“Crushed Paddles” Explained

Vancouver, BC – A “crushed” pickleball paddle where the honeycomb core collapses resulting in a “trampoline effect” where the ball is returned at a faster rate – reportedly up to 50% faster. Imperatively, this effect will result in a player unfair advantage, or worse, cause injury.

​From Pickleball BC’s (“PBC”) January 15th 2026 “The Kitchen Sink” newsletter report, David Snell, PBC President, demystifies the term “Crushed Paddles”. This CTV News feature also explores the topic, where David was interviewed.

David Snell: “As paddle technology advances, players may hear the terms ‘crushed’ or ‘decompensated/delaminated’ paddles. According to the experts, this refers to paddles whose internal core—usually a polymer honeycomb but varies by manufacturer and model—has been permanently compressed or damaged over time.”

To be clear, PBC is told that this is not a base manufacturing issue nor necessarily malfeasance. This most often happens through normal use, repeated hard shots, edge impacts, or heat exposure (such as leaving a paddle in a hot car). When a paddle decompensates it may produce extra power (often described as a ‘trampoline effect’), inconsistent ball response, or a duller sound, and it may no longer meet certification standards for sanctioned play.

David goes on to explain PBC’s policy position: “We believe use of these decompensated paddles undermine fairness, safety, and consistency, making education, monitoring, and evolving standards essential as pickleball continues to grow.”

In this CTV News interview, Pickleball BC President David Snell provides methods on how one can check if their paddle is crushed, and, if so, suggests to purchase a new paddle to avoid unfair play and injury to others, and Leanne Schultz, Director of Shawnigan Lake Pickleball Club, Vancouver Island, talks about the “trampoline effect”.