Good video, the Azul has been on my shortlist. Kevlar with power and pop, sign me up. I like that you can select your swing weight and they send some extra weights along to customize it even more. Great work.
Great review as usual. Can't wait to try the Kevlar and Carbon weave. The twist weight of 6.76 is awesome for a hybrid shape paddle. Can't wait to try this paddle.
I think the fact that a company wants to give the consumers more customizable options is what interests me most. It shows that they care what the players want. Another great video! I’ve heard so much about the Thrive and I’ve even seen one out in the wild. Definitely sparks my curiosity!
I think the opportunity to choose your swing weight could set a new standard for other manufacturers. That will be interesting to see. Thanks for your content and reviews!
I like that they are giving more options for us to decide what we want and also providing more data on every paddle they shipped. I think I will like the power this paddle give. I need more power especially when the club I'm playing at recently labelled me an intermediate though I'm still happy to be a beginner. 😎
I'm interested in the Azul because you get that Kevlar surface with standout looks. I think being able to 'spec' your paddle is interesting, but I think the value for most people isn't specifying what you want, but the ability to find an exact replacement, or to buy a spare that play just like your primary. Also, hats off to you, first reviewer to capture the blue color perfectly on video!
Great review of the Azul!! Thank you!! I’m especially interested in the pop and power of the Azul!! Combined with the very good spin makes this a great paddle!! Thank you!!
I’m interested in this paddle because I’m currently using a control oriented elongated paddle, but am interesting in trying a hybrid shape with a bit more power, plus I love the aesthetics of the Azul!
like alot here, im interested in trying a kevlar paddle. i would like a lower swingweight with more pop. the poppiest i have is the Engage MX 6.0. but the face is stiffer than my others and its a bit swing-heavier. like, i want a DbD with more pop; this and the Hurace x control look great (11six24 is supposed to be coming out with a kevlar paddle too.)
Neat to see a new player on the market in Thrive. I wonder what causes the swing weight variance; is it just down to micro-variations in how the edgefoam is injected?
This is one paddle I'd love to test out firsthand. I think I am ready to go back to having a bit more power and pop now that my soft game has improved significantly. I like the idea of being able to choose the initial swing weight, but here's my question. Why not go with the lightest swing weight from the start and then add lead tape? Going lighter means I'd be adding more lead tape, which would give me the benefit of the maximum amount of perimeter weight. What is the downside of doing this, or what if any advantage is there in going with a heavier initial swing weight and adding less lead tape?
Some people just like it being a higher SW stock so they don’t have to make any modifications themselves. For people that like to modify their paddle getting the lower SW and adding weight themselves would be the preferred method.
Like the Kevlar material for sure. Not too sure if it’s the best way to differentiate the paddle in the market using personalized swing weight? Players would really need to be aware of their game play and gear. If a player is already at that level they probably have a preference? Would like to see how it turns out. Wonder how low you can go on the swing weight?
You are right people would need to be aware of what different swing weights feel like and what they prefer. If they didn’t know going with the lowest possible then adding weight as needed would be my recommendation.
I came across Thrive Pickleball Paddles after researching and cross comparing with the likes of Six Zero Single Black Diamond as well as Double Black Diamond (all of their varieties inclusively, Infinity and the Regular variants) as well as the Ruby. For those paddles like with any other, we have the capabilities to add our own paddle weights for customization purposes. What intrigued me further towards Thrive Paddles is the capacity to order the paddles with your desired weight out of the box without having to pay additional for the customizations that you'd have to do otherwise elsewhere when ordering paddles from the competition for the most part. Add to this, the ability to have a more balanced paddle with respect to power and control and customizing forgiveness. This makes the decision very interesting and intriguing to the effect where I would consider getting paddles from both brands, Thrive (being my primary choice) and Six Zero a close second.
@AllDriveNoDropPickleball just checking in to see if the winner is expected to be announced today as detailed in your description for your video. Please advise. Thanks in advance.
If you can already generate power it still helps to have more power but do you want the extra pop is the question? You can also check out the Mark One if it still interests you and is cheaper. Very similar but you don’t get to choose your own swing weight. If you want something with better control my top picks would be the Honolulu J2K for a hybrid and the Spartus Apollo for a widebody. Also upcoming Friday are the Ronbus Pulsar FX series and 11Six24 Hurache Kevlar. A lot of stuff I know if you describe your game I can help point you in the right direction.
Coming from a DBD, based off your vid and others, it seems like if DBD and the BD had a baby with this one. You kind of get the best of both those paddles with the Azul. Thoughts?
