The Ban on CRBN Paddles

Update May 30, 2022: How CRBN Resolved the CRBN Paddle Ban

CRBN has updated customers with 4 options to resolve their first generations of paddles being removed from the USAP approved list. They have tried to account for all of their possible customers with the 4 options, whether you are a tournament or casual player. You can select your preferred option on the CRBN site.

CRBN's Full Statement on Resolving the CRBN Paddle Ban

Dear CRBN Customers,

Transparently, the last month has been one of the hardest of my life, but I am proud to say that CRBN Pickleball has rounded the corner, and we will be back stronger than ever.

As you likely know, all CRBN paddles were banned by the USAP without warning on April 29th during the US Open. Overnight, you and the rest of our customers were left shocked and uncertain of what the future would hold, as were we. Over the last 30 days, our small team has worked tirelessly to find a solution to this unprecedented ban and take care of every single one of you. We are beyond appreciative of the patience and support that the pickleball community as a whole has shown us.

We are a self-funded, small business unlike many paddle companies. We don't have a big team or big budgets. When this first happened, I honestly thought we may go out of business. The patience and support of our customers, our retailers, our friends, and our family has kept CRBN alive. Literally, our family has jumped in to help reply to customer questions, pack boxes, etc. (thanks Mom! ❤️). For that, I am eternally grateful.

We have worked night and day to get our new batch of paddles USAP-approved, which we accomplished and was officially announced a few days ago. The noticeable way to differentiate between approved and non-approved is a laser-etched, serial code on the bottom left of one side of each paddle. If you don't see a serial code on either side, your paddle is not approved for tournament play.

We have scraped together every cent and even locked down loans just in case. When we said we would do whatever it takes to make this right, we meant it. Our order of new, replacement paddles for every single person that needs one has already been placed with our manufacturer and will be on its way soon.

We have carefully come up with 4 options for each of you listed below. I am asking you to please consider choosing option #1 or #2. We completely understand if you choose not to, but those two options are a much smaller financial burden on our company and will help us continue to operate.

If you have purchased a CRBN paddle from an authorized reseller (i.e. directly from us, an online retailer, or in a store, not 2nd hand on eBay, Craigslist, or from a private party), you are eligible for the following options. You may only choose 1 of the 4. If you fill out more than one option, it will take us longer to process and we will have to cancel one of your submissions. If you bought more than one paddle, you will need to fill out the forms once for each paddle.

We will work as fast as possible to process everyone's submissions, but please understand that we are a small team and there are a huge number of you. On top of that, our replacement paddles are not in stock yet. They are being shipped as we speak, but global supply chains are a mess right now, so we do not have an exact ETA as to when they will arrive.

Please read the instructions for each option very carefully and limit reaching out to us for updates unless absolutely necessary. We will get back to every person who submits something, it just will take time. We understand the urgency of all this and know many of you have upcoming tournaments. If you don't have a tournament coming up in the very near future, please wait to fill out your form to give others with more immediate tournaments a chance to get their replacement.

Thank you again for bearing with us. We are almost through this. You are the best.

Sincerely, Garrett Gosselin, Owner & Founder

Option 1: Keep Your Paddle

For Recreational Players (Non-Tournament)

This roughness issue affected a tiny percentage of the paddles in circulation. Yours is playable in any rec setting since there are no paddle rules governing rec play. Please keep your paddle.

To thank you for keeping your existing paddle and supporting us, fill out this form and we will send you a $40 gift card for you to use on your next CRBN Paddle purchase from our website.

Note: If you are a Rec player and would prefer Option #2, you are welcome to choose that option instead.

Option 2: Join the CRBN Family

For Tournament Players

You KEEP your existing unapproved CRBN paddle for rec play, demoing, practice, etc. and then get access to the following exclusive bundle at a MASSIVE discount. For only $60, you will receive:

• A brand new USAP-approved CRBN Paddle of your choosing ($180 value) for $60
• "Friends & Family" pricing of 15% off on any future purchases on crbnpickleball.com FOR LIFE! Welcome to the family. Use your unique code as many times as you would like forever.
• Exclusive, one-time 20% off coupon from our partner retailer, pickleballsuperstore.com, the best place to buy your shoes, accessories, apparel, and paddles.
• Exclusive, one-time 15% off coupon from our partner retailer, justpaddles.com, the best place to buy your balls, bags, and paddles.

Note: discounts cannot be combined with any other offer.

Option 3: Free Paddle Swap

For Tournament Players

You send us your old non-approved CRBN Paddle and we send you an approved replacement of the exact same model at no cost to you. We pay shipping both ways.

