Quick Answer: The best Bread & Butter pickleball paddle in 2026 is the Loco ($179.99-$199.99) —
a full-foam-core power paddle that Pickleball Studio and Pickleheads both rank among the best releases
of the last year. Want the brand’s original best-seller at a lower price? The Filth ($165) is a
thermoformed T-700 raw carbon paddle that’s been a fan favorite since 2023. One thing worth knowing
before you buy: Bread & Butter is no longer fully independent — Selkirk Sport acquired the company on
May 12, 2026, though it still runs its own brand and product line.
Bread & Butter Pickleball is a small but well-regarded paddle maker founded in 2022 by Doug Sapusek, an entrepreneur who’d previously built and sold a multi-million-dollar bandana business before a Vespa accident and a pickleball recovery period pulled him into the sport. The brand built a loyal following on bold branding and community storytelling, and its paddles have consistently punched above their price. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), pickleball reached roughly 24.3 million U.S. players in 2025, up from just 4.2 million in 2020 — the same growth wave that made Bread & Butter an attractive acquisition target: on May 12, 2026, Selkirk Sport bought the company outright, its first deal since taking on investment from Bluestone Equity Partners in December 2025. Founder Doug Sapusek’s family stays in place running the brand, and Bread & Butter keeps its own website, marketing and product direction — but paddles now ship with a new 1-year warranty added under Selkirk’s ownership. We compared the current lineup, including that ownership change worth knowing before you buy.
Best Bread & Butter paddles at a glance
| Paddle | Best for | Core / shape | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bread & Butter Loco | Best overall / power | 16mm full-foam · widebody, hybrid or elongated | ~$179.99-$199.99 | ★★★★½ |
| Bread & Butter Filth | Best value / best-seller | 16mm hollow honeycomb · standard, hybrid or elongated | ~$165 | ★★★★ |
| Bread & Butter Invader | Best hybrid/all-around | 16mm titanium-carbon + fiberglass · hybrid | ~$189.99 | ★★★★ |
| Bread & Butter Shogun | Best control / all-court | 16mm carbon x polyester weave · elongated | ~$189.99 | ★★★½ |
| Bread & Butter Fat Boy | Best forgiving sweet spot | 16mm aramid + carbon fiber · widebody | ~$189.99 | ★★★½ |
1. Bread & Butter Loco — Best Overall
Bread & Butter Loco
- Gen 4 dual-density full-foam core (EPP and EVA) with an added fiberglass layer — a different construction than the brand's earlier thermoformed paddles.
- Produces a deeper, more muted "boom" sound with noticeably less vibration than a hollow honeycomb paddle, according to independent testers.
- Available in widebody, hybrid and elongated shapes, so the power-paddle feel isn't locked to one grip length or sweet-spot size.
- Pickleball Studio and Pickleheads both rated it among the best paddles released in the last year, with Pickleheads calling it "2025's Clear Paddle of the Year."
The Loco is the paddle that pushed Bread & Butter into the same conversation as Selkirk, JOOLA and Gearbox — reviewers who expected a “smaller brand” paddle came away comparing it directly to the category leaders. If raw power with a soft, forgiving feel is what you’re after, see how it stacks up in our best pickleball paddle for power roundup. Loading up your bag before league night? Start your free Audible trial and queue up a match-strategy podcast for the drive to the courts.
2. Bread & Butter Filth — Best Value
Bread & Butter Filth
- Gen 2 thermoformed unibody construction with a T-700 raw carbon fiber face over a hollow honeycomb core — a firmer, more classic thermoformed feel than the foam-core Loco.
- Bread & Butter's original best-seller and a Pickleheads favorite since it launched in 2023.
- Sold in standard, hybrid and elongated shapes at the same price point, so you're not paying more for a different grip length.
- Lower price than every other paddle in the current lineup, making it the easiest entry point into the brand.
The Filth built Bread & Butter’s reputation before the Loco existed, and it’s still the cheaper, more traditional-feeling option if raw carbon thermoformed construction is what you’re used to from brands like CRBN or JOOLA. See our carbon fiber pickleball paddle guide for how raw-carbon faces compare across brands.
3. Bread & Butter Invader — Best Hybrid/All-Around
Bread & Butter Invader
- Takes the Shogun's titanium-carbon weave face and adds a fiberglass layer, marketed as "Intergalactic Paddle Technology."
