BREAD & BUTTER Invader

Fiberglass reinforcement beneath the carbon fiber face layers has become a popular configuration, increasing power on full swings while reducing pop on shorter swings for better control. This is what Bread & Butter did with the Invader. However, this can also stiffen the paddle’s feel. To counter this, Bread & Butter incorporates a polyester/carbon weave (also known as titanium) as the top face layer of the Invader, softening the feel and maintaining the power benefits of the fiberglass.

There are several paddles now that use a similar facing layup with the buried fiberglass layer but they don’t all have good power and pop. This one does. It is above the median for all-court paddles offensively but the pleasant feel gives you a nice connection to the paddle that makes it a little easier to control and feel the ball.

It’s a midweight paddle with a swingweight range of 116-118. While not the fastest paddle you’ll play with, it’s a good weight that plows through the ball well and has an above average sweet spot for a hybrid shape without being too cumbersome to move around and manage. I didn’t add any weight to the paddle and liked how it moved and felt out of the box though I imagine some players will like adding some weight in the handle to make it easier to flick.