Proof of purchase will be required. DO NOT ship your paddle to us without filling out our form. We will send you a prepaid return label to print and use.

Option 4: Swap ANY BRAND'S Paddle Free

For Tournament Players

Some of you let us know that you love CRBN but were forced to buy a different brand of paddle during this ban just to play in tournaments. We have got you covered!

You can send us ANY paddle you purchased while ours was banned, and we will replace it with an approved CRBN paddle at no cost to you. We pay shipping both ways.

Proof of purchase will be required. DO NOT ship your paddle to us without filling out our form. We will send you a prepaid return label to print and use. You must decide whether to send your CRBN paddle or the other brand's to us. You cannot send both for replacement. The other brand's paddle must have a retail price of over $90 to qualify.

May 26 Update: New CRBN Paddles Pass USAP Testing

The new generation of CRBN paddles has passed USAP testing. They are hoping these are ready to ship early to mid June. The full statement for CRBN is below.

Dear CRBN Family,

I have some exciting news to share! After many sleepless nights working to get this done, our team has successfully gotten our newest batch of paddles, and all subsequent paddles, added back to USAP's approval list.

This means that we can now officially move forward with our plans to get new paddles in the hands of our customers. We will outline exactly how this will work by this weekend in another statement. As you can imagine, there is an immense amount of complication trying to coordinate something at this scale with a very small team. We are ironing out the last few details and will communicate the options to you as soon as possible this weekend.

Our newest batch and all subsequent batches will have a small, laser-etched serial code on the bottom left of one of the paddle faces. This is what the USAP is using to differentiate "new" versus "old." At this point, if your paddle does not have a serial code, your paddle is not allowed to be used in USAP-sanctioned tournaments. It is fine to use in any recreational play for those who do not plan on playing in tournaments.

We have already expedited the new batch of paddles and we hope to start shipping replacement paddles by early to mid June. We cannot give exact dates yet, since as you probably know, global supply chains are very uncertain these days. Rest assured, we are doing everything we can to move things along quickly.

Everyone who has purchased a CRBN Paddle from us directly or an approved reseller will be taken care of. We cannot promise it will happen as fast as you would like it to, but we are doing everything in our power to move quickly even with the difficult circumstances.

Please stay tuned for the full details to be released this weekend. As always, thank you so much for your support and patience throughout this last month. It means the world to me and our team.

Sincerely, Garrett Gosselin, Owner & Founder of CRBN Pickleball

Resolution Updates and the Path to Reapproval

May 13 Update: All Generations Remain Off the List

CRBN issued another statement today in regards to the CRBN paddle ban and their paddle being removed from the USA Pickleball approved list. After meeting with USAP this week, it appears that all generations of CRBN paddles will remain off of the list and not be allowed in USAP sanctioned tournaments. CRBN is now working towards creating a new generation of paddles that meet the requirements.

Dear CRBN Family,

We appreciate the continued patience and support. I know many of you are eagerly waiting for updates and progress on reapproval. Progress is happening but slower than we had hoped. Here is where we are at.

We had a productive meeting with the USAP and now better understand what reapproval entails. In a previous statement, we made mention of the potential for immediate reapproval of Gen 1 and Gen 2 paddles. After much deliberation, we have made the difficult decision to postpone (indefinitely for now) that battle even though we are confident that the majority of all CRBN Paddles in circulation are compliant and that the roughness issues were isolated to a single batch. The USAP made it clear that they were not willing to reinstate Gen 1 or Gen 2 unless there was 100% guaranteed paddle compliance, meaning if a single paddle tested out of compliance, this ban process would start all over again, which is a risk we are not willing to take.

I'm sure many of you like us might question a 100% compliance requirement given the inherent variability of Starrett Meter roughness testing and the variability of paddle surfaces, but frankly, that doesn't matter at this point since our priority is to get all subsequent batches approved as fast as possible.

As a small privately owned business, we don't have the bandwidth or capital to protest those decisions while simultaneously working towards getting future paddles approved. Instead, we have put our complete focus on getting our next batch of paddles added to the approved list. We are confident this is the best path forward for our customers and for our business. It is the fastest way to get our athletes and customers playing with CRBN in tournaments.

Improved quality assurance procedures are already in place and from this point forward, each new paddle will be serialized for better lot traceability. We have already completed our new batch and are working as quickly as possible to get them in the hands of USAP officials for review. They have assured us a swift path towards approval of this batch and ongoing batches provided they meet all compliance requirements. We are confident they will.

Here is where that leaves you as a CRBN paddle owner. This is our tentative plan, but please remember this situation is fluid so these options may change depending on the situation.

