the paddle calendar · as of Sep 21, 2026 · every date sourced
38 launches from 27 brands, dated, priced and sourced. The rules, lawsuits and signings that shaped them run alongside. Then the company files, ten trends, and a forecast through next spring that says what each call rests on.
March was the peak: eight launches. May and July were the quiet months, with two each. August filled back up ahead of the October 1 spin-test deadline, and three more dated drops land in the next two weeks. Launch dates here are on-sale or store-listing dates, not review dates.
May 16, 2024rule
USAP notified JOOLA on May 15 and announced May 16 that all Gen3 paddles (launched Apr 16) were removed from the approved list. JOOLA attributed it to an 'administrative error' in November 2023 similarity testing and said the retail paddles were materially the same as the September 2023 submission. joola.com ↗
Jun 4, 2024rule
USA Pickleball said JOOLA's resubmitted Gen3 paddles 'did not pass all requirements' and offered a Corrective Action Plan. JOOLA responded the next day with full refunds for Gen3 purchases made Apr 16–Jun 15 2024. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
Jun 5, 2024legal
Florida firm Edwards Henderson announced a $5M class action alleging JOOLA falsely advertised Gen3 paddles as USAP approved. JOOLA later settled two class actions, offering $300 refunds with proof of purchase or $150 gift codes without. pickleball.com ↗
Jun 10, 2024rule
The Dink reported the Oni was being delisted under 'newly adopted USAP testing methods' after the core softened with play and ball speed rose. Vatic Pro cancelled preorders, refunded them, and offered free returns, making it the second Gen 3-style delisting of the spring. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
Jun 12, 2024legal
Sport Squad, Inc. (JOOLA) filed suit in the U.S. District Court for Maryland seeking $100M compensatory and $100M punitive damages, arguing USAP ignored its own 180-day sunset process. USAP later countersued, alleging the paddles submitted for testing differed from those sold. thekitchenpickle.com ↗
Jun 25, 2024rule
The United Pickleball Association of America (PPA Tour and MLP) announced its own certification program with Pickle Pro Labs and UMass Lowell, plus an interim certification based on face deflection and RPM until the full program launched later in 2024. Certification would be mandatory for UPA pro events. pickleball.com ↗
Aug 23, 2024rule
USA Pickleball introduced the Paddle/Ball Coefficient of Restitution test (a 60 mph ball fired at the paddle, rebound ratio measured) for Q4 2024 implementation, with a spin-rate test and 3D face scanning in development. It was USAP's direct answer to the Gen 3 power controversy. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
Sep 20, 2024money
Ronbus released the Ripple R1.14 beta to Connect members with a carbon-fiber-infused rebounding elastomer (EVA) core in place of honeycomb, after USAP approval in August. Production units later exceeded the PBCoR ceiling and the launch stalled into 2025. Full-foam Gen 4 paddles (CRBN TruFoam Genesis first) arrived in early 2025, not 2024. ronbus.com ↗
Oct 2, 2024rule
Manufacturers with USAP-approved paddles could apply for UPA-A Provisional Status Oct 1–Nov 15 2024 for $2,000 (credited toward full certification); full testing began Jan 1 2025. Provisional limits: spin below 2,200 RPM and average deflection force of at least 42 lbs. pickleball.com ↗
Nov 1, 2024rule
USAP says the enhanced standard was introduced in Q4 2024; outlets report a Nov 1 start. Pickleball Science describes the limit as a paddle/ball CoR of 0.44 (a 26.4 mph rebound from a 60 mph ball). Paddles over the ceiling were sunset from sanctioned play July 1 2025, and a tighter 0.43 tier followed for new approvals. pickleballscience.org ↗
Dec 27, 2024rule
USA Pickleball listed seven previously approved models from JOOLA (including the Perseus Mod TA-15), Gearbox and ProKennex for removal from sanctioned play effective July 1 2025 under the PBCoR standard, giving a six-month transition developed with manufacturers. usapickleball.org ↗
Jan 16, 2025rule
The pro tours' certifying body announced its 2025 Equipment Rules and Regulations, with registration opening Feb 1 and compliance required for all professional play by Sep 1, 2025. The standards were developed with Pickle Pro Labs and UMass-Lowell engineers, and amateur events stayed on USA Pickleball's list. pickleball.com ↗
Jan 20, 2025money
adidas Pickleball announced a multi-year partnership with Federico Staksrud, with a signature paddle planned for April 2025. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
Jan 31, 2025rule
At its Jan 31 media day USA Pickleball said production Ronbus Ripple paddles measured above 0.44 PBCoR after pre-production samples had passed, acknowledged the Chorus Fire was delisted and relisted within days, and promised expanded field testing. A spin-rate test was planned for Q2 2025. speakpickleball.com ↗
Apr 1, 2025rule
After a Pickleball Tech Dude video questioned the Luzz Cannon, UPA-A said Luzz had submitted it as a design variation of the provisionally approved ZZ model and pulled the whole brand. UPA-A president Jason Aspes: 'Violating UPA-A rules has consequences.' Luzz models returned to the list in the fall. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
