Gearbox Pro Power Elongated - A Definite Game Changer

Bud

Bionic Poster
This paddle has received glowing reviews over the past few days. Brand new technology not seen in any other paddle.

Just slightly below EVA for power but above all other paddles currently on the market. Also, tournament legal. Muted sound, 14mm width. This thing is a game changer and people will complain about the pop and power.

The paddle has what amounts to a faux stringbed inside. Check out the tech on their website. I'm not quite sure how it passed the deflection test unless the face was sitting flat on a table. It doesn't deflect from the surface into the core. The entire face deflects in the opposite direction on ball contact.


Also, check out the reviews on YouTube.

I had to order one :)
 
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tennytive

Hall of Fame
Will be interested to read your review. BTW how many paddles do you own/play with? It seems you could open your own store from what I can remember between you and BBP.
Way too pricey for me, but I certainly hope you get what you paid for. As a rec player, it's hard for me to justify $300 for any paddle. ALW plays with an $89. Paddletek and seems to be doing okay. I have to say tho, this one is maybe the best looking paddle I've seen. Color me green.
 

treo

Semi-Pro
These new paddles will be available to demo from Gearbox in December. You just have to pay $20 for shipping. I want to try one out. I have a Diadem Vice EVA paddle and it has a nice sound and lot of power but unpredictable with a hot spot in the center. I'd rather play with my regular paddles.
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
These new paddles will be available to demo from Gearbox in December. You just have to pay $20 for shipping. I want to try one out. I have a Diadem Vice EVA paddle and it has a nice sound and lot of power but unpredictable with a hot spot in the center. I'd rather play with my regular paddles.
I owned a Hudef Future EVA and sold it. Lots of power but couldn't generate the spin. It was also cannon loud. Every time I hit an overhead, everyone looked over at me :-D
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
I
Will be interested to read your review. BTW how many paddles do you own/play with? It seems you could open your own store from what I can remember between you and BBP.
Way too pricey for me, but I certainly hope you get what you paid for. As a rec player, it's hard for me to justify $300 for any paddle. ALW plays with an $89. Paddletek and seems to be doing okay. I have to say tho, this one is maybe the best looking paddle I've seen. Color me green.
I only play with one at a time :cool:

I own 10 or so. Going to be selling some on here, soon.

Currently use the OYA Obsidian/Phantom as my primary. Trying out the Pickleball Apes Pro Line Energy with the Aramid/RCF face.

I have a few Ronbus paddles and my two original XSPAK gen1 paddles.

Likely selling the two gen1 Ronbus 1.16 and 3.16 paddles soon. Keeping the R1 Pulsar.

Sold the Hudef Future and Vatic Pro Prism Flash.
 
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ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
Will be interested to read your review. BTW how many paddles do you own/play with? It seems you could open your own store from what I can remember between you and BBP.
Way too pricey for me, but I certainly hope you get what you paid for. As a rec player, it's hard for me to justify $300 for any paddle. ALW plays with an $89. Paddletek and seems to be doing okay. I have to say tho, this one is maybe the best looking paddle I've seen. Color me green.

hey hey hey sir Tenny … I am no where close to Bud … he stands alone (if has room with all those paddle on his living room floor :-D ).

Besides I’m done ;) … found my forever home:

Vatic Pro Flash 14
8.71 oz
3g lead at 8, 10,12, 2, 4

Stock static weight 7.8, swingweight 110ish … so I had room to bump up both

I am surprised I needed to go to 8.7 … V7 was about perfect for me at 8.4 oz (but swingweight 120ish) … but hands significantly faster even at 8.7 … go figure. ???

We should get Bud to adopt us.
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
Will be interested to read your review. BTW how many paddles do you own/play with? It seems you could open your own store from what I can remember between you and BBP.
Way too pricey for me, but I certainly hope you get what you paid for. As a rec player, it's hard for me to justify $300 for any paddle. ALW plays with an $89. Paddletek and seems to be doing okay. I have to say tho, this one is maybe the best looking paddle I've seen. Color me green.