If you are a recreational player who does not play in sanctioned tournaments, you are 100% allowed to play with your CRBN Paddle, and we would appreciate your support and willingness to keep your paddle. Roughness issues affected a tiny percentage of paddles from our most recent batch, so it is very unlikely yours is out of compliance. That information is important to remember and convey to anyone who questions the legality of your paddle in rec play.

If you ordered a paddle from us on 4/1/22 or more recently, you are covered by our satisfaction guarantee. It is normally a 30 day window, but we back-dated that to be 30 days from the ban. You are free to reach out to us and return your paddle for refund or exchange, no questions asked.

If you are a tournament player outside of the 30 day window, we are working as fast as possible to get our new batch of paddles reinstated. We will have various options for you. We will outline what those will be as soon as we get confirmation of reapproval and can move forward shipping the new batch of paddles. Tentatively, we are hoping we can get reapproval in the next few weeks and will have USAP-approved paddles available for distribution by the end of the month or early June at the latest.

We understand that this timeline is not ideal and that this ban has put many of you in a bind. For that we are very sorry. We never expected something like this to happen the way that it did. This situation is unprecedented, but rest assured, we will do whatever it takes to overcome it. We are working all day and night to make this right for each and every one of you.

Sincerely, Garrett Gosselin, Owner & Founder of CRBN Pickleball

CRBN's Official Statement (May 1, 2022)

What the CRBN Paddle Ban Means Going Forward

The following statement was released by CRBN Pickleball:

Dear CRBN Family,

I sincerely appreciate your patience waiting for our reply to the recent events that involve our paddles. I have been trying to digest the events of the past week, understand the decisions made by USA Pickleball, and put together a plan of action. My hope is that I can shed some light on the situation and instill confidence in our loyal supporters, and even those of you on the fence, that we will make things right.

On Thursday April 28th at the US Open, the USAP brought to our attention that a few of our paddles did not pass the established USAP paddle requirements for surface roughness at their lab. We volunteered to have USAP run two more unofficial in-field tests on CRBN paddles at the event using their Starrett SR160 surface roughness tester. The result of that test showed that the paddles were outside their standards. However, it is important to note that other CRBN paddles (we have three generations of the CRBN1 and CRBN2 paddles) did pass additional in-field tests, including our sponsored pro Michelle Esquivel's CRBN paddle.

At the request of USAP, we proactively informed our pro athletes, both sponsored and unsponsored, to stop using their paddles the rest of the tournament, including Michelle Esquivel with her passing paddle. We made this decision alongside the USAP with the implied understanding that this was the best way to ensure a level playing field and to give us time to meet with the USAP to understand the scope of the issue and develop a plan together to address it, if necessary. Much to our surprise, on Friday April 29th, the USAP announced a ban on our paddles and removed them from their list of approved paddles after calling an internal "emergency meeting."

Frankly, we were as shocked as you were and completely caught off guard. To our knowledge, this type of action by the USAP is unprecedented. In recent years, numerous paddle companies have produced unintentional, noncompliant batches of paddles and received official warnings along with the ability to rectify the situation. Transparently, it has been frustrating for us as a small business, as we feel singled out amongst the sea of mostly large paddle companies.

We believe that the USAP needs a clear cut and published policy on how they handle noncompliance. It seems as though their actions were reactionary and that we were caught up in the middle of it. Like you, we believe in due process and impartiality both in pickleball as a sport and also as a business within the pickleball community. We believe transparent policies surrounding testing procedures, formal warnings, consequences, timelines, appeals, and the process for reapproval are imperative, and when in place have the ability to prevent such widespread confusion. We feel we are entitled to the same formal warning provided to other companies. If it had been provided, I can assure you our actions would have been swift to correct these manufacturing issues.

Both on the court and in business, CRBN Pickleball is committed to complying with all USAP rules and regulations. We are a company of pickleball players ourselves and understand the importance of fairness in this sport that we adore so much. We are adding an additional layer of quality control measures which will provide consistency throughout our paddle line that will ensure we meet the standards outlined by USAP in their rulebook.

To our customers, we will do whatever it takes to fix these issues. We are a very small team who are committed to making sure every single one of you is taken care of. Our team is doing our best to get through all the messages and asks that you please bear with us as our #1 priority is working towards reapproval. We will have more clarity on what things will look like as soon as we have a follow-up conversation with USAP.

As of writing this, the CRBN paddle ban has removed all CRBN paddles from the USAP approved paddles list. As such, they are currently not allowed for play in USAP, PPA or APP tournaments until further notice. Outside tournament play, the paddles can be used if so desired.