Apr 2, 2025money
Tariffs announced Apr 2 raised import costs on China-made paddles by as much as 145 percent, according to CRBN founder Garrett Gosselin, who called the impact on his family-run company 'very real' and did not rule out price increases. CRBN, JOOLA and Selkirk all manufacture in mainland China. worldpickleballmagazine.com ↗
Apr 14, 2025rule
UPA-A and Pickle Pro Labs introduced the Artificial Break-In standard, which compression-cycles a paddle to simulate months of play. From Sep 1, 2025 paddles must test at or under 0.385 PEF when new and may not exceed 0.405 PEF after break-in. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
Apr 18, 2025legal
Answering JOOLA's 2024 lawsuit, USAP filed a counterclaim against parent Sport Squad alleging JOOLA submitted toned-down Gen 3 paddles for approval and then sold versions with as much as double the foam under USAP's approved mark. pickleball.com ↗
Jul 1, 2025rule
Paddles that exceeded the PBCoR standard were removed from sanctioned tournament play: JOOLA Perseus 14mm and 16mm Mod TA-15, Gearbox Pro Power Elongated, and ProKennex's 11mm Black Ace Ovation, Pro, LG and XF. USAP reversed the Black Ace LG's delisting on Jun 3 after new testing. usapickleball.org ↗
Aug 19, 2025legal
Sport Squad (JOOLA) agreed to pay $790,000 to settle class actions alleging Gen 3 paddles were misrepresented as USAP approved, denying wrongdoing. Buyers returning a paddle could claim a $300 refund with proof of purchase or a $150 JOOLA.com code without; claims closed Dec 15, 2025. classaction.org ↗
Sep 1, 2025rule
From Sep 1, 2025 only UPA-A certified paddles, tested to the 0.385 new / 0.405 post-break-in PEF limits, could be used in PPA Tour and MLP professional events. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
Oct 23, 2025rule
Nearly two months into the new standard, UPA-A confirmed paddles from six manufacturers had failed on-site testing and published a penalty schedule: $1,000 for a first offense in 2025, up to $10,000 for repeats, and up to $50,000 with possible decertification from 2026. A quarterly retail-purchase compliance protocol starts January 2026. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
Nov 1, 2025rule
The limit was .44 from Nov 1, 2024 and tightens to .43. Every 2026 paddle is designed under this ceiling, which is why the year's story is spin and feel, not raw power. equipment.usapickleball.org ↗
Dec 11, 2025money
USAP announced a long-term partnership to deploy Pickleball Instruments' testing technology at amateur tournaments from January 2026, to verify paddles meet approved standards and to flag counterfeits. usapickleball.org ↗
Dec 17, 2025legal
US Patent 12,465,827. Reported as quietly settled about a week before JOOLA's filing in April. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
Dec 31, 2025money
The world No. 1's agreement with Paddletek ended on Dec 31, 2025, opening the most valuable paddle free agency the sport had seen; her next deal was reported within days in January 2026. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
Jan 8money
The biggest paddle signing the sport has seen. The Aurelius preorder opened eight days later. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
Jan 16 preorder · ships Mar 1$229.99
The signing of the year gets a signature paddle. Extremely fast, spinny and controlled, short on free power. Built for 4.0+ hands players. The 12.7mm is Waters' own spec.
Build. Double-thermoformed unibody, T700 carbon laid at 45 degrees, PowerFlex polypropylene core with an inner foam layer. Cert. UPA-A approved Feb 6. USAP approval followed on Mar 5.
Jan 16rule
Friction, deflection, weight and balance checked courtside, RFID stickers on passed paddles. By Mar 19: more than 2,000 paddles tested, 6% failed, mostly paddles that had worn in and gained power. usapickleball.org ↗
Jan 20money
Bluestone Equity Partners, reported at $30M on roughly a $200M valuation. Stated plans: next-generation paddles, a quiet line, footwear, Asia, and acquisitions. pickleball.com ↗
Jan 27$249.99
A limited run sold only direct and at PickleballCentral. Four months later the JOOLA settlement put a sunset on it: phased out through fall 2026.
Build. Paddletek's first foam paddle. Three-foam core: low-density EPP, EVA wrap, perimeter foam ring. T700 unidirectional raw carbon, Shock Arrestor edge guard. Cert. Approvals confirmed for the 16mm via retailer listing.
Jan 30 · store listing went live$229
Real power from a quiet-approved paddle. Small sweet spot, very heavy swing. The pick for anyone playing under a noise ordinance.
Build. Reactive polypropylene honeycomb core with foam edge channeling, under an Acoustene carbon-and-polymer damping face. Measured. SW about 131 · about 2,300 RPM claimed. Cert. USAP approved Jul 11, 2025, and in the USAP Quiet Category. Not on the UPA-A list.
Jan 31 · reviewed from Jan 7$189.99
Pickleheads called it the new king of spin. Light and quick in the hands, gives up power to the heavier hitters. By Jul 29 it was cut to $104.99 with no restock planned: a January launch already on its way out.
