I’ve been using the new Ultimate paddle for a few weeks and likely 50 hours or more. Much better all around paddle than the power pro. It is less muted w power but huge increases on its ability to reset and control the paddle. Most are aware of the power of the pro power and speed up hard at the paddle hoping the ball w bounce off and go out of bounds. This has changed. Also my slices seem much Better, my serves much more consistant and adding weight to the handle and throat really helped. Love this paddle!!!
20:21 So happy we’re starting to see dedicated chapters on spin durability to keep OEMs honest about sustainability. You know what they say, “what gets measured, gets managed”.
Update, I used this paddle for about four hours last night. It is by far the best paddle I’ve ever used and I’m so glad that I got it. I have the J7K Pro, Shogun, Vanguard Invikta, Mach 1 forza and this is by far the best balanced paddle I’ve ever felt.
I have a J7K Pro and absolutely love the power/control combo it provides. Is there a lot more power with this new Gear Box compared to J7K Pro? How about the control?
That’s quite the collection of great paddles…. I love my B&B filth, my partner uses a shogun and loves it. The more I play the less I have reasons to upgrade, not sure why.
Wow this is some premium content right here! Holy crap the attention to detail is amazing and i love the 3d printed rigs to test the paddles!! I own my own 3d printing company so that immediately got me excited! Great video!!
Sounds like they touched on sweet spot issues comparing the original Pro and getting closer to the Gen 3 but really missed the mark on spin. Increased spin helps with lots of power as top spin helps keep the ball in. I think this was one of the great successes of the Gen 3 along with it's sweet spot. Looking forward now to your Mod TA-15 review. Mine arrives Thursday but I'll be out of town for a few days so using my Thrive Azul while traveling. Really hoping the Mod TA-15 is at least 95% of the same specs and feel of the Gen 3. If so it will still be a winner and my paddle of choice. Totally agree about Gearbox having the best tech (and build quality/feel) of any paddle on the market.
Imagine a widebody with the SST core. I cannot believe they missed this opportunity. Would've been one of the deadliest paddles at the kitchen + solid twist weight/forgiveness from the widebody design still with plenty of power from the baseline and good pop from the core. I tried the ultimate early from a rep and wouldn't pick one up again. The combination of high SW and low TW with poor control relative to other paddles is just a non-starter and made me a liability in doubles.
@@rafaelfilippini3863 The elongated has given me more confidence playing the right side (I'm RH) because at 5'6", my reach isn't the greatest. Now with the elongated, I can cover more on the right while guarding the middle. ;-)
Great review John. You have the perfect job. I agree with the wide body assessment. Bigger sweet spot and higher twist weight. That Gearbox is quite expensive for a rec player.
One of the inherent problems with the new gearbox designs is the overly wide perimeter frame that is needed to achieve the required strength. A ball struck near this frame edge or on it rebounds in a vastly different way than in the “sweet spot”. More typically, paddles have a uniform core design and an edge guard giving them the needed strength in a more uniform way and an inherently larger sweet spot. With the 16mm width , I would hope that gearbox took advantage of the ability to narrow up that wide perimeter frame. If gearbox developed a 7.5”+ width, they could further “shave “ down that wide perimeter non-responsive frame area a little more and of course with the overall width increase - greatly improve the “sweet spot” area. However, I could believe that it’s possible that a wider design might have some currently unsolved variability issues across the “sweet spot” that they are throwing some R &D effort at. I would further speculate that the current offerings may have greater variability across the sweet spot than more traditional paddle designs. Watch out if they improve that characteristic!
@@rafaelfilippini3863 sure , I will try one for half-price , since the last one played so poorly compared to all the other paddles in my quiver I had to unload mine for 50% off.
Well done. In my bag I carry the Gearbox Pro Power Elite as my power choice and the Volair Mach 2 Forza 16 for control. As a female player who likes to play mixed doubles I'm compensating for less power ability by using my power paddle, but switching out with my Volair when I want to practice drops and resets and finer aspects of the soft game. I'm not tempted just yet to switch out my Volair for the Ultimate but I'm also confidant Gearbox will listen to your final comments and continue to move technology forward.
