Friday, August 15, 2025
Finding the Right Pickleball Paddle Shape: A Player's Guide
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Why I’m Still Playing With the Vatic Pro Prism Flash in 2025
Forget the Hype: Why I’m Still Playing With the Vatic Pro Prism Flash in 2025
When I first started playing pickleball, one of the first paddles I purchased was the Vatic Pro Prism Flash 14mm with a short handle. As someone new to the game, I wanted something better than the generic Walmart paddles — ideally for the same or even a lower price.
1. Grit and Spin Potential
One of the first things I noticed again after returning to the Prism Flash was the grit. This paddle has more surface texture than almost every other paddle I own — including the ones I mentioned above.
More grit means more spin potential. If you’re someone who loves adding topspin or slicing shots, the Prism Flash delivers big in this area, especially considering it’s under $100.
2. Control Meets Pop
The Prism Flash is an all-court leaning control paddle. At 14mm thick, it offers a nice balance of pop and control.
Unlike the Saga build, it leans more toward control — but without feeling sluggish. I used to think I always wanted that loud “pop” sound like I get from my Friday Fever or Vapor Power paddles. But honestly, I’m enjoying the quieter, softer contact for dinks, drops, and resets.
This softer feel gives me confidence at the kitchen while still keeping enough pop for when I need to put the ball away.
3. Comfort for Two-Handed Backhands
One thing I’ve learned over the past year is that I use a two-handed backhand for returns and dinks. That means I need room for my large hands on the handle.
The Saga V7 short handle didn’t work well for this, but the Prism Flash does. The space is just right, and it feels more comfortable than expected — even compared to other paddle shapes.
Interestingly, I’ve also found that I prefer 14mm thickness over 16mm when using a two-handed backhand, as it just feels more natural and maneuverable.
4. Solid Feel and Durability
When hitting hard — on overheads or serves — the Prism Flash has a solid, satisfying sound. The handle is slightly wider than the Saga models, but still comfortable.
Durability has been outstanding. I’ve let friends, family, and even my kids use it, and it has survived plenty of scraps and battle scars. The edge guard is still intact and black, and the core feels just as solid as the day I bought it.
5. Room for Upgrades
The Prism Flash is fantastic as is, but here are two things I’d tweak:
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Add some weight for better stability, a larger sweet spot, and more power.
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Use an overgrip for improved comfort and slight vibration dampening.
These small changes can make a big difference for intermediate and competitive players.
6. Why It Still Makes Sense in 2025
With so many paddles hitting the market — including Vatic Pro’s new 14mm Saga models and widebody Bloom — it’s tempting to chase the latest release. But here’s what I’ve learned:
Power isn’t everything. Precision, control, placement, serves, returns, dinks, and volleys win games. I love slowing the game down, dropping a perfect ball into the kitchen, and setting up my partner (or myself) for the put-away.
The Prism Flash fits that style perfectly — and it can still hang in competitive play.
Final Verdict
Would I buy the Prism Flash again? Yes — in a heartbeat. In fact, I’d also consider the 16mm version for a bit more stability.
It’s also a fantastic junior paddle — my son has used it at summer camp and loved it. For under $100, it’s a smart buy for beginners, recreational players, and even seasoned players who want a reliable backup.
When you’re ready to buy from Vatic Pro, use my full name at checkout for a discount. (JonathanTorres) I do receive an incentive, which helps me purchase more paddles to review for you in the future.
Vatic Pro didn’t pay me to write this review, and all opinions are my own.
Happy dinking, and see you on the courts!
Friday, July 11, 2025
The Best Pickleball Bag – Züca Bag Full Walkthrough
Thursday, June 19, 2025
Vapor Power Review: A Perfect Blend of Feel, Spin, and Control
Friday, June 13, 2025
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Switching Things Up with the Friday Fever Paddle
After spending a lot of time with the Vatic Pro Saga Bloom 14mm, I decided it was time to try something different—a true elongated Gen 3-style paddle. Instead of spending $280 on a Joola or even $120 on the Saga V7 14mm, I went with a more budget-friendly option and picked up the Friday Fever paddle in the Glacier Blue colorway.
This is a bit of a shift for me, moving away from the wider face of the Bloom to something longer and more tailored for reach and power. First impressions are solid, and I’m curious to see how it holds up on court over time.
