Such a great review as always John. The game play footage was next level. Kudos to Ronbus going the extra mile to find solutions to the common issues we're having.
John - everything I learned about paddles is from your videos. My friends wonder how I got so smart! I just smile and then send them a link. Thank you the perfect balance of deep dive and practical talk - you set the bar for all others posting paddle reviews.
Your reviews are always the most helpful and touch on all the most important factors for paddle reviews. Thanks for everything you do man! Keep up the great work!
Interesting. As someone who recently got the r3 pulsar, I was trying to wrap my head around how this fits into their lineup. With new paddles being released so frequently, it’s hard to keep up. So in a nutshell, this Gen 3 paddle (in either r1 or r3 variants) will play nearly identical to the pulsar variants. The difference is potentially the long term quality impacts with regard to core crushing. The Nova paddle MAY end up having a longer play life… with regard to the collapsed core. But that’s not to say the surface won’t wear out sooner. So maybe it last longer, maybe it doesn’t. But at least we know what the difference is. I don’t think it’s worth any Pulsar owners to rush out and buy this, as they wont see any significant performance gain…But it WILL be interesting to see how the Pulsar and Nova fair over the next 3-6 months, in terms of quality.
Yes, I wouldn't rush out and buy this if you already have a Pulsar. It's feel and performance is very close, and the primary difference is the anti-core corruption measures. Wait till your Pulsar wears out, IMO
I sat in on the Discord release for the Nova and I play with the R1 (also tested the R3). The reports are same power as the R1 but with more control. Swing weight seems similar to the 5.25" R1 vs. the 5.5" but probably nominal IMO.
Awesome review with such great detail and professionalism. Any plans to review the Vatic Pro Prisms? I am guessing a lot of people would be really interested to see your full analysis for that paddle.
Great review, I have been waiting for a review of the loco, my choice was between the loco and the ruby, I’m playing with the legacy pro now. I would like to buy both but I can’t afford both so I’m going with the Ruby.
John, have you done a serve speed test with the Legacy Pro yet? I can generate a lot more power and speed with my nonweighted Legacy Pro compared to my weighted BnB Filth. Also I would be interested in a breakdown of the Legacy Pro paddle. I hear that it has 2 cores. Thanks, Rob
Great review, thanks! Interesting that the spin numbers are fairly low. Seems like if you’re around a 4.0 or higher then a new paddle every 3 or 4 months is probably beneficial due to spin loss. I like the test play videos but would’ve liked to see some doubles too since that’s what most people play.
Yes, it's interesting to me also that there's so much variability with the same peel ply texture. This finer weave ranges between 1700-2000 in my tests, which matches Chris Olson's. The ones in the 2100-2300 RPM range are all the traditional weave (coarser), with the exception of the Vatic Pro Flash, which got 2,174 in my tests. Good call on the doubles play; I'll do that in the future.
Thanks for the review John! Curious what paddle you think it plays most similar to? According to your stats it looks to play similar to a DBD 16mm but with a bit more pop, same power and less spin. Thoughts? Thanks!
What a great video and channel, it speaks volumes that Ronbus is willing to ship you the test model that they had! Just curious what you’d recommend if I have a Ronbus r1.16 and want to upgrade, the pulsar or nova series, alternatively I’m open to double black Diamond and vatic paddles as well
Yes, it speaks to the confidence the owner of Ronbus has in his product that he would be willing to let me examine the test model under a microscope. I think if you're already playing with an R1.16, the NOVA is a natural upgrade. It'll have more pop and power, but it'll also feel very familiar to you, coming from the same shape.
Thank you so much for your response! I really appreciate it (: Please keep these awesome quality videos coming!!! I’ve watched and will continue watching your videos
John do you have your spreadsheet of paddles serve speed, punch volley speed, and spin posted somewhere? I would like to review it. It is difficult to see in the video.
@@johnkewpickleball The paddle has "Thermoforming" printed on the paddle. Amazon has the title as Thermoformed. It would make a very interesting review if it wasn't thermoformed and also if it was at $79. I bought it but it was my first paddle and I wouldn't know one way or the other.
Great review! I had just started pickleball and purchased my first paddle a Ronbus R1.16 after seeing John's review. Very factual, objective and crisp. While seeing the metrics for Nova for power and pop, I could not see how it compared with R1.16. Can you please add that? Is it worth upgrading from R1.16 to a Nova?