Do you feel like you get enough umph from the Mach 2 forza after playing with a much more powerful paddle. I’m feeling I need to do same bc playing with joola mod 15 and TKO which can have some unpredictable pop or balls fly off them when I’m hit really hard serves or drives. I’d love a more predictable fall back with amazing touch for drops and resets, but where I’m still feeling I can put away my put aways even as a 50+ 4.25ish older lady😂 pre gen 3 joola I played with the diadem 18k power and I loved its touch, but could not put ball away and it was so slow and clunky almost in terms of maneuverability at net
@@christianeprice I do feel like the Volair has put away power. Especially down the middle. I’m also not sailing it out as often. Odd that switching back and forth is improving my game but it is.
Thank you for your detailed analysis and measurements, John. This was my first time watching one of your videos and it has made me a subscriber. And thanks for your spreadsheet, too. I was playing with a Gearbox Pro Power and liked the power but was unhappy with the sweet spot and the data in the spreadsheet was what I relied on to select a replacement.
100% concur on gearbox missing the opportunity by producing an 16x8 form factor. Lowers swing weight, increases twist weight. I'm also wondering if the ultimate will degrade similar to the pro power such that it becomes unmanageable after breaking in but only time will tell I guess.
Great review Doc. I so really hoped for a comparison to the GB Pro Control EL. how does this new one stack up against that. My wife currently plays exclusively with the GB PC EL, and it's getting time to replace her paddle and im really wondering about the difference in play between these two paddles. She isn't one for drastic change, but I would buy her the Ultimate if it's an improvement over the GB PC EL. Thanks for any insight! P.s. Your background of the studio matches the GB SST core.
John your production and skill at explaining things has become top tier. I hope you are enjoying Yellowstone. This paddle has no interest to me personally but recognize what they have done here.
Nice review as usual John. Long time Gearbox player here. Currently play with the PPE stock ( no weight added)- only paddle in my bag. I am curious to try this one which I’ll be doing soon. The SW has me a little concerned but I like your mod with the tungsten tape. Can you or anyone on here share what type of tape you are using? Also, nice “Yates” shot at 11:53, that was pretty.
Agree with you. Interested to see the Mod version of the Scorpius AB and whatever Crbn comes out with if it manages to hit the market in the next little bit
Great and detailed review...thanks! I've been playing with the PPE for almost a year now (just before last year's National) and love it--have gotten used to the pop so resetting in the TZ is good. I just got the Ultimate and granted, only played with it once, and my main question was the fast-hands/flickability/maneuverability between the 2 paddles. When I did the fast hands drill, I seemed to lag a bit more with the Ultimate--but that might be because of my bias for my PPE's quick flickability and was purely subjective. LOL! I haven't weighted either paddles, so may try that out. Maybe I'll have to give my Ultimate a bit more time...and will try your weighting suggestions. The stock weight is right at my limit for my arm strength, so I'm wary about increasing overall weight and especially swing weight. I let some other friends try out the Ultimate that same morning, and one GBX user ordered an Ultimate as soon as he got home, he loved it that much. Thanks again for a great review! Will be interesting if GB takes your advice and comes out with a new shape in 2025 and checks off all the boxes. For me, I like the little extra reach the elongated shape gives me on the right side--being 5'6", my wing span isn't large so the elongated's little extra length has allowed me to get to more balls on the right side, when I'm guarding middle.
Love my PPE this past year...got the Ultimate last week to compare...I did find it a bit slower in fast hands, but then again, I am biased and only did it for a little bit and not weeks. So I may have to give the Ultimate a bit more playing time.
When my arm gets tired playing with my hybrid Kevlar paddle, I switch to the Gearbox Pro Power. It feels lighter and gives me more power with less effort. I like what i heard in this video about the Ultimate having better feels and more control. I'm not rushing out to get it, especially at that price. I agree with John that they need to put their technology into a hybrid shape paddle.
Awesome review. Been using BB Filth paddle, so far best paddle for me, seems to a great all rounder. Question is I'm looking for a tad bit more power at transition zone without without losing control. What would you recommend?
