The guy behind the verdicts
I'm a lefty. I've always done things a little differently.
I'm Nico, the Lefty. I left a corporate strategy job to go all-in on pickleball, and somewhere between the podcast mics and the courts in Reno, testing gear became the job. This site is where the testing lives.
The receipts
Co-host of PicklePod
The Dink's podcast, one of the biggest shows in pickleball, and winner of Best Pickleball Podcast at the 2025 Dink Awards. I talk paddles, pros, and industry news every week with Zane Navratil.
DUPR Master Instructor
The top tier of the DUPR / RPPk coaching certification, the program that trains the coaches. It's why 'specs in plain English' is a promise I can keep.
Head Pro, 3rd Shot Pickleball
I coach real players at every level in Reno, Nevada. Every review is written for the players I teach, not for spec-sheet collectors.
Co-founder, Nomad Pickleball
Pickleball travel experiences and online training, built with my brother Gino. Speedups and offensive play are my specialty.
Verify for yourself: my DUPR profile · Instagram · TikTok
How every review works
- 01
Real hours on court
Every full review gets real court time: drilling, rec play, and matches at pace, with the hours printed on the review. First impressions are labeled as first impressions.
- 02
Claimed vs. felt
Spec-sheet numbers are labeled as the brand's, not mine, and the review tells you whether the paddle actually plays like them. When a face changes on me over time, the review gets updated, because fresh grit lies.
- 03
Translated for humans
Every number comes with plain English: what a 114 swing weight feels like in a firefight, who a plush 16mm core actually helps.
- 04
Verdicts brands can't buy
Affiliate partners get the same treatment as everyone else. When a partner's paddle isn't worth your money, the review says so and stays up.
How the money works
This site earns commissions from affiliate links and discount codes. That's the business, stated plainly. Code NICOTHELEFTY works at 40+ brands: you pay less, the brand pays me, and the testing stays funded. What the money never does is touch a score. No paid reviews, no sponsored rankings, no quiet deletions of bad verdicts.
Read the full disclosureWhere to start
Nine questions and I'll match you to a paddle I've tested. Or skip straight to the rankings.
Brand or podcast? Email me about working together.