The Loco 2 is Bread & Butter's power paddle with a new durable grit, and the best part is big spin you can take to USA Pickleball tournaments. It's for players who win most of their points with drives and speedups, and for most of them I'd get the hybrid version, because it's a lot more forgiving than the elongated. Only two USA Pickleball approved paddles I've tested beat the hybrid for spin, and it's on the UPA-A list too, which is the approval PPA and MLP pro events go by. The original Loco's raw carbon surface lost its texture fast, so Bread & Butter kept the same core and gave it a grit that's meant to last, and so far it's holding up in my wear test. The catch is the same one the original had. It's a firm, poppy paddle, meaning the ball jumps off the face even on short swings, so midcourt resets and drops take soft hands.
Every version, side by side
| Out of 100 | Loco 2 Hybrid$198 with code · hybrid | Loco 2 Elongated$198 with code · elongated | Loco Standard$134.33 with code · widebody |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89A | 92S | 77B | |
| 90S | 86A | 82A | |
| 91S | 87A | 77B | |
| 79B | 49D | 95SLeads by 16 | |
| 60C | 24F | 79BLeads by 19 | |
| lower is quicker | 110.6 | 119.1 | 108.2 |
| higher is steadier | 6.72 | 6.20 | 7.34 |
Hybrid
$198with code STSPICKLEBALL
list price $220Code STSPICKLEBALL takes 10% off, and my link applies it for you.
Elongated
$198with code STSPICKLEBALL
list price $220Code STSPICKLEBALL takes 10% off, and my link applies it for you.
Original widebody
$134.33with code STSPICKLEBALL
list price $149.25Code STSPICKLEBALL takes 10% off, and my link applies it for you.
Pros and cons
Pros
- It's one of the few big spin paddles you can take to a USA Pickleball tournament, and it's approved for UPA-A events as well.
- It hits just as hard as the original Loco, so the ball still jumps off the face on drives, serves and speedups.
- The new Space Dust Grit is keeping pace with 11SIX24's HexGrit so far in my wear test.
- Compared with the original hybrid, the new one swings lighter, so it feels quicker at the kitchen line.
Cons
- The face is firm and springy, so if your soft game is still coming along, resets and drops from the midcourt are harder than on a softer paddle.
- The elongated version has a much smaller sweet spot than the hybrid and very little control, so it's really for advanced players.
- There's no Loco 2 widebody, and every original shape showed as unavailable on Bread & Butter's site on November 2, 2026.
- At $220 ($198 with code STSPICKLEBALL), it costs a good bit more than the original did. It only comes in Blanco, and that color showed as backordered on November 2, 2026.
Quick answers
How is it different from the original Loco?
Only the surface changed. The core and the carbon and fiberglass layers are the same as before, and Bread & Butter swapped the old raw carbon texture for Space Dust Grit, because raw carbon wears smooth as you play. The spin went up, it swings a little lighter and none of my scores dropped, so what you give up is the original's old sale price and its widebody shape.
Should I get the hybrid or the elongated?
The hybrid, unless you're an advanced player who finds the center of the face pretty consistently and wants more reach. They hit about as hard as each other, but the hybrid has a much bigger sweet spot and a lot more control.
Does the grit last?
So far, yes. I'm partway through my wear test, and Space Dust is keeping up with two grits that barely lost any spin.
Can I get one now?
Bread & Butter still lists both shapes as a pre-order shipping November 11, with Blanco backordered as of November 2, 2026. Five hybrid owners on Bread & Butter's site already had theirs, so the first orders are going out.
How I tested both shapes
How its spin stacks up against other hybrids you can buy
Only seven hybrids you can buy spin more, 97 RPM above the average
The top three for spin
- 1Honolulu J2CR Long Handle Crystal Blue2,467
- 211SIX24 Vapor Jelly Bean 22,40364 RPM behind
- 311SIX24 Ultré Jelly Bean 22,39770 RPM behind
- 8Bread & Butter Loco 2 Hybrid2,36998 RPM behind
For power and pop, my Stalker Pro 3S radar clocks how fast the ball comes off the face, and that same radar reads the spin on my serve test. Swing weight tells you how heavy a paddle is to swing, and twist weight tells you how steady the face stays on an off-center hit, and I get both from my Briffidi SW1. Sweet spot and control are rated from my ball machine dink, drop and reset drills. And because Space Dust is brand new, both paddles are in my 75 game wear test, where my Starrett SR160 roughness tester tracks how rough the face stays. Scores are out of 100, and when I say average or count paddles, I mean the 186 paddles I've tested that you can still buy.
How it feels in your hand next to other hybrids you can buy
About average in your hands, steadier than most when you miss the middle
How heavy the paddle feels when you swing it. Lower means faster hands.
About average swing weight for a hybrid.
How well the paddle resists turning in your hand when you hit off center. Higher means steadier.
Steadier than most hybrids.
How its sweet spot stacks up against other hybrids you can buy
Only eight hybrids you can buy have a bigger sweet spot
Both rings are sized to their score.