Build. Volair's first Gen 4 full-foam paddle. Four-layer T700 carbon face. Measured. Widebody SW 105.4 / TW 7.1. Cert. USAP approvals date from Dec 5, 2025. On the UPA-A list only the Hybrid appears.
Feb 3 preorder$249.99
Pickleheads: the spinniest paddle they have tested. RPM is one of the two brands still fighting JOOLA's patent case.
Build. Tri-density polymer honeycomb core on a Gen 3 design, with an EVA foam ring and extra edge foam. Axial carbon layup aimed at maximum spin. Cert. USAP passed Dec 18, 2025. UPA-A lists only a 14mm widebody (Apr 1).
Feb 12$230
Pickleheads' number one overall and the only paddle they score a 10 for both power and control. Pickleball Blast questions the value against cheaper foam. Limited editions run $250.
Build. Dual-density foam core: low density through the lower and middle face, high density at the top. Carbon-aramid-carbon face. Cert. USAP passed Dec 11, 2025. UPA-A lists the elongated only.
Feb 13 (Vapor) · Mar 6 · Ultré Jun 5$209.99
The Vapor went live Feb 13 at noon Pacific, the Hurache-X and Pegasus on Mar 6, the Ultré in June. A top-five paddle of the spring. Durable grit is the headline, it plays calmer than the Power name suggests, and it is legal on the pro tours only.
Build. Gen 4 full floating foam core. HexGrit durable surface; the brand claims 98% grit retention and about 2,335 RPM. Cert. UPA-A only. HexGrit is too rough for USA Pickleball's surface test.
Feb 17$80 · $100 · $180
Selkirk cleared the shelf. Halo, EVO, Atlas, Latitude, Amped Control and Vanguard Control all retired, replaced by three sub-$200 paddles. The Dauntless puts full foam at $180 under a major-brand logo.
Build. Valkyrie: X5 polymer core, fiberglass face. Geo: T700 raw carbon, Rev-Pro polymer core, MOI tuning. Dauntless: one-piece SoloCore PureFoam with IsoFlex cutouts and the MOI Tuning System. Cert. USAP approval confirmed for the Dauntless.
Feb 20money
The 2025 tariff scare (CRBN's founder warned of $330 paddles) eased. Section 301 duties on Chinese-made paddles remain. MSRPs mostly held through the year. scotusblog.com ↗
February · rolling preorder$195
The Kitchen called the J6CR the best full-foam paddle on the market; Pickleheads called it the hardest hitter under $200. Power comes at some cost to control. A batch was scheduled to ship March 31.
Build. Core Reactor full floating foam with a central solid foam layer. Carbon face. Measured. J6CR SW 112 / TW 6.22 · 8.0 oz · 2,048 RPM. Cert. USAP: J6CR Dec 11, J2CR Jan 13, J3CR Feb 4.
Mar 1$119.99
One of the most talked-about budget launches of the year: $99.99 with a code. The EPP is the approachable one; the MPP feels crisper once you adjust.
Build. Full floating foam. EPP center with an EVA ring, or an MPP version. Carbon / fiberglass / carbon face over raw T700.
Mar 3 · pro debut Feb 10 week$299.95
Debuted on tour at PPA Cape Coral, preorders reported from Feb 24, official launch Mar 3. A refinement: more control and consistency, less free power than Pro IV. Pickleball Effect's headline asked whether JOOLA was falling behind the foam field. The Kosmos is JOOLA's first hybrid shape.
Build. Patent-pending KineticFrame flexing throat on top of the Propulsion Core (polymer honeycomb plus foam). TechFlex, peel-ply carbon face. Measured. Perseus 16 SW 117 / TW 6.26 · Kosmos 16 114 / 6.68 · Scorpeus 16 113 / 7.21. Cert. Eleven Pro V models hit the UPA-A list the week of Feb 10.
Mar 6$129 · $169
The paddle that moved Friday from budget two-packs to a real performance brand. Pickleheads scores the Pro 9+ across the board.
Build. Aura: full foam with rubber inserts and cartilage-style foam in the throat. Aura Pro: double-thermoformed floating EPP core, EVA surround, ElasTECH perimeter weighting ring. Measured. Elongated: Aura SW 118 / TW 5.7 · Aura Pro 116 / 6.0. Cert. USAP approval is confirmed for the Aura Pro; the base Aura's is not stated anywhere we checked.
Mar 16 preorder$179.99
Raw power for less money. Stiff, with limited touch and spin. For 4.0+ players who swing big.
Build. Carbon face over a honeycomb core with a Gen 3 feel. Matt's Pickleball: cold-bond Gen 3 at $180. Cert. USAP listed the Elongated Oct 15, 2025 and the Hybrid Dec 5. Not on the UPA-A list.
Mar 17 · presale Mar 13$279.99
CRBN's third TruFoam line in fourteen months and the best one. Fixes the small sweet spot that sank the Waves. Power with forgiveness, aimed at 4.0+.
