米ピックルボールメーカーの11SIX24が、2年前にレビュアーと愛好家の支持を集めたパドル「Jelly Bean」を第2世代「Jelly Bean 2」として復活させた。当時の発表では8月21日にデビューが予定されていた。Hurache-X／Vapor／Ultré／Pegasusの4形状をそろえ、いずれも厚み16mm、UPA-A承認、耐久グリップ面「HexGrit」を採用する。パドルが軒並み2万円超へと高級化するなか、価格は初代の約100ドルから169.99ドル（約2万6千円、1ドル155円概算）へ上がった。それでも自社の上位機や高級ブランドの主力より一段下に据える一手で、上位に迫る中身を3万円未満で狙いたい日本のプレーヤーの選択肢が一つ増えた。
Hurache-XからPegasusまで4形状、16mm・UPA-A承認で登場
11SIX24が公開した情報によると、Jelly Bean 2は同社の主力である4つのシェイプで一斉に出た。細長いHurache-X, the hybrid-shapedVaporandUltré, and the wide-bodyPegasusという並びだ。全モデル共通で厚みは16mm、面は同社が耐久性を売りにするHexGritで、UPA-A（USA Pickleball傘下の用具認証枠）に承認済みとされた。価格はピックルボール専門メディアThe Dinkが報じた169.99ドル（約2万6千円、1ドル155円概算）。初代の約100ドルからは引き上げだが、後述する自社上位機Power 2よりは下に置かれた。
The original Jelly Bean, at around $100, was called better than its price and became the face of control paddles
Why did the first Jelly Bean draw so much attention in the first place? When it appeared two years ago, overseas review sites lined up behind it. Pickleball Studio in the US called it one of the best control paddles at any price, and another review site, Pickle Madness, wrote that without knowing the $90 price you would guess $150 to $160, performance well beyond what it cost. Street prices ran around$99.99 or so (about $89 to $90 when discounted). It was easy to handle on placement shots such as the third-shot drop, the reset and the dink, and the balance of price and performance made it an easy first paddle for beginners and intermediates. Because it is not a power paddle, there were also notes that players who want to overpower opponents would find it lacking.
In a market where over 20,000 yen is normal, pricing one step below the flagship
What this revival shows is how to take a position in a paddle market splitting into two price tiers. Top paddles from major brands such as JOOLA, Selkirk and Six Zero reach the high 20,000s to the 30,000s in yen at Japanese retail, and 11SIX24 itself sells its higher Power 2 series at $209.99 (about 32,000 yen at a rough 155 yen to the dollar). Within that, Jelly Bean is the line whose original built a reputation for punching above its price at around $100. The second generation moves up to $169.99, but still lands below Power 2 and below rival flagships in the high 20,000s to 30,000s. Its position has shifted from cheapness itself to delivering near-flagship substance one rung cheaper. Against the trend of brand diversification, this stance of competing on what equipment is actually for stands in sharp contrast toSix Zero's move to stretch a paddle company into 15 apparel items. Put side by side, the difference in strategy is clear: one brand widens its catalog to create touchpoints, the other asks to be chosen on the price-to-performance of a single paddle.
| Line | Position | Street price guide |
|---|---|---|
| Jelly Bean (first generation) | Value and control | About $99.99 (about $89 to $90 discounted) |
| Jelly Bean 2 (new) | Dwell-focused, certified | $169.99 (about 26,000 yen) |
| Power 2 Series | Higher tier, power | $209.99 |
* Prices are approximations based on overseas street prices and official listings, with yen figures calculated at 155 yen to the dollar as a guide. They move with exchange rates and distribution.
A softer, denser foam core that chooses dwell over power
The design thinking inside also extends the original. Jelly Bean 2 uses a foam core softer and denser than the higher Power 2 line, tuned not for power that launches the ball but for a longer time on the face, known as dwell. Over the past few years the paddle core has been shifting from honeycomb to foam, and Jelly Bean 2's core design sits inside that shift. How core material changes feel and control becomes easier to picture when read withthe structural change in paddles as foam cores begin to replace honeycomb. Rather than maximizing power, it narrows its aim to control. That clarity has been Jelly Bean's consistent character.
For Japanese players, the price below the flagships and the UPA-A approval are what count
The impact on Japanese players splits in two. One is price. Once shipping and duties are added, $169.99 can effectively reach close to 30,000 yen in Japan, but it still tends to land below the JOOLA and Selkirk flagships, putting it within realistic reach for control-minded beginners and intermediates shopping for a first paddle. The other is what the UPA-A approval label means. Certification is the base that decides whether a paddle can be used in tournaments, and how that works is worth understanding together withthe reorganization that turns UPA-A nonprofit and splits certification in two. That single word, approved, guarantees that even a value paddle gets you to the door of sanctioned play. On availability, 11SIX24 sells mainly direct through its own site, so buying from Japan means personal import or parallel import. Shipping, duties, delivery time and the absence of a domestic warranty are all worth checking before you buy. Whether official distribution in Japan widens will decide how far paddles at this price take root here.
