Hi friends! Happy Friday.

I got to run some pretty interesting tests this week, including a durability update on the Boomstik’s Infinigrit.

I’ve got about 28 hours of play time with the Boomstik, so I’m excited to share updated data on its spin and how it compares to other raw carbon fiber paddles.

Plus, I got a visit from the Friday Pickleball guys, and things got a little carried away during paddle testing.

Let’s dive in!

In this week’s email:

COMMUNITY POLL

If you haven’t voted yet, you can nominate a paddle for the “People’s Choice Paddle Of The Year Award.”

LIFE UPDATE

Earlier this week, I got a visit from the Friday Pickleball guys who were looking to test out their new full-foam paddle, and things got a little carried away with the ball cannon, haha.

Don’t be alarmed, this wasn’t a normal test.

We cranked the ball cannon past anything you’d see in real play just to find the limits and have a little fun, haha.

PADDLE SPIN DURABILITY TEST

I wanted to start this test by looking at the Boomstik first, since it’s been my main paddle lately and I’ve logged about 28 hours with it.

Under the microscope, a brand-new Boomstik has a very clear grit structure.

Distinct and bright grit particles sit on top of a grid-like surface underneath. It looks aggressive and textured, exactly what you’d expect from a fresh Infinigrit face.

After 28 hours of use, there is some change. The grit particles are a little more flattened and slightly less defined.

Nothing drastic. No obvious stripping or major wear.

I was most surprised when I actually tested spin; the RPM loss was minimal.

Then we moved on to the Luzz Inferno.

Visually, this one behaves much more like a traditional raw carbon fiber paddle.

Under the microscope, the new Inferno shows that classic carbon weave texture.

The used Inferno, with about 22 hours of play, shows more flattening of the epoxy and some visible wear in the surface texture.

You can also see small gouges where the ball has clearly been sliding across the face.

And the spin numbers reflect that.

That drop is noticeable, but it’s also pretty normal for raw carbon fiber. Even though the face feels smoother than expected, it’s still generating over 2,000 RPM, which is very playable.

I actually expected the number to be lower based on feel alone.

Comparatively, the Luzz Inferno is performing how you’d expect a raw carbon fiber paddle to play after 20+ hours of use.

The Boomstik, on the other hand, is showing very impressive numbers, losing only 53 RPM over nearly 30 hours of play.

This doesn’t prove anything long-term just yet. It’s one data point, not a final verdict.

However, Infinigrit looks very promising so far, especially when compared to traditional carbon fiber faces.

I’m looking forward to testing Six Zero’s Diamond Tough grit next.

This experiment began with a comment from a viewer (MusicLover) who has been advocating for this idea for a while.

“How much of spin is really coming from dwell time, and how much is just grit?”

To test this, I needed to keep things as simple and fair as possible. That meant making sure every paddle had the same surface texture.

To do this, I used PIKKL Skins on every paddle, which was a great idea by the viewer who made this request. These are thin sheets you can put on any paddle to add new grit.

I put the skins on a range of paddles, including:

With every paddle now using the same surface texture, that lets me isolate and test how dwell affects spin.

I measured spin by taking the average RPM from 20 topspin serves with each paddle.

Here’s what stood out from this test bunch.

Most Spin: Selkirk Boomstik Widebody at 2,594 RPM. I suspected this one might take the top spot, but not at 2,594 RPM! That’s a testament to both the dwell on the paddle and the elite spin of the PIKKL skins. The widebody Boomstik is thicker, has a low swing weight, and very dwelly, which helps the ball stay on the paddle longer.

In second place was the Franklin C45 Paris Todd at 2,498 RPM, and this one caught me off guard. It feels much stiffer, but it has a low swing weight. That makes it easy to swing fast, and that speed turns into spin.

After that, a big group of paddles landed almost on top of each other. The Luzz Inferno, Boomstik Elongated, Gearbox GX2, and Bread & Butter Loco all fell between 2,432 and 2,467 RPM. These paddles feel softer and more plush, and the numbers line up with that feel.

