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For years now, paddle brands have obsessed over every tiny detail: shapes, handles, core construction and thickness, edge guards, aesthetics… pretty much everything except the actual playing surface.

Until now. We’re entering a new era of longer-lasting grit materials. And already, a few brands have emerged with technology that could quite literally change the game.

We round up five new paddles leading the charge, below.

In This Issue:
— KFC’s pickle puffer jacket
— The beauty of the bump shot
— Pickleball grows in England

Get gritty.

The sport of pickleball has become very intense, very quickly. Open plays can feel cutthroat. Everyone wants to improve. It’s part of what makes it so alluring. But what about those players brand new to the game? Where do they start? Right here.

Selkirk isn’t new to footwear. But with their new Legacy Pro and limited-edition Legacy Classic line, the brand is taking a clear step in a new direction, merging true court performance with off-court lifestyle appeal. See ‘em for yourself.

Lea Jansen recently ran through the women’s singles field at PPA Newport Beach only to fall 11-2, 11-1 to Anna Leigh Waters in the finals. “I’ve never played against a ball that’s so penetrating, has so much spin, is so heavy,” she recounts. Here’s how ALW can take your strategy and turn it to dust within the first few shots.

Former MLB All-Star and four-time World Series Champion Tino Martinez has officially traded the bat and glove for a paddle and ball. He joins Brad Penny and J.D. Martinez on the roster of baseball players turned JOOLA-sponsored pickleball athletes.

The bump is a shot you see in advanced pickleball a ton. It doesn't look like much, but it's highly effective for staying ahead of points and dictating pace of play on your own terms.

The bump shot is executed at the kitchen line by leaning in and actively taking balls out of the air.

This is especially effective on aggressive dinks hit by your opponent. When you let these bounce, it can mean trouble. But intercept them from the air and the advantage flips to your court.

You're not flicking the ball back. You're not speeding it up. You're not slicing it or driving it or lobbing it.

All you're doing is letting the ball "bump" into your paddle and guiding it smoothly back into the kitchen. By taking it out of the air, you’re effectively taking time away from your opponent. That’s the magic of the bump.

Here’s how to hit it:

That’s it. Consistent, effective, simple. The beauty of the bump.

➡️ See it in action.

More durable surface grit technology is one of the final frontiers in our collective quest to engineer the perfect pickleball paddle.

Top brands have perfected shapes, handle circumferences and lengths, weight, new core technologies like full-foam and floating foam ... the list goes on and on.

But all too often, surface grit wears out long before the rest of the paddle is ready to call it quits, rendering what was otherwise a perfectly good paddle mostly unplayable.

Until now. A handful of brands have debuted longer-lasting surface grit technology, complete with fancy names and patent-pending materials and compositions.

And while they're still relatively new to the market, paddle reviewers have been busy putting them through the paces for the past few months. And so have we.

It’s probably worth mentioning here that we’re giving away 10 of #1 on the list, the 11SIX24 Power 2. You can enter to win one of the hottest paddles on the market here.

So far, the findings are very promising.

The era of better grit is here. And these paddles are leading the charge.

➡️ Get a closer look.

Not every paddle switch means something.

This one does.

Andrei Daescu just signed with CRBN last week and has already put the TruFoam Barrage straight into play.

That’s not just a logo change.

He’s using the square shape which gives you faster hands, more stability in quick exchanges, and better control on resets — exactly where matches are won right now.

Pair that with CRBN’s TruFoam core (built for consistent feel and durability), and it makes sense why it’s showing up in tournament play immediately.

When a top pro doesn’t just sign, but chooses a specific build and competes with it right away… that’s worth paying attention to.

Check out the CRBN TruFoam Barrage and use code THEDINK for 10% off.

We're not sure who needs to hear this (maybe no one?), but streetwear and brined cucumbers are colliding in the United Kingdom and your pickleball fit might never be the same.

A "pickle puffer" is souring our social media feeds. We tried to ignore it. We really did. But it just keeps coming back. So now we're making it your problem, too.

Apparently, KFC UK & Ireland made a transparent puffer jacket filled with actual pickle brine and real-life, edible pickles. Better yet: the built-in straw lets you take salty sips while on the move.

And you can win it now. If you're into that sort of thing.

Why did a chicken restaurant do this? For attention, obviously. And here we all are so it's clearly working.

Who would wear this?

Well, maybe you rolling up to your next 3.5 pickleball tournament.

Can you imagine the looks you'd get? The admiration? The aura you'd emanate for miles around?

➡️ Behold, the Pickle Puffer.

A viral outburst, a “Karen Rules Committee,” and a whole lot of unfiltered truth.

This week, Lea Jansen joins Zane and Nico to break down the chaos behind pro pickleball — from her Newport explosion to calling out how fines, rules, and player politics are actually handled.

They get into paddle toss drama, whether players should be policing each other, and the real challenge of facing Anna Leigh Waters.

Plus: rec play pet peeves (yes, yelling “COME ON” is on notice) and a masterclass in dealing with trolls.

➡️ Watch the episode here.

We talk a lot about the explosive growth of pickleball around the globe, particularly in parts of Asia like Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and more.

But don’t sleep on England.

The country has been quick to embrace The Dink Minor League Pickleball. And it’s showing no signs of slowing down.

Six MiLP events have been held since the first UK event in October 2025, with another 10 planned for the coming months.

Competition has been strong, and is only getting better, fueled by the novelty and accessibility of the team format.

“We analyzed DUPR player data and realized the key demographic for competitive pickleball in the UK is between 3.0 and 4.5 ratings,” Shiv Desai, the tournament director for The Dink Minor League Pickleball in England, told us.

Even more events are on the horizon, as well as the introduction of a 50+ age category. It’s even possible that we see a U.K. team at this year’s The Dink Minor League Pickleball Championships in the U.S.

➡️ Learn more.

A review from the Dink Fam...

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