All Tier 1 Paddles Have These 2 Things in Common | KewCast 125
What do Tier 1 pickleball paddles have in common? I went back through 50 accelerated wear tests, and every Tier 1 result shared two traits in the surface roughness left after wear. In KewCast 125, we unpack what those findings could tell us about durable grit and lasting spin.
All 10 Tier 1 results cleared two post-wear roughness levels: Rz of at least 33.6 microns and Rt of at least 50.2 microns. But paddles can clear those levels and still miss Tier 1. We explain why these patterns are useful clues, what they cannot prove yet, and how they will help me double-check future spin durability results.
The Vatic V-Sol Tour cautionary tale helped prompt this deeper look. We discuss unit-to-unit variation, why a borderline Tier 1 result deserves more scrutiny, and how profilometer readings can provide a separate sanity check on the ball cannon results.
Also this week: JOOLA Power FX results, a second batch of the Enhance MPP Turbo with ArmorGrit, Neonic FLX with NeoGrit, the Ascend Sonic, and Fortix Lance. Then we tackle your questions about twist weight, ball hardness, secret shopper testing, power versus spin, and why I prefer “pocketing” over “dwell time.”
Our accelerated wear method uses 100 ball cannon shots at 70 MPH with the paddle clamped at 30 degrees, plus before-and-after spin measurements at 60 MPH. Surface roughness is measured before and after wear with a Starrett profilometer. The patterns discussed here are strong leads from this dataset, not confirmed physical laws.
Chapters/ Timestamps
0:00 Episode 125 preview
3:54 JOOLA Power FX spin durability results
18:03 Enhance MPP Turbo ArmorGrit batch 2
20:47 Neonic FLX with NeoGrit
27:15 Ascend Sonic
31:56 Gear of the Week - Update on Franklin X-44 and Selkirk S2 Pro balls after a 2 weeks of use
40:19 What 50 wear tests reveal about Tier 1 grit
41:24 The Vatic V-Sol Tour cautionary tale
45:36 The two roughness traits shared by all Tier 1 results
47:41 Why those numbers do not guarantee Tier 1
50:56 How these findings change future testing
58:10 Can a paddle have too much twist weight?
1:02:51 Secret shopper paddle comparisons
1:04:04 Does more power or pop create more spin?
1:06:38 Why replace “dwell time” with “pocketing”? Could we keep the familiar term “dwell” and add something like “slippage” to describe the difference?
Products mentioned in podcast:
JOOLA Power FX (affiliate link): https://joola.com/products/perseus-power-fx-pickleball-paddle?bg_ref=SGHmrvEFDJ
Ascend Sonic - save 10% with code JOHNKEW: https://ascendpickleball.com/products/sonic-full-foam-mpp-paddle/johnkew
Enhance MPP Turbo ArmorGrit - save 10% with code JOHNKEW: https://www.enhancepickleball.com/JOHNKEW
Franklin - save 10% with code JOHNKEW: https://franklinsports.sjv.io/WqZr1O
Selkirk - digital coupons with code INF-JOHNKEW: https://www.selkirk.com?sca_ref=6285388.NM89wCbFwv
Explore the paddle database, testing reports, and calculators: https://johnkewpickleball.com
Subscribe for independent pickleball paddle reviews, lab testing, and weekly KewCast discussions. Have a question for Kew and A? Leave it in the comments.
#Pickleball #PickleballPaddles #KewCast
28 Sept 2026
Getting Nerdy with Justin Barton at the PPA Testing Lab | KewCast 124
For the first time, Justin from Pickleball Etc. and I sit down together for a full KewCast. We recorded at Pickle Pro Labs in Boca Raton, Florida, the official testing lab of the PPA pro tour. If you like the technical side of pickleball paddles, this one goes deep.
Justin shares his perspective as the engineer and designer behind the Volair CMD, including how it feels on court. We also discuss its production model spin durability result, tour the lab, revisit KewCOR on an 11SIX24 Ultré Power 2 after 100 games, and compare new ball data for the Franklin X-44 and Selkirk Pro S2. Later, Pickle Pro Labs engineers join us for questions about paddle measurements, spin, construction and the mysteries still worth testing.
We also cover the JOOLA Power FX announcement and take viewer questions on concentrated weight, permanent grit, manufacturing variance, foam cutouts and more.
