The FUTURE of paddles is NOT what you think

 

Get the Scoop on Paddles from Briones Pickleball's Paddle Pro

The cracking pops of pickleball paddles ring out from coast to coast as the sport captivates a steadily growing fanbase. What began as a backyard diversion in the Pacific Northwest has swept the nation, now claiming over 4.8 million players. With pro tournaments offering seven-figure prize purses, fierce competition drives innovation in precision equipment.

As paddles evolve apace to meet demand from athletically ambitious newcomers, subtle engineering differences determine victory among elite adversaries. Companies pour resources into eking out fractions of seconds and degrees in spin, seeking that slightest edge to enable more pace, placement and potency.

Seeking insight into these critical contrasts, passionate players pore over product reviews and demo top models, though access proves limited. To illuminate key variables, host Jordan Briones welcomed his official paddle tester Jordan Jager to share insider expertise and experiences in an exclusive podcast interview.

Jager described the paddles awaiting everyday players as specialized tools designed to complement individual styles, strengths and areas for growth. While aggressive attackers thrive wielding exceptionally powerful options with unmatched bite on bold spins and drives, developing beginners fare better with more forgiving control to find consistency.

By examining elite trends and delving into granular differences, Jager aims to help enthusiasts select the ideal paddle personality to maximize their play. As technology pushes the limits of athletic performance, even minor adjustments can make major impacts – an edge only the best-equipped can fully grasp.

1. 00:00:00 - Introducing Briones Pickleball's Official Paddle Reviewer Jordan Yeager Briones welcomed Jager, explaining his goal of unbiased paddle feedback. Jager described his journey from paddle consumer to creator, aiming to showcase differences. 2. 00:03:44 - The Challenges and Reality of Paddle Reviews Jager stated reviews are harder than they appear. He's relished demoing many paddles, feeling differences and seeing which companies focus most on certain attributes. 3. 00:07:03 - Different Play Styles Should Affect Paddle Choices Jager emphasized paddles have strengths suiting certain games. Aggressive players need power while beginners need control. He advises choosing a paddle complementing your play. 4. 00:10:30 - Transitioning from Soccer to Pickleball Jager revealed his soccer background, saying hip rotation for power transitions to tennis and pickleball. He also leveraged lateral quickness and spatial awareness from defense for pickleball’s quick exchanges. 5. 00:13:57 - Footwork and Creating Power in Your Shots Jager focused on lateral foot speed for manipulating the ball in soccer, pickleball and tennis. He also uses his front leg to push off quickly, creating space for shots. 6. 00:17:18 - Creating Space on the Pickleball Court Relating to soccer defense, Jager pushes off his front foot to open room for returning firepower or placing defensive dinks, a lifelong skill. 7. 00:21:11 - Jordan's Paddle Journey Jager traced his pickleball paddle journey from Walmart plastic to upgraded composites. He enjoyed the Electrum Model E’s spin before its grit wore out too quickly. 8. 00:24:47 - Exploring Different Paddle Options Before reviewing for Briones, Jager explored various paddles seeking more power. He showcased his current favorite, the Franklin 60 Double Black Diamond, appreciating its versatility, pop, control and confidence. 9. 00:31:52 - Adding Weight to Paddles for a Better Paddle Jager uses Ben Johns' lead tape method for more stability and sweet spot forgiveness without slowing his hands. He states most pros customize sponsored paddles to be heavier. 10. 00:35:45 - New Paddles Coming Up... The hosts showcased pipeline paddles needing reviews, including new Selkirk and Franklin models and Anna Leigh Waters’ signature inverted crown paddle. 11. 00:43:22 - Faster Gameplay and Equipment Advancements Jager observed today's counterpunching speed versus lifting years ago. Advanced paddles enable vicious spins and require great touch to start rallies properly. 12. 00:47:07 - The Evolution of Paddle Technology Leads to More SPIN Paddles reaching power plateaus, Jager expects durability and longevity improvements. Hosts ponder “best-of-both-worlds” models blending power and control. 13. 00:54:14 - The Use of Power Paddles for Professional Players While most pros use power paddles or all-court control, Jager advocates intermediate players choose per current skills to maximize strengths while managing weaknesses. 14. 00:57:47 - Choosing the Right Paddle for Your Skill Level Jager says pros lean into weapons while improving flaws enough not to hinder play. Briones believes most hobbyists overestimate paddle impacts versus proper technique. 15. 01:04:48 - The New Nova Ronbus R3 Hosts call the R3 a neutral all-court option, forgiving without unbelievable pop, perhaps top five for versatile playability. 16. 01:12:02 - Pickleball National Winners! The crew crowned Anna Leigh Waters the female “GOAT” at 16 years old after another Triple Crown showing her big-stage prowess. 17. 01:16:01 - The Future of Pickleball? Will AL be the best forever? They expect another high-level tennis crossover to challenge Anna Leigh eventually, drawn by growing purses allowing exclusive pickleball focus. 18. 01:19:44 - The Rise of the Two-handed Backhand in the Pro Game Foreseeing advanced two-hand attacking, Briones predicts dominant players will wield vicious two-hand drops, dinks and counters from both sides. 19. 01:23:14 - Closing Thoughts and the Future of Our Paddle Reviews! Jager thanked viewers, aiming for continually improving, honest reviews helping players spend wisely to best suit their play style and maximize enjoyment.

