🤯 This paddle gives you more than the JOOLA Pro IV for $100 less

🤯 This paddle gives you more than the JOOLA Pro IV for $100 less

Hey, Taylor here, 👋

I’ll be straight with you. I didn’t expect this paddle to be this good.

After more than 10 hours on court, the FLiK F3 has gone from an interesting new launch to a genuine contender for our best pickleball paddles list. That is saying something, especially when it is priced at $190, while most paddles it competes with are pushing $250 to $280.

What surprised me most was not just the power. It was how complete this paddle feels. Control, forgiveness, dwell time, spin. It all works together. That triple density foam core is not a gimmick. It genuinely changes how the paddle plays, especially on counters, resets, and hands battles.

I have reviewed a lot of paddles that do one thing really well. The FLiK F3 is rare because it does everything to a high level without the premium price tag.

If you have been eyeing something like the JOOLA Pro IV but cannot justify the cost, this might be the smartest alternative I have tested yet.

👉 Read my full review of the FliK F3

(Pickleheads discount auto-applied at checkout)

🤾 Three fixes to instantly stop you popping up dinks

Stoked to welcome back Tanner from Tanner Pickleball on YouTube for this week’s Level Up.

Hey Pickleheads readers,

If you’re popping up dinks at the kitchen line, these three fixes almost feel too simple once you start using them.

The biggest mistake I see is players trying to hit their dinks. This shot isn’t a wrist flick. It’s a push. I like to imagine two balls stacked on my paddle. My goal is to push through both of them, not just tap the first one. That mindset alone keeps the ball lower and more controlled.

Next, your paddle should never leave your peripheral vision. If you can’t see it, your swing is too big. Keep everything out in front. And if the ball sneaks behind you, don’t reach. Drop step instead so your paddle stays visible and your contact stays clean.

Last one, and it matters more than most people want to admit: lazy footwork causes most dink errors. Stay active, move your feet, and make the shot more physical than you think it needs to be.

Cleaner dinks come from simple habits done well.

Watch me explain this in more detail in under 60 seconds 👇

📖 Stuck between 2.5–3.5? This book could help!

If you’re a rec player stuck between 2.5–3.5, give this one a go.

💥 Master the rip and drip play

🧨 How to hit a speed up

🤌 This is not the ideal place to reset

Green Valley Recreation Pickleball Club, AZ

This week’s dream court is just down the road from me and it’s pure desert dinking!

Court after court, wide-open desert skies, mountains in the distance, and not a shred of shade once you’re locked into a rally.

Visting soon? Don’t forget the sunscreen. 🥵

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

• 🏆 I won a 5.0 tournament with this $100 paddle

• 🤔 Dwell vs. pop-based power – which is best?

• 😵‍💫 The spinniest paddle… ever?

• 🥤 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:

• 🌏 Are overseas brands coming for America’s pickleball paddles?

• 🤾 Pickleball’s biggest lies (that stop your improvement)

• 🤯 $15,000 to play pickleball

• 🤔 Dwell vs. pop-based power – which is best?

Love what you’re reading? Why not tell others about it too!?