Johnkew Newsletter · July 25, 2026 · 11 min read

Ranking Every Tier 1 Spin Paddle + Spartus Spitfire Launch

Finding the best Tier 1 spin paddle, new Selkirk shoes, and the numbers behind the grit.

By John Kew. Independent, lab-tested, no pay-to-play.

Pickleball News

The Database Now Measures Paddle Surface Area

Every paddle in the paddle database now carries a real surface area number, measured with an AI that counts pixels on a scaled image rather than trusting a spec sheet. The early correlation work is the interesting part: raw surface area tracks performance only weakly, and the strongest relationship is actually with handle length, since a longer handle eats into the hitting face. It is live on every paddle detail card now.

Noteworthy Releases

Spartus Spitfire Launches Monday, July 27

The Spitfire goes on sale Monday July 27, with the full video review dropping just ahead of it. If you want the lab picture first, the spin, durability, and KewCOR numbers are all in my Spartus Spitfire review.

Photo

X-ray

A Loco 2 Is Coming, and the Original Goes on Sale

Bread and Butter and Selkirk are working on a Loco 2 with an updated grit surface. If you liked the original, it goes on sale July 28, 25 percent off plus another 10 percent with code JOHNKEW, which lands it around 134 dollars. My Bread & Butter LOCO review covers how the current one tests.

Photo

X-ray

Paddles of the Week

Tier 1 Spin Durability Showdown

I put the four Tier 1 grit surfaces head to head: Spartus PermaGrit, Six Zero Diamond Tough Grit, Honolulu Crystal Blue Endurance Grit, and 11Six24 HexGrit. Same protocol for all of them, 100 shots at 70 mph into the same spot. Here is how they stack up.

1. Spartus P1

Right around 2,300 RPM. The hybrid tests all-court, while the widebody hits harder, firepower 75 versus 64. The feel is velvety, and the spin is elite once you break the surface in.

Photo

X-ray

2. Six Zero Coral Pro

The only paddle in the group that sits dead center on the Feel Chart, in the soft and dense quadrant, with firepower in the 76 to 79 range. The surface is grit-infused peel ply loaded with industrial diamond dust, and the feel stays consistent across the face. Full data is in my Six Zero Coral Pro review.

Photo

X-ray

3. Honolulu J6CR Blue Grit

The lowest price in the roundup and the highest spinning of the four. The grit mixes particle sizes, from boulders down to fine, and a low balance point gives it genuinely quick hands. More in my Honolulu J6CR review.

Photo

X-ray

4. 11Six24 Ultre Power 2

Between 2,268 and 2,321 RPM across four shapes. It starts as the stiffest and most hollow of the four, then mellows with use, and a higher balance point leaves room to customize. Full breakdown in my 11SIX24 Ultré Power 2 review.

Photo

X-ray

The rankings

We did not fully agree, which is the fun part. Eddie ranked them Honolulu J6CR, 11Six24 Ultre, Six Zero Coral Pro, then Spartus P1. I had it 11Six24 Ultre, Honolulu, Six Zero Coral Pro, then Spartus P1. The real takeaway is that the top three are close enough that feel and price should decide it for you.

Gear of the Week

Selkirk CourtStrike Pro 3.0

Selkirk merged its two previous court shoes into one, the CourtStrike Pro 3.0 at 128 dollars. It has a breathable mesh upper, a TPU shank for lateral support, a narrower fit than the last version, and locking tongue channels so the shoe stays put. Code INF-JOHNKEW gets you a 20 dollar digital gift card.

Tales From the Ball Cannon

Pop N Treasure EverGrit Lands in Tier 4

The EverGrit surface on the Pop N Treasure read 1,651 RPM new and 1,109 after the wear protocol, a 32 percent loss, which puts it in Tier 4. Pickle Poppers is already working on an improved surface for an August release.

Photo

X-ray

What AI Says About Launch Angle and Spin

I ran an AI analysis on launch angle versus spin. The correlation is real, but weaker than I expected, with an R-squared around 0.53 to 0.56 for the top paddles, so launch angle explains just over half the variance. Useful, but not the whole story.

Kew & A

What Does Accelerated Wear Equal in Real Court Time?

The preliminary data points to roughly one cannon shot per game of spin loss, which would put my 100-shot protocol in the neighborhood of 100 games of play. That is early, and I want a lot more data before I commit to the ratio.

Does EVA band width change how a paddle plays?

The evidence so far is counterintuitive: thinner EVA bands seem to correlate with higher firepower and KewCOR, the opposite of what I assumed going in. It is not conclusive yet, so treat it as a lead I am chasing rather than a finding.

What Is Up Next

More surface area correlations, the Spitfire launch on Monday, and the Pop N Treasure retest once the new surface arrives.

Thanks for being the crowd that cares about grit particle size distribution under a microscope. That is our kind of nerdy. See you in the next one. Cheers. John

Explore the data behind these verdicts in the paddle database and the Comparison Lab. This issue was originally sent to subscribers on July 25, 2026.

I test every paddle independently, with no payment and no editorial input. The buy links above are affiliate links, and if you use them I earn a commission that helps support the website. It never changes how a paddle is tested or where it lands in the data. Read more about how I test.