Honolulu has taken the paddle everyone has been talking about, the J6CR Crystal Blue, and changed one thing. The face, the shape and every published spec are the same. The core is new, and Honolulu says it brings more top-end power. It is called MPP, the paddle is the Honolulu J6CR M105 (Honolulu writes it M 105, our listing says M.105), and we have it on pre-order at A$329 in Blue or White.
Here is the part we want to be straight about: we have not hit it yet, and as far as we can find nobody has published on-court or lab results. So this is not a review. It is a plain guide to what has changed, what has not, and who should pre-order it rather than simply buying the standard J6CR Crystal Blue, which is in stock now in White (the Blue is on pre-order). When our first M105s land we will hit them and update this page.
Why everyone is watching the M105
The M105 is built on a paddle that keeps selling out. Honolulu’s own J6CR Crystal Blue page says its 11th pre-order batch sold out and the 12th ships on 30 October. We covered that paddle in our J6CR Crystal Blue pre-order guide. That demand belongs to the J6CR, not the M105, but it is why the M105 has attention on day one.
What is new on the M105 pickleball paddle: the MPP core
On Honolulu’s own pages, the J6CR Crystal Blue lists a multi-density foam core, and the USA Pickleball equipment list gives the J6CR an EPP foam core. The M105 lists multi-density foam, MPP. That one line is the whole published difference. Honolulu says the MPP core gives a softer bottom end feel and more potential top end power, which makes the M105, on Honolulu’s description, the J6CR turned up.
What is Honolulu MPP?
Honolulu does not say. Elsewhere in the trade, MPP is used as the name of a foam on other paddles. The Dink describes it as modified polypropylene and Pickleball Effect as microcellular polypropylene, and the two do not quite agree on how it feels. Honolulu has not said its MPP is the same material, so we will not say it either.
What stayed the same: the face, the shape and the specs
The M105 uses the Crystal Blue Endurance Surface, the same carbon fibre and fibreglass face as the J6CR Crystal Blue, in the same elongated shape. Every spec range Honolulu publishes for the M105 matches its J6CR Crystal Blue page. These are Honolulu’s ranges, not measurements.
| Spec | Honolulu lists |
|---|---|
| Core | Multi-density MPP foam, 16mm |
| Shape | Elongated, 16.48 x 7.52 in (41.9 x 19.1 cm) |
| Weight | 8.0 to 8.2 oz (227 to 232 g) |
| Swing weight | 111 to 116 |
| Twist weight | 6.2 to 6.7 |
| Grip | 6.0 in long, 4.125 in circumference |
| Surface | Crystal Blue Endurance Surface |
| Colours | Blue, White |
That table is Honolulu’s, identical on its J6CR Crystal Blue page. We have not measured an M105.
The grit evidence belongs to the J6CR
On the J6CR Crystal Blue, Pickleball Effect’s wear test found the grit kept 97 percent of its roughness (Ra) and 92 percent of its peak height (Rz). That is a result for the J6CR Crystal Blue. Nobody has wear tested the M105, so we will not put a durability number on it. Our J6CR Crystal Blue pre-order review covers the surface in more depth.
What we do not know yet
- How the core feels. Honolulu says softer at the bottom end. Nobody has said how that compares with the J6CR Crystal Blue.
- Whether it has more top end power. Honolulu says more potential. Nothing has been measured.
- How the grit wears. The 97 percent figure is the J6CR’s.
We will report back when our first ones land, and say plainly if Honolulu’s description does not hold up.
Who should pre-order the M105, and who should buy the J6CR
The M105 is A$329. The J6CR Crystal Blue is A$308. The face, the shape and the published specs are the same, so the extra A$21 buys the new core and a wait. Pickleball Effect calls the J6CR Crystal Blue a mid to higher level player’s paddle, and Spinwave says it suits aggressive intermediate to advanced players. The M105 has the same shape.
Pre-order the M105 if
- You already like the J6CR’s shape and surface and want to find out what the new core does.
- You own a J6CR and want a second paddle with a different core to compare back to back.
- You are happy to buy on Honolulu’s description rather than a test, and to wait until it lands in Sydney.
Buy the J6CR Crystal Blue now if
- You want to play this week. The J6CR Crystal Blue is in stock now in White. The Blue is on pre-order.
- You would rather buy a paddle with independent reviews and a grit lab result behind it. The M105 has neither yet.
- You would rather not pay A$21 more before anyone has tested the new core.
Not sure the elongated shape is right for you? Read our Honolulu J2CR vs J6CR guide first. If you want a proven paddle this week, the J6CR is the answer. If you want first go at the new core, pre-order the M105 and hold us to reporting back.
Colours: Blue or White
The M105 comes in Blue and White. In Honolulu’s photos the face is the same dark navy on both. The edge guard and grip change: azure and sky blue on the Blue, white on the White.
How the M105 pre-order works
- Pick Blue or White on the Honolulu J6CR M105 product page and pay A$100 now.
- The remaining A$229 is charged when your paddle ships to you.
- Honolulu says it ships its first batch on 15 November. That is when it leaves Honolulu, not when it reaches Sydney.
- When our shipment is booked we will confirm the Sydney arrival date on this page.
Honolulu M105 FAQ
Is the M105 better than the J6CR Crystal Blue?
We do not know yet, and nobody else does either. Honolulu says the MPP core gives a softer bottom end feel and more potential top end power, but nobody has put the two side by side on court or in a lab. We will hit both once our first M105s land.
When does the M105 arrive in Australia?
Honolulu says its first batch ships on 15 November. We do not have a Sydney arrival date yet and will not guess one. We will confirm it on this page once our shipment is booked.
Is the M105 tournament legal?
Honolulu lists it as UPA-A approved. When we checked on 7 October it was not on the UPA-A published list yet, and we could not find it on the USA Pickleball list either. If you play sanctioned events, check the list your event follows before you pre-order. We will update this page when the M105 appears on one.
Will my M105 look like the photos?
Not exactly. Honolulu says the Crystal Blue surface varies from paddle to paddle in texture, grit distribution and shading, and that this is normal, not a defect. Treat the photos as a guide, not a promise.
The verdict
Changing only the core of the paddle people already queue for is a bold, focused move from Honolulu. Until someone has hit it, Honolulu’s description is all anyone has, and we will hit ours the day they land. Pre-order the M105 if you want first go at the new core. Buy the J6CR Crystal Blue if you want a proven paddle this week.
