Why American-Made Prolite Pickleball Paddles Have More Power and Spin

 

Prolite Pickleball Pioneer Engineers Paddles for the Masses

WISCONSIN COMPANY FOUNDED BY BOEING INNOVATOR CONTINUES MATERIAL SCIENCE TRADITION 40 YEARS LATER

As America’s fastest growing sport, pickleball now boasts millions of new players eagerly grabbing their paddles and heading to the courts. With its popularity explosion, pickleball is big business — over $300 million for paddle sales in 2021 alone.

In this high-stakes paddle arms race, one company stands apart for its rich heritage and relentless innovation spanning 40 years.

That company is Prolite, started by a Boeing aviation engineer experimenting with airplane materials in his garage workshop. Prolite engineered the first non-wood pickleball paddle back in 1984, kickstarting a composites revolution that transformed pickleball from casual backyard pastime to a fast, finessed competitive sport.

Host Crystal Brown recently interviewed Prolite CEO Neil Friedenberg on her Simply Pickleball podcast, an upbeat and enthusiastic show “where we discuss all things pickleball.”

Friedenberg took listeners on an insightful tour of Prolite's founding history and steadfast material science innovation through today. While new paddle brands appear yearly, Friedenberg makes clear that decades of paddle testing and tinkering are invaluable. As both Prolite CEO and self-professed paddle engineer, his insights have crafted some of pickleball’s most iconic paddles — the choice of amateurs and professionals worldwide.

BOEING BRAINPOWER CRAFTS COMPOSITE PADDLES

The pickleball plastic composite paddle’s origins trace directly to The Boeing Company. Specifically, an enterprising Boeing engineer named Arlen Paranto, working in Washington in the early 1980s.

At the time, primitive wood paddles were the norm. Yet their heft poorly matched the wiffle ball’s delicate flight. Seeking performance parity with tennis rackets, Arlen brought aerospace materials home. As Prolite CEO Neil Friedenberg explained, “Arlen was a Boeing engineer and what he would do is find scraps — basically floor panels from airlines — and bring them back.”

From discarded Boeing cabin floor panels, Arlen crafted a revolutionary honeycomb paddle. Its precise weight and balance transformed pickleball’s pace and control.

“It turned out when they made a paddle with the edge guard and end cap, it was identical to a tennis racket and tennis ball weight ratio. So they found the solution,” said Friedenberg.

With Boeing brainpower, Prolite paddles were born. And pickleball was forever changed.

PREMIUM MATERIALS AND MIDWEST MANUFACTURING

Prolite’s culture of innovation continued under Neil’s father, Mark Friedenberg, a first ballot Pickleball Hall of Famer and National Champion, who purchased the company in 2003. New space-age materials like graphite, Kevlar and fiberglass offered groundbreaking performance.

When Neil Friedenberg took over Prolite in 2011, he expanded the lineup with more shapes, sizes, weights and materials tailored to different player needs. Yet Neil ensured premium quality by keeping materials sourcing and manufacturing on U.S. soil.

“Well over 90% of our manufacturing and assembly is here in Wisconsin. We just moved to a larger facility in New Berlin to keep up with growth,” he said.

Even sourcing quality materials like polymer honeycomb paddle cores from regional suppliers to control quality. And molding his paddles’ signature soft grip end-caps in-house, a proprietary mix that ensures comfort and proper conformation to the players’ hands.

“It’s different when your employees are making those handles for customers. You know paddles aren’t mass produced overseas. There is a sense of appreciation when you are able to have conversations about family and paddles face to face,” said Friedenberg.

This Midwest paddle craftsmanship shows in Prolite’s paddles, beloved for their buttery smooth feel right out of the box.

TAILORING PADDLES TO TRANSITION TENNIS, PING PONG AND BADMINTON PLAYERS

Prolite’s engineering obsession bears fruit in their broad lineup catering to all player backgrounds. With patented technologies to ease transitions from tennis, table tennis or badminton.

According to Friedenberg, “A lot of players transition to pickleball from another sport, typically paddle or racket. So we make that smooth by matching grip sizes, weights, and balance points.”

He adds, “You see tennis players wanting large grips, headweighted paddles. While table tennis players prefer shorter grips and lighter weight options.”