I am a little disappointed that you didn't mentioned the gearbox control paddle more. It was a missed opportunity to compare where it fits with the ultimate. I use both the power and the control and find my self switching between the two depending on the day, weather, or opponent. I wonder if this is the middle ground 🤔 for the two. Also awesome job on the review 👏. This has been one of my favorite reviews to listen too. If I go to buy it, I will use your code. Thanks again for doing this review.
I believe the new Ultimate is designed to provide the best attributes of both current Power and Control paddles. The power is still there when you need it, but you’ll have better control and consistency than the current Power PPE. For anyone on the fence, I highly recommend the Demo program- play with the paddles for a week, and you make the decision on what works best for your game.
As we know USAP has been cracking down on paddles with a trampoline effect. Joola Gen 3 paddles were delisted and withdrawn from the market. The Vatic Oni was never introduced. Quite possibly, this new Gearbox Ultimate is a legal, toned down addition to the current Pro series paddles that are under the 18 month grace period while Gearbox works to tone down rest of the Pro series. (more expanding foam to compress the trampoline effect of the EVA foam)
Absolutely great review John -- its wonderfully indepth as always. Thank you for the update on the USAP and Gearbox paddles. BTW I absolutely loved the 24 mins to nerdtown (credit @PickleballPursuit for the term) and would much rather watch this than half an episode of my favorite show. Thanks and keep in making this wonderful content!
Looking at the numbers for the PIKKL Hurricane Pro in your spreadsheet, makes me interested in a review of this paddle. It has relatively high numbers for both power and control. I didn't know where else to make this request, so apologies if this isn't the correct place.
@JohnKew I would love to know your thoughts on the Pro Ultimate compared to the Pro Control. I demoed the Pro Power and Pro Control and settled on the Control model because I liked the overal feel of the paddle. The only thing I wish was better on the Control is Pop.
@@ellexusse Pickleball tech dude has a comparison of all 3 pro paddles and where they rank. I love my Pro Control and would not switch to the Ultimate. I was able to ask Rafa if they will make an updated Pro Power and Pro Control versions with the longer dwell time and he said yes they will eventually make a 2.0 version of them
I’ve been using the B&B Filth with a small amount of led tape to aid in twist weight…beautiful combo, and as much as there are paddles with better stats…the incremental differences just don’t seem huge. Perhaps something similar except with a bit more spin will make it worth an upgrade, but more I play the less I am in a rush to run off and drop $250 to $300 on a “Pro” “Ultimate” paddle. Am I missing something? My son uses a J2k, another great paddle that sells for sooo much less.
The SW to TW ratio is a tough pill to swallow. I thought the PPE was a pretty underwhelming, incredibly unforgiving, and extremely challenging paddle to gauge resets and control oriented shots and this seems to be unfortunately similar. Great review as always dude
I agree. My SW to TW study has average SW at 114 and ave TW at 6.2. In my list of worst SW/TW ratios, Gearbox took all 5 spots. I divided SW by TW and they all scored 22 and above. The ratio on this paddle was 22.46 which would have put this in the top 5. Data for my study was of course, a John Kew database and I cite the source in my vid.
The original elongated GearBox Pro Power Paddle is the ultimate and a person has the option to add lead weights to The original elongated GearBox Pro Power Paddle to change the characteristics of the GearBox Pro Power Paddle for more stability and control if that is what they want. if a person wants the control of the ultimate then buy the Gearbox Pro Control Elongated. The ultimate should not have been compared to the GearBox Pro Power Paddle but rather the ultimate should have been compared to the Gearbox Pro Control Elongated pickleball paddle. I would like to see the original elongated GearBox Pro Power Paddle in a wide body format with a handle long enough for 2 handed backhands.
Just pulled the trigger on this paddle. Last paddle I bought was the Joola Gen3. Hopefully, this doesn't turn into my experience playing MTG, and the decks I get eat the banhammer.
I like a paddle to feel soft and have dwell time when driving 3rds from baseline. Would you say you can feel that with these, or is it still stiff like PP?
@@veritech1773 It is a control game after all. Jack Sock can create plenty of power on his own - which I think is why he uses a Luxx. hope that makes sense.
