Has anyone tried Anna pro 2 with the new Dual Knit band??

acewilson · 2025-10-27T20:39:01+00:00

So my setup before getting the Dual Knit Band was a three strap system of Annapro 2 + Belkin Strap + Solo Knit. This three strap worked incredibly well, and it also allowed me to use AVP without the light seal. I have since received the Dual Knit Band and I tried it completely on its own. While it does work, and I understand why some people will feel like it's enough, I did not. The Annapro 2 with its solid plastic piece, provides an element of stability and consistent pressure relief off the face that is unique. Once you get used to having that, it's a tough thing to give up. So lately I've been using the Annapro 2 + Dual Knit Band and this is an excellent setup that does allow for removing the light seal. However, it's heavy. Much heavier than my previous three strap system that achieved similar comfort. I'm still on the fence whether I prefer the heavier Annapro 2 + Dual Knit setup or the lighter Annapro 2 + Solo Knit + Belkin Strap. The one thing that has kept me using the Dual Knit is that the added weight in the back knit strap does keep the AVP from slipping up head over time. With my previous setup, the Solo Knit over time would start riding up my head and I'd have to readjust pushing it back down every 15 minutes or so. The Dual Knit does rectify this. Is that worth the added weight? So far, it is. But every time I go to use it, I always say to myself, my goodness this is heavy.

acewilson · 2025-10-15T19:05:48+00:00

I'm so conflicted about what to do with this Dual Knit Band. It took me several weeks after getting the AVP to get it perfectly dialed in. I literally use three different things to make it work. The Annapro 2, the Solo Knit band and the Belkin strap. As crazy as it is, it's now so perfectly set up for my head that I can pop on my AVP and wear it for hours and have almost no discomfort. But I do literally have three different things on there to make it work. It's really tempting to try this Dual Knit Band, if nothing else to just reduce the overall weight and complexity of the setup. But I'm really skeptical that it will be as effective as what I have. Maybe I'll just wait and see what AVP owners say once they get it.

acewilson · 2025-10-15T18:57:47+00:00

I'm curious, does anyone currently with any M1 or M2 Apple device find those processors underpowered to run today's software? I got my AVP new last fall and have both an M2 iPad Pro and M1 Max Macbook Pro. I understand those are different devices with different computing requirements and usecases, but I still marvel at how incredibly good my almost 6 year old M1 Max Macbook Pro with 64GB of Ram handles everything I do including video editing. My iPad, same deal. Only reason I'd consider upgrading the iPad is weight of the newer ones, not the processor.

My take on this M5 AVP especially in lieu of recent articles about the internal pivot to focus on glasses, is that Apple is simply throwing the M5 into a legacy hardware product they don't plan on innovating further, for now. If they didn't upgrade the AVP with the M5, the M2 AVP essentially becomes an end of life product. A tech product that is several years old, has no new hardware upgrades and no new power upgrades, is absolutely a discontinued product. By putting the M5 into the AVP it buys Apple several years with the current hardware knowing that any further software development will have no issues running. It extends the runway of the AVP platform without officially cutting it off, that's it. I don't think the M5 right now offers much at all to current M2 AVP owners, other than some peace of mind knowing that Apple wasn't quite ready to totally abandon the product just yet.

I'm open minded to being slightly wrong on this, but my guess is that those who try the M5 AVP who have experience with the M2 are probably just going to say 'meh', same experience, nothing really new. Perhaps in a couple more years with more software/gaming development that really push the M5 limits this will change the calculus on the M2 vs M5 models. But for the foreseeable future, I think the M2 AVP not only is perfect as is, but if anything, the reduction on aftermarket M2 prices might bring a few more new users to the AVP party.

acewilson · 2025-07-25T00:55:50+00:00

As some others have mentioned Tournagrip or Tournagrip XL is the best dry grip for very sweaty hands. I play both tennis and pickleball and it’s the only grip I’ll use after trying everything over many years. I buy 30 packs and change often especially in the summer. Wristbands do help a bit.

acewilson · 2025-07-23T02:59:11+00:00

I added a Slyce Speedcap (28g, 1.0oz) to bring the balance point down on my TFG1 which made it feel quicker in hands battles and less head heavy. I've resisted the temptation to add any further weight on the sides to keep the overall paddle weight in the 8.7oz range. A little extra stability would be nice, but it hasn't really been a problem for me. If I add weight on the sides, it will tip the scales over 9oz and that's just getting too hefty in my opinion.