Prolite paddles finesse those subtle differences with paddle shapes mimicking tennis rackets, table tennis blades or badminton racquets. Along with grip sizes scaled down to the millimeter. And weight distributions tweaked precisely between head and handle.

No detail escapes Prolite’s engineering processes. All to build familiarity for athletes crossing over into pickleball for the first time.

RIGOROUS TESTING WEEDS OUT "PADDLE PRETENDERS"

With so many new pickleball paddles flooding the market, durability concerns abound. Particularly regarding paddles from pop-up brands relying on anonymous Chinese manufacturers.

Prolite CEO Neil Friedenberg pulled no punches on this controversial subject. “In a sense, it’s frustrating. So many brands source from the same few China factories. Making the same paddle over and over in different colors,” he said. “Quality control is not always top of mind.”

By contrast, Prolite paddles undergo relentless stress tests. Both in-lab and on court.

“We have great durability and quality control at our Wisconsin factory. Every paddle is QC stamped before it ships,” Friedenberg stated.

He warned of inconsistent quality and even safety issues from many foreign sourced paddles. Especially “thermo-formed” paddles prone to delamination and dead spots.

“The core can crush over time. It creates a pocket, almost like a trampoline. Then the ball shoots off unpredictably and dangerously fast,” Friedenberg explained.

For Prolite, quality over quantity is paramount. “Our reputation means everything. Players trust a paddle from us over paddle pretenders,” said Friedenberg.

GRIPS AND ACCESSORIES COMPLETE THE PROLITE PICKLEBALL EXPERIENCE

Beyond paddles, Friedenberg highlighted Prolite’s premium grips and accessories completing the pickleball experience.

Cushioned grips provide shock absorption for arthritic hands. Thin grips layer easily over existing grips, preferred by tennis converts. And Prolite’s “No Sweat” diamond grip literally channels perspiration away from hands to keep play comfortably dry.

Friedenberg considers grips equally important to paddles for customized feel and performance. For accessories, Prolite’s standouts include their Edge Tape Armor protecting paddles from nicks and cracks. Along with ballistic nylon paddle bags protecting prized paddles. And portable nets and balls to play anywhere.

With every new accessory product, Prolite specifies and tests them in-house. “We focus on the total pickleball experience,” said Friedenberg.

TEACHING KIDS REKINDLES LOVE FOR INNOVATING PADDLE TECHNOLOGY

Neil Friedenberg grew up playing tennis, baseball, basketball, golf, and pickleball with his father. But left paddles behind for college athletics and a teaching career.

That changed when he discovered dusty wooden paddles in a school supply closet. Friedenberg recalled, “I asked if they ever played pickleball here before. The principal said the paddles actually never were used.”

Seeing a perfect lifelong activity for students, Friedenberg rolled out an elective pickleball unit. And his passion for paddles quickly reignited.

“The kids loved it! They were engaged, active, and building friendships. And I saw everyone improving week to week,” he said.

Shortly after, Neil bought Prolite from his father in 2011. Drawing on his teaching insights to keep innovating paddles and materials for players of all backgrounds.

“Seeing kids and adults both having fun out there motivates me. I want to help them keep improving with the right paddle,” said Friedenberg.

GRASSROOTS GROWTH VERSUS PROS

In pickleball’s early days, Prolite sponsored several pro players as the sport gained legitimacy. But Neil found minimal return from expensive sponsorships.

“We’ve scaled back pro sponsorships. The ROI just isn’t there compared to grassroots pickleball,” he explained.

Instead, Prolite focuses sponsorship dollars on passionate pickleball teachers and educators, who organically grow the sport by mentoring new players. And thoughtfully recommend gear helping students progress and stay motivated.

“They're important. Players ask them tons of questions on improving their game and what paddles to buy,” said Friedenberg.

Ultimately, he believes connecting with recreational players, families and students holds the greatest promise for the sport’s future.

“We’re focused on the grassroots pickleball community. The people are out playing for fun, fitness and friendship. That's the heart of the sport,” said Friedenberg.

PROLITE TODAY: NEW MATERIALS AND MORE SURPRISES

While Prolite Pickleball Paddles have been around for decades, they show no signs of slowing down. Beyond their core paddle lineup, Neil Friedenberg hints at an exciting new technology about to drop.