Yes. Rafael wanted to make a foam core paddle (like the unapproved Diadem VICE) but he knew it would not pass USAP deflection tests. He created a design with thin carbon ribs within the foam that provided enough structure to pass deflection tests. There is no COR test at USAP (yet). It has been widely reported that the pro-power changes over time. It becomes more powerful and crunchy when the face is pressed. X-sections show that the carbon fiber ribs are breaking. What you are left with is a 'mostly' foam core paddle with huge power. Rafael took advantage of the inadequate deflection to power equivalency testing currently done at USAP.
John, what are you using on your scale @14:03 in the video to hold the paddle upright? I have the same exact scale and run into the same issue trying to weigh certain paddles.
One question. If I add the weight only to the handle end of this paddle, would SW declines? Or increases? assuming the pivot point is above the end of the handle where I attached the weights. I can expect the balance point would go down, but not sure about swing weight. I was thinking that mass center moved to downward and more mass is added below my hand grip, maybe SW declines, but at the same time total static mass increased and inertia of momentum also increased with increased mass. So I'm not sure with this one...
Good question- you can’t lower swing weight by adding weight to the handle. Best you can do is keep the swing weight the same by adding weight below the fulcrum
For all the cutting edge tech gearbox waves around those twist and swing weight numbers are rough. In general I’ve ever only seen 5 gb paddles at my rec courts where there’s 80people at busy times ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
There's nothing illegal about foam. Anyone can use it IF the end result meets USAP specs as far as exit velocity, coefficient of restitution, etc. The retail Gen 3 Joolas, Vatic Oni, and Ronbus Ripple fell outside of the USAP spec, though I would also argue for the latter two that it was BS that that USAP randomly created new specs to follow without a 12 to 18-month window. What they should have done is tell all the manufacturers that starting in January 2026, new specs would be in effect, which would give everyone proper time to adjust their paddles or create new ones.
@@zachcarmichael699 Exactly! I should also say that John's video is amazing and really help us get some feeling about the paddle before investing all that money. I still think that something like a PIKKL Hurricane Pro is a good cost benefit option.
The pro power has taken some of the fun out of the game. I’d like to see it fade away. When someone plays with that paddle , the points end more quickly not necessarily in their favor. Of course they do land some awesome shots but generally they miss direct the majority of the balls they hit to some degree.
Woke up at 5:30AM to watch this review. I think I have a problem.
8:38am here 😂
7:49am
or you have a solution
We don't see any problem.
I’ve been using the new Ultimate paddle for a few weeks and likely 50 hours or more. Much better all around paddle than the power pro. It is less muted w power but huge increases on its ability to reset and control the paddle. Most are aware of the power of the pro power and speed up hard at the paddle hoping the ball w bounce off and go out of bounds. This has changed. Also my slices seem much
Better, my serves much more consistant and adding weight to the handle and throat really helped. Love this paddle!!!
20:21 So happy we’re starting to see dedicated chapters on spin durability to keep OEMs honest about sustainability. You know what they say, “what gets measured, gets managed”.
Spot on!
Just got this paddle at a local shop in Jax who's been partnered with Gearbox for years here in Jacksonville. Excited to give it a go!
Update, I used this paddle for about four hours last night. It is by far the best paddle I’ve ever used and I’m so glad that I got it. I have the J7K Pro, Shogun, Vanguard Invikta, Mach 1 forza and this is by far the best balanced paddle I’ve ever felt.
I have a J7K Pro and absolutely love the power/control combo it provides.
Is there a lot more power with this new Gear Box compared to J7K Pro? How about the control?
@@thisisntmyname2978 I honestly didn’t use the j7k pro enough to really tell. The gearbox just feels so well balanced vs anything I’ve used.
That’s quite the collection of great paddles…. I love my B&B filth, my partner uses a shogun and loves it. The more I play the less I have reasons to upgrade, not sure why.
This is my favorite TV series....thank you for all your informative reviews!
Wow this is some premium content right here! Holy crap the attention to detail is amazing and i love the 3d printed rigs to test the paddles!! I own my own 3d printing company so that immediately got me excited! Great video!!