Chapters
0:00 Introductions and episode preview
1:57 Why we are sitting in front of a ball cannon
3:40 JOOLA Power FX updates
10:39 Volair CMD with Justin, its engineer and designer
27:22 Volair CMD production model spin durability
28:59 Pickle Pro Labs tour impressions
31:51 KewCOR retest of 11SIX24 Ultré Power 2 after 100 games
36:36 Franklin X-44 and Selkirk Pro S2 ball data
45:26 Justin enters Nerd Town
45:45 Why does concentrated weight feel better on foam paddles?
53:41 Does permanent grit necessarily make a paddle stiff?
57:30 Why does durable grit vary between factory samples?
1:00:23 Favorite paddle technology innovations
1:03:19 Most underrated paddles
1:05:02 Funniest lab failure
1:10:37 Paddle dissection race: who wins?
1:12:53 The most rewarding part of developing a paddle
1:15:35 Favorite paddles from lesser known brands
1:18:10 Do foam cutouts cause local deflection and inconsistent shots?
1:19:26 Why highlight paddles outside USAP specifications?
1:23:24 Pickle Pro Labs engineers: the most misunderstood measurement
1:31:19 Are paddle companies converging?
1:37:32 What stood out during the lab tour?
1:40:04 What predicts spin?
1:42:07 Why are we obsessed with paddles?
1:47:22 Biggest mysteries in paddle technology
What paddle measurement do you think is most misunderstood? Tell us in the comments.
High speed impact and ball deformation footage: https://youtu.be/fllRlFS1HRw
Big thanks to Pickle Pro Labs (Gary, Curtis, Kayla, Lisa, et al.) for hosting the event and allowing us to film on location.
#Pickleball #PickleballPaddles #KewCast
21 Sept 2026
Franklin X-44 vs LT Pro-48: The Lab Result We Did Not Expect | KewCast 123
The new Franklin X-44 and LT Pro-48 started remarkably close, then both lost about 18% of their pop during the first 100 impacts. Nearly all of that change happened in the first 50. We break down what the lab data says about how quickly a new pickleball becomes a broken-in ball.
Also in KewCast Episode 123, we cover the latest movement in JOOLA's propulsion-core patent litigation, including Friday's settlement and what remains unresolved. Then we look at several new paddles, including the Volair Mach 1 Forza CMD Hybrid with licensed HexGrit, the Wika QD Fire 2, Wika Next, Wika Verica, and the Ronbus Quanta Pro.
The ball comparison used two brand-new balls, 100 impacts per ball, and the same cannon on the same afternoon. Out of the box, the X-44 and LT Pro-48 measured only about 2% apart in COR, and both were roughly 20% more powerful than the Franklin X-40 in this test. The key finding was not which ball won. It was how quickly both changed.
Chapters/Timestamps:
0:00 Franklin X-44 vs LT Pro-48 preview
1:20 Latest News/ Gear Gossip: JOOLA Patent Updates
8:24 Paddles of the Week: Wika QD Fire 2
17:55 Wika Next X
24:04 Ronbus Quanta Pro
28:30 Volair CMD HYB with HexGrit
36:57 Gear of the Week: Franklin X-44 balls
42:56 Lab Comparison: LT Pro 48 versus Franklin X-44
49:21 Kew & A: Should durability tiers account for absolute spin, not just spin retention?
50:50 What are your impressions of the RPM Jade?
51:43 When do we get updated results for bad batch paddles like the PAKLE Fuse?
52:57 Does greater power create a larger sweet spot, or merely hide performance loss outside it?
55:44 Is Firepower accurate across the database? Why is the Luzz Cannon classified as All-Court?
57:20 Should more brands license HexGrit instead of developing less durable alternatives?
Products mentioned on podcast:
🔹Volair CMD-HYB - save 10% with code JOHNKEW (pre-order): https://volair.com/collections/cmd-collection/products/volair-cmd-hyb-pickleball-paddle-16mm-dylan-frazier?rfsn=7599845.416c48&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7599845.416c48
🔹Ronbus Quanta Pro - save $20 with code JOHNKEW: https://ronbus.com/collections/quanta-series
Use code JOHNKEW where available to support the channel and receive the listed discount. Affiliate links may generate a commission at no additional cost to you. Brands do not pay for reviews or control our conclusions.
Subscribe for independent paddle testing, accelerated spin-durability results, KewCOR measurements, high-speed camera analysis, and weekly pickleball gear discussion.
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