Matt's Pickleball Podcast

Title (200 char max): How Two Tennis Kids Built Pickleball's Biggest Brand | Connor Hance & Drew Baird of Enhance Pickleball Description (4000 char max): Connor Hance and Drew Baird built one of pickleball's biggest brands from scratch — starting with a $40 mic, an iPhone, and zero plan. In this episode, we go deep on how content became their biggest business advantage, the origin of t...

Head to www.mattspickleball.com/blackfriday for the full interactive list with live links, filters by brand, and updated deals as they drop throughout the weekend. Use code MPB at checkout on most brands to save even more. Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025 Pickleball Deals — the most complete A-Z guide covering every major brand, paddle discount, and stacking code available this season. I've...

I tested 17 pickleball paddles from $99 to $250. Here's what's actually worth your money and what disappointed. MY TOP PICK:RPM Friction Pro - My current main paddle. Best playing Gen 3 I've tested despite the $249 price tag. BEST VALUE:Vatic V-Sol Pro - $99 with code MPB. Add 9 grams of weight and it competes with paddles twice the price. BIGGEST SURPRISE:Element 6 Zephyr - $125 with...

James Ignatowich is one of the most dynamic players in pro pickleball and now one of the boldest entrepreneurs in the game. In this episode, we cover his transition from college tennis to the PPA Tour, his decision to part ways with Selkirk, and the launch of his own brand, RPM Pickleball. We dig into what it takes to engineer a paddle that can compete at the highest level, the trade-offs between...

You don't need to spend $250-300+ to get serious paddle performance. I'm breaking down the best paddles you can get around $150 or less in 2025 - and these aren't budget alternatives, they're premium paddles at honest prices. Featured Paddles: Vatic Pro Saga Bloom 16mm - $119.99 with code MPB 11SIX24 Power Series (3 shapes) - $159 with code MPB Friday Fever Series - $99 with code M...

I tested 13 paddles across three different construction categories to see how each generation performs in 2025. From traditional Gen 1 builds to cutting-edge foam-core technology, this comparison reveals which approach delivers the best value and performance. Paddle lineup by construction:Foam-Core: Ronbus Refoam ($179), Selkirk Boomstik ($333),J2NF Long HandleGen 3: Thrive FURY ($180)Pickleball A...

First impressions of Selkirk’s new Boomstik power paddle, plus deep dives on the GX2 Power, CRBN Genesis 4, Enhance Pickleball Gen 4.5, Wild Thang, and two standout pickleball shoes from Solase and PB5Star.

$99 vs $280 – Can the Vatic Pro V-Core really compete with the new TruFoam Genesis 4 Hybrid? In this review, I test six new pickleball paddles that are shaking up the game in 2025. From foam-core tech to thermoformed Gen-3 builds, I share real on-court results and which ones are actually worth your money. This is episode 17 of the Matt's Pickleball Podcast (formerly, "Paddle of the Week!&...

Creator. Competitor. Culture shaper. In this full-length interview, Pickleball Will gets real about his family’s refugee story, quitting his job at 31, finding pickleball during COVID, and building a voice in the sport through honest gear reviews, podcasting, and building a community of pickleball in Oklahoma. We go deep on burnout, brand deals, identity, and what’s next. If you’ve followed Pickle...

5 new pickleball paddles go head to head in this episode of Paddle of the Week. I played the Gearbox GX2 Power, Selkirk SLK ERA Power, the powerful Element 6 Surtr, and both the Avoura Revaya and Rivelle Gen-1 models. 💵 Planning to grab one of these? Use code MPB (or INF-MPB at Selkirk) to save at checkout.

2 standout paddles. 1 unforgettable tournament. Matt breaks down a Gen 3 carbon power build and his favorite foam-core paddle to date from Honolulu Pickleball (the J2NF)—plus gives a behind-the-scenes look at the creator-packed Nerdy Tourney in Vero Beach. Could the new Bread & Butter prototypes be the next big thing?

In this week’s Paddle of the Week, it’s foam vs. firepower in one of the most loaded episodes yet! I test two game-changing foam-core paddles—MUVN GRUVN Foam and the Honolulu Pickleball NF Series—the J2NFT, J2NFL, and J2NFK—up against powerhouse builds from Franklin C45 Dynasty and Holbrook ARMA Metallic T. If you’ve been wondering how foam stacks up against Gen 3 thermoform beasts, you’re about t...

Ronbus just dropped the V2 Ripple series. Holbrook’s new ARMA line is making noise. I tested both—plus the Engage Pro1 Innovation and an unreleased power paddle prototype. Spin, power, stiffness, control—it’s all here.