Sounds like they touched on sweet spot issues comparing the original Pro and getting closer to the Gen 3 but really missed the mark on spin. Increased spin helps with lots of power as top spin helps keep the ball in. I think this was one of the great successes of the Gen 3 along with it's sweet spot. Looking forward now to your Mod TA-15 review. Mine arrives Thursday but I'll be out of town for a few days so using my Thrive Azul while traveling. Really hoping the Mod TA-15 is at least 95% of the same specs and feel of the Gen 3. If so it will still be a winner and my paddle of choice. Totally agree about Gearbox having the best tech (and build quality/feel) of any paddle on the market.
You are my Favorite TV series John... I call it "The John and Eddie Show."
Imagine a widebody with the SST core. I cannot believe they missed this opportunity. Would've been one of the deadliest paddles at the kitchen + solid twist weight/forgiveness from the widebody design still with plenty of power from the baseline and good pop from the core. I tried the ultimate early from a rep and wouldn't pick one up again. The combination of high SW and low TW with poor control relative to other paddles is just a non-starter and made me a liability in doubles.
The elongated shape is our most POPULAR and best seller. More shapes and configurations to come soon...
@@rafaelfilippini3863 I got the PPE in 1/24 and still enjoying it. Will buy again in 2025- hope you release something awesome. 👏
@@rafaelfilippini3863 The elongated has given me more confidence playing the right side (I'm RH) because at 5'6", my reach isn't the greatest. Now with the elongated, I can cover more on the right while guarding the middle. ;-)
You are the ultimate paddle reviewer, John! A walking encyclopedia! Really enjoy your reviews
Great review John. You have the perfect job. I agree with the wide body assessment. Bigger sweet spot and higher twist weight. That Gearbox is quite expensive for a rec player.
One of the inherent problems with the new gearbox designs is the overly wide perimeter frame that is needed to achieve the required strength. A ball struck near this frame edge or on it rebounds in a vastly different way than in the “sweet spot”. More typically, paddles have a uniform core design and an edge guard giving them the needed strength in a more uniform way and an inherently larger sweet spot. With the 16mm width , I would hope that gearbox took advantage of the ability to narrow up that wide perimeter frame.
If gearbox developed a 7.5”+ width, they could further “shave “ down that wide perimeter non-responsive frame area a little more and of course with the overall width increase - greatly improve the “sweet spot” area. However, I could believe that it’s possible that a wider design might have some currently unsolved variability issues across the “sweet spot” that they are throwing some R &D effort at. I would further speculate that the current offerings may have greater variability across the sweet spot than more traditional paddle designs. Watch out if they improve that characteristic!
Please try this new paddle, you will be pleasantly surprised. Also, regarding other shapes, they are on the way.
@@rafaelfilippini3863 sure , I will try one for half-price , since the last one played so poorly compared to all the other paddles in my quiver I had to unload mine for 50% off.
Great deep dive John. I'll stick with my GB Pro E original for now. I'm a "POP" guy. Hope GB uses your suggestion on a wider face.
Well done. In my bag I carry the Gearbox Pro Power Elite as my power choice and the Volair Mach 2 Forza 16 for control. As a female player who likes to play mixed doubles I'm compensating for less power ability by using my power paddle, but switching out with my Volair when I want to practice drops and resets and finer aspects of the soft game. I'm not tempted just yet to switch out my Volair for the Ultimate but I'm also confidant Gearbox will listen to your final comments and continue to move technology forward.
Do you feel like you get enough umph from the Mach 2 forza after playing with a much more powerful paddle. I’m feeling I need to do same bc playing with joola mod 15 and TKO which can have some unpredictable pop or balls fly off them when I’m hit really hard serves or drives. I’d love a more predictable fall back with amazing touch for drops and resets, but where I’m still feeling I can put away my put aways even as a 50+ 4.25ish older lady😂 pre gen 3 joola I played with the diadem 18k power and I loved its touch, but could not put ball away and it was so slow and clunky almost in terms of maneuverability at net
@@christianeprice I do feel like the Volair has put away power. Especially down the middle. I’m also not sailing it out as often. Odd that switching back and forth is improving my game but it is.