- 16.2-inch length by 7.6-inch width at roughly 8.1 ounces — a hybrid shape that splits the difference between reach and maneuverability.
- 8-sided vibration-dampening handle with a sweat-proof faux-leather wrap, a detail shared across the whole current lineup.
- Reviewers describe it as a genuinely versatile paddle rather than a specialist for one playstyle.
The Invader is the pick if you don’t want to commit hard to either a power paddle or a control paddle — it’s built to be competent everywhere rather than dominant in one area.
4. Bread & Butter Shogun — Best Control
Bread & Butter Shogun
- T-700 carbon fiber crossed with an electroplated polyester weave face, marketed as the "All Court Commander."
- Elongated shape for extra reach on serves and drives, paired with a face built for touch shots at the net.
- Requires microfiber-cloth cleaning rather than an abrasive paddle eraser — a maintenance detail specific to this weave face.
- Positioned as the lineup's all-court option, sitting between the Loco's raw power and the Filth's classic feel.
The Shogun’s elongated shape and control-leaning face make it the closest thing in the lineup to a dedicated control paddle — see our best pickleball paddle for control guide for how it compares against dedicated control-first brands like Selkirk, which is notably Bread & Butter’s own parent company as of May 2026.
5. Bread & Butter Fat Boy — Best Forgiving Sweet Spot
Bread & Butter Fat Boy
- Aramid and carbon fiber face built into a widebody shape, aimed squarely at maximizing sweet-spot size.
- "Super Sized Sweet Spot" is the brand's own positioning — a wide-body build trades some reach for a larger forgiving zone.
- Best fit for players who miss-hit more often than they'd like and want margin for error over raw reach.
- Shares the same 8-sided dampening handle and faux-leather grip wrap as the rest of the current lineup.
The Fat Boy is the lineup’s most forgiving shape — a natural fit for players still developing consistent contact. Newer to the sport entirely? See our best pickleball paddle for beginners guide for picks built specifically around ease of use.
Bread & Butter, by the numbers
- 24.3 million U.S. players in 2025. Per the SFIA, pickleball’s player base grew from 4.2 million in 2020 — the same boom that made a scrappy independent brand like Bread & Butter an acquisition target.
- May 12, 2026 acquisition date. Selkirk Sport bought Bread & Butter outright, its first deal since a December 2025 investment from Bluestone Equity Partners.
- 1-year warranty, new under Selkirk. Bread & Butter paddles gained this coverage as part of the acquisition, on top of keeping their own brand and product direction.
- $165-$199.99 price range across the current five-paddle lineup, with the foam-core Loco priced above the rest of the thermoformed models.
- Founded 2022 by Doug Sapusek, who previously built and sold a multi-million-dollar bandana business before a Vespa accident led him into pickleball during recovery.
How to choose a Bread & Butter paddle
- Want the brand’s best power paddle? The Loco (~$179.99-$199.99) is the independently top-ranked full-foam option in the lineup.
- Want the classic thermoformed feel at a lower price? The Filth (~$165) is the original best-seller.
- Can’t decide between power and control? The Invader (~$189.99) is built to split the difference.
- Want a dedicated control/all-court paddle? The Shogun (~$189.99) leans furthest toward touch.
- Miss-hitting more than you’d like? The Fat Boy (~$189.99) trades reach for the lineup’s largest sweet spot.
The bottom line
The Bread & Butter Loco is the best Bread & Butter pickleball paddle in 2026 for most players — independently ranked among the best paddle releases of the last year, thanks to a softer full-foam core that still hits with real power. Budget-minded shoppers and fans of a firmer, more classic thermoformed feel should look at the Filth (~$165), the paddle that built the brand’s reputation in the first place. Whichever model you pick, know that Bread & Butter isn’t fully independent anymore — Selkirk Sport acquired the company in May 2026, though the Sapusek family still runs day-to-day product and branding. Curious how Selkirk’s own paddles compare? See our best Selkirk pickleball paddle roundup, check the overall field in our best pickleball paddle pillar, or browse other single-brand roundups: best Adidas pickleball paddle, best Babolat pickleball paddle and best Electrum pickleball paddle.