The Apike paddle fails the deflection test and it does not meet USAPA specifications because it is made with a rubber & foam material that creates a trampoline effect which bounces off 13 times more than the other paddles. Paddles that produce a trampoline effect or an effect similar to a stringed racquet are specifically disallowed. That is why the game is not played with a stringed racquet. Players have been injured by Apike paddles. It does not conform to Paddle Material Specification August 9, 2009 and it does not comply with USAPA Official Tournament Rules. http://www.usapa.org/officialrules/Paddle_Material_Specifications.pdf
Deflection Test Results, May 2009
Pickle-Ball Swinger Wood Paddle 2 5
Pickle-Ball Diller Wood Paddle 4 6
Pickle-Ball Master Wood Paddle 2 3
Pickle-Ball Pro-II Wood Paddle 2 4
Pickle-Ball Elite Model Regular Size Graphite Paddle 1 2
Pickle-Ball Champion Graphite Paddle 1 3
Apike Paddle Does not comply with the specification. 26 37
Pro-Lite Classic Composite Paddle 1 2
Pro-Lite Composite Aero-D Paddle 1 3
List of Commercial Paddles Not Meeting USAPA Specifications
Paddle Name:
Apike - Fails the deflection test. See Paddle Material Specifications.
Apike is not a Canadian paddle, the importer Frank Wu said it is manufactured somewhere 'offshore' (made in China I think, not specified). Pickle-Ball, Pro-Lite and S-Type paddles are marked 'made in U.S.A'.
APIKE PADDLE CAUSING CONTROVERSY http://meadowpointepickleball.blogspot.com/2009/04/more-on-apike-paddle.html
Apparently the Apike paddle is constructed quite differently from others paddles on the market using foam in its core rather than the now typical composite materials. The new paddle is reported to help players apply a great amount of spin to the ball giving an unfair advantage to the users. It has also been reported that the ball comes off the paddle at a very high velocity such that it is very difficult for even elite players to return the ball successfully. It is this speed which has caused many players to appeal to the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) to ban the new paddle from senior games and official tournaments. Some injuries have been attributed to the use of the APIKE Paddle and fear is being expressed about injuries to the head and eyes when players are hit by a pickleball traveling at such high speeds.
The following is taken from the Atlantic South Regions Blog:
All Pickleball players in the Atlantic South Region should be aware that there are safety concerns with the new Apike paddle. There have been reports of injuries as a result of the use of this paddle. The USAPA has been contacted by several players as a result.
The International Tennis Federation (the ITF) placed size and shape restrictions on rackets in tournament play after space-age materials made rackets bigger, lighter and stiffer. The ITF also placed restrictions on stringing patterns that could generate nearly twice the spin of conventionally strung rackets. Major league baseball prohibits aluminum bats. The U.S. Golf Association prohibits certain performance enhancing drivers in tournament play.
Friday, May 14, 2010
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Shirley:
ReplyDeleteThe article you wrote is full of lots of irreponsible statements. You said the Apike paddle is not an Canadian paddle, could you tell me how to define a "Canadian paddle"? I, Frank wu, am a Canadian who designed and made the Apike paddle. Is this not enough to claim Apike is a Canadian paddle? I don't know who you are, I never had any communication with you, how can you criticize my paddle without verifying something you don't know with me first? You said Apike bounce off the ball 13 times faster than other paddles, do you have any data that can show out to the public? A guy named Brian said the average speed of Pickleball is about 50 MPH, if your statements is true, the hitting speed of Apike will be 650 MPH which is about the same speed as Airplane. Can you imagine how fast it is? You said Apike help generate a great # of spin that given the users unfair advantage? If you go to former USAPA Mark Fredendberg's Prolite website, you will see he claims that his Prolite paddle allows users to gain more spin. Doesn't his paddle also create an unfair advantage either? Or you just have double standard to treat Apike and Prolite? I suggest you go to any Physics Lab and make a spin test for Prolite and Apike paddles in terms of RPM (Rounds per miniutes) first, then published the data you got. This is the way you should do if you want to comment the spin issue of paddle or you should shut your mouths off because you are misconducting players by using your biased personal opinion. Finally, you said some injuries had been classified by Apike...etc. Again, when and where did it happened? Apike had been banned by USAPA, it's very rare you can see Apike played in States. The highest density Apike players is in South Surrey B.C. areas, there are 70%-80% of players hold Apike paddles play in the recreation center of South Surrey on every Sunday afternoon and every Monday night in the H.T. Thrift Elementary school Gym. at South Surrey. How come no casualties have been reported for more than a year? If you think my evidence is not enough, I can provide more witnesses who hold non-Apike paddles (the 20-30% minority players in those venue) to prove my word is true.
Frank,
ReplyDeleteYour Apike is not a Canadian paddle because you said in your website that your paddle is manufactured 'offshore'. Your Apike is not manufactured in Canada. I have designed products in my family business that are made in China but I don't say they are Canadian products when they are not. My brother is an American citizen and he designs products made in China, those are still Chinese products.
I am providing the results of the USAPA deflection test that your paddle deflects 26 and 37 compare to all others 1 and 2 (26 divided by 2 is 13 times). You are very rude to say to me 'shut your mouth off'. The fact is your paddle does not meet USAPA material specificaion and and it does not comply with USAPA Official Tournament Rules. Don't suggest to me to go to make a spin test for Pro-lite because USAPA already tested it (defletion 1 and 2). The comment on the 'spin' was written by Meadowpoint Pickleball. Why don't you ask USAPA to go to your physics lab and go to argue with them? Facts are facts, you just don't want people to know the facts. You are misleading people to believe that it is a Canadian paddle and there have been no injuries caused by Apike in order to sell your paddles.
The injuries that I reported were written by Meadowpoint Pickleball and Atlantic South Regions. Obviously South Surrey does not have as many pickleball players as they do in USA
Frank,
ReplyDeleteIf you look back to my post, I was reporting on what others have written as well as my opinion. The technical data was information written by others including USAPA. The comment on the 'spin' was written by Meadowpoint Pickleball blog.
Any of your future comments containing personal insults will not be published and your existing comments will be deleted.
Shirley
Shirley:
ReplyDeleteIf you have power to delete my existing comments, that only prove one thing --- this forum is always been censored. Allow me to remind you, Canadian has the right of free speech. You have right to attack Apike paddle, I respect your right even the 'excuses' you used are always 'heard' from down south. But please also respect my right of speech, all I want to say is 'Please verify by yourself if you want to quote those statements from others because you may be fooled by those unproven statements'
Frank,
ReplyDeleteThe publisher of any blog has the right to publish or reject comments. Thanks for your comment.
Plain and Simple - Apike and Hush do not meet ITF specifications.
ReplyDeletehttp://usapa.org/officialrules/paddles_not_meeting_specs.html