Hi, I don't have the metrics for power and pop for the R1.16 yet. But I can tell you that the NOVA has more power, although you'd be sacrificing some control compared to the R1.16
John, looking to replace my 8 month old Joola Hyperion. Really like this paddle but it’s lost its spin & it’s pricey to replace this often. I’m in my 60’s and play 4.0. Thinking about Zero 6 double diamond or a Ronbus (R1orR3). What would you recommend?
@@stevesmith-go2jb Hi, if you like the plush feel of the Hyperion, I would recommend the R3 Nova or Pulsar, as the R1 and DBD have harder-feeling faces, despite having similar shapes to the Hyperion
I'm gonna be that guy. . . Carson's grunt sounds like when my severely autistic neighbor would play with pool water when I was growing up. Thanks for the memories!
I play with the Ronbus Pulsar R3 and I love the paddle but the grit has worn down very quickly (2 months of 4 days/week play). Is the Nova the same exact Toray T700? Have any others out there experienced pretty quick wear of Toray T700?
I play with the r1.16 and pulsar r3, more play time than you, 2 months 5-6/week… I thought the same too, but I bought new ones off of Amazon just to see/feel the grit difference, i really couldn’t feel/see a difference. YMMV
@@jasonchen2107 My R3 Pulsar has around 80 hours of play with no detectable performance drop off. Even more amazing is the minimal visual wear on the sweet spot of the paddle surface. The Selkirk paddles I've used (002/006) were scored and pitted after about 20 hours.
Could this be the one? Or two, my wife will need a paddle as well.😂 I was hoping for a touch more spin. Should I wait for the R3 Nova review before committing?
It depends on if you like the hybrid shape of the R1, or the elongated square shape of the R3. In my experience, if you want more punch/pop, go for the R1. If you want more control, go for the R3.
@@johnkewpickleballin general would you say for the Ronbus lines, r1 is for singles and r3 is for doubles? I just thought higher pop would be better for doubles(more kitchen play) vs higher power for singles (more drives/ground strokes)
looking at the microscope of the x-section of the cut paddle, i could see, Obviously, there are SEPARATION between the core layers. Coming from the multilayer printed circuit board manufacturing, separation between inner core layers is called "delamination", caused by the entrapped air inside the inner core layers getting heated up during thermal bonding operation. Ronbus did not solve the "separation" defect , unfortunately. But I do know how to solve this problem.
Such a great review as always John. The game play footage was next level. Kudos to Ronbus going the extra mile to find solutions to the common issues we're having.
Thanks for the great feedback! I was wondering how the game footage would go over
John - everything I learned about paddles is from your videos. My friends wonder how I got so smart! I just smile and then send them a link.
Thank you the perfect balance of deep dive and practical talk - you set the bar for all others posting paddle reviews.
Well done. Great failure analysis by Dong. Who knew air pockets were the culprit. Will be interesting to see how the patent will be protected.
I love that you have adopted the Core-Corrupting term hahaha
You've core-upted us all, Will!
Great review. 1 of the few reviewers out there giving solid metrics. So many great paddles out there in the market today.
Your reviews are always the most helpful and touch on all the most important factors for paddle reviews. Thanks for everything you do man! Keep up the great work!
I appreciate that!
Thxs for the review..loking forward to your new in-depth review of double diamond
As always, great investigation and analysis on paddles. Thanx.
Interesting. As someone who recently got the r3 pulsar, I was trying to wrap my head around how this fits into their lineup. With new paddles being released so frequently, it’s hard to keep up. So in a nutshell, this Gen 3 paddle (in either r1 or r3 variants) will play nearly identical to the pulsar variants. The difference is potentially the long term quality impacts with regard to core crushing. The Nova paddle MAY end up having a longer play life… with regard to the collapsed core. But that’s not to say the surface won’t wear out sooner. So maybe it last longer, maybe it doesn’t. But at least we know what the difference is. I don’t think it’s worth any Pulsar owners to rush out and buy this, as they wont see any significant performance gain…But it WILL be interesting to see how the Pulsar and Nova fair over the next 3-6 months, in terms of quality.
I was about to say. I JUST got the R3 Pulsar two days ago and don’t want to buy another ha.