Thank you for your detailed analysis and measurements, John. This was my first time watching one of your videos and it has made me a subscriber. And thanks for your spreadsheet, too. I was playing with a Gearbox Pro Power and liked the power but was unhappy with the sweet spot and the data in the spreadsheet was what I relied on to select a replacement.
Thanks for the detailed tech info and by the way...I'd rather nerd out with paddle tech than any of the tv shows currently. 😅🤓
100% concur on gearbox missing the opportunity by producing an 16x8 form factor. Lowers swing weight, increases twist weight. I'm also wondering if the ultimate will degrade similar to the pro power such that it becomes unmanageable after breaking in but only time will tell I guess.
Hey john you plan to review the mod ta-15?
Great review Doc. I so really hoped for a comparison to the GB Pro Control EL. how does this new one stack up against that. My wife currently plays exclusively with the GB PC EL, and it's getting time to replace her paddle and im really wondering about the difference in play between these two paddles. She isn't one for drastic change, but I would buy her the Ultimate if it's an improvement over the GB PC EL. Thanks for any insight! P.s. Your background of the studio matches the GB SST core.
Would have been interesting to see you also compare the original control paddle
John your production and skill at explaining things has become top tier. I hope you are enjoying Yellowstone. This paddle has no interest to me personally but recognize what they have done here.
Thanks! Currently in Grand Tetons, making our way to Yellowstone
Would be nice to have a comparison to the Pro Control.
Agreed, being a 16mm I would have thought John was going to compare it to the Pro Control, not the Pro Power 🤷♂
Thanks always happy to see new paddles coming out great reviews
Nice review as usual John. Long time Gearbox player here. Currently play with the PPE stock ( no weight added)- only paddle in my bag. I am curious to try this one which I’ll be doing soon. The SW has me a little concerned but I like your mod with the tungsten tape. Can you or anyone on here share what type of tape you are using? Also, nice “Yates” shot at 11:53, that was pretty.
DJ Kew with the fire soundtracks!
I wouldn't expect less from a musician of John's caliber
Swing weight and balance point, wrong way for today’s game? Agree with you on the 8” wide body comment!
Agreed. I had my wallet ready to buy but the swing weight is a no go for me
Agree with you. Interested to see the Mod version of the Scorpius AB and whatever Crbn comes out with if it manages to hit the market in the next little bit
@@greggzel5662don’t think there is going to be a mod version of Scorpius
@@iugradmarkthe rumor is that the Gen 3s will be rereleased this fall/winter under the name Gen 3-S with all the shapes again.
@@douglasmurdoch7247 not surprised if true. That will probably coincide with when they launch the industry funded testing org.
Great and detailed review...thanks! I've been playing with the PPE for almost a year now (just before last year's National) and love it--have gotten used to the pop so resetting in the TZ is good. I just got the Ultimate and granted, only played with it once, and my main question was the fast-hands/flickability/maneuverability between the 2 paddles. When I did the fast hands drill, I seemed to lag a bit more with the Ultimate--but that might be because of my bias for my PPE's quick flickability and was purely subjective. LOL!
I haven't weighted either paddles, so may try that out. Maybe I'll have to give my Ultimate a bit more time...and will try your weighting suggestions. The stock weight is right at my limit for my arm strength, so I'm wary about increasing overall weight and especially swing weight. I let some other friends try out the Ultimate that same morning, and one GBX user ordered an Ultimate as soon as he got home, he loved it that much.
Thanks again for a great review! Will be interesting if GB takes your advice and comes out with a new shape in 2025 and checks off all the boxes. For me, I like the little extra reach the elongated shape gives me on the right side--being 5'6", my wing span isn't large so the elongated's little extra length has allowed me to get to more balls on the right side, when I'm guarding middle.
Love my PPE this past year...got the Ultimate last week to compare...I did find it a bit slower in fast hands, but then again, I am biased and only did it for a little bit and not weeks. So I may have to give the Ultimate a bit more playing time.
When my arm gets tired playing with my hybrid Kevlar paddle, I switch to the Gearbox Pro Power. It feels lighter and gives me more power with less effort. I like what i heard in this video about the Ultimate having better feels and more control. I'm not rushing out to get it, especially at that price. I agree with John that they need to put their technology into a hybrid shape paddle.
