
Hi friends,
Welcome to this week’s newsletter.
It’s been a whirlwind trying to keep up with all the new paddle releases.
We’re still deep in what I’ve been calling the Great Paddle Boom of 2025.
Things seem to be slowing down a bit, but I still know of a few big paddle releases coming later this month.
So stay tuned and let’s dive in!
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In this week’s email:
Selkirk Boomstik Impressions and Release Info
PPA’s New Official Ball & New Paddles
LT Ball Performance Compared to Other Companies
New Paddle Edge Protection Material
Read time: 4 minutes
THIS WEEK'S GEAR NEWS
Selkirk Boomstik Impressions and Release Info

Last week on the pod, we could only share early impressions of the Selkirk Boomstik. The embargo limited what we could say, but now we can talk a bit more.
Release dates:
August 11 for LABS members
August 14 for the general public
I still can’t share much about the tech within the paddle, but I can say that the built-in weighting system around the edges of the paddle is impressive.
It gives the Boomstick a great swing weight to twist weight ratio. And more importantly, both shapes have felt very forgiving. Especially for an elite-tier power paddle.
I’m also excited to find out if Selkirk’s Infinigrit really is 3x more durable than raw carbon fiber.
If true, it will give Selkirk a big leg up on the competition.
I’m still figuring out which shape I like more. The elongated version has more power thanks to the added leverage, but the widebody is right behind it, and its large sweet spot is hard to ignore.
I’ll have a full review out Friday, August 11, at noon EST.
PPA’s New Official Ball & New Paddles

This week’s podcast covers some big updates, including the LT Ball becoming the official ball of the PPA.
Eddie and I have both spent time with the LT Ball over the last few months. And a few weeks ago, I started using it in the KewCOR ball cannon tests. So from here on out, the KewCOR scores will reflect the ball that’s used on the main pro tour.
If you want to try it out, the LT Ball is up for pre-order at Pickleball Central, and you can get 10% off using my affiliate link:
LT Pro 48 Performance Pickleball
Also on this week’s gear rundown, Eddie and I talk about and rank a bunch of the new paddles coming up:

New Honolulu NF paddles (J2 long handle, J7 elongated, J3 widebody)
Mark X1 R2
Whisper (quiet-approved)
Proton Peacock
Hudef Apex
Plus the Gearbox GX2 Power and Selkirk Boomstik
Eddie and I ranked them all by firepower and feel/forgiveness in the episode.
THIS WEEK’S GEAR INSIGHTS
Gear Deep Dive
LT Ball Performance & Break-In
Now that I’ve been using the LT Ball with the ball cannon, I’ve gathered a lot more data on its performance and durability over time.
The main reason I chose the LT Ball for KewCOR testing is that it’s one of the most powerful balls on the market.
It returns more energy after the bounce than other balls, meaning it recovers its shape faster and bounces back more consistently. This helps create a bigger gap between high and low-performing paddles, which makes the comparisons more meaningful.
Shout out to Chris and Aizec (Pickleball Studio) for their excellent ultra slo-mo videos:
Here’s a chart on how the LT Ball stacks up against the Franklin X-40 and Vulcan V-Pro Flight.
The chart below shows the inbound and outbound speeds when each ball is fired from the cannon onto a cinder block.

LT Ball (blue line) | Franklin X-40 (green line) | Vulcan V-Pro Flight (red line)
Here’s what the chart shows:
The LT Ball (blue line) returns the most energy, and its curve is the highest across the range
It’s also the most consistent, with the highest r² = 0.878
That means fewer weird bounces and more reliable performance across tests
But it’s not all upside.
While the LT Ball starts out very lively and bouncy, it loses that spring faster than other balls.
To test this, I fired a new LT Ball 300 times through the cannon at 50 MPH, using a CRBN TFG1 paddle as the target.
New ball rebound: 13.08 MPH
Used ball rebound: 11.39 MPH
That 1.69 MPH drop might not sound like much, but on a pickleball court, it’s noticeable.

That said, I still enjoy playing with the LT Ball. It bounces high when fresh but settles quickly after a few games. And unlike other brands, it doesn’t go out of round as easily.
Only gripe? The color.
I’d love a more vibrant neon green, but color dyes affect durability, so we may be stuck with it.
Around the Post with Eddie
New Paddle Edge Protection

We’ve all been there. You reach for a low ball and… SCRRAAAAAAPE.
Just like that, your shiny $250 paddle has a nasty scar across the edge.
Sure, you could throw on some brand-name edge tape to protect it. But it usually peels, costs more than it should, and it doesn’t exactly win any beauty contests.
Enter Paint Protection Film (PPF).
Yep, the same stuff used to protect car paint.
Shout-out to my buddy Michael O, who showed up with a paddle so clean it practically glowed. Turns out, he had wrapped the whole thing in PPF.
PPF is a clear, self-healing film that protects against scrapes and dings. It also adds a slick, glossy finish that looks pretty sharp. If you get small surface scratches, a little heat from a hair dryer or heat gun will usually make them disappear.

The Gearbox is still looking fresh after hours on the court.
Now, before you run off and wrap everything in film, here are a couple of things to keep in mind:
Weight: PPF isn’t weightless. A full wrap adds about 3 grams. Not a big deal, but it can shift the feel of your paddle a bit toward the head. For example, I tried it on a Paddletek Bantam GTO-C and saw swingweight go from 119 to 121. Not huge, but if you’re sensitive to swingweight, it’s worth noting. Personally, I like the added perimeter weight. It gives a slightly bigger sweet spot. Bonus.
DIY Factor: You’ll need to trim the film to fit your paddle. A straight edge and razor blade will get you clean results. Expect some bubbles during the first go; they’re hard to avoid. Pro tip: Use a bit of soapy water on the edge guard before applying. It gives you time to smooth things out and reposition before it sticks for good.
It might take a little trial and error, but once you get the hang of it, PPF is a solid way to keep your paddle looking as fresh as the day you unboxed it.
We don’t have an affiliate link for it, but you can pick some up on Amazon.
Hope this helps!
—Eddie