Yes, I wouldn't rush out and buy this if you already have a Pulsar. It's feel and performance is very close, and the primary difference is the anti-core corruption measures. Wait till your Pulsar wears out, IMO
I sat in on the Discord release for the Nova and I play with the R1 (also tested the R3). The reports are same power as the R1 but with more control. Swing weight seems similar to the 5.25" R1 vs. the 5.5" but probably nominal IMO.
Same boat. I’m 3+ months with the R3P. Anyone else feel like they are losing spin? Might be in my head.
Awesome review with such great detail and professionalism. Any plans to review the Vatic Pro Prisms? I am guessing a lot of people would be really interested to see your full analysis for that paddle.
I like game play footage and the first impressions of those players. Good to see multiple opinions.
Glad you like it, and thanks for the feedback!
Would enjoy a video showing doubles play
Great review, I have been waiting for a review of the loco, my choice was between the loco and the ruby,
I’m playing with the legacy pro now. I would like to buy both but I can’t afford both so I’m going with the Ruby.
Thanks for the content!
Great review as usual John.
From what I understand the edge grid allows the paddle face to flex which is interesting.
Great review!
Great review just what I’ve been saying about Nova it’s a softer feeling and more controllable power version of the Pulsar.
Excellent and useful review!
Great review. Any plans to review the Six One Double Black Diamond?
John, have you done a serve speed test with the Legacy Pro yet? I can generate a lot more power and speed with my nonweighted Legacy Pro compared to my weighted BnB Filth. Also I would be interested in a breakdown of the Legacy Pro paddle. I hear that it has 2 cores. Thanks, Rob
If you were to add lead tape to the R1, where would you put it?
Great review, thanks! Interesting that the spin numbers are fairly low. Seems like if you’re around a 4.0 or higher then a new paddle every 3 or 4 months is probably beneficial due to spin loss. I like the test play videos but would’ve liked to see some doubles too since that’s what most people play.
Yes, it's interesting to me also that there's so much variability with the same peel ply texture. This finer weave ranges between 1700-2000 in my tests, which matches Chris Olson's. The ones in the 2100-2300 RPM range are all the traditional weave (coarser), with the exception of the Vatic Pro Flash, which got 2,174 in my tests.
Good call on the doubles play; I'll do that in the future.
Better to stick with R1.16 for higher spin ratings?
@@johnkewpickleballIt's a very light paddle. I suspect adding weight would improve the spin numbers.
Great review John. What are your thoughts of the Gruvn Muvn 16x? Thanks
Good stuff. Thanks
What about the vulcavv900 series...not many reviews out there
Hello John, Have you spoke with the owner of Volair to see which kind of carbon they are using?
Planning on a Pulsar purchase, are these concerns I should have as the paddle fits my skill level but want it to last
Thanks for the review John! Curious what paddle you think it plays most similar to? According to your stats it looks to play similar to a DBD 16mm but with a bit more pop, same power and less spin.
Thoughts? Thanks!
Yep, you nailed it! Outside of the R1 Pulsar, which is very similar, this aligns with the Double Black Diamond and Vatic Flash
What a great video and channel, it speaks volumes that Ronbus is willing to ship you the test model that they had!
Just curious what you’d recommend if I have a Ronbus r1.16 and want to upgrade, the pulsar or nova series, alternatively I’m open to double black Diamond and vatic paddles as well
Yes, it speaks to the confidence the owner of Ronbus has in his product that he would be willing to let me examine the test model under a microscope.
I think if you're already playing with an R1.16, the NOVA is a natural upgrade. It'll have more pop and power, but it'll also feel very familiar to you, coming from the same shape.
Thank you so much for your response! I really appreciate it (:
Please keep these awesome quality videos coming!!! I’ve watched and will continue watching your videos
John do you have your spreadsheet of paddles serve speed, punch volley speed, and spin posted somewhere? I would like to review it. It is difficult to see in the video.
Johnkew Pickleball
I'd love to see you review the a11n Zenith paddle. It claims 3k Toray T700, thermoformed, and a 2 year warranty.
Interesting - are you sure it's thermoformed?