Here is one you might enjoy … I certainly did.

Talking to a friend at pickleball. We were talking paddles … he has a Joola and a Selkirk. I expressed … perhaps with a drama queen tone ;) … I will never spend $200 on a paddle. His response was priceless:

“I hear you and understand. btw … how many Vatics do you have in that bag?”

BBP: four :rolleyes::-D
 
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Bud

Bionic Poster
The twist weight is crazy low, which makes me pause, as well as the $275 price tag
You can fix that with a couple 4" long strips of lead at 3/9. Will boost TW significantly.

It doesn't have an edge guard which will effect the twistweight.
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
fyi … I meant addressed twist weight in reviews … fixed typo (y)

One of my opponents/friends today had just spent $270 on previous Gearbox … ouch!!!
This will be my first paddle with a thickness less than 16mm. I'm really curious to try this one. It should be here early next week.
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
This will be my first paddle with a thickness less than 16mm. I'm really curious to try this one. It should be here early next week.

Seriously … adopt me … I come with a wife and two Chiweenies 8-B

The Vatic Pro Flash 14mm is my first 14 (I think our Prince Response Pros are 15mm). I have a surprising amount of control with it … dinks, drops, firefight better … drives and overheads V7 adjacent (close enough … but overheads and forehand drives bigger with V7).
 
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ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
@1:06 … besides gearbox specifics, I think a good discussion of the dilemma of paddle and shot selection as you improve and play stronger players. Will said what I have said about tennis racquets “you don’t always play your best tennis with the racquet that feels the best”. Exactly … almost every tennis player that walked into a pro shop and picked up the most headlight (or just light) racquet would love how it feels. Probably same with paddles … in doubles pickleball it’s pick at kitchen or best at baseline … no paddle will be both.

@1:06

 

Bud

Bionic Poster
@1:06 … besides gearbox specifics, I think a good discussion of the dilemma of paddle and shot selection as you improve and play stronger players. Will said what I have said about tennis racquets “you don’t always play your best tennis with the racquet that feels the best”. Exactly … almost every tennis player that walked into a pro shop and picked up the most headlight (or just light) racquet would love how it feels. Probably same with paddles … in doubles pickleball it’s pick at kitchen or best at baseline … no paddle will be both.

@1:06

That was a long video, even at 1.75x speed, to say... sometimes, we don't play our best.

I frequently experience that game to game in PB. Playing tennis, I was much more consistent. Some games feel great, some feel mediocre, even when victorious. Sometimes, it's me other times my partner.

IMO, one of the biggest factors moving above 4.5 is consistency. My goal is to play my game and hit every shot, within my control, at 90% success. That is, hitting 1 UE for every 9 of the same shot. Forced errors I consider differently. I've gotten close to that on serve and return. Successful flick and roll volleys are at about 70-80%. Groundstrokes are about the same. Overhead and OH smashes about 80%.

So, I feel like I'm improving in small increments now instead of the huge gains I made during the first 3-4 months. The skill curve slope is definitely flattening at month 6.

Unintended stream on consciousness done :)
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
That was a long video, even at 1.75x speed, to say... sometimes, we don't play our best.

I frequently experience that game to game in PB. Playing tennis, I was much more consistent. Some games feel great, some feel mediocre, even when victorious. Sometimes, it's me other times my partner.

IMO, one of the biggest factors moving above 4.5 is consistency. My goal is to play my game and hit every shot, within my control, at 90% success. That is, hitting 1 UE for every 9 of the same shot. Forced errors I consider differently. I've gotten close to that on serve and return. Successful flick and roll volleys are at about 70-80%. Groundstrokes are about the same. Overhead and OH smashes about 80%.

So, I feel like I'm improving in small increments now instead of the huge gains I made during the first 3-4 months. The skill curve slope is definitely flattening at month 6.

