Bread & Butter Loco Paddle Review (Power, Spin, Control, etc)

Bread & Butter is a fun pickleball company that makes great paddles. They also have the most engaging brand and social media presence in the space.

While Bread & Butter has entry-level paddle options, my main focus as a player and reviewer has been on their premium line of paddles. Their first premium paddle entry, their elongated thermoformed The Filth is an excellent paddle that I frequently recommend to players.

Now it’s time to review Bread & Butter’s second premium paddle, the hybrid-shaped Loco. I was eager to get my hands on this one and have had an enjoyable time play-testing it.

Let’s dive into the review.

Loco Technical Specifications

• Price: $165 ($140.25 after discount code DASHPB)
• Shape: Hybrid (between elongated and square)
• Core: Polypropylene Copolymer honeycomb
• Core thickness: 16mm
• Face: Nano T700 Raw Carbon Fiber face
• Length: 16.3 inches
• Width: 7.7 inches
• Weight: 7.7 – 7.9oz
• Handle Length: 5.3″ inches (closer to 5.5″ in reality)
• Handle Circumference: 4.25 inches (mine measured closer to 4.125″)
• Swing Weight: 114 (very lightweight)
• Twist Weight: 6.21 (moderate stability)

Loco Review Quick Summary

The Loco is a hybrid-shaped thermoformed paddle similar to the Ronbus R1 Pulsar, Vatic Pro Flash, and Six Zero Double Black Diamond. It’s lightweight and maneuverable, with a low swing weight of 114. It has great pop & power with top-tier spin, like it’s elongated-sibling, the Filth.

I really like the direction that B&B took with the Loco. Many people have found the extra powerful thermoforms to be too poppy/strong, but they also want something more powerful than the softer Gen. 1 paddles. The Loco is great because it brings a nuanced balance of thermoformed control that lands in between control paddles like the Vatic Prism Flash and other thermoformed control paddles like the DBD.

The Loco was made for those who prioritize a lightweight paddle that excels in hand speed without sacrificing power, spin, or pop. Since it is so easy to maneuver, the Loco is an excellent paddle to help build confidence in being aggressive at the kitchen. You can get into position quickly with the Loco when swapping paddle positions, such as from backhand to forehand during hand battles. The high-pop output of the Loco combines very well with its easy maneuverability and made me feel very confident at the kitchen.

All in all, this is a great paddle for its category, like Bread & Butter’s The Filth is in the elongated category. Bread & Butter’s pricing is fair, the aesthetics of the paddle are unique and on-point, plus you get great packaging and extras when you purchase a Loco. This is an easy paddle for me to recommend to those interested in it.

Feel

Handle

The shape and feel of the Loco’s handle is similar to paddles from Vatic Pro, Ronbus, and Six Zero. Its length is marketed as 5.3″, but it feels closer to 5.5″, which places it at my ideal length. It’s great for two-handed backhands and for extra whippy shots. The grip size might be a bit small for those with larger hands. If that’s you, I’d recommend adding an overgrip to thicken it up some.

Weight and Balance

The Loco is on the lighter end and feels very balanced. If you’re coming from an elongated paddle, the Loco will likely feel crazy whippy and light. I haven’t noticed any head heaviness or weight distribution problems with the three Locos that I’ve play-tested. My swings feel very quick and fluid.

How it feel contacting the Ball

Like other thermoformed paddles, the Loco feels crisp and poppy on contact. It has a nice feel when making contact with the ball and is very responsive. It feels well-balanced between power, pop, spin, and control. One of the more comfortable paddles I’ve used this year, putting it right next to my favorite hybrid-paddle, the R1 Pulsar. It’s worth noting that it is on the softer end of touch compared to many other thermo paddles. It’s less stiff than the Vatic Pro Flash and Double Black Diamond 16mms.

Power

The Loco has upper-tier power overall, but mid-tier power for a thermoform, which is to be expected for a light, hybrid-shaped thermoformed paddle. If you’ve already played with powerful thermoforms, then the Loco likely won’t wow you at the baseline when hitting big serves and drives. But it still hits harder than non-thermoformed paddles and will please most players with its power output. If you want more power out of your Loco, consider adding weighted tape.

