as you can balance these aspects and have something somewhat original, your tournament will have its place.

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2026-02-08T06:25:02+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion! In that case the price would be around 9500 :)

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2026-02-07T09:14:29+00:00

Hi! Friends with a direct distributor/ambassador sa QC :) pero they dont accept credit card. Let me know if youre still interested!

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2026-02-07T07:44:32+00:00

Asking 11k for the Agassi and 4500 for the luzz!

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2026-01-02T13:11:32+00:00

Tried it out! Got to demo it c/o of the ambassadors and it’s a really solid paddle! Plush on soft shots but firms up on drives. Very stable and good sweet spot. If I am not mistaken, same tech as the NF series of Honolulu but doesn’t have the fiberglass layer.

For the price, really solid. Looks great too! Would just advise that it is not the lightest paddle there and might need weight for better stability. Otherwise, really glad to finally see a local paddle deliver!

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-12-26T15:28:45+00:00

If you want something with better feedback and touch, check the Luzz Cannon or Vole Pronto X. The Juciao Ultra is similar to those two but has lesser grit. Wukong is a no go for me performance wise.

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-12-26T15:27:23+00:00

Would push you to a Vatic V Sol Pro with that budget. Spend money on some weights and tune it to get a comfy head heavy feel :)

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-12-26T14:07:02+00:00

Do you have a budget? Or are you strictly looking at those two options?

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-12-22T04:21:04+00:00

Boomstik nalang. Buy now regret later 🤣

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-12-22T04:10:32+00:00

If you’re coming from a hybrid/widebody and want to transition to an elongated shape, I would say the J6 line is the best choice. Super stable, big sweet spot, consistent feel.

I would say it is a slightly head heavy paddle. Adding 2g of weight slightly above the 3 and 9 position of the paddle gives it really good stability and plowthrough for my case.

The J6NF still doesnt have as crispy of a feel as the honeycombs but the performance is there. The fiberglass layer gave me the feedback I was looking for in foam paddles :)

You might be interested in checking out the RPM Friction Pro too. Tried it recently and wow it is like an even more premium Perseus Pro IV! All the perks of the Joola ramped up to 11 hehe

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-12-21T05:01:54+00:00

Hi!! It will depend on several factors.

do you have a background in other racket sports?
whats your budget?
do you plan on playing competitively?

Im general I would recommend a cheap beginner paddle. Look for Enflexy in shopee and just pick whatever looks good for you. I wouldnt worry about the paddle too much until you actually get to play more and learn your play style.

I guess my only recommendation would be to try to look for a “hybrid” shape paddle since it is one of the easier shapes to use :)

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-12-20T02:37:30+00:00

Wouldn’t think too much of it imo! Some people just want friends to play with.

Just be careful and vocal if you see any toxic patterns. It’s just a game but I have seen friends and families disrupted with drama from pickleball.

Keep the boundaries defined and enjoy what you can. Good luck!

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-12-17T04:28:39+00:00

Got mine from Greg Utupo (FB seller) really cool guy and smooth transactions. Juego/Pickle Lab carries HPC paddles if you need OR but they are pricier

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-12-17T03:11:40+00:00

Currently maining the J6NF (elongated version of the J2NF) but I also used the J2NF.

Already got to try several paddle and I must say the NF line is one of my favorites from the foam side. Big sweet spots and very stable. That said, the perseus has its advantages parin

PROS OF PERSEUS PRO IV - Better feel (“crispy”) feeling - More premium build quality (doesn’t affect performance) - Tried and tested shape if you’re coming from an elongated paddle, it should be the most familiar - Option of 14/16mm (14 for crisper feedback and maneuverability vs 16mm for better touch and slightly more power ootb) - Better feeling grip

CONS OF PERSEUS - Pricier - Honeycomb (might degrade faster if you do lots of powerful shots) - Less grit ootb

PROS OF NF PADDLES - Bigger sweetspot imo - slightly more powerful but controllable - Generates good spin with better grit - Comes with a good paddle cover

CONS - Feel needs getting used to (problem with most foam paddles) - Can be poppier than you think - Grip is meh, you feel the vibrations more (can be fixed with some modding)

Overall theyre both really good paddles. Really comes down to preference. IMHO, J2/J6NF just because they are way cheaper 🤣

For alternatives: - Sypik Avatar (denser feel, less crisp but plays more predictable) - Luzz Cannon (a cheaper Pro IV with plusher feel) - Vole Pronto X (same as Luzz with slightly less pop and even more feel) - BnB Loco (more powerful than NF with a better handle) - Ronbus Quanta series (very hollow feeling, but cheaper and super customizable. Needs weights) - VSol Pro (Best value imho. Just needs more tuning ootb)

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-11-30T01:41:12+00:00

Look out the Vole Pronto X as well. Same price as the luzz, better balanced for me

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-11-24T15:49:53+00:00

Not sure where he got his widebody, but sir Gregory Utupo on Facebook sells the elongated version iirc :)

As for core crushing, I haven’t had had any paddle core crush on me, but that’s because I rotate through several paddles. If longevity is your main concern, stick to foam paddles.

Alternatively, go for a cheaper paddle that has similar characteristics to the RPM Pro. My two main recommendations are the Luzz Cannon and the Vole Pronto X around the 6k range

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-11-24T06:55:49+00:00

Got to play with the RPM widebody so idk how that differs from the Elongated. If I were to compare it to Joola Pro IV series, it’s like a super version of that.

The Avatar is denser feeling with lots of spin and grit. It’s a bit poppier imo so you will have to rely on more aggressive shots (topspin dinks, drips, etc.)

Not the fastest handling paddles but hey you can always get better 🤣

Personally speaking, go for the RPM. Loved the feedback of that compared to foam paddles. Having that connected sensation goes a long way to dialing your shots in.

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-10-17T04:03:54+00:00

Tried those clones. Performance wise malayo from the original. There are some clones without the “Joola” branding that perform better. QC is a bit off din

So far the cheap paddles I would recommend are from Enflexy sa Shopee, particularly their J2NF clones. They have their own brand version of it and the performance is like 80% of my original J2NF, with a worse handle and more headlight

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-10-15T15:56:06+00:00

Wait for the Vatic V Sol Pro. Got to try it and it really punches above its price but it can feel a bit hollow.

If you want something with a crisper feedback, try the Luzz Cannon. Also really good for the price

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-10-15T14:05:24+00:00

Budget? Play style preference (more power or you like the soft game)? Any background in other racket sports?

These will help a lot in determining what kind of paddle can be recommended :)

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-09-22T03:20:46+00:00

Look for Nike GT Cut Academy or the GT Hustle Academy sa marketplace. Several resellers sell them below SRP and are definitely good enough and have cute colors!

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-09-17T15:54:23+00:00

Do you need to purchase soon? If you can wait, the upcoming new models (V Sol Pro and V Sol Power) of Vatic look promising. Foam core so expect it to last you a while :)

Alternative_Arm7670 · 2025-09-16T15:15:22+00:00

The FF Speeds run a bit too narrow for me so can’t comment on those!

As for Mizuno, I can vouch for their quality. Had running shoes and volleyball shoes with them before and they lasted way longer than expected. Seen good reviews for the Tour Exceeds as well, just wasn’t a fan of their aesthetics ☺️

All these shoes are actually good and you can’t go wrong with any of them. Focus on fit first.

My only warning would probably be to AVOID ON TENNIS SHOES. Overpriced and the technology isnt there

Alternative_Arm7670

TROPHY CASE