RPM Jade Problems: What’s Real and What the New Warranty Covers

The short answer

RPM’s CEO just admitted some Jade paddles from the first batch had problems. Then RPM TRIPLED the Jade warranty. Companies don’t do that for fun, folks.

So is the RPM Jade a lemon? Or is the internet making a mountain out of a molehill? We went digging, and it’s not what the comment sections are telling you.

Bottom line? It’s a real problem, it’s an early batch, and it’s a whole lot smaller than the comments make it sound. Below I’ll walk you through what happened, which complaints are real, how my own Jade is holding up, what the new warranty actually covers, and a 1-minute checkup you can do on yours.

A few weeks ago, in our RPM Jade review, I told you this grit was designed to last a long time. So when people started saying it doesn’t, I figured I owe you an update.

Quick disclosure: we have a discount code with RPM, and we bought this Jade ourselves. That doesn’t change what I’m telling you. If this paddle has a problem, you’re going to hear it from me.

What happened with the RPM Jade

So let’s start out with what happened.

The Jade is $270 ($269.99 list). It’s the most expensive paddle RPM makes, and the whole pitch was spin that lasts. “Tier 1” durable grit.

Then Chris over at Pickleball Studio put out a video called “What is Going on with the RPM Jade?” He bought two Jades with his own money. After 30 games, one had lost about 14% of its spin. The other one had 52 games on it, and it lost about 15%.

Now here’s what made people sit up. The same day, he tested another paddle with 117 games on it... and it had barely lost anything. So it wasn’t his arm.

To be fair to Chris, he didn’t say the Jade is junk. He said some units seem fine and some aren’t.

Then James Ignatowich, RPM’s co-founder and CEO, jumped into the comments and wrote this:

“There were definitely QC issues with some paddles from our first batch. We fixed it for all paddles currently in production. ... This won’t happen again.”

A day later, on October 30, the new Jade warranty came out. I’ll get to that, because there’s some fine print you’re going to want to know.

RPM Jade problems: what’s real and what’s noise

Okay. If you read the comments, you’d think every Jade out there is falling apart. “It’s Tier 3.” “It’s a scam.”

So we went looking. Reddit, YouTube, Instagram, the Discord. And we split everything into two piles. Pile one is people saying “MY paddle has this problem.” Pile two is people repeating something they heard somewhere.

Pile one? About a dozen people. That’s it.

Handle rattle (“the maracas”)

The most common one is a rattle in the handle. People are calling it the maracas. And that’s great at a fiesta... not so great on a third shot drop.

Face separating from the core

Then a few brand-new paddles where the face started coming apart from the core. RPM replaced at least two of those.

Spin loss

Chris’s two paddles, and a handful of folks who say theirs feels less gritty.

Everything else was pile two. And there are owners on the other side, too. One fella with over a hundred games says his is still “extremely spinny.”

Now, to be fair, most people with a bad paddle never post about it. They just email the company. So the real number is higher than what we can see. How much higher? Nobody outside of RPM knows. Our “about a dozen” is a count of what we could find on October 30, not a defect rate.

You remember the Gen 3 paddles and that core crushing problem? Some were fine, some weren’t, and you didn’t know which one you were going to get. This feels a lot like that... except this time the company came right out and said so.

Bottom line? It’s a real problem, it’s an early batch, and it’s a whole lot smaller than the comments make it sound.

What about my Jade?

So what about mine? I’ve got about 30 hours on it now, and it’s still spinning great for me.

I shook it next to my ear on camera, and yes, mine’s got a little rattle in the handle too.

But I’ll be honest with you. That’s not enough hours for a fair spin test yet. When it is, it’s going right back on our spin camera, good or bad.

The new RPM Jade warranty: 3 changes

All right, let’s talk about the new warranty. RPM posted it on October 30, and there are three changes.

Number three is the big one. Here’s why. RPM’s regular warranty lists this under “Normal Use,” and normal wear isn’t covered:

“Edge guard nicks, grit smoothing, or grip wear from typical play”

Spin loss is the number one complaint out there. So that “just tell us” line is what’s really covering you.

The fine print

Now the fine print. Read this part before you email anybody.

• RPM still gets the final say, and they can still ask for the old paddle back.
• It only covers paddles bought new from RPM or an authorized retailer. If you picked yours up used on eBay, Facebook or Craigslist, you’re not covered.
• It’s the Jade only. The Q2 still gets one claim.
• You’ll need photo or video proof, and RPM says it answers in 3 to 5 business days.

The 1-minute Jade checkup

If you’ve got a Jade, try this. It takes about a minute.

On step two, don’t go pressing on the edges. That outer ring is softer foam on purpose, so it’s going to give a little.

On step three, if one side’s gone smooth and the other hasn’t, make a video of it. That’s your proof.

Then email warranty@rpmpb.com with your order number and that photo or video.

Should you buy an RPM Jade now?

So should you buy one now?

James says every paddle they’re making now is fixed. Nobody has tested that new batch yet, so I can’t promise you that.

But here’s how I look at it. With three claims, and a replacement that ships first, RPM is taking most of the risk off of you. If you like the way this paddle plays, and I really do, that’s a pretty good safety net.

If you’d rather see the proof first, I get it. Give it a few weeks. Chris’s own advice, if you’ve been on the fence, was to wait a little bit longer, and that’s fair.

Still deciding between the Jade and the Q2? My full RPM Jade vs RPM Q2 review breaks down the sound test, the spin test, and which one fits your game.

Do you own a Jade?

Tell me in the comments over on our YouTube video. Has yours had any of these problems, or is it playing great? And roughly how many games are on it? I’m keeping count.

And subscribe, because when my Jade has enough hours on it, it’s going back on the spin camera.

One last thing. We only want to represent honest, forthright companies. RPM is one of those, and we’re still very proud to be an affiliate.

RPM Jade FAQ

Did RPM admit the Jade had QC issues?

Yes. James Ignatowich, RPM’s co-founder and CEO, wrote that there were “definitely QC issues with some paddles from our first batch,” and that they fixed it for all paddles currently in production. A day later, RPM tripled the Jade warranty.

Is the RPM Jade a lemon?

Our take: it’s a real problem, it’s an early batch, and it’s a whole lot smaller than the comments make it sound. We counted about a dozen firsthand complaints, mostly handle rattle, and RPM says it fixed the problem for all paddles currently in production.

What are the most common RPM Jade problems?

A rattle in the handle (people call it “the maracas”), a few brand-new paddles where the face started separating from the core, and spin loss.

How much spin did the Jade lose in Pickleball Studio’s test?

About 14% after 30 games on one paddle, and about 15% after 52 games on the other. A different paddle with 117 games barely changed.

What does the new RPM Jade warranty cover?

Three claims over the life of the paddle (it was one), and it counts for Jades people already own. Your replacement ships first, and the “just tell us” clause covers a Jade that “just isn’t playing the way it should.” RPM has the final say and may still ask for the old paddle.

Does the new warranty cover the RPM Q2?

No. It’s the Jade only. The Q2 still gets one claim.

Is a used RPM Jade covered?

No. It only covers paddles bought new from RPM or an authorized retailer. eBay, Facebook and Craigslist resales aren’t covered.

How do I file an RPM Jade warranty claim?

Email warranty@rpmpb.com with your order number and a photo or video of the problem. RPM says it answers in 3 to 5 business days.

Are new RPM Jade paddles fixed?

RPM’s CEO says they fixed it for all paddles currently in production. Nobody has tested the new batch yet, so we can’t confirm that.