In Episode 11, I dig into six new products: the high-spin Volair V.1F Hybrid, Franklin’s reworked C45 Dynasty and Tempo paddles, the surprisingly solid $99 Friday Fever, the ADV Pickleball Pro Bag, and the FOCOS performance glasses from Brioti. One paddle needed tuning. One blew past expectations. 🧠 Paddle Finder: https://www.mattspickleball.com/pickleball-paddle-finder 📊 Paddle data + rankings:...

Four paddles. Three brands. No clear winner—yet. In Episode 10 of Paddle of the Week, I put the newly updated Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta 2.0 , two all-foam Selkirk Labs Project 008 paddles, and Franklin’s new C45 Dynasty Elongated 14mm and 16mm builds through match play, drills, and league nights. You’ll get actual performance numbers—spin RPM, punch volley speed, serve speed—as well as real...

What do a Gen 3 foam prototype, a $149 Franklin paddle, a thermoformed Kevlar build, and one of the most stable standard shapes I’ve tested all have in common? They’re all in this week’s lineup. Welcome to Episode 9 of Paddle of the Week. Each paddle got full court time—drills, match play, and league nights. I focused on real-world performance: feel, power, pop, spin, balance, and more. Want help...

In Episode 8 of Paddle of the Week, we go deeper—not wider. I tested six paddles and one pair of true pickleball shoes across drills, league play, and high-intensity games to find what actually performs when it counts. The standout? The CRBN TruFoam Genesis 2 . Not the flashiest paddle, but maybe the most well-rounded foam-core paddle I’ve tested yet. 🔍 What’s covered: HEAD Motion Pro BOA Pickleb...

Episode 7 is here—and this week, we’ve got a clear Paddle of the Week winner: the Gherkin Nightshade Elongated 14mm. It’s not just about spin or power—it’s about balance, control, and that rare “just right” feel that works at any tempo. But that’s not all. I tested 8 different paddles across 6 brands—plus a pickleball-specific shoe that surprised me with how well it’s holding up. 🔹 Here’s what we...

Episode 6 of Paddle of the Week is here—and this time, I’m not naming a winner. After a full week of paddle testing across 13+ builds, nothing stood out enough to take the crown. But that doesn’t mean it was a wasted week—far from it. This episode is still packed with analysis. Here’s what I cover: Diadem Warrior BluCore : First look at the Standard 14mm and Max 16mm. EPP foam core, unique feel, a...

This episode of Paddle of the Week goes deep—not wide. I’m talking about fewer products with more substance, including the Gearbox GX2 Hyper (my Paddle of the Week), JOOLA Hyperion IV 16mm, Proton Flamingo, and the new recovery kit from Yobow. I also break down standout paddles like the Gherkin Nightshade Hybrid, Gearbox Pro Ultimate Hyper, and revisit the Tecnifibre TF Select 15mm after more cour...

After a week of sun, sweat, and way too many paddles in Mexico, I’m back with Episode 4 of Paddle of the Week—and this one is stacked. The surprise standout? The Tecnifibre TF Select 15mm . It wasn’t even on my radar to win, but the confidence it gave me at the net and from the baseline sealed the deal. Plus, the Gearbox GX2 paddles nearly took the top spot and are some of the most unique feeling...

Welcome to Episode 3 of Paddle of the Week. This week’s lineup is deep, diverse, and packed with paddles I’ve been playing, tweaking, and retesting—including two JOOLA Perseus Pro IV paddles that couldn’t feel more different. The 16mm version earns Paddle of the Week honors for its balance, spin, and control-focused power, while the 14mm version brings the heat with speed and explosiveness. Also i...

Welcome to Episode 2 of Paddle of the Week—where I break down the paddles I actually played with this week, including how they performed, what surprised me, and what absolutely needed tuning. This week’s top spot goes to the Franklin C45 , a paddle that finally clicked after some simple weight adjustments. Also in the mix: the JOOLA Hyperion 3S , Neonic Flare Prime X , Thrive Smoke , Bread & B...

Welcome to Episode 1 of Paddle of the Week, a new series where I break down the paddles I actually played this week—no fluff, no sponsored spin. I tested a ton of paddles, and one clear standout earned the top spot: the Standout CF4 . But there were some big surprises, including the CRBN TruFoam Genesis 2 , Honolulu J2K+ , and Vatic Pro Saga Bloom . I go deep on performance, spin, swing weight, an...