From ball marks to breakthrough: The story behind the new Holbrook Fuze VantaGrit
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Editor’s note: We asked Holbrook Pickleball CEO Breygan Holbrook to tell us in his own words how the company developed the new Holbrook Fuze VantaGrit. The paddle was released on Oct. 29 and has already generated a lot of buzz, with early testers praising the elite spin this paddle generates. Look for our review in the coming days!
Every pickleball player knows the feeling: You hit the ball high on the paddle face or near the top edge, and it dies hopelessly into the net.
The way most paddles are designed, the sweet spot is in the middle of the face, but the middle isn’t where players always make contact. In a lot of instances, players actually strike the ball with the top 1/3 of the paddle.
At Holbrook Pickleball, we decided to build a paddle around that reality. Here’s how we did it.
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A blacked-out paddle and a surprising discovery
The idea started at a Major League Pickleball tournament, where we gave a blacked-out prototype to our pro players Martin and Tammy Emmrich. After a few games, they handed the paddles back with ball marks across the top of the face.
That is where elite players make contact a lot of the time, and where most paddles perform the worst.
So we went to work on figuring out how to stretch the sweet spot to that area of the paddle instead of asking our players to adapt to a paddle’s limits.
Dual-density foam core: A bigger sweet spot where you need it
The result of our efforts is the dual-density foam core found in our Fuze paddle. We placed denser foam in the top half and around the edges, so shots struck high on the face feel like center hits instead of losing life.
The core also blends power and control. The most common feedback we’ve gotten from players is that the Fuze has “controllable power.”
The missing piece: VantaGrit
The original Fuze, which we released earlier this year, had one gap: It lacked a surface that could generate elite spin. Our all-new Fuze VantaGrit fills that gap with a longer-lasting gritty surface that produces extreme spin on every shot.
Simply put, this paddle is fun to play with. Rip a drive and watch the topspin take over as the ball dips over the net. Slice a return and watch your opponent struggle to handle the spin coming their way.
The grit not only shapes the ball but also improves the overall feel and control of the paddle, softening the pop coming off of the paddle face.
And that added spin gives players more margin to swing aggressively and still keep the ball in.
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What players are saying
Before launching the Fuze VantaGrit, we got it in the hands of hundreds of players. The feedback was consistent: It’s a big step up from the original.
Players who already loved the Fuze said the VantaGrit is a much better version of it. Some who hadn’t liked the original Fuze said it was a big upgrade.
And it works for a lot of different play styles. We’ve been told by players at every level that it delivers effortless performance.
More than a paddle
At Holbrook, our mission is to create products and a community that help everyone play better. That means continual improvement, progression and growth, with a paddle and a company you can trust.
Nobody becomes their best self alone, either. The community around you is part of the process, and that community, mission and performance are what Holbrook is building.
Give the Fuze VantaGrit a try
We make paddles with the player in mind, so the ask is simple: Try the Fuze VantaGrit. We think it’s a paddle worth getting behind, and if for some reason it isn’t right for you, Holbrook’s promise is to take care of you.
As a family-owned business, we treat our players like family, and we’re all about helping you play better on and off the court.
At the end of the day, our last name is on every paddle, so we want everyone to feel confident in the product’s performance and connected with our mission to help them play better.
