Pickleballer in the 808: Tyler Makabe

Hawai'i Pickleball NewsHawai'i Pickleball Players

Sep 2

Pickleballer in the 808: Tyler Makabe (R) with friend Jonas

Honolulu—When you think of local PB brands, you think of t-shirts and paddles, but never really about stuff like nets, balls, and bags…those categories belong to the big national manufacturers.

Or so I thought.

Recently, I was introduced to Tyler Makabe, a tennis player who also happens to be “obsessed” (his words, not mine) with pickleball.

When you start playing, you realize you need all-the-things; new paddle, balls, portable net, grip tape, color coordinated edge guard, new UV-protective clothes and of course, a pickleball bag. Like many of us, Tyler went searching for the perfect PB bag but couldn’t find one that checked all the boxes.

Frustrated with the lack of available good choices, he took matters into his own hands and created his own line of PB bags. Fast forward to today, Tyler owns and runs LEVA Pickleball, on top of his demanding day job as a Civil Engineer.

Without further ado, please meet Pickleballer in the 808 Tyler Makabe!

Currently residing in: Waikele, on O’ahu

Where did you grow up and what high school did you go to?

I grew up in Waikele and graduated from Punahou School.

How did you discover PB and when did you start playing?

Started playing pickleball thru a friend during COVID, and everything else is history.

What prompted you to start LEVA Pickleball?

After my obsession with the sport I realized there’s no pickleball bag that fits everything I need/want… so I created my own.

What obstacles, if any, did you encounter while designing/creating the bags for LEVA?

Designing the product with different materials was the biggest obstacle. Through many iterations and testing of the product in Hawaii’s hottest weather and rainy seasons, I finally perfected the best weather-resistant bag on the market.

What do you do outside of pickleball (hobbies, work, school, etc)?

I’m a Civil Engineer full-time, and as a side hobby I sell luxury goods and popular clothing/items.

What do you love most about pickleball?

I love that I’m able to meet people that I may not have crossed paths with otherwise.