Don't Sleep on the Boomstik Widebody

I play a lot of rec play pickleball. I also have eyes. No matter where I go, indoors or out, competitive play or just hitting around, it's always the same – a sea of metallic red and velvety black stretching across every court.

Boomstiks are everywhere. And with good reason: they hit like a truck, sound like a thunder clap, and yet somehow possess the sweet spot of a Tempur-Pedic pillow.

Playing with a Boomstik is, in a word, fun.

And yet, many of us at lower skill levels would probably benefit more from the widebody over the elongated.

I get it, elongated is my preferred shape as well.

But for a paddle like the Boomstik, where top-tier power is accessible at even the slightest flick of the wrist, I can't help but wonder if the rec play heroes among us should hedge our bets just a tad and bring a little finesse into the equation?

What you lose in a fraction of handle length you more than make up for in twist weight. The swing weight is lighter as well, a benefit nearly all of us should be clamoring for.

And the sweet spot goes from impossibly big to laughably large.

For reference, here are the stat comparisons according to paddle reviewer Chris Olson of Pickleball Studio:

In sum, when compared to its already high-performing elongated counterpart, the widebody Boomstik feels lighter and more stable in the hand while boasting a consistent feel across an even larger face surface.

And let's not forget InfiniGrit. A widebody just means more longer-lasting surface grit to play with. And who could complain about that?

If the elongated Boomstik is the Ferrari of full-foam power paddles, the widebody is a Range Rover – still plenty fast, but with enough room for groceries and a couple car seats.

You know, sensible. But with a wild side.

The next time you're on the courts, maybe find a sensible buddy and ask to try theirs out. You might just find you love it.