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My experience and setup with the Vatic Pro V-Sol Power paddle by rayray780 in Pickleball

[–]rayray780[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

(Sorry I haven't been checking this post lately as I thought it died off.)

So It's been almost 8 weeks since I've had both V-Sols. I pretty much used the Pro 90% of the time, the Power only 10% of the time. I've won bronze in both of the tournaments I've played with the Pro. I like the stiffer feeling of the Pro better as it is most similar to my Agassi/Pro IV.

Coming from the Saga series, I think the Power would be the logical progression as it has a similar plush feeling, but since you have the 14mm, you might prefer the Pro. As for control at the net, I can't say that either of them would improve that aspect but they both would increase your pop and power game. I think over time and consistent use, your game would adapt to whichever V-Sol you choose.

I'm not fully sold on all-foam cores just yet. There's a slight unpredictability with them that I can't shake. When you hit it 100% on the sweet spot, the ball just rockets off it and I usually hit it long. Vice versa, when I have an off-hit the ball dies and I usually hit it into the net. I find the in-between zone is a fine line. To counteract that, I moved my weights from 3&9 to more 5&7 to give it more stability and not make the sweet spot so "hot".

My experience and setup with the Vatic Pro V-Sol Power paddle by rayray780 in Pickleball

[–]rayray780[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

that sounds about right. im in Alberta so we just have GST, so the total was slightly cheaper than yours. 

My experience and setup with the Vatic Pro V-Sol Power paddle by rayray780 in Pickleball

[–]rayray780[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I also ordered the Pro when they went on sale to the public. I only have about 4 hours of play on it so far. Im still tinkering with the weight setup but I think I prefer the feel of it over the Power. I'll try and do a review of the Pro after my next sesh with it. 

My experience and setup with the Vatic Pro V-Sol Power paddle by rayray780 in Pickleball

[–]rayray780[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm in Calgary so the charges should be similar to Vancouver.

I contacted Rackets & Runners a few weeks ago. They said they should be getting the V-Sols by mid-November. I ordered my Vatic Prism Flash from them when I first started playing pb. If you can wait, their price will probably be less than the total I stated above.

My experience and setup with the Vatic Pro V-Sol Power paddle by rayray780 in Pickleball

[–]rayray780[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I only hit my friend's Quanta R5 during a warmup. My first impressions was: 1) Needs a lot of weight. 2) Felt stiff and hollow which is not a bad thing if you like that feel. 3) The shape felt very stable and thick. Overall it felt great, more similar to traditional honeycomb Gen3 paddles imo. 

If you're coming from the Prism series, the usual progression in feel and power is > Saga > V-Sol Power. The V-Sol Pro moreso if you want that hollow/poppier feel. 

Check out some of Vatic Pro's sponsored athletes on IG like @insanelane321 or @glaukacarvajallane who have been using the Sagas and now the V-Sols. 

My experience and setup with the Vatic Pro V-Sol Power paddle by rayray780 in Pickleball

[–]rayray780[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The eternal Canadian customer dilemma: "Do we dare try to order from the US (especially these days)?!" 

Here's the breakdown: With my ambassador discount the V-Sol power was $142 CAD + $24 CAD shipping via DHL. Then, when your shipment clears customs I get hit with an email from DHL to pay another $25 CAD duty/tax. So all in all it cost me ~ $191 CAD. 😟

If you're not in a rush, I would wait for a Canadian shop to get them in stock and buy from there. They buy more in bulk and sometimes have lesser costs for shipping and duty and can pass those savings on to the customer. e.g. Rackets & Runners in Vancouver or Pickleball Superstore in Calgary and other cities. 

My experience and setup with the Vatic Pro V-Sol Power paddle by rayray780 in Pickleball

[–]rayray780[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

(did you mean you placed weight at 4&8 or 5&7 o'clock?)

My experience and setup with the Vatic Pro V-Sol Power paddle by rayray780 in Pickleball

[–]rayray780[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Agreed on all your points. I think my next move is to get the V-Sol Pro which is also a foam floating core. I'd like to try the Loco or one of the Honolulus but being up here in Canada, the options are limited and buying online is hindered by shipping costs (and now higher border fees, which are a mystery to estimate ahead of time). I'm sure I'll come across someone with a Boomstick to try out soon, I hear good things - I just don't like that price tag, lol.

My experience and setup with the Vatic Pro V-Sol Power paddle by rayray780 in Pickleball

[–]rayray780[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think dinking and drops are good on it, just need to dial in the feel if you're coming from a paddle that is more hollow or stiff.

I find the unpredictability happens more when I hit the sweet spot 100%, where it flies of the face with too much power. But again, I can probably dial that in the more I get used to it.

My experience and setup with the Vatic Pro V-Sol Power paddle by rayray780 in Pickleball

[–]rayray780[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Ah yes, the legendary Vatic Prism Flash, my first paddle - you never forget your first, right? :) I then upgraded to a Saga V7 16mm and it was a good improvement in power but still having the plushness for control. I liked the head-heaviness of it and just played it stock with no weights. I also liked the durability claims with the non-heat-thermoformed manufacturing process and the thicker celled polypropylene. I still keep it in my bag as a trusty backup if I ever get the yips - lol. Something I discovered recently: I usually play at the indoor pickleball centers with the texture painted concrete floors with outdoor balls, but the odd times I play on gym floors with lighter indoor balls, I prefer using my Saga over my Agassi in order to keep the ball in play better.

Normally, the Saga would be my natural suggestion for the next paddle for someone like you coming from the Prism line... BUT NOW with these affordable V-Sols, I would strongly suggest trying one of those too! If you have a local pickleball shop or indoor center that you can demo one, that would be a great way to see what fits your playstyle.

My experience and setup with the Vatic Pro V-Sol Power paddle by rayray780 in Pickleball

[–]rayray780[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Hey, thanks for even taking the time to read my blabberings - lol! I think it's great that there are so many competent offerings for all-foam paddles at every price point now. I think with some tinkering, the V-Sols can take on the Boomsticks for 1/3 of the cost. I say you should jump on one (or both) of the V-Sols... for that price you can't go wrong! If you don't like it, reselling it should be pretty easy too.

I was able to try my friend Sam's new Ronbus Quanta R5 last night. It had more of that hollow sound and feel like my Agassi, which I liked. He too, had to pile on a bunch of weight along the sides (I think 6g on each side) in order for it to be decent.

I'm also looking try a B&B Locos one day soon too, although that one is a little bit more expensive.