Welcome to the Pickle Madness Weekly!

A pickleball paddle review of the Diadem Warrior V2, injuries on the pickleball court, and more!

I was coming onto a court to play the other day when I saw another player coming off who should NOT have been playing. This wasn’t about his skill level. It wasn’t about his attitude. It had nothing at all to do with any part of this game. Rather, it had everything to do with his self-assessment of what I’ve come to regard as the most fickle (dare I even say, traitorous) part of the human anatomy – the calf.

“My calf feels fine!” he exclaimed, flashing a smile I feared was rooted in misunderstanding. For just a few days earlier, he had stopped playing mid-game, complaining of calf pain. He had limped off the court, likely victimized by a partial tearing off one of two muscles – his gastroc (the big meaty part of the calf) or his soleus (a smaller muscle that lies beneath the gastroc).

Yet there he was, playing away, with nary a concern, unaware that the Benedict Arnold of the human anatomy was about to betray him. And it did. Once again, in mid-game, he suffered yet another, and more severe, calf strain.

Some things in life are certainties: Death. Taxes. Your home’s smoke detectors suddenly chirping at 3am (never, ever 3pm) to alert you to the failing battery. And to this list we can an innate eagerness to come back too soon, too quickly, from a calf strain.

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It’s fast, it’s powerful, and it’s edgeless- today we are reviewing the Diadem Warrior V2 pickleball paddle.

WEIGHT

The Warrior V2 is on the heavier end of Diadem’s paddle weight spectrum. While many paddles typically average out at 8 ounces, the Warrior V2 has an average weight of 8.25 ounces. Due to inevitable variations due to the manufacturing process, you may even find some Warrior V2s that weigh upwards of 8.4 ounces.

However, do not be discouraged if you prefer a lighter paddle. I am one of those people, yet I have made the Warrior V2 my number-one paddle for doubles. In my case, I have overgrip applied to the handle so the total weight comes out to 8.41 ounces, though it feels just as light as some of my 7.7-7.9 ounce paddles. It also isn’t head heavy and with a swing weight of 116, the Warrior V2 is easy to maneuver at the net.

POWER

Diadem’s Warrior V2 is the perfect blend of power and control. I know, a lot of paddles claim this versatility but this case is the real deal. This can be attributed in part to the Warrior V2 innovative “3XL” core which features an “Aramid” Polypropylene & Nomex honeycomb construction.

This paddle is easy to control both in shot placement and exertion of power. You will have no problems sending a killer serve down the line or smashing overheads at the net. The Warrior V2 really has the right amount of punch to stay cool and calculated throughout your gameplay without having to worry about your shots going rogue.

CONTROL

Control is probably the Warrior V2’s best personality trait. The paddle face is made of carbon fiber with grit paint (green or pink paint) and does a remarkable job of generating spin. The 3XL core that I mentioned earlier allows for solid feedback to the player letting you know how to adjust your shots for the next rally. The control that the Warrior V2 offers really makes playing pickleball feel easy.

If you’re worried that control means this paddle doesn’t have any “pop”, I’ll tell you now there is no need to fret. But rather than a wild pop that makes you wonder which court the ball is going to land in, the Warrior V2 provides a ball launch more akin to that of a missile than a stray firework.

DURABILITY

The Warrior V2 is a very, very solid paddle. It will absolutely not break if you drop it or hit the ball too hard too many times. The only issue I could find with this paddle is the lack of an edge guard makes it more vulnerable to being damaged during ground strokes. Diadem makes up for this by including “Paddle Armor” with each Warrior V2 which is essentially edge tape to protect from scratches. The Paddle Armor does a good job at keeping the “edgeless edge” safe but this vulnerability is still a weak point for the Warrior V2. Nevertheless, the high-quality construction of this paddle will keep you using it for many months to come after your purchase. If for some reason there is a defect, Diadem has a 6-month warranty which can be claimed with your receipt from Pickle Madness.

Pros

• Great control

• Powerful shots

• Quick at the net

• 6-month warranty

Cons

• The edge of the paddle is vulnerable to scratching

You can purchase the Diadem Warrior V2 HERE.

Rule Review of the Week

Need one of pickleball’s confusing rules cleared up? Let us know and we’ll include it in next week’s issue.

4.C. Readiness. Any player may indicate “not ready” prior to the start of the score being called.

4.C.1. One of the following signals must be used to indicate “not ready”. 1) raising the paddle above the head, 2) raising the non-paddle hand above the head, 3) completely turning their back to the net.

4.C.2. After the start of the score being called, “not ready” signals will be ignored unless there is a hindrance. A player or team out of position is not considered a hindrance.

Many new players aren’t aware of the “not ready” signals. Confusion sets in when players expect the serving team to just realize they are ready because they are not in position. Once the score is called receiving team needs to get ready quickly if they are not.

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See you next week!