The Selkirk 007 Epic was the lowest at 2,356 RPM, but it wasn’t far behind the rest.

Then came the biggest surprise.

The wooden paddle still produced 2,376 RPM. Even being the stiffest paddle in the test, it was spinning the ball well.

Once the grit was the same, every paddle spun the ball well. Even the wooden paddle was still ripping over 2,300 RPM, which was a real “wait, what?” moment for me.

When you compare the stiffest paddles to the dwelliest paddles, the total difference in spin was only about 250 RPM.

But if you take grit out of the equation, you don’t lose 250 RPM. You lose up to 1,000 RPM right away (at least on the wooden paddle).

Meaning dwell does help, but maybe not as much as many people think. Grit is doing most of the work.

Other things still matter too:

Spin isn’t just one thing. It’s a combination of surface, core, weight, thickness, and how fast you can move the paddle.

DEEP DIVE

You may have noticed pro players like Gabe Tardio and Hayden holding their paddle higher lately.

It looks small, but it makes a big difference.

This idea comes from a recent study by Keith at Technical Pickleball, where he looked at how paddles move and vibrate when they are hit in different spots.

When you move your hand up the handle, the paddle feels lighter. Specifically, for every inch you choke up, the swing weight drops by about 20 points.

A lighter swing weight means:

That’s why pros do it. But there is a tradeoff.

When you choke up, the paddle does not feel the same anymore.

The pivot point changes, and the sweet spot moves higher on the paddle. The place that feels good to hit the ball is no longer in the same spot.

Because of that, players naturally start hitting the ball higher on the paddle face. They are not thinking about it. Their hands just move away from vibration and toward what feels best.

That’s the part I love.

Players aren’t doing this because they studied physics. They’re doing it because their body figures it out on its own.

The study and the graph just show why it works.

Physics is wild like that.

TOP OF MIND

I saw a tip earlier this week that really stuck with me.

It came from Backpaddle Pickleball, and the idea was simple:

“Think less about technique and more about footwork.”

It was a good reminder because most missed shots aren’t caused by bad swings. A lot of the time, the swing breaks down because you’re in a bad position.

Misses usually happen when:

No matter how good your swing is, if you’re stretched out or off balance, it’s going to fall apart.

Good footwork puts you in the right spot before you ever swing. When you’re in position, the shot feels easy and natural, without overthinking mechanics.

If you want to work on one thing this week, start with your feet.

KEW & A

A. Yes, I think so.

Players want paddles that keep their spin, not just paddles that feel good for the first few weeks. We’re already seeing brands work on surfaces that last longer.

I expect more companies to focus on spin durability in 2026, and I’ll be watching that closely.

-John

A. This really depends on the player.

How a paddle feels has a lot to do with vibration, and everyone feels that differently. Two people can hit the same paddle and have totally different opinions.

For me, some of the Vatic V7 / Visel Pro shapes feel the closest to a JOOLA Gen 3. Other people may feel differently, and that’s okay. At this point, the differences between paddles are pretty small.

-Eddie

A. Yes, I think that makes a lot of sense. A Boomstik that costs around $220–$250 would be great for more players. I don’t know exactly what they could change to make it so they could still sell the LABS version separately, but I would hope that most or all of the technology would remain.

If I had to nitpick, the big things Selkirk would need to clean up (for both the LABS version and any mainline version) are the edge guard issues and face cracking that some people, myself included, have seen. The upside is that Selkirk’s customer service has been excellent. They replace paddles quickly and let you keep the old one until the new one arrives. But long term, fixing those durability issues and releasing the Boomstik as part of the main Selkirk lineup would be a win.

-John

A. Right now, it’s too early to say for sure.

Adding weight to the edge of a paddle can put more stress on it, especially during hard hits. That could lead to problems over time. But so far, Eddie has been using Slyce weights on several paddles and hasn’t seen any damage yet.

It’s something to keep an eye on, but there’s no clear issue yet.

-John