When I was at the Hyatt Regency Monterey for a wedding in July, I saw the Holbrook logo on a banner on the pickleball courts, and immediately fell in love with the design. This experience lead me to want to review the Mav Pro 2.0 and other Holbrook paddles.
Let me tell you that the experience did not disappoint.
Let’s jump right into the unbagging experience, the playability and my overall impression.
Unbagging Experience
Firstly, I mentioned earlier, but a huge hats of to Breygan and Kasen Holbrook for such a clean and beautiful design. When I see the logo, I think quality. When I see the website, I see how well designed the entire experience is.
So, when I first received the Mav Pro 2.0, I was excited to see the look and feel of the paddle.
When you take the pickleball paddle out of the bag, you will see the outer section with information about the paddle. Personally, I like when brands provide insights/credentials of a paddle.
I also liked this little Holbrook memoir stating, “play better”. I appreciate that as I really hope that this paddle helps me play better.
Finally, I am not sure if anyone cares about this, but here’s a picture of the side of the Mav Pro 2.0 pickleball paddle.
Let’s talk about playability.
Playability
Holbrook pitches innovation and design, but does the paddle live up to the word?
Let’s dive in.
Control
I’ve gotta say, the Mav Pro 2.0 really impressed me with its control. For some context, I usually play singles pickleball.
I’ve always struggled with consistently pulling off solid drop shots from the baseline when my opponent is up at the net. I’d manage to get a few, but more often than not, I’d end up playing the sides, and sometimes the ball would just go out.
But with the Mav Pro 2.0, that changed. I was able to consistently drop the ball just over the net, forcing my opponent into a dink that gave me enough time to rush up to the net.
This level of control was something I hadn’t found even in paddles that cost around $200, so I really appreciated it.
Spin
The Mav Pro 2.0 has a T700 Unidirectional Carbon FiberSurface, plus a Dual Reactive Polypropylene Honeycomb cpre. That combo made it great for generating spin. I like hitting backhand shots when I’m returning in singles, and this paddle gave me a nice, consistent spin every time.
I’ll talk more about this later, but I believe the core outdoor pickleball balls have amazing spin potential too. Using them with this paddle felt like the perfect pairing.
Power
With a 16mm thickness, I felt like I was getting more power compared to many of my other paddles and I was happy with how much oomph it delivered. Still, for me, the standout features of this paddle were definitely its control and spin, rather than power.
That said, my serves packed a punch with this paddle, and I was able to maintain control while doing so.
Honestly, I test a lot of paddles, but I’m really excited to play with this one again!
Specifications
Here are the Mav Pro 2.0’s specifications for those of us who really love this sort of thing. Me included.
• Core: Dual Reactive Polypropylene Honeycomb
• Surface: T700 Unidirectional Carbon Fiber
• Grip: Specialized Comfort Grip
• Specs: 16.5” H x 7.5” W
• Weight: 7.7 – 8.0 oz
• Grip Length: 5.6 in
• Grip Circumference: 4.25 in
• Thickness: 16 mm
Does Holbrook Have the Best Pink Pickleball Paddle?
I have 4 daughters, so whenever I play with my girls, I like to see which of my ~50 pickleball paddles they choose.
Often, the girls will find the cutest designed pickleball paddle.
As a dad, I so appreciate it, so I am often looking for pickleball paddles that will meet their design requirements.
Anyhow, I’ll be honest that I believe that the Holbrook Pro – Power Pro 14 Pink pickleball paddle is the best pink pickleball paddle on the market.
And, yes, I will plan to ask my girls soon to confirm this notion.
I Love The Company’s Background
Firstly, I am a sucker for family brands. Honestly, I think it’s fun when a family can come together and make and exciting and excellent designed brand.
That’s why I was elated to see that Holbrook was built by two brothers, Breygan and Kasen, with the help of their father. Brody
And yes, if I can look as good as Brody with kids in my late 40s (?), I will take that in a heartbeat. When I first saw the picture, I thought that it was 3 brothers who started Holbrook.
Can you blame me?
Anyhow, I really appreciate family brands, and love what the Holbrook team is doing in terms of combining style and innovation to play well for all levels of play.
Conclusion
The Holbrook Mav Pro 2.0 is an amazing paddle. I feel like I finally found one of the best paddles you can get under $100 that really competes neck and neck with the Vatic Pro Prism Flash. And to be honest, I am very happy about that.
Finally, I am so excited to see Holbrook’s next line of paddles, whenever that may be. :0)