Unintended stream on consciousness done :)

Yes … I suggested starting @1:06 for a reason. ;) The part that struck me is Will … at 5.0 … still goes back and forth between bang and reset. I still think the #1 thing where I need to rewire my tennis brain is when under attack in no man’s land … instinctively think block/reset/drop to kitchen rather than drive or lob. I think lob more than most because I have good hands and can pull it off … but not even close to a percentage play. Squandered points … it’s math.

I was the same … very low UE in tennis, still big game to game, day to day variances in Pickleball. I suspect I wasn’t low UE in my first 10 months of tennis at age 15. :-D But I think that will always be the case in pickleball. A tennis ball stays consistently round and does not start to crack. Wiffle 26g … no strings on paddle … zero chance low drives over the net will be as consistent as strings at consistent tension. Throw in multiple brands of balls in open play, balls playing drastically different when worn, and 26g ball in wind if you play outside (I don’t… yet?)

Oh … a couple more. You play against strokes with consistent bounce in higher level tennis … the ball doesn’t bounce for sh.!.t in pickleball, many times you hit balls right off the bounce (good luck grooving those like a tennis stroke). Consider 3rd shot drop percentages even at the pros. I see a lot of missed 3rd shot drops … just seems to be fact of pickleball.

I improved fast at first, than months of staying the same, and just recently signs of significant improvement again. Unless I find drilling opportunities, I actually expect slow progress. Also … if much of your doubles play involves balls being hit to your partner, you don’t get many reps. Best doubles partner for more reps is playing with someone better than you.

This random thought thing is like free therapy.
 
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ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
I hope we look back on the new Gearbox and it marked the beginning of the end of plastic cores.

I wonder what will be the relative endpoint for paddles … equivalent to the tennis racquet industry. Will paddles be like tennis racquet longevity with regular restringing (replaceable surface skins and maybe even cores) … or will they be disposable/recyclable replaced every x months?

Go to paddle store and get EVA foam replacement like an oil change? :-D
 

jonestim

Hall of Fame
I hope we look back on the new Gearbox and it marked the beginning of the end of plastic cores.

I wonder what will be the relative endpoint for paddles … equivalent to the tennis racquet industry. Will paddles be like tennis racquet longevity with regular restringing (replaceable surface skins and maybe even cores) … or will they be disposable/recyclable replaced every x months?

Go to paddle store and get EVA foam replacement like an oil change? :-D
Replaceable face is in development by at least one company. I can't find the link right now or remember the name of the company. It's not one of the big ones.
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
Replaceable face is in development by at least one company. I can't find the link right now or remember the name of the company. It's not one of the big ones.

That’s where table tennis ended up … but not sure we want that. The “rubbers” can be expensive.

I like the idea of backing startups like Daryl at Vatic Pro, so something like a yearly membership/subscription model might work. Who knows … but I am really curious where the paddles end up. No chance it’s plastic cores and $333 paddles.
 
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jonestim

Hall of Fame
It seems like the demand for these Gearboxes is through the roof. Hopefully TotalPickleball gets their shipment of them.
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
It seems like the demand for these Gearboxes is through the roof. Hopefully TotalPickleball gets their shipment of them.
I ordered mine on the 16th and haven't yet received a tracking number. Supposed to be delivered early next week. Hoping.
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
Listening to Rafael discuss the new paddles, he said what I have been saying. Plastic cores ain’t it. The other thing that occurs to me listening to him is he is basically attempting to move paddles in the direction of tennis strings. I know for me … I really really really miss tennis strings. But as I have said before … when you buy a paddle you have basically bought your racquet choice, your string choice, and your forever string tension (minor tweaking with lead tape). So although you have to hand it to him for pushing paddle tech … the new pro line paddles are basically two (maybe four) forever string tensions. Maybe what is next from Gearbox is a screw in the bottom of the butt cap where you can adjust your forever string tension. :-D In tennis, players match their swing speeds and style with weight of racquet, string choice and preferred tension (sometimes adjusting tension for conditions). It would be absurd to tell all tennis players that buy a Babolat Pure drive they have to play with RPM Blast @52lbs … but that is basically where we are at with paddles. For $275 you get forever tension … unless that carbon fiber matrix core with rubber connectors stretch over time :eek: … and the restringing back to tighter tension is a new $275 paddle. I think for now cheaper restringing (paddles) every six months makes more sense/cents.