On a positive note, we believe that the majority of all first and second generation CRBN paddles in circulation are within USAP compliance. We believe it was a small percentage of our third generation (our last production run identified by the block type logo) that produced paddles with non-compliant surface roughness. No matter the number of paddles out there, we will make it right with each one of you.

To the USAP, we look forward to continuing this conversation, and we are committed to paddle compliance and working as your partner to ensure fairness and helping to promote the growth of pickleball in the United States and beyond.

In closing, we appreciate all the support we have already received from our loyal fans, customers, partners, and athletes. That is what makes the pickleball community so great, and we are so thankful to be a part of it. We will make this right. We will make sure that the CRBN paddles you know and love are made exactly to our desired specifications every time.

Sincerely, Garrett Gosselin, Owner & Founder of CRBN Pickleball

On Friday morning at the US Open Pickleball Championships, officials announced that the CRBN 1 and 2 paddles would no longer be allowed to be used in the event. This was a surprising development, with the CRBN paddle ban instituted on the 6th day of a 7-day tournament. The reason for the ban is noted as a manufacturer recall from CRBN.

The Minto US Open Championships put their statement up on Facebook.

Understanding the CRBN Paddle Ban

What USA Pickleball's Statement Said

On Friday, April 29th, USA Pickleball removed all CRBN paddles from the "approved paddle" list. These paddles were originally tested and approved by USA Pickleball's official lab in 2021. After receiving several recent reports about the play characteristics of the CRBN paddles, follow-up testing was required.

USA Pickleball was able to secure two commercially available paddles this week and, with a CRBN official present, conducted an in-field test which produced a non-compliant result. To verify these results, the two paddles were sent to the test lab for an official retest. The lab results confirmed the commercially available CRBN paddles did not meet the standards and specifications necessary to remain "approved" for sanctioned-tournament play. CRBN supports this decision and is now taking steps to remedy these issues.

The timing of our decision to immediately remove the paddles from our list of "approved" paddles may seem unfortunate. No different than any other sport governing body, USA Pickleball has an obligation to ensure a level playing field exists for every manufacturer, as well as every player. This is accomplished with a certification and paddle compliance program, and they take this obligation very seriously.

Where You Can Still Use Your CRBN Paddle

The CRBN paddle ban applies to all USAP, PPA, and APP sanctioned events. The CRBN paddle was removed from the approved paddles list on Friday, triggering the recall and ban. This means the paddle would not be allowed to be used in any USAPA events currently in play.

The PPA Tour has the ability to follow their own set of regulations, as we saw with the change in serving rules this year. But they announced that they will continue to follow the guidance of the USAPA on the issue.

The next PPA event is the North Carolina Open starting May 5th, where CRBN paddles will not be allowed.

This further reduces the opportunities to use a tournament-legal paddle during this period. At this point it is looking like it will only be used in non-sanctioned tournaments and rec play until the issue is resolved.

There is a lot of speculation on what that means for current CRBN users. We will keep you updated on the story. A message went out from them indicating a meeting is set next week to discuss a remedy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the CRBN paddle ban and why did it happen?

The CRBN paddle ban was issued by USA Pickleball on April 29, 2022, after in-field and lab testing revealed that commercially available CRBN paddles failed surface roughness standards. CRBN, a small self-funded business, maintained that the compliance issues were isolated to a single production batch of third-generation paddles.

Can I still use my CRBN paddle after the ban?

Recreational players are fully permitted to continue using their CRBN paddle in any non-sanctioned setting, as there are no governing rules for rec play. Tournament players, however, were prohibited from using non-serialized CRBN paddles in any USAP, PPA, or APP sanctioned events until a USAP-approved replacement was obtained.

How do I know if my CRBN paddle is USAP-approved?

Any CRBN paddle approved after the ban will have a small, laser-etched serial code on the bottom left of one of the paddle faces. If your paddle does not have a serial code on either side, it is not currently approved for tournament play.

What are my options if I own a banned CRBN paddle?

CRBN offered four resolution paths: keeping your paddle for a $40 store credit (rec players), purchasing a new USAP-approved CRBN paddle for $60 with lifetime discounts (tournament players), a free paddle swap where CRBN covers shipping both ways, or exchanging any paddle you were forced to purchase during the ban for an approved CRBN replacement at no cost.

Did the CRBN paddle ban affect the PPA Tour?

Yes, the PPA Tour followed USAP's guidance and barred CRBN paddles from all PPA events during the ban period. The North Carolina Open, starting May 5th, was the first PPA event held after the ban was announced, and CRBN paddles were not permitted for use at that event.