The Association of Pickleball Players (APP) has a new official partnership as it was announced on Wednesday that OWL is the new official paddle of the tour.
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Perhaps you've heard of OWL thanks to the slew of noise complaint stories over the last year, as they are leading the charge for innovation in the USA Pickleball's Quiet Category.
From the release: “The OWL is truly revolutionary as a paddle that meets players' competitive demands while also answering a need that sets it apart in the marketplace,” said Tom Webb, APP chief marketing officer. “We are honored to announce the OWL as an official APP paddle, building on our commitment to get more people playing pickleball more often.”
While some of us might associate the nocturnal tree-dwellers with incessant "whoing," The OWL claims its namesake is from the owl's lesser-known moniker, "nature’s silent predator." Not to be confused with "pickleball's silent predator, " – we are still trying to figure out who that might be.
Along with claiming to be a competitive paddle for players, OWL states that its paddles deliver:
● A 50 percent reduction in total noise profile
● A hertz level below 600
● A decibel level below 80
Other paddles produce between 1,100-1,200 hertz and a decibel range above 85. John McEnroe was seen recently using the OWL paddle during Pickleball Slam 2.
It'll be interesting to see if these paddles start finding their way on recreational courts as the APP Tour crank up their 2024 nationwide.
