Luzz Pro Blade 2 Pickleball Paddle Review (Chris Haworth's Gold Medal Winning Paddle!)

If you've been watching professional pickleball at all over the course of the last few years, you've likely noticed a shift in the types of paddles that pros have been using. During the 2026 Carvana PPA Masters, Chris Haworth debuted a brand new weapon and took down the gold. He hit extremely natural baseline drives and easily took to the podium.

His brand new weapon was the Luzz Pro Blade 2, not to be confused with the original Pro Blade model, as this is a completely overhauled and pro-tuned paddle. Kaitlyn Christian has also been spotted using (and winning with) this paddle on the female singles pro tour.

We were able to get our hands on the Pro Blade 2, and here we're going to share our honest thoughts to see if it lives up to the hype and how it compares to the rest of the modern paddles, the rest of the Gen 3 paddles, and the rest of the Luzz lineup. We're also going to talk about who this paddle is a good fit for.

Spoiler alert: If you value fast hands, you like playing singles, and you hit the sweet spot regularly already, this might be a great paddle for you. However, this is designed for the pro game and not for your typical amateur. Remember that you can use code 11pickles for 15% off any Luzz paddle, including the Pro Blade 2.

First, let's start by understanding why Chris Haworth uses a paddle like this. Coming from tennis, Chris generates an incredible amount of power just through his body. No matter what paddle he's using, he's hitting with incredible pace.

And when you hit a ball extremely hard, your biggest enemy is actually not hitting into the net or needing to hit it slightly harder. You actually don't want the paddle to have so much trampoline effect that the ball flies out.

Chris is hitting a lot of groundstrokes playing singles. He's really good at the baseline, and a paddle that hits too hard will cause his shots to sail. So, he needs a paddle that allows him to take his normal, aggressive swing without the ball going long. The Pro Blade 2 is designed to be the answer to that problem. It's designed to be extremely precise and not to amplify power.

It is worth noting, though, that after his gold medal win, Chris did switch to the Luzz Tornazo in the tournament immediately following the Masters. There could be many reasons why he did this, anywhere from elevation to the necessity for the explosive pop that the Tornazo brings. But either way, Chris has dominated with this paddle.

If you decide to get the Pro Blade 2 (or any of the other Luzz paddles like the Cannon or the Inferno or Tornazo, you can get 15% off your purchase with the code “11pickles” at checkout). We were not compensated for this review, but Luzz did send over a trial paddle to give an honest and detailed breakdown. You can get the Pro Blade 2 here. Or the special Long Yuan version here.

I used this paddle as my main paddle for about two weeks with roughly 20 to 30 hours of playtime to try and get as much understanding of this paddle as possible. 

The Luzz Pro Blade 2 is Light and Fast! 

The first thing I noticed when I swung this paddle was how light it felt. It is extremely light in the hands with a swing weight right around 114. It's great for fast kitchen exchanges, resetting speed-ups, and defending your body.

This is a 14mm paddle, which tends to feel jarring or hollow because it doesn't have that thick core that most 16mm paddles have. The ball snaps off the face very quickly, and you can definitely feel it when you're hitting the ball, especially off-center. I will say, compared to other 14mm paddles I've hit, the Blade 2 does feel slightly more natural and less harsh.

This is because of the MPP (Multi-Phase Polymer) foam core. Instead of a traditional honeycomb, they added a full foam core which makes it dense, stiff, and solid, while also absorbing the vibrations a little bit. That said, you can still definitely feel the ball, especially when you hit it off-center.

I suspect for a singles player that tactile feedback is actually a pro, because it feels like a Gen 2 paddle where you can control and feel the ball really well upon contact. Especially in singles, and especially coming from tennis, that tactile feel when you're hitting the ball can be incredibly useful.

An All-Court Paddle With a Relatively Small Sweet Spot

If you're reading this review, you're most likely an amateur. And let's face it, amateurs don't hit the sweet spot every time. Chris Haworth hits the sweet spot every single time, just like most pros. So he doesn't really need to consider if a paddle has a big sweet spot when he's choosing his gear.

For us mere mortals, we do need to think about this. This paddle has a relatively small sweet spot. This was immediately noticeable because I, like many amateurs, will oftentimes mishit the center. And when you don't hit the center, you can really feel it in your arm, and you notice it because the ball just kind of dies.

It's not the most unforgiving paddle when you miss the sweet spot, but it's certainly not like the other Luzz paddles where the sweet spot is enormous and extremely forgiving. Many balls that hit off-center somehow magically make it over the net when you're using an Inferno or Tornazo, but that is not the case with the Blade 2.

Next, let's talk power. These days when amateurs are looking at paddles, most are looking for paddles that can amplify their power a little bit. Again, most of us are not Chris Haworth, who can smack the ball and send it flying no matter what paddle he's using. Many of us are looking for paddles that add a little extra pop to make our shots a little scarier even if our kinetic chain isn't perfect.

This paddle is not that. The Inferno and Tornazo are on the much stronger side and are mid-tier power paddles, arguably higher-end power paddles when it comes to pure power. The Blade, however, is much more of an all-court paddle. You don't feel any crazy power when you're using it, and you definitely have to generate your own! If we're comparing it to most new-age paddles out there, this sits comfortably in the all-court section and not the power section.