Build. 100% floating foam Void Core: EPP center with void cutouts, thin EVA ring, outer EPP layer running through the handle. T700 peel-ply raw carbon. Measured. Barrage 2 SW 110.1 / TW 6.9 · Barrage 4 108.8 / 6.6. Cert. USAP approved. CRBN's own page says UPA-A provisionally approved; the tracker lists Barrage 1 through 4.
Q1 · exact date unverified$229 – $249
The legacy racquet house goes full foam. MyPickleList: a step in the right direction, not yet competitive with the best.
Build. Solid full-foam Strikefoam core under raw carbon.
Mar 24 preorder · ships mid-April$259.99
Consistent, easy to use, good feel. Matt's Pickleball called it one of the best Gen 4 paddles of the year. Engage was named in JOOLA's patent case in April and had settled by September.
Build. Quad-density foam core: dual-density hitting zone, EVA transition ring, high-density full perimeter. Fiberglass perimeter weighting, micro-weave carbon face. Measured. Elongated SW 119 / TW 6.4 · 8.0 oz. Cert. Per third-party review.
Late Q1$165
Matt's Pickleball titled the review 'this is how MPP should feel.' Launch dates are loose; the Frost surfaced as an approval-list entry in Q2.
Build. Neonic's first full-foam paddles, on MPP foam, with very low swingweight. Cert. USAP: Swift FLX Apr 14, Frost FLX May 27.
Mar 30rule
Not a technical failure: unpaid debts, including to sponsored players. Reinstated Apr 22. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
By Apr 1 · hybrid listed from January$219.99
Pickleball Studio on the grit: the first one they have seen truly hold. Power and pop are mid-pack. Sources disagree on the hybrid's first-sale date.
Build. Gen 4 floating EPP foam core. PermaGrit ceramic-hybrid surface, applied in the US. Measured. SW 117 / TW 6.51. Cert. Standard approved by USAP Apr 14.
Early 2026 · Harmony Grit in April$199.99
A touch-first Gen 4 paddle with a compliant feel and elite spin potential. Early buyers were offered a grit upgrade around April 20.
Build. Treblefoam triple-density all-foam core. Harmony Grit is the durable-texture face. Cert. The original Coda H passed USAP on Jan 18; the Harmony Grit version on Apr 2.
Apr 7legal
Inv. No. 337-TA-1503, over the Propulsion Core patents ('826 floating core, '891 throat foam block, both running to 2043). Named: Franklin, Proton, RPM, Engage, Friday, Diadem, Facolos, Paddletek, ProXR, adidas' licensee and Volair. JOOLA asked for an import ban. federalregister.gov ↗
Apr 10$219.99
Pickleball Effect: activated power, meaning it wakes up on full swings, with grit that holds.
Build. Gen 4 multi-foam core using three foam types with targeted internal weighting. Durable grit. Measured. SW 113 · 2,088 RPM.
Late April · shipping from May$195
Pickleheads ranks it best spin, with the longest-lasting grit they have tested. The cost is the rulebook: it is legal on the pro tours and not for USAP-sanctioned play. Ship dates slid into the summer.
Build. The CR core under a crystal-infused particulate grit built to last. Cert. UPA-A only. The texture is too rough for USA Pickleball's surface test.
May 1money
The PPA and MLP parent, led by Apollo Sports Capital. Pickleball Central and PickleballTournaments.com fold in. The pro tour now owns the biggest paddle retailer. ppatour.com ↗
May 12money
Terms undisclosed. B&B keeps its brand and leadership. The first roll-up move with Bluestone's money. selkirk.com ↗
May 13$249.99
Announced the same day Paddletek settled with JOOLA. The 14mm is the clearest example of the two-rulebook era: legal on the pro tour, not at a USAP-sanctioned event.
Build. Honeyfoam three-foam core in Christian Alshon's spec. Cert. USAP lists only the 16mm (Mar 3); the 14mm exceeded USAP's PBCoR limit in March testing. Paddletek's release claims UPA-A approval for both, but no TKO-X row was on the official UPA-A list on Sep 21.
May 13legal
Royalties, JOOLA's patent number on the paddle, and a phase-out of the Reserve, Honeyfoam and Signature Jolt lines through fall. Proton followed on Jun 16 and stopped manufacturing immediately. prnewswire.com ↗
May 26$329.95
A cosmetic drop, and the most expensive paddle on this calendar. It shows what the top of the market will bear for paint. The run is over: JOOLA's page now reads 'the truck is now closed.'
Build. Pro V construction in a summer-tour colorway. A $139.95 Double Vision version sold through authorized retailers.
May 28rule
Surface roughness over the limit; Facolos admitted the production paddle differed from the sample. Speedup Tide 14S and Proton's Project Peacock went under grit investigation the same week. Compliance fights have moved from the core to the face. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
Jun 2$300
The mainline successor to the Boomstik. Aggressive, crisp, very stable, tunable, and heavy to swing. Reviewers split on whether it earns $300.
