What's in a name? Many times it's an acurate description of a place, person or thing. Such is not the case with The Paddle Company's latest offering for paddle-sports- the "Mariposa." Mariposa means "butterfly" in Spanish. You're thinking "light, colorful and fragile," right? Colorful and attractive it is, with its unique hole pattern and abstract butterfly motif on its face. But don't let any of that fool you!

This is one brute of a paddle, people.

Touch the hitting surface and you'll feel the almost 40 grit roughness. Press down on the face with your thumb and you'll get very little give. Pick it up and you'll feel heft like no other paddle in TPC's extensive line up. Swing it and you may be dissuaded from buying it just because it's so weighty. But again- don't go by that first impression.

This is a paddle that you just have to play with for a week or so to really appreciate and learn all it can bring to your game.

My paddle's as tested weight's probably 1 ounce or so over the bone-stock Mariposa but even so, swingin' this thing's no cinch. The "plus" side is that due to all that mass it takes just a slight tap to get the ball up to the wall. Learn to use wrist-snap and time it just right and the ball moves. This thing packs one hell of a punch! The sweet spot is huge- but there's plenty of power to be had towards the top of the paddle, also. Short-hop kills on the fast approach to the wall are a cinch with this stick. More days with the Mariposa and you'll learn how to put the Grit to use. The "digs" you can make using that Grit and a little tap will amaze you! That ball's not going to slide off the paddle and into the dirt.

It is not a paddle for the "quick" game due to its weight- but shorten your grip on it and you'll find it surprisingly manuverable for those quick "wrist-flick" kills or lobs.

The grip is typical TCP stock and is adequately tacky for good control. As I said, this thing's a brute and it's rugged but a paddle this good deserves a good layer of protection along its edges. Don't forget!

Given a week, you may just call this your favorite paddle. Two weeks and you'll be like me- calling this one of TPC's very best.

"Tennis Ball" Eddie Laboy