Better yet, Standard or Wide Body shape.
Awesome review. Been using BB Filth paddle, so far best paddle for me, seems to a great all rounder. Question is I'm looking for a tad bit more power at transition zone without without losing control. What would you recommend?
John how much weight do you put on the paddle sides ??
Did you also use the light or heavy pickleball effect tungsten?
I wonder how this compares to the gearbox PPE control version….??
I am a little disappointed that you didn't mentioned the gearbox control paddle more. It was a missed opportunity to compare where it fits with the ultimate. I use both the power and the control and find my self switching between the two depending on the day, weather, or opponent. I wonder if this is the middle ground 🤔 for the two.
Also awesome job on the review 👏. This has been one of my favorite reviews to listen too. If I go to buy it, I will use your code. Thanks again for doing this review.
I believe the new Ultimate is designed to provide the best attributes of both current Power and Control paddles. The power is still there when you need it, but you’ll have better control and consistency than the current Power PPE.
For anyone on the fence, I highly recommend the Demo program- play with the paddles for a week, and you make the decision on what works best for your game.
John, any update on the paddle after the break-in?
As we know USAP has been cracking down on paddles with a trampoline effect. Joola Gen 3 paddles were delisted and withdrawn from the market. The Vatic Oni was never introduced. Quite possibly, this new Gearbox Ultimate is a legal, toned down addition to the current Pro series paddles that are under the 18 month grace period while Gearbox works to tone down rest of the Pro series. (more expanding foam to compress the trampoline effect of the EVA foam)
Great production value. Top notch.
Absolutely great review John -- its wonderfully indepth as always. Thank you for the update on the USAP and Gearbox paddles. BTW I absolutely loved the 24 mins to nerdtown (credit @PickleballPursuit for the term) and would much rather watch this than half an episode of my favorite show. Thanks and keep in making this wonderful content!
Looking at the numbers for the PIKKL Hurricane Pro in your spreadsheet, makes me interested in a review of this paddle. It has relatively high numbers for both power and control. I didn't know where else to make this request, so apologies if this isn't the correct place.
@JohnKew I would love to know your thoughts on the Pro Ultimate compared to the Pro Control. I demoed the Pro Power and Pro Control and settled on the Control model because I liked the overal feel of the paddle. The only thing I wish was better on the Control is Pop.
Yes. I vote on this. I too chose PCE over the PPE. Just ordered the ultimate, but also the demo version in case I don’t like it
@@ellexusse Pickleball tech dude has a comparison of all 3 pro paddles and where they rank. I love my Pro Control and would not switch to the Ultimate. I was able to ask Rafa if they will make an updated Pro Power and Pro Control versions with the longer dwell time and he said yes they will eventually make a 2.0 version of them
Thanks for all the info. Have you ever done a review on the vantage pro?
Will you review the Joola Mod
I’ve been using the B&B Filth with a small amount of led tape to aid in twist weight…beautiful combo, and as much as there are paddles with better stats…the incremental differences just don’t seem huge. Perhaps something similar except with a bit more spin will make it worth an upgrade, but more I play the less I am in a rush to run off and drop $250 to $300 on a “Pro” “Ultimate” paddle. Am I missing something? My son uses a J2k, another great paddle that sells for sooo much less.
Well done John.
Thanks John
The SW to TW ratio is a tough pill to swallow. I thought the PPE was a pretty underwhelming, incredibly unforgiving, and extremely challenging paddle to gauge resets and control oriented shots and this seems to be unfortunately similar. Great review as always dude
I agree. My SW to TW study has average SW at 114 and ave TW at 6.2. In my list of worst SW/TW ratios, Gearbox took all 5 spots. I divided SW by TW and they all scored 22 and above. The ratio on this paddle was 22.46 which would have put this in the top 5. Data for my study was of course, a John Kew database and I cite the source in my vid.
The original elongated GearBox Pro Power Paddle is the ultimate and a person has the option to add lead weights to The original elongated GearBox Pro Power Paddle to change the characteristics of the GearBox Pro Power Paddle for more stability and control if that is what they want.
if a person wants the control of the ultimate then buy the Gearbox Pro Control Elongated.
