Dollar Tree Pickleball Paddle Review: Reddit user and artist Tyler brought his son along on a business trip, promising they would play pickleball. But when they arrived, they realized they had forgotten one paddle. A quick stop at a nearby Dollar Tree led to an unexpected find — a bright green plastic paddle for about $1.25.
Tyler shared the story in a now-popular Reddit post, saying,
“A mile from the hotel we found a paddle (and ball) for roughly $1.25 at the Dollar Tree. That should tell you everything — but oddly, it doesn’t.”
A Strange Sight on the Courts
The paddle, a neon green all-plastic model, caught attention immediately. Players stared, assuming it would be easy to beat anyone using it. Tyler admitted it looked more like a toy or kitchen tool than sports gear, yet it quickly became his secret weapon.
“It looks like a toy… or maybe a kitchen utensil. But it’s not. It’s a weapon of psychological warfare,” he said.
How the “Green Goblin” Performed
Tyler gave his new paddle a nickname — the “Green Goblin” — and rated it in three areas:
Spin: 0/10 – “Non existent. No matter how much I tried, I could not put top-spin on the ball. The faster you realize this, the quicker you will be able to adapt to this paddle.”
Power: 3/10 – The sweet spot was tiny. “It’s about an inch wide and sits roughly half an inch above the handle. That’s it.”
Deception: 10/10 – “Opponents didn’t know what to make of it. When I first pulled the Green Goblin out of my bag, people looked at me like I stole something from a child. I felt their paddle pity. But once I started sending them wildly inconsistent shots, their smugness turned into confusion… then frustration… then, possibly, envy.”
Not Tournament Legal — But Fun
Tyler was clear that the paddle was “about as far from USAP-approved as humanly possible.” Still, he admitted, “Absolutely,” he would play with it again.
Fans Join the Fun Online
The comments on his Reddit post showed strong support for the “Green Goblin”:
“Sold. Where’s your affiliate link and discount code?”
“I just bought two of these for my friend’s kids a couple days ago. I might have to give them my paddles to play with instead after reading this review.”
“Looks amazing, but out of my price range. Are there Alibaba clones of this?”
“What’s the twist weight? Did you try adding any weights to open that sweet spot? Perhaps a hexacore overgrip? Maybe a unicorn sticker or two.”
“Might be the best pickleball post I’ve ever read.”
Why It Matters
While the paddle would never be used in serious play, the story showed that fun and creativity can be just as important as skill in sports. Tyler summed it up:
“If you’ve got decent hands and a twisted sense of humor, it’s a blast.”
News in Brief: Dollar Tree Pickleball Paddle Review
Artist Tyler bought a $1.25 plastic pickleball paddle from Dollar Tree after forgetting one on a trip. Nicknamed the “Green Goblin,” it performed poorly in spin and power but excelled in confusing opponents. Despite not being tournament legal, Tyler enjoyed using it, and online fans praised the lighthearted review.
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