If you're thinking about giving it a try, here's my affiliate link—using it helps support my channel and the content I share:
👉https://www.fridaypickle.com/JONATHAN40142
More thoughts coming soon in a full review on my YouTube channel!
https://www.youtube.com/@infotechyeti
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Vatic Pro Saga Bloom 14mm In Action | Edited Gameplay
If you're thinking of picking up a Vatic Pro paddle, you can use my code JONATHANTORRES at checkout or click the link below for a discount:
https://tinyurl.com/vaticpropb (add the paddle to the cart first in order to have the discount applied automatically or manually enter the coupon code at checkout)
These are, hands down, the best paddles for the price—at the time of this video they’re **$129.99** before the discount, and their performance easily competes with paddles that cost much more. Right now, this is one of my main paddles, alongside the Saga Flash 16mm.
After playing some games with the crew, I’m loving the power this paddle brings on serves. Out of all the Vatic paddles I’ve tried, the resets and power stood out the most for me. Dinks were solid, too, though I did have to soften up my touch a bit. But when it comes to volleys, serves, and returns, this thing really shines. It's definitely a paddle I’d recommend.
Keep in mind—we’re still working on our game, and some of the players in this video are newer to the sport and just got out of work. But like a lot of folks around here, we’re hooked on pickleball.
I am a Vatic Pro ambassador, which means they offered me a discount on the Saga Bloom and Saga Flash paddles, and I get to showcase the paddle on my platform. That said, all opinions shared here are completely my own, and I did not get paid to do this video.
This video is a display of how the paddle plays and all comments here are my honest take as a rec advanced beginner player who's still growing in the sport.
If you're in Connecticut and want to try one out, feel free to hit me up!
#vaticpro #vaticpropickleball #vaticprobloom #sagabloom #sagabloom14mm #pickleballgame #pickleballgear
Thursday, May 1, 2025
Personal Review: The New Vatic Pro Saga Bloom 14mm Paddle!!!
I had the chance to use the Saga Bloom 14mm paddle during a recent meetup with some friends, and I wanted to share my first impressions.
Power & Serves:Right away, I noticed the power this paddle has—definitely more than the Saga Flash 16mm, in my opinion. I actually had to dial it back a bit so I wouldn’t overshoot the service box. That added power can be a big plus for players who struggle to generate pace on their serve. Personally, I can usually generate power on my own, but having the option to conserve energy and still get strong serves is a nice bonus.
Touch & Dinks:
It took me a little time to adjust to the feel on dinks, but that’s more because I’m coming from the Saga Flash 16mm, which is a very different paddle. Once I settled in, I found it solid. The paddle offers good touch and control, though it has a bit more pop than what I’m used to. I was cautious at first, and that led to some short dinks into the net, but again—that was on me, not the paddle.
Handle & Feel:
I personally prefer the shorter handle on the Flash and V7 models, but the Bloom’s handle still felt good in hand. I experienced little to no vibration, likely due to the widebody shape helping absorb impact. It gave me fast hands at the kitchen and great response during hand battles.
Weight & Balance:
I played with the paddle unweighted, and it felt very light and balanced—not top-heavy like the Saga Flash 16mm can be. I may consider adding a bit of lead tape to the sides for more stability and a larger sweet spot, but even stock, it performed really well.
Performance Highlights:
One thing I really liked was how well it handled drops. The ball traveled cleanly over the net with good consistency. The paddle had enough touch for resets, though if you’re overly cautious with its power like I was, you might leave some balls short early on.
Recommendation:
This paddle is excellent right out of the bag. I can see why the 14mm version sold out over the weekend (they’re back in stock now). I’d recommend it for players who enjoy widebody paddles, appreciate a slightly longer handle, want a generous sweet spot, and prefer a lighter paddle overall.
I’ll definitely be keeping this one in my bag alongside my Saga Flash 16mm. My closest comparison to this paddle would be the Prism Bloom 16mm, which I also enjoy for its plush, high-end feel during dinks, volleys, and swings.
I wouldn’t recommend the Saga Bloom 14mm for absolute beginners, but for advanced beginners or intermediate players—especially those who lack power and have soft hands for resets—it’s a fantastic option.
If you have any questions, feel free to leave them below. Don’t forget to check out my recent YouTube quick review of the paddle!
Disclosure:
I am a Vatic Pro ambassador, but this review is entirely my own. I was not paid for this, though I did receive a discount and still paid over $100 plus tax for the paddle. If you’re in the market for a high-quality, widebody paddle at a great price, head over to the Vatic Pro website and use my name JONATHANTORRES for a discount at checkout.
Thanks for taking the time to read my review—looking forward to more dinks, volleys, and serves.
Zero Zero Start!