🤾 The most controversial shot in pickleball

👑 We just crowned a new king of spin

Hey Pickleheads readers, Stephen here 👋

This week, the RPM Friction Pro V2 just earned a spot on our best paddles list!

Specifically: our best paddle for spin. A new king has been crowned!

Co-designed with top-10 world-ranked pro James Ignatowich, the V2 takes everything that made the original Friction Pro special and fixes what held it back. Same jaw-dropping CarbonBite spin. Better control, better weighting, better all-court game.

Spin rating? A flat 10/10. No paddle generates more right now.

But here's what makes the V2 genuinely exciting: the spin doesn't come at the cost of everything else. Drop shots roll aggressively into the kitchen. Dinks are comfortable and predictable. Counter-punching at the net feels fast and controlled. It's a proper all-court paddle that just happens to spin the ball better than anything I've tested.

If pure baseline power is your thing, look elsewhere. But if you want the heaviest spin on the market wrapped in a proper all-court package, this is the one.

At $250 it's premium territory. Our exclusive 15% discount brings it to just $212.50. At this price, I'm reaching for it over the $300 JOOLA Pro V, without hesitation.

👉 Read my full review of the RPM Friction Pro V2

Use code PICKLEHEADS15 at checkout ($250 → $212.50)

🤾 The most controversial shot in pickleball

Stoked to welcome back Tanner from Tanner Pickleball on YouTube for this week's Level Up!

Hey Pickleheads readers,

The drop volley gets a lot of attention. But if you're reaching for it whenever your opponents are back, you're giving up a massive advantage… and probably losing points you should be winning.

That’s why I believe it's one of the most controversial shots in pickleball, and here’s what to do instead:

The drop volley: tempting, but flawed
When your opponents are stuck back at the baseline, the instinct to drop the ball softly over the kitchen is understandable. The problem? You're already winning that rally. You've got court position. You've got control. A tricky drop volley risks all of that on a low-percentage shot.

Here’s what to do instead
If your opponents are back, apply pressure and keep them there. Don't give them a lifeline by going for trickery. Stay in your advantage, extend the rally on your terms, and don't hand them a chance to reset and get back in the point.

The bottom line
Fancy shots feel good. But the smarter play is simpler: when you're ahead positionally, stay disciplined and make them work their way back in. Don't do it for them.

Watch me break down the right and wrong way to play this 👇

🔥 How to hit a lob serve

🧨 The first thing every great coach fixes

💥 How to reset like a pro

🌄 Springdale Town Park, UT

Set right on the edge of Zion National Park, these courts might have one of the best backdrops in pickleball.

Towering red rock cliffs, desert air, and sunshine nearly year-round. I imagine it’s hard to focus on the rally when the scenery’s this good.

If you’re ever passing through southern Utah, this is one you don’t skip.

Fresh takes, spicy debates, and the latest hot paddles & gear – catch up on our latest Court Talk highlights:

• 😲 This paddle hits like it costs twice as much

• 👌 The best all-court power paddle available right now!

• 🫶 An elite paddle under $200 that keeps up with your game

• 🥤 A better-for-you energy drink with electrolytes to help you win

Skipped a scroll or two? No worries — here are the last few editions we sent your way:

• ⚡ Relentless from start to finish

• 🤾 5 simple fixes that instantly improve your game

• 🤪 Chaos, counters & comebacks

• 🤾 Where do you stand on the third shot?

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