@@johnkewpickleball The paddle has "Thermoforming" printed on the paddle. Amazon has the title as Thermoformed. It would make a very interesting review if it wasn't thermoformed and also if it was at $79. I bought it but it was my first paddle and I wouldn't know one way or the other.
where does the Legacy Pro rank in your power and pop charts?
can you review the volair forza? ty
Thanks for a great review as always. Are you still using the Proline Energy, Ronbus Pulsar or this Nova?
Pro Line Energy is still my primary
Johnkew Pickleball
Did you happen to decide one way or the other if you will review a11n Zenith paddle?
Nicely done. Any chance you are going to review the Volair Mach 1 Forza in either 14mm or 16mm?
Yes! Volair just mailed me their models and I'll review them within the next few weeks
it's funny how there are at least 10 paddles with more spin than the original CRBN and they are all oK while the CRBN is banned....hmmm
Do you have play testers that grunt less?
Great review! I had just started pickleball and purchased my first paddle a Ronbus R1.16 after seeing John's review. Very factual, objective and crisp. While seeing the metrics for Nova for power and pop, I could not see how it compared with R1.16. Can you please add that? Is it worth upgrading from R1.16 to a Nova?
Hi, I don't have the metrics for power and pop for the R1.16 yet. But I can tell you that the NOVA has more power, although you'd be sacrificing some control compared to the R1.16
John, looking to replace my 8 month old Joola Hyperion. Really like this paddle but it’s lost its spin & it’s pricey to replace this often. I’m in my 60’s and play 4.0. Thinking about Zero 6 double diamond or a Ronbus (R1orR3). What would you recommend?
@@stevesmith-go2jb Hi, if you like the plush feel of the Hyperion, I would recommend the R3 Nova or Pulsar, as the R1 and DBD have harder-feeling faces, despite having similar shapes to the Hyperion
@@johnkewpickleball R3 Nova? Did not find that on the website - there is a R1 Nova. Which Pulsar? Thanks
@@stevesmith-go2jb R3 Nova hasn’t been released yet. It’s coming this month.
Did I see correctly that the Nova and Pulsars are both inferior to the R1.16 in terms of spin ratings? I wonder why the drop??
Yes, it's a different peel ply texture. The fine weave, similar to the Legacy, doesn't get the same spin as the coarser weave used on the R1.16
I'm gonna be that guy. . . Carson's grunt sounds like when my severely autistic neighbor would play with pool water when I was growing up. Thanks for the memories!
I play with the Ronbus Pulsar R3 and I love the paddle but the grit has worn down very quickly (2 months of 4 days/week play). Is the Nova the same exact Toray T700? Have any others out there experienced pretty quick wear of Toray T700?
I play with the r1.16 and pulsar r3, more play time than you, 2 months 5-6/week…
I thought the same too, but I bought new ones off of Amazon just to see/feel the grit difference, i really couldn’t feel/see a difference.
YMMV
@@jasonchen2107 My R3 Pulsar has around 80 hours of play with no detectable performance drop off. Even more amazing is the minimal visual wear on the sweet spot of the paddle surface. The Selkirk paddles I've used (002/006) were scored and pitted after about 20 hours.
For the ‘gram!!!
Could this be the one? Or two, my wife will need a paddle as well.😂 I was hoping for a touch more spin. Should I wait for the R3 Nova review before committing?
It depends on if you like the hybrid shape of the R1, or the elongated square shape of the R3. In my experience, if you want more punch/pop, go for the R1. If you want more control, go for the R3.
@@johnkewpickleball We do play more singles so I think R1 first! 😁.
Thanks, John! Ordered two! Wooo wee!!!
@@johnkewpickleballin general would you say for the Ronbus lines, r1 is for singles and r3 is for doubles?
I just thought higher pop would be better for doubles(more kitchen play) vs higher power for singles (more drives/ground strokes)
looking at the microscope of the x-section of the cut paddle, i could see, Obviously, there are SEPARATION between the core layers. Coming from the multilayer printed circuit board manufacturing, separation between inner core layers is called "delamination", caused by the entrapped air inside the inner core layers getting heated up during thermal bonding operation.
Ronbus did not solve the "separation" defect , unfortunately. But I do know how to solve this problem.
Excellent review John. BTW, are you on Facebook? Would be nice to tag you when linking to your reviews.
Thanks! I don't have a Facebook artist page, but you can tag my Instagram: @
johnkew.pickleball
Awesome review!