Build. ReactCore Gen 4: floating PureFoam center, inner PureFoam ring, outer EVA Power Ring. InfiniGrit face. Tool-free removable MOI perimeter weights. Measured. Elongated SW 122 / TW 6.87 · Widebody 116 / 7.75 (weights in). Cert. Both shapes joined the UPA-A list May 29. Selkirk also makes a pro-only version without the MOI weights.
June$220
More spin, and it lasts: no measurable loss in John Kew's wear test. An easy recommendation unless you need USAP approval. Six Zero now sells one Coral per rulebook.
Build. Tectonic floating core: EPP center with a floating EVA band. Diamond Tough grit with roughly twice the diamond dust of the Coral. Cert. UPA-A only. Not USAP approved.
Week of Jun 25price n/a
HEAD's full-foam answer, arriving as the company stands up a US pickleball team in Phoenix. No independent review found yet. Price not published in launch coverage.
Build. TriFlex Power core in three layers: polypropylene foam center, EPP ring, EVA perimeter. Cert. On the USAP list since Feb 10.
Jul 1 · store listing went live$99
John Kew led a newsletter with it: the features of a $220 paddle, internal weighting included, at $99.
Build. Mixed-density foam core with an EVA band and internal 3 g weights at 3 and 9 o'clock. PermaGrit durable face. Cert. USAP listed a second shape, the Spitfire Standard, on Aug 25.
Jul 4 (Cannon2 M1) · Aug 14 (Inferno2 M1)$239
Grit and spin are up, but so is the price, and MPP cores are everywhere now. Exact launch dates are not pinned.
Build. Inferno2 M1: MPP foam core under carbon. Cannon2 M1: MOI side-wing weighting. Glider: Chris Haworth's control build on an 8mm polypropylene core. Measured. Inferno2 M1 SW about 120 · about 2,168 RPM. Cert. UPA-A pulled every Luzz paddle on Mar 31, 2025; these cleared in May 2026. The Inferno2 M1 has been on the USAP list since Jun 25, though Luzz's own page calls the retail paddle UPA-A only. Sources disagree.
Jul 7money
JW, Jorja and Julie Johnson plus Tyra Black, six months after the family left Franklin. Backed by Thirty-5 Capital. The second roll-up vehicle in the category. prnewswire.com ↗
Jul 8rule
Ball fired at 40 mph and 30 degrees, filmed at about 1,500 fps. New submissions only; everything certified before Oct 1 stays legal. The same number UPA-A has enforced on tour since 2024. Notice was under three months against USAP's usual eighteen. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
Jul 13rule
USAP had waived its surface-roughness test for OWL's felt-like Acoustene face, provisionally and without saying so publicly. pickleball.com ↗
Aug 7 · store listing went live$195
Proton's most powerful paddle, connected feel. It arrived two months after Proton settled with JOOLA and stopped making the patent-hit models.
Build. A Gen 3 build: polypropylene honeycomb with a reinforced foam perimeter under carbon. Not full foam. Measured. SW 115 / TW 6.1 · 7.78 oz. Cert. USAP listed Aug 28. Proton says it is dual-stamped; the UPA-A list carries an unlabelled Proton Series Three row dated Aug 12 that may be it.
Aug 12 · store listing went live$120
Pickleheads: an absolute winner, 4.5 of 5, and the first $100 paddle they have scored a 9 for power.
Build. Mortise-and-tenon interlocking EPP and EVA foam core. NanoBond raw-carbon durable grit. Cert. USAP: R3 Mar 17, R2 and R4 May 9. Not on the UPA-A list.
August · sold in preorder batches$199.99
Pickleball Effect: a genuinely unique power profile. Big on full swings, low pop otherwise.
Build. Diced MPP floating foam core inside three progressively denser foam rings. SilverBack grit under a protective film. Measured. SW 107 / TW 7.0 · 7.76 oz. Cert. USAP approved Jun 9.
Aug 16 first look$220
Sits between the Coral and the Black Opal: powerful but approachable, with more dwell. A $300 figure in circulation is an Australian-dollar price.
Build. G4 Aerospace solid foam core, Power Gel, updated Power Band, Shock Shield silicone handle. Patent-pending SharkSkin raw carbon face using aluminum-oxide powder. Measured. SW 114 – 115.7 / TW 6.3 – 6.4 · 8.0 – 8.3 oz. Cert. UPA-A approved Aug 20. USAP has carried a Boulder Opal RCS 14mm entry since Jul 15, 2025.
Aug 20$295
Sold only on Tesla's site. A co-brand, and also the first retail sighting of a TPU ring in a Selkirk.
Build. Full foam with a throat hole, TPU Power Ring, two-ply carbon, InfiniGrit and MOI Tuning. Cert. Selkirk says it is USAP approved. No Aurum or Tesla model name appeared in the USAP list search on Sep 21.
Aug 19 – 21$169.99
Control-first, and $100 to $150 under the control paddles from CRBN and Selkirk.
Build. A softer, denser foam core than Power 2, with HexGrit. Less power, more dwell. Cert. UPA-A approved Jul 24. Not on the USAP list.
