Do “Permanent” Paddle Grits Really Last? Ball Cannon Test Preliminary Results | KewCast #99
In KewCast Episode 99, John Kew and Eddie take a deep dive into one of the biggest questions in pickleball paddle technology: Do “durable” grit surfaces actually last longer? Using a ball cannon, high-speed camera, and controlled spin testing, John runs a durability experiment comparing modern permanent grit technologies against traditional raw carbon fiber surfaces. Paddles tested include: • 11SIX24 Hex Grit
• Six Zero Diamond Tough Grit
• Spartus PermaGrit
• Selkirk InfiniGrit
• Raw Carbon Fiber (control) Each paddle was tested brand new, then struck 100 times at ~70 mph before measuring spin loss. The results reveal major differences in spin durability, with some surfaces losing 4× less spin than traditional carbon fiber. We also cover: • New Gearbox GBX Power Gen-3 paddle
• JOOLA Cosmos vs Gearbox GBX Power comparison
• Paddle feel profiles and power differences
• Upcoming paddle shapes from Friday Pickleball
• Q&A on Coral vs J2CR and foam paddle alternatives If you’re wondering how long modern paddle surfaces really last, this episode reveals the first lab-style durability data. Chapters 0:00 Episode intro
3:52 Latest News/ Gear Gossip - Andrei Daescu now with CRBN
5:50 11SIX24 Power 2 Hurache-X and Pegasus shapes UPA-A approved
7:14 Paddles of the Week: JOOLA Pro V vs. Gearbox GBX Power
20:31 Tales from the Ball Cannon: Testing Durable Grits
40:57 Kew & A: Coral Hybrid vs. J2CR for power and control— which would you pick?
42:44 Friday Aura vs. Enhance EPP Turbo—and will the Aura Pro get hybrid or widebody versions?
45:27 My Agassi Pro 14mm core crushed—what full-foam paddle with a similar shape should I try? Products Discussed (includes affiliate links):
🔹11SIX24 Power 2 Series – save 10% with code JOHNKEW: https://11six24.com/?sca_ref=5460250.6fDhFP0v1v
🔹Friday Aura Pro – save 10% with code JOHNKEW: https://www.fridaypickle.com/JOHNKEW
🔹Gearbox – save 10% with code JOHNKEW: https://bit.ly/48vIn2p
🔹JOOLA Kosmos Pro V: https://www.joola.com/?bg_ref=SGHmrvEFDJ
🔹Selkirk – digital gift cards with code INF-JOHNKEW: https://www.selkirk.com?sca_ref=6285388.NM89wCbFwv
🔹Six Zero – save 10% with code JOHNKEW: https://www.sixzeropickleball.com?sca_ref=3538395.LI0TTTs35q
🔹Spartus P1 – save 10% with code JOHNKEW: https://gospartus.com/johnwilliams Subscribe for more pickleball paddle science, lab testing, and gear analysis.
