Options for Unapproved CRBN Paddle Owners

May 30, 2022

Dear CRBN Customers,

Transparently, the last month has been one of the hardest of my life, but I'm proud to say that CRBN Pickleball has rounded the corner, and we'll 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. If you would like to read all our past updates and statements from the last month, you can find them here.

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 being 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'd 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'm 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'll 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 don't 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’ll send you a $40 gift card 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.

Choose Option 1
Read Full Details

Option #2 - Join the CRBN Family*

For Tournament Players

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

  1. A brand new USAP-approved CRBN Paddle of your choosing ($180 value)
  2. ‘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'd like forever.
  3. Exclusive, one-time 20% off coupon from our partner retailer, pickleballsuperstore.com, the best place to buy your shoes, accessories, apparel, and paddles.
  4. 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.

Choose Option 2
Read Full Details

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.

Choose Option 3
Read Full Details

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’ve got you covered!

You can send us ANY paddle you purchased while ours was banned, and we’ll 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.

Note: 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.

Choose Option 4
Read Full Details

*Terms and conditions apply. After selecting your option, please read ALL eligibility requirements and instructions on that page and in the submission form. In all cases, your submissions are subject to review and CRBN Pickleball reserves the right to decide whether or not to proceed with your submission. We will get through every submission as fast as possible, but understand that it will take time and replacements will depend on inventory availability. We promise we will get through them all, but please bear with us. These 4 options only apply to customers who have purchased an unapproved paddle unknowingly prior to May 30, 2022.

FAQ

When will I get my replacement paddle?

  • Once you send your paddle in, you will be on the list to receive your exchange paddle, and we will ship those out as soon as we get them in. A large amount of our inventory is currently on its way to us, and we will be able to begin sending paddles out by the first or second week of June, however it is likely that not everyone will be able to receive a paddle on the first shipment. We have another batch that will be on its way to us by the end of June.

What do I do if I bought more than one CRBN Paddle?

  • If you bought more than one paddle you will need to fill out one form for each paddle you'd like exchanged.

Can I really return ANY BRAND of paddles?

  • Yep! We will accept any paddle with a retail price over $90 value as an exchange for a CRBN paddle. Our goal is to assist anyone who had to purchase a different paddle after ours was banned, so the purchase date of this paddle would need to be between 04/29/22 and 05/30/22, and you would need to also show that you are a past CRBN paddle purchaser.

What changes have been made to the new paddles to make them compliant?

  • No material changes have been made other than adding a serial code. Many of our sponsored athletes have been testing the new batch of paddles and report back no difference in playability. The root cause of the paddle ban related to a small portion of a batch of paddles testing above surface roughness thresholds. Significant improvements to our quality assurance processes have been made to ensure compliance in all future batches.

Are Demo Paddles eligible?

  • Demo paddles are physically marked "Demo" and have never been usable in tournament play. We need to focus on exchanging paddles that need to be used for tournaments and appreciate our customers holding on to their demos and continue using them as the fully functioning paddles they are. On average, there is no difference in playability and they are perfect for introducing others to CRBN.

If I get a replacement, can I get a different model than the one I'm returning?

  • Unfortunately, we are only able to replace paddles with the exact same model and color. We have purchased replacements according to what paddles we have in circulation so we need to make sure we send the same models to ensure we have enough for those who need them.

Outside the United States?

  • If you are an international customer, please fill out the form with all your information and we will be able to assist you with the return process.

Did I buy from an Authorized Retailer?

  • Most likely. An authorized retailer includes any retailers that buys directly from us. This includes online stores like Just Paddles, Fromuth, Pickleball Central, etc. and in-person stores as well. We will need to see some sort of proof of purchase or receipt from wherever your purchased your paddle. We can't accept paddles purchased from eBay, Craigslist, or any other non-licensed vendor. Please reach out if you have questions.

What if I don't have proof of purchase?

  • Without a proof of purchase, we will not know if the source from which you purchased was a licensed vendor or if you knowningly purchased a discounted unapproved paddle. Any receipt or screenshot proving the source of purchase will suffice. Please reach out if you have any questions or issues.

Can I replace my paddle if I purchased one from a website that said for Rec Play?

  • No. A paddle that was purchased for rec play was done so with the understanding and agreement that the customer would not be using it for tournament play. Please check your warranty options with the vendor you purchased from if there is an issue.

Is the ban specific to a certain paddle?

  • As it stands, the ban applies to all CRBN paddles in circulation without a serial code. We are still working with USAP to reinstate our Gen 1 and Gen 2 paddles (marked with lowercase lettering) as we believe those paddles are within the surface roughness compliance perameters. For this reason, we encourage customers with those paddles to choose option #2, and to hold on to their older paddles as there is a chance they can be reinstated in the future. At this point though, we can't make any promises about reinstatement as it is in the hands of USAP.

How do I know if I have USAP-approved?

  • Approved CRBN paddles are marked with a serial code on the bottom left corner of one side of the face of the paddle.

How will tournament referees identify approved paddles?

  • Referees will look for the serial code on the face of your paddle to verify it is a tournament-compliant paddle.

Can I request a specific paddle weight?

  • Our paddles average 8.0 oz, and generallly, only vary by 1-2 grams. As such, we cannot offer to find a specific weight for each customer. Our priority is getting approved paddles in the hands as many people as possible.