The Ronbus Nova.R1 Has Arrived

Author

Chris Olson
August 19, 2023

What’s up, guys? This week I put up videos on the new Ronbus Nova.R1 and the Vatic Pro Alchemy. Check out the notes below on the new gear.

Ronbus Nova.R1 Review

Ronbus released their new Nova.R1 today. You can check out the full video review for all the details, but here’s some quick points:

Make sure to check out the Ronbus paper published on our website. There’s a lot of really interesting information in it if you like the nerdy details of paddles.

The Nova is using a new take on the theroforming process that will (hopefully) rid this issue once and for all. Ronbus wants to call it “gen 3” but I don’t like that term. I think a generation change should be saved for massive leaps of performance (like gen 1 to 2 with the power increase). So, you won’t be seeing me call it gen 3.

It aims to be between a gen 1 and gen 2 in terms of power. Out of the box I think it leans closer to something like the Prism rather than a gen 2 (CRBN1X, DBD, etc). It has good power on full swings, but the pop is noticeably lower.

The paddle feels more solid than a Prism. Especially on blocks.

I HIGHLY recommend lead on the Nova. I was very underwhelmed prior to adding lead. After adding 0.4oz of lead in the handle, and 0.1oz on each side at 3-9, it was so much more enjoyable. In the stock form, I wasn’t very impressed.

Overall, the Nova is a great paddle. If you already have a Pulsar or a Prism, I wouldn’t rush to buy it. However, if you don’t own either, the Nova may be worth considering if you want something with more power than a Prism, but a little less pop than a Pulsar.

Check out the full review for the deep dive. There’s a lot of fun insight about the Nova.

If you want to buy one, here is a link.

Vatic Pro Alchemy First Look

We also took a look at the Vatic Pro Alchemy this week. While the paddle performs very well, I think it has an awkward identity.

There aren’t any big reasons to consider this over other options on the market, in my opinion.

I thought the handle would be longer than the original Vatics, but it is about the same. When most people see 5.5”, they think the length of a CRBN1X or Hyperion. Both of those are noticeably longer than the Alchemy. Beware if a two handed backhand is important to you.

I thought it might be faster than the original thermoformed paddles from Vatic, but they weren’t.

On top of all of that, it’s $180.

The one thing it does have going for it is the feedback is different from their other paddles. You feel the ball on the face more and in some ways, similar to a Power Air but SIGNIFICANTLY subdued. The Alchemy gives me vibes of the Power Air, but without the drawbacks of it feeling so harsh on the arm.

I really enjoyed the 13.5mm, but not enough that it could sway me from any of my current favorite paddles.

The paddles are good, and some of you will find it perfect for your game. But if you already have a thermoformed paddle, especially an original Vatic, I wouldn’t rush to buy the Alchemy.

A Pickleball Defense Tip

I wanted to share something that I have been working on in my own game.

When I was at Jordan Briones’ training camp, one of the things he suggested I needed to work on was getting in a much lower and wider stance when my opponent is hitting an overhead toward me.

When I watched footage back, I found myself standing nearly straight up, which makes defending the ball so much harder.

Not getting low for a reset (This one is really bad 😂)

This last week I tried to work on getting really low anytime I saw my opponents paddle go up.

This made a huge difference in my resets. Having a solid low base feels so much better.

Wide stable base

One tip I will give, you REALLY need to exaggerate getting low. The first day I thought I was getting pretty low, but when I watched videos, it still wasn’t very low.

The next day I tried going lower than I thought was necessary and it turns out, that’s what got me into a proper low position.

My friend Kyle also made a YouTube video about this recently. Check it out for more in-depth examples.

🎙️ Latest podcast

If you missed it, this week we talked about PaddleTeks new releases and a Pickleball reality TV show that Will and I aren’t convinced won’t be at least a little cringy.

That is, if they follow the usual reality TV format.