The Collaboration I Didn’t Know I Needed
Of course I did not see this one coming, but now that it’s been announced, I do believe I need one.
Zippy’s
Kahala aloha shirt
Together. Available starting mid April.
It’s YOU, Not Your Paddle
So in my experimentation with my pickleball paddle rotation, I realized something after a rough session going from my Enhance Turbo MPP to my weighted up Loco. Things just didn’t feel right playing with the Loco.
I had used the Turbo MPP days before, but since it wasn’t available, I grabbed my Loco in a recent session. My swings just felt odd as if the paddle were hinging where the PickleClips were. I removed the weights, and the Loco felt more balanced but still off. After that game, I switched to the Boomstik which surprisingly felt more comfortable.
The thing is I had been playing with these paddles the week prior and never had such detrimental results. So what was the difference?
ME, not the paddles. Somewhere between then and now, my body mechanics weren’t the same. Maybe it’s fatigue, maybe it’s old age, but certainly, it’s me, not the paddles.
Restocking UDRIPPIN Over Grips
So far, my preferred overgrip comes from UDRIPPIN. I haven’t tried a lot of other brands, maybe 4 or 5, but I like the combination of feel, price, and appearance of the overgrips from UD.
The Comfort Tour Grips would seem like the safest bet to use (and the burnt orange color really matches the color scheme of the BnB Loco). But I’m kinda liking the Pro Tour Grips a little more.
The Comfort Tour feels like it absorbs sweat, getting slippery. Maybe it’s just time to replace the overgrip (but there’s only neon orange available on UDRIPPIN.com). The Pro Tour grip, on the other hand, feels drier over the entire playing session although it’s not quite as soft as the Comfort Tour.
Either way, I need to restock on UDRIPPING overgrips.
Turbo MPP to Loco to Boomstik
I don’t know why, but I like to mix up my paddle play. Recently, I talked about going from the Enhance Turbo MPP back to my BnB Loco and how I weighted up my Loco using PickleClips.
After the Loco, I brought out the Selkirk Boomstik, and oddly, I found it easier to adjust to. Usually, I find the Boomstik difficult to control but going from the weighted up Loco to the Boomstik wasn’t too much of an adjustment in feel. In my next play session, I gotta see how the Gherkin Draco fits in.
Weighted Up with PickleClips
I’ve been alternating between different pickleball paddles to get a better feel and understanding of how they are different and what aspects I prefer. I can tell they all play differently, but I can’t explain the different feel.
Most recently, I had been using the excellent (and budget friendly) Enhance Turbo MPP, so much so that I guess my swing mechanics got used to its feel. So when I switched back to my BnB Loco, it felt way different – bothersome different. The Loco just felt too light and was getting pushed around. I don’t know why since I was playing against the same rec players as usual.
But that’s when I remembered I bought a bundle of PickleClips after watching a review from Matthew K. Pickleball. Figured this was a good time to try them out. The PickleClips are surprisingly easy to attach (and remove) but when hitting, they are totally secure. I started with the 2-gram weights at 3 and 9 and moved them up and down the paddle sides throughout the games. My swing felt more natural but still a little off, so I changed to the 3-gram weights, again slightly repositioning the clips over time.
The current placement right below 3 and 9 feels better although the top to bottom balance of the paddle doesn’t feel like a smooth transition. But the swing itself feels right, not too heavy and not too weak with solid hits. Hmm, maybe two 2-gram weights slightly separated on each side?
I think it’s really weird how I now perceive a different feel even though I thought the paddle was just fine not too long ago.
Making a Melin Collection
And… we’re off! A collection of Melin hats is now building, starting with this Odysea Hydro from the Yellow Jacket collection. Since this is a collaboration, the cost of the hat is $10 higher, but Hawaii residents are in luck.
If you shop at a Melin store in Waikiki, Maui, or Kauai, Hawaii residents get a kamaaina discount of 10%. Looks like I’ll be frequenting Waikiki a little more often now…
Melin Supports Hawaii
Melin definitely has some love for Hawaii. On a bigger scale, they’re supporting relief efforts from recent flooding with direct donations and also proceeds of sales from the Islands Collection.
On a smaller, personal scale, the local Melin stores offer kamaaina discounts of 10%. Since prices online and in-store are the same, this is a solid discount if you can make it to one of the locations in Waikiki, Maui, or Kauai.
Melin Limited Islands Collection
Melin has publicly released their Islands Collection hats in the sand camo color way. This limited edition collection is in support of Hawaii communities affected by the recent erratic Kona Low weather conditions that led to flooding across the state. A portion of each sale from the Islands Collection will go to the Lahui Foundation and Hawai’i Foodbank.
With the Limited lines, once the inventory is gone, that’s it. Usually, there won’t be any restocks or reprints so get yours today!
Keep an Eye on Luzz Lab
I just learned about the “Luzz Lab” and seemingly was too late to capitalize. Luzz Pickleball is experimenting with new paddles and is crowdsourcing small production batches. If you are one of the first buyers/backers, you can get the paddle for free or at a deep discount (I’m a little confused about this part).
Paddles fall into three possible categories of:
- Recreational
- Tech
- R&D
And from the first set of offerings, prices range between $99 and $179. So the goal is to be one of the first 50 buyers, getting discounts of 20%, 30%, or 50%.
Now, what’s the best way to know when new Luzz Lab paddles are released?
Help Send UH Pickleball to the 2026 Collegiate Nationals
The Pickleball Club at the University of Hawaii has qualified to play at the 2026 Collegiate National Championships in Georgia but needs your help. This is a school club, not an officially sanctioned (and funded) team so all expenses are out of the players’ own pockets.
To help with the costs, fans can donate to their GoFund me asking for $8000.
BnB Loco and Enhance Turbo Size Comparison
Nothing scientific or precise and not more commentary about performance of either of these excellent paddles. Just some pictures comparing the size differences in the profiles of the Bread and Butter Loco hybrid and the Enhanced Turbo MPP elongated.
As expected, the elongated Turbo is longer than the Lcoo from buttcap to top. But the hybrid Loco is wider.
Here’s how the top shape of both paddles compares. The elongated is longer… but not by much.
A closer look at how much more reach the elongated Turbo will get over the hybrid Loco. Not sure if I could tell on the courts.
The width of the Loco is more perceivable but still within half an inch of the Turbo.
Both handles feel on the smaller side (which I prefer). Paddles are over-gripped with Udrippin, orange is comfort tour while turquoise is pro tour. Both handles and overgrows are great!
Again, if you’re interested in the Enhance Turbo, use this link to save $20 off the $119 retail price.
