Matt's Pickleball Podcast

Creator. Competitor. Culture shaper. In this full-length interview, Pickleball Will gets real about his family’s refugee story, quitting his job at 31, finding pickleball during COVID, and building a voice in the sport through honest gear reviews, podcasting, and building a community of pickleball in Oklahoma. We go deep on burnout, brand deals, identity, and what’s next.If you’ve followed Pickleball Will—or you’re curious about th...

In Episode 11, I dig into six new products: the high-spin Volair V.1F Hybrid, Franklin’s reworked C45 Dynasty and Tempo paddles, the surprisingly solid $99 Friday Fever, the ADV Pickleball Pro Bag, and the FOCOS performance glasses from Brioti. One paddle needed tuning. One blew past expectations.

🧠 Paddle Finder: https://www.mattspickleball.com/pickleball-paddle-finder
📊 Paddle data + rankings: https://www.mattspickleball.com
💬 Jo...

Four paddles. Three brands. No clear winner—yet.

In Episode 10 of Paddle of the Week, I put the newly updated Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta 2.0, two all-foam Selkirk Labs Project 008 paddles, and Franklin’s new C45 Dynasty Elongated 14mm and 16mm builds through match play, drills, and league nights. You’ll get actual performance numbers—spin RPM, punch volley speed, serve speed—as well as real on-court feedback.

Want help choosing...

What do a Gen 3 foam prototype, a $149 Franklin paddle, a thermoformed Kevlar build, and one of the most stable standard shapes I’ve tested all have in common? They’re all in this week’s lineup.

Welcome to Episode 9 of Paddle of the Week. Each paddle got full court time—drills, match play, and league nights. I focused on real-world performance: feel, power, pop, spin, balance, and more.

Want help finding your next paddle? Use the Pad...

In Episode 8 of Paddle of the Week, we go deeper—not wider. I tested six paddles and one pair of true pickleball shoes across drills, league play, and high-intensity games to find what actually performs when it counts.

The standout? The CRBN TruFoam Genesis 2. Not the flashiest paddle, but maybe the most well-rounded foam-core paddle I’ve tested yet.

🔍 What’s covered:

• HEAD Motion Pro BOA Pickleball Shoes — Dual BOA lacing, court-...

Episode 7 is here—and this week, we’ve got a clear Paddle of the Week winner: the Gherkin Nightshade Elongated 14mm. It’s not just about spin or power—it’s about balance, control, and that rare “just right” feel that works at any tempo.

But that’s not all. I tested 8 different paddles across 6 brands—plus a pickleball-specific shoe that surprised me with how well it’s holding up.

🔹 Here’s what we cover:

• SQAIRZ Pro XRZ Shoes — Pur...

Episode 6 of Paddle of the Week is here—and this time, I’m not naming a winner. After a full week of paddle testing across 13+ builds, nothing stood out enough to take the crown. But that doesn’t mean it was a wasted week—far from it. This episode is still packed with analysis.

Here’s what I cover:

• Diadem Warrior BluCore: First look at the Standard 14mm and Max 16mm. EPP foam core, unique feel, and serious speed—but a frustrating...

This episode of Paddle of the Week goes deep—not wide. I’m talking about fewer products with more substance, including the Gearbox GX2 Hyper (my Paddle of the Week), JOOLA Hyperion IV 16mm, Proton Flamingo, and the new recovery kit from Yobow. I also break down standout paddles like the Gherkin Nightshade Hybrid, Gearbox Pro Ultimate Hyper, and revisit the Tecnifibre TF Select 15mm after more court time.

If you’re looking for gear t...

After a week of sun, sweat, and way too many paddles in Mexico, I’m back with Episode 4 of Paddle of the Week—and this one is stacked. The surprise standout? The Tecnifibre TF Select 15mm. It wasn’t even on my radar to win, but the confidence it gave me at the net and from the baseline sealed the deal. Plus, the Gearbox GX2 paddles nearly took the top spot and are some of the most unique feeling paddles I’ve tested lately.

Also in t...

Welcome to Episode 3 of Paddle of the Week. This week’s lineup is deep, diverse, and packed with paddles I’ve been playing, tweaking, and retesting—including two JOOLA Perseus Pro IV paddles that couldn’t feel more different. The 16mm version earns Paddle of the Week honors for its balance, spin, and control-focused power, while the 14mm version brings the heat with speed and explosiveness.

Also in this episode:

• Honolulu J2K – my...

Welcome to Episode 2 of Paddle of the Week—where I break down the paddles I actually played with this week, including how they performed, what surprised me, and what absolutely needed tuning. This week’s top spot goes to the Franklin C45, a paddle that finally clicked after some simple weight adjustments.

Also in the mix: the JOOLA Hyperion 3S, Neonic Flare Prime X, Thrive Smoke, Bread & Butter Invader, Selkirk 008 Tour, and the...

Welcome to Episode 1 of Paddle of the Week, a new series where I break down the paddles I actually played this week—no fluff, no sponsored spin. I tested a ton of paddles, and one clear standout earned the top spot: the Standout CF4. But there were some big surprises, including the CRBN TruFoam Genesis 2, Honolulu J2K+, and Vatic Pro Saga Bloom.

I go deep on performance, spin, swing weight, and control, and tell you which paddles ar...