nico the lefty.Honest Pickleball Reviews

Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue vs Spartus Spitfire

Comparisons cover the paddles I've reviewed, so every score is mine. Pick any other paddle to request its review.

Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue

Honolulu Pickleball

  • More Spin
  • Quicker Hands
  • More Forgiving
  • More Pop
Power paddleStrong spinGood control

J2CR Crystal Blue

$175.50 w/ code · Hybrid · 16mm

Spartus Spitfire

Spartus

  • Costs Less
Power paddleStrong spinGood control

Spitfire

$98.99 w/ code · Elongated · 16mm

No winner on this page on purpose. The numbers are below and the call is yours. Buying through my links or with code supports the testing at no extra cost to you. How this site makes money

J2CR Crystal Blue

  • Spins more: +58 RPM
  • Quicker in hand: 7.3 lower swing weight
  • More forgiving: +0.8 twist weight
  • More pop: +1.1

Spitfire

  • Costs $77 less with code

By the numbers.

Scores run 0 to 10. Measurement bars are relative to each other.

J2CR Crystal Blue

Spitfire

Spin

RPM, lab average

2,448RPM

lab avg · 2 sourcesTop 10% of the database

2,390RPM

lab avg · 2 sourcesTop 10% of the database

Power

drives and serves

8.9/10

8.6/10

Pop

speed off the face on short swings

9.1/10

8.0/10

Control

stability and a calm face

9.0/10

8.5/10

Spin score

how well it shapes the ball

9.5/10

9.3/10

Grit durability

how long the bite lasts

9.5/10

8.9/10

Swing weight

lower swings quicker

108.7

lab avg · 2 sources

116.0

brand claims

Twist weight

higher forgives mishits

7.00

brand claimsTop quarter

6.20

brand claims

Static weight

ounces on the scale

8.2oz

brand claims

7.9oz

brand claims

Power, Pop, Control, Spin score and Grit durability are my scores on my 10-point scale. Every paddle starts from a default I compute from where its measurements land against the whole database, and I set the number myself once I've played the paddle. Power is drives and serves, Pop is speed off the face on short swings, Control is stability with a calm face, Spin score is how well it shapes the ball, Grit durability is how long the bite lasts. Spin, swing weight, twist weight and static weight are raw measurements: “lab avg” averages the independent reviewer labs in my database (John Kew, Pickleball Studio, Matt's Pickleball, The Pickleball Blast), and “brand claims” is the manufacturer's published number. I don't own a bench rig, and I say so.

The build

J2CR Crystal BlueSpitfire
ShapeHybridElongated
Core16mm, Core Reactor multi-density foam (EPP core, EVA perimeter)16mm, Generation 4 Turbo Foam
FaceCarbon fiber with Crystal Blue Endurance Surface (Blue Grit)QuadFiber
Length × width16.2 × 7.8 in16.5 × 7.5 in
Handle5.5 in5.5 in
CertificationUPA-A approved (not USAP)USAP Approved
MSRP$195$109.99
With code NICOTHELEFTY$175.50$98.99
Nico's score9.0 / 109.1 / 10

Still deciding?

I'll email you when either paddle's price moves. One email, then nothing.