Pop

I’ve found the Loco to have above-average pop output. It’s great for shorter strokes like counters, flicks, and punch volleys. You get a ton of velocity and speed on quick shots given how light it is. This is an area where it shines, especially when combined with its high-maneuverability at the net.

Control

The Loco has a very nice feel on touch shots for a thermoformed paddle. I’ve found it to have better touch than Six Zero’s Double Black Diamond and Vatic’s Flash line. The Loco is slightly more plush and buttery than both of those paddles, though less so than the Six Zero Ruby and Pro Line Energy S. The Loco’s sweet spot is large and forgiving, comparable to top hybrid-shaped thermoformed paddle. Overall, one of the better control-oriented thermoforms that I’ve played with. But note that some players are better able to control stiffer, more responsive paddles, so there is some subjectivity here.

The Loco’s twist weight is 6.12, so it’s not going to be the most stable paddle out there without added weight. If you dramatically mishit the ball you may feel the paddle twist in your hand a bit. But the 6.12 swing weight isn’t bad, considering it has such a low swing weight.

Spin

The Loco’s spin output is high, over 2,100 RPMs per my testing, which puts it well into the top tier of spin output across the paddle market. It uses the same coarse peel-ply layer as The Filth, so this is not surprising.

With such high spin, you can manipulate the ball to your liking with proper mechanics. Spin is becoming more and more important as the speed of the game increases, and the Loco’s spin is excellent for adding extra top spin and slice to your drives and dinks.

I’ve noticed that my spin output is higher at the kitchen on quick exchanges and dinks when compared to comparable Siz Zero, Vatic, and Ronbus paddles. I attribute this to the slightly coarser paddle face of the Loco.

Maneuverability

The Loco is going to be faster in hand than most paddles. It’s swing-weight of 114 is impressive, and provides a notable boost in maneuverability, even compared to other hybrid-shaped paddles. It feels most comfortable at the net, but is also great when mixing up drops and drives from midcourt and at the baseline. While I love my B&B Filth, the Loco definitely makes it feel a bit sluggish when swapping back and forth between them.

Durability

So far Bread & Butter’s paddles have proven to be durable over time. Like other thermoformed paddle manufacturers, they’ve addressed the issues that plagued early Gen. 2 thermoform manufacturing, such as delamination, disbonding, and core-corruption.

Value

The Loco is an excellent Gen. 2 thermoformed paddle for the price at $140.25 after discount code DASHPB. I love the packaging and overall feel of the company. They’re really engaged and customer-focused. truly the most unique brand in the market. In addition to the great price, you’ll get extras in your box with your Loco, like a paddle eraser and lead tape. Maybe a beer koozie, as well.

Should you Buy the Bread & Butter Loco?

You should pick yourself up a Loco if:

• You prefer shorter, hybrid-style paddles over elongated paddles
• You prefer high maneuverability to helps your hand speed game, The Loco is super fast at the kitchen, improving your ability to change your paddle position in hand battles quickly.
• You want a thermoformed paddle that trades some power for improved feel, touch, and overall control. The loco is great for touch shots, like drops, dinks, and resets, while providing you with enough power when you need it.
• You want a slightly longer handle than most paddles out there (The Loco is officially 5.3″ in handle length, but it measures out closer to 5.5″). This makes it great for bigger hands, two-handed backhands, and adding more whip to increase power.
• You want a well-made, durable, and high-performing paddle without having to pay exorbitant, $200+ prices. The Loco is priced very reasonably given its performance capabilities.
• You want a nice-looking paddle. Let’s face it, aesthetics matter to a lot of us! The Loco is one of my favorite-looking paddles in my arsenal. Its clean yet unique design makes for an appealing pick.

All in all, the Loco gets my recommendation. If you want a super quick, hybrid paddle that offers premium affordability with a well-balanced blend of power, pop, control, and spin, then you can’t go wrong with the Loco. Note that if you find it too light, you can always add some weighted tape to the Loco.