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- 🥷 Speed up, reset, repeat!
🥷 Speed up, reset, repeat!
Plus, this $100 paddle has no business being this good! Is this the world’s largest pickleball? This makes your third-shot drive way more dangerous, and much more...
Brandon at Pickleheads
September 03, 2026
Hey reader,
Welcome back to the Pickleheads Newsletter!
In this issue:
🥷 Speed-up, reset, repeat!
💸 This $100 paddle has no business being this good
🤾 This makes your third-shot drive way more dangerous
😱 Is this the world’s largest pickleball?
🚀 14 pro tips in 30 seconds
🥷 Speed-up, reset, repeat!
Have a filthy point caught on cam? 📸
Reply to this email or submit yours to [email protected]. The most epic one will feature in next week’s newsletter!
And if we pick your submission, we’ll send you a free Pickleheads t-shirt 🙌
💸 This $100 paddle has no business being this good
Hey Pickleheads readers, Stephen here 👋
Every now and then I test a paddle that makes me wonder why you'd ever need to spend $200+.
The Ronbus Quanta Pro launched just last month, and it's strutting straight into our Best Pickleball Paddles shortlist as a prime contender for the best budget paddle on the market.
And after testing it, I can see why.
For just $100 with our discount, you're getting a full-foam paddle with explosive pop, huge spin, and something I really wasn't expecting: a beautifully connected feel that's rarely found in foam paddles at any price point.
I gave it 9/10 for power, 9/10 for control, and a massive 9.5/10 for spin.
It absolutely flies in hands battles, but the foam also absorbs the ball beautifully on drops and dinks. Add in Ronbus's durable NanoBond grit, and there's an awful lot of paddle here for your money.
Is it perfect? Not quite. I'd add a little weight around the perimeter to improve the sweet spot.
But for $100? This thing is ridiculous value.
If my paddle budget was anywhere near $100, the Quanta Pro would be going straight in my bag.
Use code PICKLEHEADS at checkout
Labor Day deals are here, giving you major savings on everything from paddles to pickleball machines and accessories. Two of these close Monday night, though, so don't miss out.
Erne cut machine prices for the rest of the year. The ERNE is $1,776, down from $1,999, and the Dink + Drop Pro is $850, down from $999. No countdown on this one, it holds through the end of the year. Worth a look if a ball machine has been sitting on your maybe list. Solo drilling is the fastest way we know to fix a drop or a reset, and it's the practice most players skip because they need a partner for it.
Tifosi is 25% off sitewide. Everything on the site, through September 7. If you've been playing in whatever sunglasses you already own, this is a cheap time to get a pair built for outdoor courts.
CRBN TruFoam is at its lowest price ever. Both TruFoam Genesis and Waves paddles are down to $199.99 from $279.99. Every CRBN paddle order also ships with a free hat, either the Heritage Snapback or the Performance Visor 2.0. The price shows up automatically at checkout, so you don't need to worry about a code. Runs through midnight on Monday, September 7.
🤾 This makes your third-shot drive way more dangerous
Stoked to welcome back Tanner from tanner.pickleball on YouTube for this week's Level Up!
Hey Pickleheads readers,
Want to make your third-shot drive more dangerous? Simply stop giving your opponents so much time.
When you get a weak or short return, don't wait for the ball to come to you. Here's how I want you to attack it:
1️⃣ Take the ball on the rise
Pros look to take weak returns early. Move into the court, take the ball on the rise, and you'll steal time from your opponents before they can get comfortably established at the kitchen.
2️⃣ Attack their feet
Your third-shot drive doesn't need to be a winner. Prioritize getting the ball down toward your opponents' feet. You'll make their fourth shot much more difficult and give yourself a better opportunity to move forward.
3️⃣ Choose spin over power
Don't try to crush it. Use a compact backswing, generate the power from your shoulder rather than your wrist, and focus on spin to get the ball dipping down.
A great third-shot drive isn't always about hitting harder. Take it earlier, get it down, and give your opponents less time to react.
Watch me show you how in this week's video 👇
😱 Is this the world’s largest pickleball?
Toledo, Ohio, might have just claimed a big pickleball record. A huge new sculpture has landed on the city's Glass City Riverwalk, and its creators believe it could be the largest pickleball in the world.
🦍 Can Gorilla Glue turn a tennis racket into a pickleball paddle?
Well, this is completely random. Extreme Reviews on YouTube, famous for putting everyday products through ridiculous tests, decided to cover a tennis racket in Gorilla Glue and see if it could double as a pickleball paddle.
Why? We have absolutely no idea. Did it work? There's only one way to find out.
🚀 14 pro tips in 30 seconds
💥 Beat bangers like this!
🤲 Learn the twoey backhand like a pro
Your serve clips the top of the net and lands in the correct service court. What happens? |
In doubles, your team just won the serve back. Which player serves first? |
You serve a ball that clips the net post before landing in the correct service court. What's the ruling? |
Fresh takes, spicy debates, and the latest hot paddles & gear – catch up on our latest Court Talk highlights:
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