@Bud … this paddle buying thing isn’t our fault … we have just been looking for the perfect string and tension. :cool:

 

jonestim

Hall of Fame

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
I haven't either. I'm a little surprised as Tennis Warehouse has reviews ready to go on launch date of the big ones. Not sure why Total Pickleball didn't have one ready to go. Maybe because they didn't get their shipment of the paddles? I didn't see them in stock ever.

I just wanted to give our host a shout out … we can post here if they do a Gearbox Pro Line review. (y)
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
lol … I thought EVA foam was a way to get rid of plastic in paddle cores

it is a plastic

“EVA is the abbreviation for “ethylene vinyl acetate” – a plastic made from the combination of ethylene and vinyl acetate. This elastomeric polymer can be used to make products that are rubber-like in their softness and flexibility.”
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
At 2:40 of the video shows the paddle cut in half lengthwise exposing a whole lot of foam inside. It seems they inject expanding foam in the carbon fiber tubes. The black foam is EVA?

Yeah … lots of questions how this got past USAPA paddle testing … deflection, EVA foam paddle adjacent. I’m not one to start conspiracy theories :cool: … but both Carl Schmits and Rafael Fillipini both played pro racquetball … bros :unsure:

 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
The Power Elongated.

Don’t hit anyone in the head. :p

fyi … Chris Olson mentioned some new Pro Line QC chatter on his discord channel. More variance in weights than typical for Gearbox, and some questioning the power based on expectations. A funny one (maybe not so much if you just dropped $275) is with the two elongated and the two fusions exactly the same exterior other than the face art/branding/color … how would you know if they accidentally got identified correctly at factory. Love this wiffleball brave new world. :-D

@12:52

h

Can’t remember where I heard it … but supposedly someone was shipped a new SixZero Double Black Diamond, and it arrived with Ronbus handle plastic wrapping. HAHAHA … bound to happen with multiple brands coming out of same factories.

Looking forward to your pro line impressions. I am reminded how particular I was with consistent equipment/setup for tennis (didn’t change racquets, strings, string tension, tournagrip, ect). Grooving game/strokes hard enough without changes. Looks like I am good to go with Flash 14mm … after enough play exactly what I hoped (better kitchen, firefights, drops … good enough baseline).
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
I had a chance to hit with this paddle tonight and the power is off the charts. The pace off the face is just like an EVA paddle but with more spin and control. It feels like it had at least 10% more power and spin than my PB Apes PLE. Overhead smashes aren't coming back 90% of the time. The other 10%, they'll drop short for another smash. Rinse, repeat.

Unlike EVA paddles, the control is decent too. However, you have to be able to generate your own power to get the paddle face to respond with power. That's what also makes it excellent for touch. Slow swing, dink or drop, no power.

Everyone watching was laughing at the insane pace of the ball on serves, drives, flicks and smashes.

Guaranteed this paddle will be challenged and may eventually be deemed illegal.
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
I had a chance to hit with this paddle tonight and the power is off the charts. The pace off the face is just like an EVA paddle but with more spin and control. It feels like it had at least 10% more power and spin than my PB Apes PLE. Overhead smashes aren't coming back 90% of the time. The other 10%, they'll drop short for another smash. Rinse, repeat.

Unlike EVA paddles, the control is decent too. However, you have to be able to generate your own power to get the paddle face to respond with power. That's what also makes it excellent for touch. Slow swing, dink or drop, no power.

