The Most Competitive Pickleball Games I’ve Had in a Few Weeks (And What I Learned)

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After dealing with colder New England weather and men's ladder league over the last few months, I finally had one of the most competitive pickleball sessions I’ve had in a long time this week. One of our friends came back after taking several months off during the colder fall and winter months, and the games immediately felt different. The rallies were longer, the hands battles at the kitchen were more intense, and every game felt like it could go either way. At one point, I really wish I had worn my smartwatch because I’m pretty sure my heart rate had to be pushing close to 180+ BPM. One game honestly felt like it lasted somewhere between 15 to 20 minutes because neither team wanted to give in. I lost some games and won some, but those are the kinds of matches that remind me why I love pickleball so much.

One of the biggest adjustments during these games was switching from the Selkirk Pro S1 Pickleball Ball back to the Franklin X-40 Outdoor Pickleballs. I forgot just how different the X-40 feels after spending time with the Selkirk ball. The Franklin felt softer, the bounce seemed lower, and kitchen exchanges almost felt like they were happening in slow motion compared to what I had grown used to. I found myself needing to move faster in transition because the ball just didn’t bounce the same way. It really reminded me that changing pickleballs can affect your game just as much as switching paddles, especially when you’ve grown comfortable with one type of ball.

Speaking of paddles, my current go-to is still my Bread & Butter Loco Elongated Pickleball Paddle. It continues to be the paddle that feels most natural for my game and always finds its way back into my bag. I recently picked up the Azul version, and while I do like it, I’m still adjusting because my original tan version just feels slightly different. I also spent some time using my Volair Shift Elongated Pickleball Paddle and even gave the Luzz Inferno Pickleball Paddle another shot, but I didn’t really click with it right away. On top of that, I keep thinking about picking up another Vatic Pro Saga V7 Pickleball Paddle or trying a new Prism V7. I still regret giving away my old Saga 16mm short handle. As a Vatic Pro ambassador, I probably should have held onto it just to keep a better collection of their paddles.

As for my actual performance, I think I played okay. I wouldn’t say I played amazing, but I definitely did some things well. My serves stayed consistent and rarely found the net, and I had some solid resets using two hands on the paddle. I also felt like I did a better job of moving the ball around and not becoming too predictable. One thing that has helped me improve lately is recording our matches and uploading them privately to YouTube so my friends and I can watch them back. It’s been one of the best ways to identify habits, weaknesses, and tendencies that are easy to miss while you’re caught up in the moment of playing.

One thing I noticed during these games was how often players try to speed up balls that probably shouldn’t be attacked. There were a few moments where a player tried speeding up a ball that was near knee level, and it ended up either going into the net or setting up the other team for an easy winner. Sometimes the better play is simply being patient, resetting the ball, or continuing a dink rally until you get a better opportunity. Not every ball needs to be attacked, and that’s something many recreational players still struggle with.

I also noticed a few areas where I need to improve. I need to do a better job attacking balls off the bounce without hitting them into the net, which is something my Boomstik paddle seems to help me with. I also need to add more topspin on my returns and fourth shot drives because there were a few times where I left the ball sitting too high, giving my opponents easy chances to poach or apply pressure. These are small adjustments, but they can make a huge difference in tighter matches.

By the end of the night, I pulled out my Volair Shift Elongated Pickleball Paddle again and started thinking that it might be my main paddle for next week’s games. Then again, part of me wants to bring out the Boomstik. Realistically though, I’ll probably end up going back to what always works best for me—my Bread & Butter Loco Elongated Pickleball Paddle. It continues to be the paddle I trust the most when games get competitive.

And if you’ve been thinking about trying a Bread & Butter paddle, I was recently accepted as an ambassador. If you decide to pick one up, feel free to use code TechYeti at checkout to save a little money. It genuinely helps support both my blog and YouTube channel.

Until next time, keep dinking, driving, and dropping.

Why the Boomstik Makes Sense for My Game?

A few weeks ago I got back on the court with the fellas and decided to give the Boomstik another try. It had been a while since I used it because I’ve mostly been playing with other paddles like the Volair Shift, but I figured why not bring it back into rotation.

When I first used the Boomstik, I liked it, but I didn’t stick with it long enough. Coming back to it now, the first thing I noticed again was the pop and power. I know a lot of people say it’s too poppy or too powerful, and I thought I might feel the same, but honestly it works pretty well for my game.

We played about 7 games over 2 hours, which is usually how we run it. We rotate partners every couple of games and just keep it going. I recorded all the games like I normally do now and shared them with the group. Watching them back, I felt like I played better than I thought I did while I was on the court.

One thing that really stood out was my drops, especially from the baseline. They felt really smooth. I wasn’t trying to do too much—just keeping the paddle out in front, slowing my swing down, and letting the paddle do the work. The ball was getting over the net clean more often than not.

I’ve also been trying to get better at mid-court transitions, and that’s still one of the harder parts of pickleball for me. It’s easy to hit the ball too hard, pop it up, or dump it into the net. But in these games, I felt a little more comfortable there, especially adding some topspin on balls in the air.

As for the Boomstik itself, it played really solid. Drives had good power, and quick hands at the kitchen felt nice. The paddle feels stable overall, even on shots that aren’t hit perfectly. One thing I did notice is that the ball comes off the paddle pretty quick, so you have to be ready for fast returns.

The handle is something I wasn’t sure about at first, mainly because of the shape and the bigger end cap, but it’s actually grown on me. It feels comfortable now, and I don’t notice any vibration. Two-handed shots feel good too, even though I didn’t get a ton of chances to use them.

With the power, you do have to stay under control. There were a couple of shots where I could tell if my angle was off, the ball was either going long or straight into the net. So it’s not a forgiving paddle if your mechanics aren’t there, but when you’re dialed in, it feels really good.

If I had to point out anything negative, it would be on some serve returns. There were a few times where I sent the ball deeper than I wanted, especially on slice or shorter serves where I had to move forward. It didn’t happen a lot, but I noticed it enough.

Durability is still something I’m not sure about yet. I already saw a small ding on the edge guard, but overall the paddle still feels good and the surface is holding up so far. I just haven’t used it enough to really judge that yet.

At the end of the day, I came away from that session really liking the Boomstik more than I expected. It’s powerful, poppy, and stable, and for my style of play, it fits pretty well. Right now, it’s up there with my Bread & Butter Loco as one of my go-to paddles.

I’m looking forward to getting back out there again soon, hopefully outdoors once the weather gets better. If not, we’ll keep it going indoors.

If you’ve been thinking about trying the Boomstik, I’d just say make sure it fits your game. It’s not for everyone, but if you can control the power, it can be a really fun paddle to play with.