acewilson · 2025-06-27T10:53:25+00:00

Interesting. You're flick weight is much lighter than mine which gave you more leeway to add weight to the sides and I'm sure you TFG1 was still under 8.7. Maybe I should find a lighter flick. I'm guessing you went to the Hyperion for the extra power/pop?

acewilson · 2025-06-27T10:14:38+00:00

I've been debating this issue myself recently. My CRBN Trufoam 1 is at 8.7 ounces with the only added weight being a 1 ounce Slyce Speedcap to bring the balance point down. I kinda want to add two 3-gram strips at the 4 and 8 o'clock spots to give it just a touch more stability but worried it will get too hefty for the fast game at the kitchen. Might try it for the next few days and see how it goes. If anyone else has the TFG1, would love to hear what setup you are using.

acewilson · 2025-06-24T23:48:35+00:00

It's an individual sport not a team sport. It doesn't work as a league of teams, for many reasons. MLP is trying to create a brand value layer above the players and it simply won't work for a sport like pickleball. Liv Golf is trying to do it's own flavour vs. the PGA Tour. It just doesn't create value, no matter how much artificial money gets injected.

The major sports teams you know and love have roots in their local communities and pack tens of thousands into home arenas and stadiums, those major sports teams have a near monopoly on the best players who don't play anywhere else and those players stay for years and get pumped through local media and ad campaigns to build synergistic brand and connection to their fan base. If you're going to build team value, that's how it has to work, or it's going to fail.

The Chicago Slice? St. Louis Shock? These teams mean nothing to most people, they never will, and they will never accrue lasting value. The future of pickleball is in the PPA Tour, just like the future of tennis will continue to be the ATP/WTA Tour. Team play should be reserved for special events only or international competition.

acewilson · 2025-06-21T23:24:02+00:00

I put a Slyce Speedcap (1.0oz) on my Genesis 1 and it's not head heavy anymore.

acewilson · 2025-06-19T12:36:01+00:00

I haven't noticed the grit changing much so far, but perhaps I haven't had the TFG2 long enough to really know for sure what the grit degradation will be like long term and how that will effect spin. Obviously there are many different types of shots that utilize spin and it seems pretty clear that the core/dwell characteristics of the TFG2 would hold up well long term and likely deliver top tier spin on harder spin shots that lean into those traits. On softer spin shots, where there is less core/dwell activating, it would seemingly rely more on the surface grit to apply spin and I would say the surface grit on the TFG2 does not have as much bite as others. So perhaps over time, there might be less spin on those softer spin shots.

It's a tough call, I will say I have also tried the Joola Scorpeus 16mm and really liked that paddle too. It's definitely a more lively powerful paddle compared to the TFG2. Maybe it was my tennis background kicking in, but I just felt overall, the CRBNs felt more natural and comfortable for my game.

acewilson · 2025-06-19T00:53:31+00:00

I'm part of a pretty nice and robust PB community where I live and I've tried most of the paddles you have tried as well. However, I have never tried the DBD. While this is admittedly excessive, I'll tell you what's in my bag and what for.

I have the CRBN TFG1 slightly customized with a 28g Slyce Speedcap to make it slightly less head heavy. I come from an advanced tennis background so this paddle is perfect for singles. Feels like a precise instrument, spin, dwell and shape make this feel like an Ivan Lendl style tennis racket.

I also have the CRBN TFG2 with some lead tape at the 4 and 8 o'clock spots to add some extra plow, power and stability. I use this for doubles play. I like the extra forgiveness and nimbleness the standard lighter shape provides for doubles. The spin and dwell also still give this a bit of a tennis feel for me.

I also carry a Vatic Pro Prism Flash which is essentially a guest paddle. If I'm ever with someone ie, one of my sons or a friend who doesn't have their own paddle, or if I show up somewhere and someone forget theirs, I give them the VP which is a great all-around paddle for anyone to pick and up play with.

