I have been extremely excited to write this comparison because the Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue and the Bread & Butter Loco are two paddles that come at performance from very different angles.
The J2CR Crystal Blue feels like a control-spin monster with plenty of power hiding underneath.
The BNB Loco feels like it walked onto the court, drank three espressos, and decided every drive should be a problem for your opponent.
Both paddles are premium. Both paddles are really fun. But they are definitely not the same.
So, in this review, I’m going to cover first impressions, how each paddle plays, spin, power, control, cost considerations, and finally which paddle I would choose.
First Impressions
Let’s start with the Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue.
This paddle immediately stands out because of the color and the grit. The blue endurance surface just looks awesome in person, and it honestly feels different from most paddles I’ve tested.
The best way I can describe the surface is that it almost feels like sandpaper. I’ve tested a lot of paddles now, and this is one of those surfaces where you touch it and immediately think, “Okay, this thing is going to spin the ball.” It’s similar to the Vapor Power 2, but the Vapor Power 2 actually may be even more sandpapery.
I also love that Honolulu still includes a premium paddle cover. That sounds like a small thing, but with how many expensive paddles now skip the cover, I appreciate it.
The J2CR shape is also my favorite Honolulu shape. The J2 gives you that Aero Hybrid Plus shape, and the CR stands for Core Reactor, which uses an EPP foam and EVA foam ring.
In plain English, it gives you a paddle that feels powerful, stable, and connected without feeling uncontrollable.
Now let’s talk about the BNB Loco.
The Loco feels completely different in hand. I tested the elongated version, and mine weighed around 8.1 ounces. Right away, it feels like a paddle built for offense.
It has a strong presence through the ball, and you can tell pretty quickly that this paddle wants to hit hard. The grit is decent, but I am definitely already seeing wear and tear over time. It doesn’t have the same super gritty surface.
The J2CR Crystal Blue feels more refined and surgical.
The BNB Loco feels more explosive and aggressive.
Both made great first impressions, but for very different reasons.
How Each Paddle Plays
The biggest thing to understand is that these paddles win in different ways.
The Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue feels like an all-court paddle that leans into spin, control, and controlled power. It gives you a lot of confidence because the ball stays on the face long enough to shape shots, but there is still enough pop to attack.
The BNB Loco is more about raw power. This paddle can absolutely punish the ball. Drives feel heavy, serves come off hot, and when you catch the ball cleanly, it feels like your opponent has very little time to react.
That said, the Loco took me a little more time to control.
It is not impossible to control by any means, but compared to the J2CR Crystal Blue, it requires better hands and a bit more discipline. If you get lazy, the ball can fly.
The J2CR Crystal Blue feels easier to trust immediately.
The Loco feels like the paddle you bring out when you want to cause problems.
Control
Control is where the J2CR Crystal Blue really separates itself for me.
This paddle just feels connected. Drops, resets, dinks, blocks, and counters all feel predictable. The ball sits on the face long enough that I feel like I can actually tell it where to go.
That’s probably my favorite thing about the paddle.
It has power, but it doesn’t feel wild. It has spin, but it doesn’t feel gimmicky. It has control, but it doesn’t feel dead.
That balance is hard to find.
The Loco can be controlled, but it takes more adjustment. Because it has so much pop and power, you need to be more careful on resets and soft shots. If you’re used to power paddles, you may adjust quickly. But if you’re coming from a softer control paddle, it may take some time.
At the kitchen, I felt more comfortable with the J2CR Crystal Blue.
On resets, I trusted the J2CR Crystal Blue more.
On drops, I had fewer floaters with the J2CR Crystal Blue.
For control, I’d rank them:
- Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue
- BNB Loco
Spin
Spin is one of the biggest reasons I love the J2CR Crystal Blue.
The Crystal Blue endurance surface is incredible. On serves, topspin drives, slices, and especially side-spin serves, the paddle really grabs the ball.
There were serves where the ball landed and jumped sideways in a way that made me laugh a little bit. Not because I planned it perfectly, but because the paddle just gives you so much help shaping the ball.
The other thing I noticed is that the surface seems to hide wear really well. With most paddles, after a few sessions, you can immediately see ball marks and signs of use. With the Crystal Blue, the surface still looked surprisingly clean.
That gives me hope that the spin may last longer than many traditional raw carbon paddles.
The BNB Loco also has good spin, but I would not put it in the same category as the J2CR Crystal Blue.
You can absolutely generate topspin with the Loco, especially because the paddle has so much power behind the ball. But the J2CR Crystal Blue gives me more confidence when I’m trying to shape the ball, dip drives, or hit nasty serves.
For spin, I’d give the edge to:
- Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue
- BNB Loco
The Loco has enough spin for competitive play, but the J2CR Crystal Blue is the clear winner here.
Power
Power is where the BNB Loco fights back.
Actually, it does more than fight back.
It starts throwing haymakers.
The Loco has some of the most impressive raw power I’ve felt in this price range. Serves feel big. Drives feel heavy. Speedups come off fast. If you like stepping into the ball and making your opponent react quickly, the Loco is going to be extremely fun.
A friend of mine recently used the Loco in singles and absolutely exploded with it. That made sense to me because this paddle seems built for aggressive players who want to take control of points early.
The J2CR Crystal Blue also has very good power, but it is more controlled power.
It gives you plenty on serves and drives, but it doesn’t feel quite as explosive as the Loco. For me, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. My hands are not exactly made of butter, so I appreciate power that doesn’t feel like it’s trying to betray me at the kitchen line.
The J2CR Crystal Blue lets you attack without constantly worrying about overhitting.
The Loco gives you more free power, but you need to manage it.
For power, I’d rank them:
- BNB Loco
- Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue
If you want the paddle with the most raw pop and plow-through, the Loco wins.
The Loco is playable and fun, but the J2CR Crystal Blue is simply easier to manage across an entire match.
Cost Considerations
The Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue is priced at $195 before discount code PICKLEBALLER20, which takes 10% off the paddle. I do receive a small commission if you use my code, which helps support the site, but there is never any expectation to use it.
That brings it close to $175.50, depending on the final checkout details.
Discount Code: PICKLEBALLER20
The BNB Loco is priced at $199 before discount code BEPICKLEBALLER, which takes it down to around $179.10.
Discount Code: BEPICKLEBALLER
So from a pricing standpoint, these paddles are extremely close.
The J2CR Crystal Blue is slightly cheaper after discount, but we are really talking about a small difference. At that point, I would not make the decision based on price alone.
I would make the decision based on how you play.
Which Paddle Should You Choose?
If I had to choose one paddle for my personal game, I would choose the Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue.
For me, it has the better blend of spin, control, power, and overall trust. It gives me enough offense to attack, but it still helps me stay consistent in the soft game.
That’s the combination I usually look for.
Choose the Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue if you want an all-court paddle with elite spin, excellent control, great feel, and plenty of usable power.
Choose the BNB Loco if you want raw power, heavy drives, explosive serves, and a paddle that can really pressure opponents from the baseline.
The Loco is probably the better choice for someone who wants maximum offense.
The J2CR Crystal Blue is probably the better choice for someone who wants the best overall balance.
Both paddles are excellent.
But for my game, the J2CR Crystal Blue is the one I’d reach for first. If you’re looking for more reviews check out my article covering the Selkirk Omni vs Boomstick.