“We have a new paddle releasing very soon that will blow your socks off. It involves technology not even seen yet in pickleball,” he revealed.

Given Prolite’s track record for game-changing innovation, it’s easy to believe they have more in store. After 40 years excelling at pickleball materials engineering, they’re undoubtedly poised to shape the future yet again.

CONCLUSION

In closing, Prolite Pickleball Paddles represents everything that makes pickleball a great American success story.

A scrappy family-run company pioneered paddles crucial to establishing pickleball itself. Then persevered through ups and downs over decades when others folded. Now, their American-made paddles are the choice of pickleball players worldwide.

Yet the sport is still young, with most growth lying ahead. As pickleball reaches mainstream popularity, purpose-built paddles will prove ever more important. Serious competitors demand ultralight composites over crude wood. Families want safe, durable paddles on tight budgets. Schools need affordable paddles in bulk.

With such diversity of players and needs, one company above all is equipped to deliver. That company is Prolite—where Boeing engineering ingenuity propelled the sport into the future.

YouTube Time Code List

00:00 Prolite Pickleball Paddles was started 40 years ago by a Boeing engineer who experimented with floor panels from airplanes to create paddles lighter than traditional wood paddles. 01:18 Neil Friedenberg took over Prolite from his father 10 years ago and focused on adding more paddle shapes, materials like polymer and fiberglass, and visual designs. 03:37 Prolite aims to connect with grassroots pickleball players by providing a wide range of paddles for different player levels and backgrounds. They manufacture over 90% of paddles in Wisconsin. 05:12 Neil started by teaching kids pickleball in schools using old wooden paddles, sparking his interest to improve paddle technology and materials. 07:00 Prolite was an early sponsor of big name professional players but found minimal return on investment compared to sponsoring passionate pickleball teachers. 08:54 The original Prolite paddle technology matched the ratio of tennis racket to tennis ball weight, enabling better feel and control compared to heavy wood paddles. 10:26 Prolite continues to innovate with new paddle materials and technologies to improve durability, power, control and feel based on different player needs. 12:16 Key paddle innovations include proprietary durable plastics for endcaps, quality honeycomb polymer cores, and woven carbon fiber skins. 14:22 Prolite offers paddles tailored for players transitioning from tennis, table tennis, badminton and other racket sports with optimal grip sizes, weights and head balance. 16:29 Prolite paddles are rigorously quality control tested for durability and performance, unlike some competitors using overseas manufacturing with inconsistent quality. 18:05 Prolite not only offers paddles, but also grips engineered to channel sweat away, cushion shots, and customize feel for players' hand size and style. 19:53 Neil analyzes paddle materials and constructions to optimize power, control, spin, and durability for different player skill levels and backgrounds. 21:33 Prolite provides an online paddle fitting guide for players to select the right paddle based on dimensions, weight, balance, control, power and intended use. 23:48 Prolite started assembling paddles by hand in a family basement before expanding operations to a dedicated Wisconsin manufacturing facility. 26:05 Neil's father instilled an engineering mindset to constantly analyze and improve products even after initial success. This focus continues at Prolite. 28:53 Prolite sells direct to consumer online and through pickleball retailers and pro shops, and works with schools to donate used paddles. 31:12 Prolite paddles are used worldwide, especially in areas of early pickleball adoption like Singapore, Sweden and Australia. 33:03 Prolite handles are specifically engineered not to crack unlike balsa wood handles. Their durability enables a strong warranty program. 35:23 Prolite paddles range from beginner (Bolt), intermediate (Ignite), advanced (Stealth), to high-end pro models (LX series). 37:15 Interwoven silk fibers in Prolite's high-end LX paddles add an extra durable layer and tighter carbon fiber weave. 39:06 Neil used his favorite LX paddle for over 3 years in tournaments, demonstrating Prolite's durability advantage. 40:57 Prolite partners with schools to provide affordable, safe and durable paddles for physical education programs. 42:36 Prolite's "No Sweat" diamond pattern paddle grip channels sweat away and is a top-selling pickleball accessory. 44:42 Prolite will soon release an innovative new paddle technology that Neil predicts will "blow your socks off".