What changed from the original Loco
The original Loco came out in August 2025, and for the Loco 2, Bread & Butter left everything under the surface alone. It's still a full foam core, with foam all the way through instead of a honeycomb, and it has the same carbon and the same layer of fiberglass, which Bread & Butter says adds pop. That's why it hits the same as the original. What changed is the surface grit, and that's where the original fell short.
Out of the box, the new grit spins a good bit more. The hybrid version's spin score jumped from 75 to 91, and the elongated version's jump was close behind, so both went from good spin to the top 10 for their shape.
On serves and drives side by side, I can barely tell the two apart. It's still firm and crisp with that hollow sound on a full drive, and if anything it sounds a little more hollow than the original. So the trade is the price and the shape. It lists for $220, where the original went for about $149 on sale before the store marked it unavailable, and there's no Loco 2 widebody.
Space Dust Grit and my wear test
So the big question is whether Space Dust lasts. When I last checked, 30 games into the wear test, Space Dust was right up there with 11SIX24's HexGrit and Honolulu's Crystal Blue. That's a high bar, because over the full 75 games, those two each kept about 99% of their spin. I'm not done yet, so I won't call it a pass, but so far it's keeping its texture really well.
The Loco 2 Hybrid gives you room for error
The hybrid version forgives a lot more than the elongated, and that's what makes it so much easier to live with at the kitchen. Only two hybrids pop more, so when you speed one up or counter, the ball really takes off. And its sweet spot is a bit above average for a hybrid, so a ball you catch toward the edge still goes somewhere useful.
It swings a bit lighter than the original hybrid did, so it feels a little quicker in hands battles, and now its swing weight is about average for a hybrid. And on blocks you don't quite center, the face holds steady, because its twist weight is a little above average.
Thirteen paddles spin more than the hybrid version, but 11 of them are UPA-A only, so for USA Pickleball sanctioned tournaments, its spin is a big deal. No other USA Pickleball approved hybrid spins more.
The Loco 2 Elongated is for advanced players
The elongated version's power is top 10 for an elongated, about even with the hybrid's, so putaways and baseline drives really carry. Spin is about the same as the hybrid too. What it adds is reach and a slightly longer handle, 5.5 inches against 5.3, which gives you room for a two-handed backhand where the hybrid's handle is tight.
The trade-off is big, though. Its sweet spot is about average for an elongated, which is still a lot smaller than the hybrid's, and its control is a lot lower than even the average elongated's. So you have to find the center more often and bring real touch to your soft shots, and since it swings heavier than the hybrid, it feels slower in your hands in a fast exchange.
Resets take soft hands
This is the same springy face the original had, which is what makes it so fun on drives and speedups, and it's also what makes the soft game harder, because when you're stuck in the midcourt trying to reset a hard drive, the ball wants to fly on you. You can see it in my reset drills, where the hybrid version's control scored 60, a good bit under the average hybrid's 71.
So loosen your grip and use softer hands on drops and resets, especially if your last paddle was soft and plush. It takes some getting used to, and that's why I wouldn't hand one to a beginner.
What about the widebody?
Bread & Butter hasn't announced a Loco 2 widebody, and that's a bummer, because the original widebody was my favorite of the three, with one of the biggest sweet spots of any paddle I've tested. The store calls it the Loco "Standard", and it showed as unavailable on November 2, 2026 too. Even if it comes back, I'd go with the Loco 2 Hybrid. You'll lose a good bit of sweet spot and control, and the widebody's face is steadier on off-center hits, but you get the new grit.
What owners are saying
On November 2, 2026, I read the 24 newest Loco 2 reviews on Bread & Butter's site. Both shapes rate well, with 5.0 stars for the hybrid and 4.9 for the elongated, and none of the reviews I read was under 4 stars.
When owners bring up the grit, they love it. One hybrid owner wrote "The spin it gives because of the new grit is crazy!", and another said it feels just like the original Loco but lets them put the ball down in the court better. An owner with both shapes said they prefer the hybrid so far. The one 4 star review was about the packaging, since that paddle didn't come in the usual box.
Most of these owners have had theirs for only a few days, though, so nobody can say yet how the grit holds up over months.
Loco 2 Hybrid vs Zen S+ and Ultré Power 2
The Zen S+ is Pickleball Apes' foam power hybrid, and it hits harder than any other paddle I've tested. On paper, it beats the Loco 2 Hybrid. It has a good bit more power and control, a bit bigger sweet spot and a lighter swing, while pop and spin come out about the same. Like the Loco 2, it's USA Pickleball approved, and at $170 with code STSPICKLEBALL, it's about $28 cheaper.
The Loco 2 still has a few things going for it, though. For one, it has UPA-A approval, and the Zen S+ doesn't. And Space Dust is already in my wear test, but the Zen S+ grit coating hasn't been through it yet. When I checked Pickleball Apes' site on November 2, 2026, the Zen S+ had 57 owner reviews, and five of them said the spin or the grit let them down, one after 45 hours or more of play. Eight said it held up, but mostly after only a few hours. The feel is different too. The Zen S+ has an MPP foam core, which plays softer and plusher, and the Loco 2 is firm and crisp. So I'd take the Zen S+ if you only play USA Pickleball events and want the most power and forgiveness for less money. Just know it was a pre-order with no ship date on November 2, 2026, and its store says sale items can't be returned, so ask before you order.