Everyone watching was laughing at the insane pace of the ball on serves, drives, flicks and smashes.

Guaranteed this paddle will be challenged and may eventually be deemed illegal.

Which one … elongated power? How is the pop at kitchen? I have decided I like pop on firefights/roll volleys, want power but no pop at baseline, and can adjust to whatever for dinking and drops. I will get back to you on resetting when I start resetting. 8-B

fyi … I do miss my V7 overhead … but if that was deciding my wins and losses I would have lost less.

Sounds like this will be your new paddle for a while … maybe. :-D
 
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Bud

Bionic Poster
Which one … elongated power? How is the pop at kitchen? I have decided I like pop on firefights/roll volleys, want power but no pop at baseline, and can adjust to whatever for dinking and drops. I will get back to you on resetting when I start resetting. 8-B

fyi … I do miss my V7 overhead … but if that was deciding my wins and losses I would have lost less.

Sounds like this will be your new paddle for a while … maybe. :-D
Yes, PPE.

I'll have to use it more for the subtle characteristics of pop vs power. If you're firefights are on time (not late with the paddle) and with good pace it will reward you. If you're late or weakly poke the ball back, it will pop up.

This is, IMO, a paddle for advanced players who tend to bang the ball. Others may be frustrated trying to dial it into their game.
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
Yes, PPE.

I'll have to use it more for the subtle characteristics of pop vs power. If you're firefights are on time (not late with the paddle) and with good pace it will reward you. If you're late or weakly poke the ball back, it will pop up.

This is, IMO, a paddle for advanced players who tend to bang the ball. Others may be frustrated trying to dial it into their game.

Weighting up my paddle up to 8.7 oz has been an education regarding kitchen fights … tradeoffs just like everything else with paddles. I find the extra weight/mass helpful with the typical 1hbh punch ping pong stroke. On those shots from ready position I don’t think swingweight comes into play much. You can easily hit short 1hbh punch shots with the extra static weight, and the extra weight puts more on the shot. I think where the extra static weight (and sometimes swingweight) comes into play negatively is when you have to quickly react and move paddle to new location. It happened today … in a firefight I reacted to a low ball with backhand, then immediately faced a fh around head level. Extra static weight was a negative moving hand/paddle up … but then positive during the hitting. The extra static weight with low swingweight paddle has been such a positive on the kitchen “hitting/volleys” … not giving it up … will just continue to constantly get back to kitchen paddle ready position fastest I can.

I probably played my best with Vatic Flash 14mm today … apparently baseline drives just took several sessions to adjust to different swingweight. I was swinging out and trusting it … and 14mm baseline topspin lob is officially a thing now … crazy how it can instantly swing a point/game. I believe the Flash 14mm spin numbers in Pickleball Studio spreadsheet … has to be top tier spin (at least on full swings … my guess is on roll volleys and speedups gritty surface, even old spray on grit, might produce more spin from kitchen).

I hope to get to hit the Pro Line paddles. Not likely … Selkirk and Joola everywhere at our place … nothing else is even close.
 
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Bud

Bionic Poster
PPE first impressions: definite learning curve with this stick. It excels immediately at rolls, flicks and smashes. Touch shots like dinking and dropping are surprisingly good. I had some trouble finding the sweet spot serving. Many were dropping short in the box. Full speed drives were good but lots of spin is necessary to keep the ball inside the court. Otherwise, take some power off and get it deep with moderate spin. Speedups are good but take some power off and/or add lots of spin or the ball will sail. If you're going to speedup with power, go toward the opponent's belly. They likely won't have time to move and let it fly long

Bottom line, if your game is aggressive at the kitchen and you're always looking for that ball to poach with a flick or smash you'll love this paddle.

I copied this from the review I posted on the Gearbox Discord channel.