Sep 1 · store listing went live$109.99
Legitimate power for $100, with a durable grit that normally shows up on $150 to $200 paddles.
Build. Gen 4 floating EPP core with an EVA perimeter ring. Carbon / fiberglass / carbon face with EverGrit durable texture. Measured. Elongated SW 117 / TW 6.21 · Flash 112 / 6.57 · Bloom 110 / 7.23. Cert. Flash 16mm on the USAP list from Jul 21.
Sep 16legal
Paddletek, ProXR, Facolos, Proton, Volair, Engage, adidas' licensee and Friday: royalties, patent marking, phase-outs. Franklin and RPM are holding out. Diadem has not responded and JOOLA is seeking default. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
Sep 30$179.95
Teased Sep 3, announced Sep 21, on sale Sep 30. The company suing the field over core patents finally ships foam, and prices it at $180, not $300. No reviews yet.
Build. JOOLA's first foam construction, built around the patented Propulsion Core. Daydream green-teal colorway. Cert. The press release names no certification.
Ships Oct 1 · preorder open$279.99
Ships the same day the new spin test takes effect, and Gearbox is the first brand selling that as a feature. $539.99 for the pair.
Build. Patent-pending Pressure X Core: SST carbon-rib structure plus engineered foam at a tuned internal pressure. 8E uses EPP, 8M uses MPP. SpinLock face with friction-renewing particles. Measured. 8E SW 116.65 / TW 5.95 · 2,193 RPM (third-party database). Cert. Gearbox markets it as certified under the new USAP spin-rate test. No Pressure X row was visible in the USAP list search on Sep 21.
Preorder · ships first week of October$269.99
Still preorder only. RPM says shipping starts the first week of October. Not yet on either approval list; UPA-A reported as pending.
Build. MPP floating foam core; soft EVA foam wrap. Face: SICmatrix: silicon carbide particles embedded in the epoxy before pressing, over an axial carbon layup.
Nothing on the calendar matches that. Loosen a filter.
on shelves this year, date not pinned
certified, not yet launched · names on the approval lists
An approval gives you the name, not the launch date or the reason to buy. Treat these as a watchlist.
the forecast · each call says what it rests on
Oct – Nov 2026rests on a rule
Anything submitted before Oct 1 is certified for life under the old roughness rule. Brands with gritty faces had every reason to submit early and launch later. Expect a run of releases through Nationals week whose certification dates read August and September.
Oct – Dec 2026rests on a rule
Six Zero's Coral Pro, both 11SIX24 lines and Honolulu's Crystal Blue are UPA-A only: their faces pass the tour's spin-output test and do not pass USAP's surface-roughness test. With USAP adopting the same 2,100 RPM output test, the reason to stay off the USAP list gets weaker. Look for USAP versions.
Q4 2026 – Q1 2027rests on a pattern
Genesis in January 2025, Waves in September 2025, Barrage in March 2026: one line every six to eight months. Nothing is announced. The pattern says late fall or January.
Oct – Nov 2026rests on a pattern
Black Opal in October, Coral in November, Coral Pro in June, Boulder Opal in August. The approval list already carries a Black Opal All Court Max Power.
Q4 2026 – Q1 2027rests on a pattern
Labs projects have landed each August and gone mainline the following June: Boomstik in August 2025, OMNI in June 2026. August 2026 passed with a Tesla co-brand and no Labs project. Selkirk has said a Project 009 is coming, with no date. A quiet line is also in the Bluestone plan.
Q4 2026 – Q1 2027inference
The Reserve and Honeyfoam lines are being phased out through fall under the JOOLA settlement. Paddletek just bought PIKKL and signed the Johnsons, Newman, Navratil and Garnett. A roster like that needs a flagship that does not pay a rival royalties forever.
Feb – Mar 2027rests on a pattern
Pro IV in spring 2025, Pro V debuted on tour in the second week of February 2026 and launched Mar 3. POWER FX suggests the next pro line may finally be foam. Watch Ben Johns' hands at the Masters and Mesa.
Winter 2026 – 27rests on a case
Eight of eleven respondents have settled. If the holdouts lose at the ITC, an exclusion order keeps infringing imports out and 'licensed by JOOLA' becomes a line on a lot of spec sheets. If they win, the floating-core design opens back up. Either way the Aurelius, the best-known paddle of the year, is in the middle of it.
Jan 2027rests on a pattern
Most contracts end Dec 31. Last January moved Waters, the Johnsons, Bar, Oncins, Haworth and half of ProXR's roster. The brands with new capital (Selkirk, Paddletek Group, Franklin) are the likely buyers.
2027inference
Full foam with durable grit is now sold at $99 to $120 by Vatic Pro, Ronbus, Enhance and Spartus. The top tier is answering with things a $99 paddle cannot copy quickly: removable weight systems, signature shapes, co-brands. Expect more tuning hardware and fewer plain $280 paddles.
2027inference
Patent royalties, a $10,000 annual UPA-A brand fee plus $3,000 per paddle, a new spin test, and two funded acquirers. The long tail of rebadged-catalog brands gets squeezed from every side.
