Hi friends,

We’ve got a full lineup this week.

With all of the great paddles, gear, and pro matches going on, there have been a lot of questions about the new LT Ball and how it’ll affect us as players.

Especially with it replacing the Vulcan, becoming the new official PPA ball.

So this week, we’ll dive deep into some of the data I’ve collected with my ball cannon.

Along with some of the newest paddles coming up, and where I’m going this weekend.

So let’s dive in!

In this week’s email:

As a side note, with so many new paddles dropping, I’m also curious which ones you’re most excited about.

I put together a quick poll — it’ll only take a minute, and I’ll use your answers in next week’s pod.

THIS WEEK'S GEAR NEWS

If you remember the original Loco, you’ll recall it as a softer-feeling control paddle.

I reviewed it almost two years ago and thought it was solid, but felt the name “Loco” was better suited for a power paddle.

This remake changes everything.

It’s now a true power paddle with a dual-density full foam build that feels similar to the latest high-profile releases like the Honolulu J2NF, J2FC+, and Selkirk Boomstik.

They just earned PBCOR 0.43 approval, and will come in all three Bread & Butter shapes:

My initial impressions are that they play like a mix between the Honolulu NF/FC+ and the Boomstik. Firepower is closer to the Boomstik than the Honolulus.

I’m hoping to have a review covering the B&B Loco soon. But for now, they’re already up for pre-order (in small batches), and you can take 10% off with the code JOHNKEW

THIS WEEK’S GEAR DEEP DIVE

With the PPA officially replacing the Vulcan ball with the LT ball, everyone’s been asking the same questions:

So this week, I dug into the weeds on the LT ball and used my KewCOR test to figure out how the LT Ball compares to the Franklin X-40 and the Vulcan V-Pro Flight.

For context: KewCOR is my way of measuring how much energy a paddle gives back to the ball, using a cannon setup similar to USAP’s PBCOR testing, which is the method USAP uses to certify paddles.

How I tested:

I performed a two-day experiment that involved shooting a brand-new ball of each brand 500 times at 50 MPH into a stationary, clamped paddle using a ball cannon.

After each shot, the ball passed through a speed gate, where both the inbound and outbound velocities were measured and recorded.

Over the 2-day test, the LT ball showed to be the most powerful across the test consistently. Rebounding 2–3 MPH faster than the Franklin X-40 and 1-2 MPH faster than the Vulcan Pro Flight.

2-3 MPH may not seem like much, but on a small pickleball court, it’s very noticeable, giving players less reaction time and more pace to work with.

Break-in | 0–50 hits
Both the LT and Vulcan lost speed early, showing a clear break-in. The Franklin stayed steady with no early drop.

Drop off | 50–150 hits
The LT leveled off and held a consistent response. The Vulcan was already showing signs of wear and the Franklin began a slow, steady fade in power.

Cracking & Wear | 200–300 hits
Vulcan developed a crack at roughly 200 hits with a severe drop off in liveliness and was retired from testing at 250 hits. The LT Ball remained stable after its initial dip, and Franklin continued its gradual decline.

Long Term | 300–500 hits
The LT and Franklin X-40 stayed strong through the rest of Day 1, didn’t crack, and still held close to their post-break-in speed. There’s a slight loss in power over time for both balls.

After day 1 and resting overnight, the balls regained some of that bounce before continuing their downward trend.

Therefore, making Day 2 look very similar to Day 1. Both the LT and Franklin balls started livelier, then gradually lost power as the hits added up.

The Vulcan ball didn’t make it to Day 2 — due to it being retired from the test on Day 1 after its crack and severe drop off at 250 hits.

The scatter plot tracked every LT impact across both days and showed a gradual decline. By Day 2, it had lost about 0.4 MPH outbound speed in the 50 MPH inbound range. That’s a subtle but real fade, most noticeable for players sensitive to how “fresh” a ball feels.

The LT was the fastest ball of the three. It had more power than the Franklin and didn’t have the cracking problem that cut the Vulcan short. It did lose some pop in the first 50 hits and slowly faded over longer play, but it stayed steady and never cracked during testing.

For players, this means the LT plays faster, lasts longer, and feels more reliable. If you’re used to the Franklin, it will feel like a clear step up in speed. If you’ve been playing with the Vulcan, the LT’s durability and ability to stay round is a big improvement.

You can pre-order LT balls on Pickleball Central, and take 10% off with my affiliate link.

LIFE UPDATE

I’m leaving for China this weekend to visit some of the factories that produce most of the world’s pickleball paddles.

I was invited by Dale from Six Zero earlier this year, but I couldn’t fly because of my foot surgery. So now that I’ve recovered enough, I’m making the trip.

I’ll be spending most of my time at one of the largest paddle factories, so I’ll have a first-hand view of the assembly line that produces all the varieties of paddles on the market today.

They even have their own PBCOR setup, so I’ll be sure to compare it to my rig and take notes.

Now that all-foam paddles seem to be taking over, we’re also arranging a domestic flight within China to visit a foam factory. It’ll be good to get the deets on this new technology.

As a side note, the PPA is hosting its first event in Hong Kong on the day I fly in!

So, if there’s anything in particular you want me to check out while I’m there?

Hit reply on this email and let me know!

AROUND THE POST WITH EDDIE

Hi folks, Eddie here with another ATP segment – this time about health.

I feel fortunate to call Colorado home. Where my two favorite pastimes, pickleball and hiking, are not only accessible but world-class.

On particularly lucky days, I can be on a 12,000+ foot peak in the morning and battling it out at a 20-court elite indoor pickleball facility by the afternoon. Hey, life is good.

Lately, I’ve been geeking out on tracking my fitness habits with a new Samsung Classic 8 watch. It’s a surprisingly powerful training tool, logging everything from calories burned to workout intensity.

Case in point: in a recent session with friends (all around the 4.5 level), I torched 1,230 calories over 2¼ hours, about 550 an hour.

That’s a massive burn. Now compare that to a strenuous hike.

On a recent trek (6.7 miles with 1,400 ft of elevation), I logged 1,270 calories in 3 hours, or about 425 calories per hour.

Still great, but nowhere near the workout pickleball delivers.

For perspective, here’s what the Mayo Clinic estimates for activities (based on a 160-lb person per hour):

So yeah, pickleball isn’t just fun—it can go toe-to-toe with hiking, running, or swimming, and still burn just as many (or more) calories.

For me, it’s become the cornerstone of staying healthy and active.

How about you? Have you ever tracked your burn on court? What’s the biggest health boost you’ve noticed since picking up a paddle?