My opinion on the dead paddle issue, after using this one time, is there's likely nothing wrong with those paddles. It's very finicky depending on where the ball strikes the face. I really noticed it serving.
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
PPE first impressions: definite learning curve with this stick. It excels immediately at rolls, flicks and smashes. Touch shots like dinking and dropping are surprisingly good. I had some trouble finding the sweet spot serving. Many were dropping short in the box. Full speed drives were good but lots of spin is necessary to keep the ball inside the court. Otherwise, take some power off and get it deep with moderate spin. Speedups are good but take some power off and/or add lots of spin or the ball will sail. If you're going to speedup with power, go toward the opponent's belly. They likely won't have time to move and let it fly long

Bottom line, if your game is aggressive at the kitchen and you're always looking for that ball to poach with a flick or smash you'll love this paddle.

I copied this from the review I posted on the Gearbox Discord channel.

My opinion on the dead paddle issue, after using this one time, is there's likely nothing wrong with those paddles. It's very finicky depending on where the ball strikes the face. I really noticed it serving.

Good review … do you think this will be your paddle?
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
Wut is this?

I was just taking a jab at Joola threatening legal action against Legacy in their early days for having similar logo on paddle face. Looks like there is actually a pre-existing product (no idea if it currently exists … found that image show up in Google search) with names “Fusion” and “Pro Series”.
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
Will Gearbox be your paddle?
I've played with the PPE for 15+ hours and still having trouble calibrating serves and return depths. In these two areas, the paddle is really frustrating. They end up too short or too long 75% of the time. I'm playing tonight for 3 hours with my Pickleball Apes PLE to compare the feel, power and consistency off the face. This may decide whether I'm going to scrap the PPE or continue working with it. The more I play with the PPE, the more it reminds me of playing with an EVA paddle. It shines on flicks and smashes but the power and depth control is inconsistent on serves and returns. I'm not sure the tradeoffs are worth it.
 

treo

Semi-Pro
Ben Johns was just beat handily by a player I never heard of using the new Gearbox. How much longer before it gets banned on the pro tour?
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
Replaceable face is in development by at least one company. I can't find the link right now or remember the name of the company. It's not one of the big ones.

not any details on website yet … but this is the company Pickleball Studio and Pickleball Effect mentioned on podcasts. Chris Olson actually just visited company for demonstration. Will asked the question I would have asked “what about the plastic cores that wear out?” :-D

One step at a time … I want the equivalent of changing string tension of my paddle with a screw at the butt cap. :-D

 

kreative

Hall of Fame
I just played about an hour with the Gearbox PPE. Definitely sounds and reminds me of an EVA foam paddle, muted thud on contact, ball launches, it took me a bit to dial it in. But wow, great spin, pop, and stability when hit in the sweetspot. And I felt the sweetspot size was similar to other GB paddles I've tried - small. Hit dead center, amazing results. Hit anywhere near the edges, dead. Firefights at the net is where I felt this most when I'm not fast enough to get the paddle in position or swing slightly off the paddle is a dud. But when I focus or have time to hit, I can see the paddles potential. I've gotten used to the sound of a "normal" paddle though so the quiet thud throws me off a bit as I'm expecting that audible feedback. Even worse when I play against it.
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
I just played about an hour with the Gearbox PPE. Definitely sounds and reminds me of an EVA foam paddle, muted thud on contact, ball launches, it took me a bit to dial it in. But wow, great spin, pop, and stability when hit in the sweetspot. And I felt the sweetspot size was similar to other GB paddles I've tried - small. Hit dead center, amazing results. Hit anywhere near the edges, dead. Firefights at the net is where I felt this most when I'm not fast enough to get the paddle in position or swing slightly off the paddle is a dud. But when I focus or have time to hit, I can see the paddles potential. I've gotten used to the sound of a "normal" paddle though so the quiet thud throws me off a bit as I'm expecting that audible feedback. Even worse when I play against it.

That would not work for me … the ball dust on the face doesn’t lie … I paid for entire pace and use all of it.
 
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