UPA-A’s Case for Better Paddles: More Innovation, Clear Limits

“Better equipment does not inevitably require a higher price,” says UPA-A President Jason Aspes

A better paddle should last longer, play consistently and stay within the rules.

“For players, better performance means more than additional power,” writes Jason Aspes, president of the UPA-A.

In a new blog post explaining the organization’s approach to certification, Aspes makes the case for giving manufacturers more freedom to innovate while holding their equipment to measurable limits.

The guiding principle: “measure what a paddle does.”

UPA-A directly measures power and spin, then retests paddles after accelerated break-in to evaluate changes in performance. The goal is to catch equipment that becomes too powerful or produces excessive spin with use.

Aspes argues that approach gives brands room to develop longer-lasting surfaces and more reliable cores while preserving competitive balance.

There’s a value argument, too.

“Better equipment does not inevitably require a higher price,” Aspes writes, pointing to multiple UPA-A-certified paddles under $100 from Luzz, 11SIX24 and Warping Point.

That doesn’t prove prices are falling across the industry. But paired with improved durability, Aspes says, innovation can stretch a player’s dollar — both at checkout and by reducing how often a paddle needs replacing.

Read his full blog post here.