11SIX24's Ultré Power 2 is No. 1 on my Best of 2026 list, and it's another power hybrid with a durable grit. It hits a bit harder for about the same price and is about even on pop, spin, sweet spot and control. But the Loco 2 Hybrid swings a bit lighter, so it's quicker in hands battles, and the Ultré is UPA-A only, so you can't use it in USA Pickleball sanctioned tournaments, though most local leagues and clubs accept it. If you'd trade a little hand speed for a bit more power, the Ultré is the pick. If you want quicker hands or play USA Pickleball events, stick with the Loco 2 Hybrid.
Alternatives to the Loco 2
Two paddles you might pick instead
How it stacks up against the CMD Hybrid and the J6CR Crystal Blue
A paddle only wins a score when it leads by 5 points or more.
Loco 2 HybridHybrid · $198.00
CMD HybridHybrid · $161.99The Loco 2 hits harder, has more pop and a bigger sweet spot. The CMD spins more and is more controllable. The CMD costs about $36 less.
Loco 2 HybridHybrid · $198.00
J6CR Crystal BlueElongated · $175.50The Loco 2 has more pop and a bigger sweet spot. The J6CR spins more and is more controllable. Power is about the same. The J6CR costs about $22 less.
Volair CMD Hybrid
If the Loco 2 sounds too stiff for you, Volair's CMD is the one I'd send you to. It's a softer hybrid with HexGrit that Volair licensed from 11SIX24, and it spins about the same as the Loco 2 Hybrid, but it scored 72 for control against the Loco 2's 60. When I tested it in October, it felt a lot softer and more plush than most durable grit paddles, so drops and dinks come off with less pace. You do give up a good bit of power, and its sweet spot is only about average for a hybrid. It's $162 with code STSPICKLEBALL and was in stock on November 2, 2026. It's UPA-A only, so it's not for USA Pickleball sanctioned tournaments.
Honolulu J6CR Crystal Blue
For the elongated shape, I'd take Honolulu's J6CR Crystal Blue instead, and it's my main paddle right now. It fixes exactly what holds the Loco 2 Elongated back, with a lot more control and a lot bigger sweet spot, so your resets and drops are much easier. It also spins more than any other elongated and has a 6 inch handle. And you get a little of that Honolulu softness compared with most power paddles, though it's not plush. On power, it's a bit behind the Loco 2 Elongated. It's $176 with code STS10, but it was sold out on November 2, 2026, with the next batch shipping November 13. Like the CMD, it's UPA-A only, so USA Pickleball sanctioned events are out.
Enhance MPP Turbo ArmorGrit Hybrid
Enhance's MPP Turbo ArmorGrit Hybrid is the budget pick, listed at $119.99 on November 2, 2026 and $99.99 with code STSPICKLEBALL, about half the Loco 2's price. It has an ArmorGrit coating over an MPP foam core, and that core feels softer and more plush than the Loco 2. You get about the same spin and sweet spot as the Loco 2 Hybrid and a good bit more control, with a bit less power. It's USA Pickleball approved, but it isn't on the UPA-A list. Where it falls short so far is the grit. About 25 games into my wear test in October, ArmorGrit was wearing down a little faster than HexGrit and Crystal Blue. So when yours arrives, run your fingers over the face after your first light session, and if it's already going smooth, send it back within Enhance's 14 day window for lightly used paddles.
My call
The Loco 2 is the original Loco with a grit built to fix the weakness it was known for, and so far it's doing that. The hybrid version is the one I'd buy. It hits as hard as the original, moves a bit faster and costs about $70 more than the original went for on sale, and you can play it at both USA Pickleball and UPA-A events. If USA Pickleball events are all you play, the Zen S+ beats it on paper for less, as long as you're OK with a grit I haven't tested yet. As for the elongated, the Loco 2 Elongated works if you already hit clean, but unless you need USA Pickleball approval, I'd take the J6CR Crystal Blue. If you mostly win your points with dinks and resets, the Loco 2 isn't for you. And if you love the spin but want a softer feel, the CMD has about the same spin and a good bit more control.
Testing details
- Tested, Hybrid
- September 27, 2026
- Tested, Elongated
- September 30, 2026
- Tested, Original widebody
- May 1, 2026
- Power and pop
- 20 full serves for power and 20 punch volleys for pop, every ball speed read on a Stalker radar gun.
- Spin
- 20 more serves on the radar. I drop the outliers and average the rest.
- Swing and twist weight
- Measured on a Briffidi SW1 swing weight machine.
- Sweet spot and control
- The same dinks, drops, resets and drives off a Titan ONE ball machine, for every paddle.
- The scores
- Out of 100, with the same tests for every paddle. The top paddles I've tested score 100.
- Published
- Updated
- Scores from
- My database, updated November 8, 2026. How I test
Watch the review
10:17Bread & Butter Loco 2 Month Update + Full Review / Metric Analysis
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