2027open question
UPA-A certifies for two years and tests after artificial break-in. USAP certifies for life and tests fresh. USAP's own field testing found 6% of paddles failing, mostly worn-in ones. The next big rule fight is whether USAP adds a post-wear standard.
01
Of the releases on this calendar, the large majority are full-foam Gen 4 builds. John Kew called roughly 90% foam share by year-end back in January and said in June that more than half the pros had switched. The last holdouts moved this year: Paddletek in January, Wilson and HEAD by summer, JOOLA on Sep 30. The exceptions are deliberate: JOOLA's Pro V and Proton's Coyote stayed Gen 3, Gearbox builds on carbon ribs, Owl damps a honeycomb for quiet. johnkewpickleball.beehiiv.com ↗
02
With power capped at PBCoR .43, the fight moved to spin that lasts. Nearly every challenger launched a named surface: HexGrit, EverGrit, NanoBond, PermaGrit, Crystal Blue, Harmony Grit, SilverBack, Diamond Tough, SharkSkin. Pickleball Effect wore them down in the lab and measured what was left. John Kew reported that 76% of spin loss lands in the first 50 hits. pickleballeffect.com ↗
03
Foam stopped being one thing. EPP is the softer, more muted bead foam; MPP is firmer and livelier. Enhance sells the same paddle both ways, Gearbox named its two Pressure X models after the letters, and cores now stack three or four densities with EVA or TPU rings to push twistweight up. Player surveys say the foam outlasts the face: grit wear first, then face disbonding, then edge guards. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
04
USAP governs sanctioned amateur play and certifies for life on a fresh paddle. UPA-A governs the pro tours, certifies for two years, and tests after artificial break-in. Brands now ship to one list or the other on purpose: the Coral Pro, both 11SIX24 lines and Honolulu's Crystal Blue are tour-only, their grit too rough for USAP's surface test, the TKO-X 14mm failed USAP's power test and sells as UPA-A only, Selkirk makes a weightless OMNI just for pros. On Oct 1 USAP adopts the tour's 2,100 RPM spin cap, the first real convergence. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
05
CRBN enforced a full-foam patent against Vatic Pro. JOOLA took eleven brands to the ITC over the floating core and the throat foam block, and eight have settled for royalties, patent marking and phase-outs. Three of the year's launches (Reserve Honeyfoam, TKO-X, and Proton's pre-Coyote line) already have end dates because of it. pickleball.com ↗
06
The top of the market held: Boomstik $333, OMNI $300, Pro V $299.95, Barrage and Pressure X $280. The bottom collapsed upward in quality: full foam with durable grit at $99 to $120. The middle is where the best reviews landed (Holbrook Fuze $230, Honolulu CR $195, Power 2 $210), and it is where JOOLA chose to put its first foam paddle. Amazon's 2025 paddle revenue grew 55% on 38% more units, so buyers are still trading up. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
07
Lead tape went factory. Selkirk's OMNI ships with removable 7.5 g perimeter weights, the SLK Geo and Dauntless carry the same MOI system at $100 and $180, Luzz has side wings, Friday built a weighting ring into the rim. Reviewers now publish swingweight and twistweight for every paddle, and brands are designing to those numbers. pickleballeffect.com ↗
08
The release is a family now: three or four shapes, often two thicknesses, one core. The hybrid is the shape of the year, to the point that JOOLA added one (Kosmos) and built Staksrud's and McGuffin's paddles on it. Widebodies are getting flagship builds instead of the hand-me-down. pickletip.com ↗
09
Selkirk took $30M and bought Bread & Butter. Paddletek Group, backed by Thirty-5 Capital, bought PIKKL. Pickleball Inc. raised $225M and owns both pro tours and the largest paddle retailer. The sport had 24.3 million US players in 2025, up 22.8%. The equipment business is starting to look like golf's. thekitchenpickle.com ↗
10
USAP created a Quiet Category (under 80 dB, under 600 Hz) and Owl is the first brand in it with a paddle that also passes for tournament play. Selkirk's investors list a quiet line in the plan. For anyone whose courts sit near houses, this is the release that matters most. usapickleball.org ↗
Most paddle contracts end December 31. The next round of these lands in the first two weeks of January.
North Bethesda, Maryland · est. 1952 (table tennis, Germany) · Sport Squad, Inc. · CEO Richard Lee
Spent 2026 turning its Propulsion Core patents into a licensing business: eleven brands named at the ITC, eight settled. Shipped a careful Pro V while the field went foam, then answered with POWER FX at $180. Still in court with USA Pickleball over the 2024 Gen 3 decertification.
Hayden, Idaho · est. 2014 · Barnes family · minority investment from Bluestone Equity Partners (Jan 2026)
The busiest corporate year in the category: first outside money, a full SLK reset, the OMNI at $300, a Tesla co-brand, and the Bread & Butter acquisition. Lost Rohrabacher and Koszuta to Friday.