Summary

The game of pickleball continues to soar, captivating enthusiasts with its addictive blend of finesse and firepower. As more tennis, badminton and ping pong players discover pickleball's delightful pace and pop, the athleticism and technology continue evolving apace. Host Jordan Briones welcomed his official paddle reviewer Jordan Jager to highlight these advancements and help players pick ideal equipment to maximize their play.

Jager revealed pickleball paddles have distinct strengths and weaknesses that pair better with certain playing styles and skill levels. While aggressive attackers thrive with exceptionally powerful paddles maximizing their spins and zip, novices still developing consistency fare better with more forgiving control options. Jager advocated choosing an "all-court" paddle with a blend of power and touch that complements your current game as you progress.

The pros analyzed recent nationwide tournament National results, with 16-year-old phenom Anna Leigh Waters capturing her latest title behind a versatile paddle enabling her all-court excellence. They crowned Waters the female "GOAT" and pondered what level of tennis or badminton crossover it might take to potentially dethrone her over the next decade-plus.

Gazing into the future, Briones and Jager expect two-handed backhand proficiency to become even more vital for top players as they close skill gaps by attacking more effectively from both sides with increased spin. Briones sees two-handed backhand drops, dinks and speed-ups as potential key differentiators, as he focuses more on elevating his own two-handed play in anticipation of this evolution.

With athleticism skyrocketing amid a surge of newcomers from other racket sports, the precision equipment players choose becomes increasingly vital for maximizing their performance and enjoyment. Briones and Jager aim to breakdown the latest pickleball paddles so enthusiasts can discover their ideal partners in play.

1. 00:00:00 - Introducing Briones Pickleball's Official Paddle Reviewer Jordan Yeager
2. 00:03:44 - The Challenges and Reality of Paddle Reviews
3. 00:07:03 - Different Play Styles should affect paddle choices
4. 00:10:30 - Transitioning from Soccer to Pickleball
5. 00:13:57 - Footwork and creating power in your shots
6. 00:17:18 - Creating Space on the Pickleball Court
7. 00:21:11 - Jordan's Paddle Journey
8. 00:24:47 - Exploring Different Paddle Options
9. 00:31:52 - Adding Weight to Paddles for a Better Paddle
10. 00:35:45 - New Paddles Coming Up...
11. 00:43:22 - Faster gameplay and equipment advancements
12. 00:47:07 - The Evolution of Paddle Technology leads to more SPIN
13. 00:54:14 - The Use of Power Paddles for Professional Players
14. 00:57:47 - Choosing the Right Paddle for Your Skill Level
15. 01:04:48 - The New Nova Ronbus R3
16. 01:12:02 - Pickleball Nationals WINNERS!
17. 01:16:01 - The Future of Pickleball? Will AL be the best forever?
18. 01:19:44 - The Rise of the Two-handed Backhand in the Pro game
19. 01:23:14 - Closing thoughts and the FUTURE of our paddle reviews!