We are not singles players, so it's hard to comment definitively on whether or not this paddle might be better for singles. But it is worth noting that the two pros who have been seen playing and winning with this paddle at the highest levels are predominantly singles players! Some things that could be considered cons, like feeling the edges of the paddle and how rigid it feels when you play, could absolutely be pros for a singles player.

How It Feels With Specific Shots

We spent over 30 hours with the Blade 2 across many different scenarios to see how it felt and where it struggled!

• Kitchen: Let's start at the kitchen! The low swing weight really shows here. It feels super light, which is great for fast hands! That said, because it isn't as poppy, the ball doesn't rocket off the face as aggressively as it would on some other paddles. Put-away power isn't as high, but it is really fast in the hands! It's also very important to hit the sweet spot, because that's how you're going to feel your dinks and where you'll see your most effective shots come from.
• Baseline Drives and Drops: As long as I hit the center of the paddle, I found drives and drops to be pretty controllable and easy! Drops in particular were pretty straightforward with this paddle as long as you kept your eye on the ball.

As mentioned earlier in this review, you're going to have to generate your own power if you expect the ball to travel extremely fast. Make sure you hit that sweet spot and have good mechanics, because you're not getting free power from this paddle compared to others.

Included Edge Guard Weights

One fun thing that Luzz did with this release was include custom edge guard weights right in the box! Because the paddle is so light and the sweet spot is relatively small, adding weight is a very natural move to expand the sweet spot and add a little bit more power.

What's really cool about their add-ons is that the attachments fit the style of the paddle. This makes it look sleek instead of ugly with lead tape all over the place, and they are very easy to customize and snap on. I played with them a little bit and definitely felt a difference: a bigger sweet spot and a little bit more power. It was relatively minor, but noticeable!

The Special “Long Yuan” Edition

The normal price of one of these paddles is $169 before the code 11pickles! That is a great value for what you're getting from a higher-end paddle. However, the paddle that we were testing, which you'll see in the pictures in this review, is actually the special $179 Long Yuan Edition.

It's named after a Chinese Long Yuan sword, which dates back to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods! The name Long Yuan refers to the Seven Star Pool layout that was originally used in forging this legendary sword. The patterns are really cool, and I personally found it to be one of the coolest-looking paddles around! A number of people commented on the design when we took it out to play.

A Gen 3 Paddle That Feels Very Gen 2

This is a paddle with an actual foam core that doesn't feel like it has a foam core! You get all the benefits of playing with a foam paddle while still getting the feel of a Gen 2 paddle!

If you're not familiar with all this jargon, the very simple version is that Gen 3 paddles have foam inside, and that foam construction does a few things. It stabilizes the paddle a little bit so you don't feel the vibrations and hard hits quite as heavily in your hand! It also increases the longevity of the paddle itself.

Many Gen 2 paddles have the problem of core crushing. If you hit very hard, the middle part of the paddle's inside gets crushed, meaning you're eventually going to have to replace that paddle. For folks who hit super hard, sometimes it can happen within weeks of getting a new paddle. Gen 3 paddles, with their foam structure, increase longevity significantly. Luzz also offers a fantastic one-year warranty on the paddle, so you can rest easy that this is not going to happen.

How it fits into the Luzz Lineup and How It Compares:

• Cannon: The Luzz Cannon is still cheap, powerful, and fantastic! For players looking for a power paddle on a budget, this is still the best option.
• Pro Blade 2: Light in the hands! You can definitely feel the ball, and it plays a lot like a Gen 2 paddle for someone who is more advanced and can hit the sweet spot regularly. This could be a great paddle, especially for the price!
• Pro 4 Inferno: With a large sweet spot and a lot of power, this is definitely the high-end paddle of the mix if you're looking for a power paddle with a foam core!
• Pro 4 Tornazo: Also very powerful, it plays very similarly to the Inferno, but with a bit more pop and a bit more feel and dwell.

The Tech Specs:

For the gear nerds out there, here is exactly what you are getting under the hood:

• Core Thickness: 14mm
• Core Material: Premium MPP (Multi-Phase Polymer) Foam Core
• Surface: T700 Raw Carbon Fiber
• Shape: Elongated (16.5" length x 7.5" width)
• Average Weight: 7.94 oz (Highly maneuverable)
• Swing Weight: ~114
• Handle Length: 5.52 inches (Great for two-handed backhands)
• Grip Circumference: 4.13”

The Verdict: A Fast, Precision Tool

I don't think this paddle was built for everybody! This was built with pros in mind. If you are a beginner, or just generally a player who relies on your paddle to get you a little bit more power or get the ball over the net every now and then, I'd recommend looking at the Cannon, the Inferno, or the Tornazo!

But if you are an advanced player or you love the singles game and love the feel of a light 14mm paddle, this paddle can be great for you, and it is cheap for what it is!

While I don't tend to choose which paddles I play with based on aesthetics, I do feel like I must mention this is one of my favorite paddles in terms of design. It looks beautiful, and the pattern is really cool.

‍If you decide to get the Pro Blade 2 (or any of the other Luzz paddles like the Cannon or the Inferno or Tornazo, you can get 15% off your purchase with the code “11pickles” at checkout). We were not compensated for this review, but Luzz did send over a trial paddle to give an honest and detailed breakdown. You can get the Pro Blade 2 here. Or the special Long Yuan version here.