Costa Mesa, California · est. 2020 · Founders Garrett Gosselin and Kyle Goguen
Recovered from the Waves with the Barrage. Holds a full-foam core patent and used it on Vatic Pro. Held MSRP at $280 through the tariff year; older TruFoam lines now sell at $199.99.
Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia · est. 2022 · Founder Dale Young · family-owned
Bet the year on grit that lasts (Diamond Tough, then SharkSkin) and on shipping one paddle per rulebook. Lost Quang Duong to Wika.
California · est. 2007 · Founder Rafael Filippini · family-owned
The contrarian. Carbon-rib cores from its racquetball roots instead of bead foam, close to fifty patents, not named in the JOOLA case, and first to market a paddle as certified under the new spin test.
Niles, Michigan · est. 2010 · Paddletek Group (with ProXR, PIKKL, Padeltek, Yobow) · backed by Thirty-5 Capital
Lost Anna Leigh Waters in the first week of January, launched its first foam paddle three weeks later, settled with JOOLA in May, bought PIKKL in July. Official paddle of the PPA, MLP, the US Open and Nationals. Needs a royalty-free flagship next.
Florida · Founder and CEO Robert Elliott
Rebuilt as 'Engage 2.0': production moved overseas, an office in Ho Chi Minh City, back on the PPA as a sponsor, and the X2 as one of the better-reviewed foam paddles of the spring. Settled with JOOLA by September.
Taichung, Taiwan · est. 1978 (brand) · Kunnan Enterprises lineage
The arm-health brand. New Black Ace Avenger 11mm models ($220, USAP approved) appeared this year without a launch announcement we could date. The original 11mm Black Aces were sunset by USAP in July 2025.
Massachusetts · est. 1946 · Family-owned
Bought the best player in the world and built her a paddle. Lost the Johnsons the same month. One of two brands still fighting JOOLA at the ITC.
Charlotte, North Carolina · est. 2023 · Founder David Groechel
HexGrit tested as the most durable face in the Pickleball Effect lab (98% retained). Signed two tour names and kept everything under $210.
Orange County, California · Founder Daryl Wang
The value benchmark. Settled CRBN's patent suit in the spring and came back in September with full foam and durable grit at $109.99.
est. 2023 · Founder Dong Li
Engineering-first value brand. The Quanta Pro's interlocking foam core and NanoBond grit put a 9-for-power paddle at $100 with a code.
Honolulu and Mililani, Hawaii
Designed in Hawaii, made in China, by a team with aviation engineering backgrounds. The J6CR was the enthusiast favorite of the spring; Crystal Blue tested at 97% grit retention.
Logan, Utah · est. 2021 · The Holbrook family
The Fuze put a design-first brand into best-paddle-of-the-year conversations. An Aero Foam hybrid is already on the USAP list.
San Francisco, California · est. 2022
Went from budget two-packs to a reviewed performance paddle and its first two pros in a single March. Named by JOOLA in April, settled by September.
Scottsdale, Arizona · est. 2021 · Founder Charles Darling
A hard year: banned from the PPA for three weeks over debts, under USAP grit investigation, settled with JOOLA and stopped production, lost Ge and Daescu. Coyote is the restart.
Austin, Texas · Co-founders Ryan Cohen and Julian Arnold
Opened the year with its first foam paddle. Named by JOOLA in April, settled by September.
Founders Connor Hance and Drew Baird
A two-person company that made $99 full foam the budget story of the spring, and let buyers pick their foam.
Near Denver, Colorado · Founder Josh Kim
PermaGrit is applied in the US. The P1 proved the surface; the $99 Spitfire in July put it, mixed-density foam and internal 3-and-9 weights at the floor price.
McKinney, Texas · Founder Matt Cox
Enthusiast direct seller. Offered early Coda buyers an upgrade when Harmony Grit arrived weeks after launch.
Wilmington, Delaware · est. 2023
Known for aramid-blend faces. The Zen S+ is the oddest power curve of the year; the Joy is its sub-$100 foam line.
US office · made in China · est. 2019
Spent a year getting back on the UPA-A list one paddle at a time after a 2025 submission error, then signed Chris Haworth away from Babolat.
The only brand in USAP's Quiet Category with a tournament-legal paddle. Its approval path drew scrutiny in July.
Las Vegas, Nevada
A three-foam core with internal weighting at 15.5mm, an unusual thickness.
El Cajon, California · Co-founders Vinh and Brandon
An affordable San Diego-area brand whose first MPP paddles won over Matt's Pickleball. Ember Ultra is on the USAP list.
The spin specialist, and with Franklin one of the two respondents still fighting JOOLA.
Kennelbach, Austria · US pickleball unit in Phoenix · est. 1950
Went full foam with TriFlex cores and is building a US-based pickleball team.
Chicago, Illinois · est. 1913 · Amer Sports
First full-foam line in Q1, a stack of further approvals through July. Not yet at the level of the specialists, by reviewer consensus.
Florida · est. 2022 · Selkirk (acquired May 12, 2026) · founder Doug Sapusek stays
The loud brand got bought. The 2025 Loco is still one of the best-value foam paddles; the Filth V2 was reviewed in April.