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BLACK OUT UPA RPM FRICTION PRO 16MM ELONGATED James Ignatowich New Pickleball Paddle

BLACK OUT UPA RPM FRICTION PRO 16MM ELONGATED James Ignatowich New Pickleball Paddle

Regular price $249.00 USD
Regular price $249.00 USD Sale price $249.00 USD
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Description

The RPM Friction Pro fuels your game with unparalleled spin, elite power, and the biggest sweet spot on the market. Co-designed and built by James Ignatowich, a top 10 world-ranked professional pickleball player, the RPM Friction Pro line offers explosive power and surgical precision for professional play. RPM LABS has combined its CarbonBite Surface, DwellZone Sweet-Spot, and its Tri-Density Core technologies to engineer revolutionary performance. 

The Friction Pro’s elongated shape offers extended reach for high balls, volley attacks, and singles play. This shape emulates tennis racquet play, with heightened power for next-level drives. With a thicker 16MM core, this high-performance paddle delivers increased stability and plush shock absorption, with elite power that feels controllable. The Friction Pro 16MM Elongated paddle is designed for players prioritizing power, reach, and aggressive play, without losing out on stability and control.

The 16MM Elongated model is James Ignatowich’s competition paddle of choice. “This paddle is for anyone. It’s forgiving, and controllable, but the top end power and spin are elite.” - James Ignatowich

The Friction Pro’s elongated shape offers extended reach for high balls, volley attacks, and singles play. This shape emulates tennis racquet play, with heightened power for next-level drives. With a thicker 16MM core, this high-performance paddle delivers increased stability and plush shock absorption, with elite power that feels controllable. The Friction Pro 16MM Elongated paddle is designed for players prioritizing power, reach, and aggressive play, without losing out on stability and control.

The 16MM Elongated model is James Ignatowich’s competition paddle of choice. “This paddle is for anyone. It’s forgiving, and controllable, but the top end power and spin are elite.” - James Ignatowich

Specifications

Registered Approval Body:

USAP PBCoR .44 and UPA-A

Class: Professional Level

Surface: Carbon Fiber Surface

Core Thickness: 16M

Average Weight: 7.9oz

Swing Weight: 117

Twist Weight: 6.4

Paddle Length: 16.5

Paddle Width: 7.5

Grip Length: 5.5 

Grip Circumference: 4.125

Introducing the RPM FRICTION PRO

This is the same pad all the James uses in the tournaments. It is the UPA blackout Limited edition.

The RPM FRICTION Pro pickleball paddle is a top choice among professional players, offering an unparalleled blend of spin, power and control. Designed in collaboration with a top-ranked PPA champion, it's the first paddle of its kind - engineered specifically to give players a distinct edge in high-level pickleball competition.
RPM stands for Revolutions Per Minute, aka “spin,” which was our first priority. Our cofounders spent years curious about how to impart more spin on the ball, and felt that paddle technology was behind in this regard. As a direct result, our engineers at RPM LABS developed a formula to optimize the “coefficient of friction” on our CarbonBite carbon fiber surface - allowing players to access levels of spin they’ve never accessed before.
Additionally, we’ve maximized the “dwell time” on this paddle. Dwell time refers to how long a pickleball rests on the paddle surface during contact, or how deeply it will he “pocketed” by the surface. Our Tri-Density Core is made from materials that maximize flexibility, resulting in improved dwell time, precision, and confidence with every shot.

Unparalleled Spin: Our Story
Refined by the engineers at RPM LABS, our RPM FRICTION CarbonBite surface technology guarantees a level of spin you’ve never accessed before. Upon creation of RPM, our founders set out to achieve one goal above all else - maximum grit, and maximum spin. That’s why we’re called RPM, (Revolutions per minute).
DwellZone Sweet-Spot Technology:
Our fine tuned DwellZone internal construction results in an “end to end” sweet spot, promising a larger sweet spot than anything you’ve ever played with. We’ve cracked the code to maximum dwell time - giving you the control and plush feel to reign in the immense power and spin that you’ll have at your disposal.

The sport of pickleball has never seen a paddle with a combination of power, spin, and control quite like the RPM FRICTION.
Tri-Density Core Technology “The Difference”
Perfected by lead engineer and co-founder Marwan Abaza, RPM LABS presents “Tri-Density Core” technology - the innovation that combines 3 different materials with varying densities to maximize sweet spot size and solidity to the edge. Our groundbreaking Tri-Density technology lies at the heart of the RPM FRICTION, delivering explosive energy transfer with every swing.

Engineered for pure, unfiltered power, this innovation fuels your game with effortless acceleration and devastating put-aways. But it’s not just brute force — Tri-Density is precision-tuned to unleash controlled aggression, allowing you to drive the ball with confidence while maintaining stability and touch. This is power reimagined — not just stronger, but smarter.
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