Today we’d like to introduce you to Hugh Davis.
Hi Hugh, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Revolin started the way a lot of innovations do—with frustration. Back in 2013, I starting playing pickleball, and very quickly got obsessed. I signed up for every tournament I could and found the best paddles I could. But, my so-called “premium” paddles kept breaking. These were top-tier models, yet they barely lasted a few months.
In 2015, late nights in the University of Michigan’s Supermileage labs changed everything. While working on lightweight, sustainable cars, I discovered natural materials strong enough to rival carbon fiber. A question started tugging at me: Could I make a better paddle using nature instead of synthetics?
My sister, Greta (also an engineering student) joined me, and we dove into experimentation. We tried jute from old coffee sacks, scrap bamboo veneers, leaf leather, cork, pineapple bark—anything that held promise. Curiosity turned into an obsession: 250+ material combinations, 400+ prototypes, and more failures than I could count. But each one pushed us closer to paddles that not only performed, but also endured.
Over the years, the path became clear. Revolin would build the highest-performing paddles we could, in a more thoughtful, sustainable way, powered by material science and a deep respect for nature
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Engineering is how we get there. It’s part of who I am—and who we are as a team. We’re engineers, athletes, and nature lovers, driven by competition and grounded in sustainability. At the crossroads of pickleball and natural materials, we found our mission: to prove that high performance and environmental responsibility can—and should—go hand in hand. Every win on the court should be a win for the planet, and for the generations that follow.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The journey has been wild, fun, challenging, rewarding, and everything in between. One of the biggest struggles along the way was when we were trying to launch our first pickleball product in 2019. We experienced just about every problem possible. COVID created material and labor shortages, shipping delays, and prices of raw inputs went way up. When we finally made our first batch of 200 paddles, everyone had major quality issues, both aesthetically and functionally, so we couldn’t sell any of them. Meanwhile, we were working out of my parents’ garage in the middle of the Michigan winter with no heating and our funding was completely bootstrapped. It was a grind, but it was also fun a heck and we didn’t know any better. Ultimately, we ended up ACTUALLy launching our first paddle, the Equinox, in Sept 2020, about 14 months after we planned.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Revolin Sports is a Michigan-based, performance-driven pickleball company built on advanced material science and sustainability. We design and engineer high-performance pickleball paddles using natural, renewable materials that rival (and often outperform) traditional carbon fiber/fiberglass constructions. Our specialty is creating paddles that deliver elite playability while dramatically reducing environmental impact
What sets us apart is our engineering-first approach and USA Made products. We’ve spent more than five years developing and testing over 250 material combinations and building more than 400 prototypes to develop an entirely new class of performance materials derived from plants, not petroleum. Instead of following industry trends, we innovate from the ground up focused first on creating performance and quality benefits paired with a thoughtful, scientific commitment to the planet. This includes building all of our paddles in the USA.
Brand-wise, we’re most proud of proving that athletes don’t have to choose between performance and sustainability. Our paddles are known for combining exceptional control, power, and durability with materials like flax and hemp, the strongest plant fibers in the world, and volcanic, lava fibers. Every product we release is backed by rigorous engineering, extensive play-testing, and a belief that sports equipment should move the industry forward, not backward.
What we want readers to know is this: Revolin is for players who care about performance, the planet, and want to support USA made products. Whether you’re a competitive athlete or a passionate weekend player, our paddles are designed to help you play your best while supporting a more sustainable future for the sport. We’re engineers, athletes, and nature lovers — and everything we create reflects that intersection.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
When you are just starting, find a co-founder or a really close, trusted advisor who’s in the trenches with you. I started Revolin with my co-founders Sophie and Greta, and we helped each other out of so many lows and celebrated so many highs together. Starting a company is a crazy adventure and having someone in the depths of it with you can help keep you sane.
Pricing:
- Torch Pickleball Paddle (Power + Spin): $224
- Drift Pickleball Paddle (Control + Spin): $175
- Rise Pickleball Paddle (Your first paddle): $99
Contact Info:
- Website: https://revolinsports.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/revolinsportspickleball
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RevolinSports/