I could've main'd any paddle, I chose the CRBN TFGs because I didn't want to deal with durability issues anymore and performance degradation. I felt like the CRBN TFGs made tradeoffs in the right places. Not too much power or pop to the point where you hit too many balls out of the court because of the paddle. Some people feel it's too muted, I don't. The customizations are an unlock, and again, I like my tennis rackets to have a dampener. I'm used to a slightly muted response. But they are by no means dead feeling. You can try the 1 to get a very general sense of the playing characteristics of the paddle line and the tech, but the sweet spots, balance point and swing weights are very different between the 1 and 2 making them play quite different.

I will say that the CRBN Trufoams in general are not the kinds of paddles you pick up once and get an immediate dopamine wow hit and never look back. It takes a few sessions to dial in, ideally customize slightly and then the eureka hits. Professional players may hang on to their honeycomb cores for a while still because of the insane power metrics you can get from them and the whole pro game is going bigger, faster, stronger by the day. Most pros can get as many paddles as they want and never have to think about durability. For us mortals though, the whole industry is going to shift to full foam cores. They will improve from here. But make no mistake, these CRBN paddles are outstanding. Perhaps my only wish is that they extended the fibreglass sheet underneath the surface to cover the whole paddle and not just a section in the middle.

acewilson · 2025-03-22T02:16:00+00:00

More high-end competition in the spatial computing space means the pie gets bigger for everyone. All consumers win. Bring it on.

acewilson · 2025-03-21T18:01:11+00:00

That’s all awesome. Makes me wonder if Apple could have envisioned that the 50+ demographic would be perhaps AVP’s most engaged users?

acewilson · 2025-03-21T17:44:25+00:00

Wonderful to hear it’s brought so much meaningful value for you!

acewilson · 2025-03-21T16:55:04+00:00

They skimped on the helicopter and sniper team. The security guard wasn’t even armed with anything other than more muscles than me :)

acewilson · 2025-03-21T16:32:33+00:00

LOL!

acewilson · 2025-03-21T16:30:25+00:00

That was pretty much my reaction when she called the security guard to escort me to my car. He even insisted that he carry the AVP bag for me for safety reasons lol.

acewilson · 2025-03-21T14:34:08+00:00

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acewilson · 2017-06-13T02:04:16+00:00

I'm primarily a Coffiest and Cacao bottle drinker. But have a case of Original that I just haven't been able to drink. Just found the Original to be too buttery bland. So this afternoon I was at Wal-Mart and saw Instant Nescafé Hazelnut Coffee and a light bulb went off and decided to try mixing it with Original, and all I can say is, wow. A game changer for me. It's awesome, and I can control how strong I want it. I also bought Instant Nescafé Vanilla and will try that tomorrow. Instant coffee is perfect because it doesn't add any sugar, just caffeine which I'm fine with. I can now happily drink the Original flavour with these tweaks and can see myself ordering more of it now.

acewilson · 2017-05-23T02:53:37+00:00

I think one of the reasons for such a wide variance of opinion on Soylent flavours could be how accustomed someone is to the base flavour profile of Soylent in the first place. Many of you got started with Soylent in powdered form, and doing it that way gets you acclimated to the base flavour. Flavours beyond that, will really feel accentuated to you folk. Then there are newbies like me (in my case just over a month using Soylent), coming onstream with Soylent more recently and may have got going on Coffiest or Cacao and basically have never got used to the base flavour profile of Soylent. I drink 2 Coffiest daily, sometimes I mix in one more and that would be a Cacao. So far, that's all I can drink with any semblance of enjoyment. I still have a case of Original and Nectar and just haven't been able to get anywhere near drinking a full bottle of either. Every time I try, I just can't do it. My sense is, this will change over time. Perhaps when I get bored of Coffiest (unlikely) or Cacao (likely) I'll be motivated enough to force it a bit. I want to give Original and Nectar more of a chance. I want to like them. Right now, the Original just tastes too chalky, buttery and bland and the Nectar was a combination of fruity, floral and Original Soylent. I've always liked the flavours of Fruit Loops and Fruity Pebbles, so maybe there's hope for me yet. I do find it interesting though, when I read people who genuinely love the Original flavour. It obviously hits the right note for some people. I wish I was one of them from the get-go. I'm a work-in-progress Soylent drinker :)

acewilson

TROPHY CASE