The ultimate should not have been compared to the GearBox Pro Power Paddle but rather the ultimate should have been compared to the Gearbox Pro Control Elongated pickleball paddle.
I would like to see the original elongated GearBox Pro Power Paddle in a wide body format with a handle long enough for 2 handed backhands.
Second this
Just pulled the trigger on this paddle. Last paddle I bought was the Joola Gen3. Hopefully, this doesn't turn into my experience playing MTG, and the decks I get eat the banhammer.
What are your thoughts so far? I have gen 3 Perseus and looking at the power pro or the pro ultimate.
I like a paddle to feel soft and have dwell time when driving 3rds from baseline. Would you say you can feel that with these, or is it still stiff like PP?
Gearbox.. What are you doing? The integra is so dumb. Just make a standard widebody shape with a 5.5 inch handle.. its so obvious.
Yep, 16x8 with a 5.5-inch handle, 2300RPM spin is what we all wish for lol
Great vid!
Much better than the Pro Power! Not as much power but tons more control and feel for the ball!
Sounds good however I’ll wait a while, to see how good the durability proves to be.
Try this, Gearbox - 16x8 with a 5.5-inch handle, 2300RPM spin
this gearbox pro ultimate 16 has 2300rpm spin ??😮😮😮
Why is the grip circumference so small?
Racquetball guy created. Think you can put the string in the handle.
If you could put slyce cap on this paddle, it would be deadly.
Twist weight, if you don't block in the center, you lose?
Isn't foam and eva foam not allowed to be used in a core. Cut open there is barely any carbon fiber. Thin pillars. The majority of the core is foam.
As soon as I heard him say EVA foam - red flag !! How are they getting away with this ?
@@PKB-AG exactly. Paid off cause PPA sponsor..yet no major pros use it .
@@veritech1773 It is a control game after all. Jack Sock can create plenty of power on his own - which I think is why he uses a Luxx. hope that makes sense.
@@PKB-AG he is using power air now..
Yes. Rafael wanted to make a foam core paddle (like the unapproved Diadem VICE) but he knew it would not pass USAP deflection tests. He created a design with thin carbon ribs within the foam that provided enough structure to pass deflection tests. There is no COR test at USAP (yet). It has been widely reported that the pro-power changes over time. It becomes more powerful and crunchy when the face is pressed. X-sections show that the carbon fiber ribs are breaking. What you are left with is a 'mostly' foam core paddle with huge power. Rafael took advantage of the inadequate deflection to power equivalency testing currently done at USAP.
John, what are you using on your scale @14:03 in the video to hold the paddle upright? I have the same exact scale and run into the same issue trying to weigh certain paddles.
I'm using Museum Putty - you can get it on Amazon. Works great!
Can you give me your top 1 all around paddles please?????😢😢😢😢
Hee Hee Haw! Number crunchers love your work and usually listen to the entire vid more than 2X!.
One question. If I add the weight only to the handle end of this paddle, would SW declines? Or increases? assuming the pivot point is above the end of the handle where I attached the weights. I can expect the balance point would go down, but not sure about swing weight.
I was thinking that mass center moved to downward and more mass is added below my hand grip, maybe SW declines, but at the same time total static mass increased and inertia of momentum also increased with increased mass. So I'm not sure with this one...
Good question- you can’t lower swing weight by adding weight to the handle. Best you can do is keep the swing weight the same by adding weight below the fulcrum
Hey John, on your spreadsheet if a paddle has a high swing weight percentage, does that mean that it is quicker movement at the kitchen or slower?
@@patrickmelo3881 Higher percentiles for swing weight and balance point mean the paddle is slower/more sluggish
@@johnkewpickleball thanks John! I am surprised to see the difference in number between the fatboy and filth!
Does the new paddle still sound like you're hitting a wood paddle? Thunk, thunk, thunk? Yes or No? That was the worst part about the last paddle.
I would prefer a wide body also.
How did the Dwell time or control compare to the Joola Gen 3s?
Thanks for the question - I'll cover it on this week's podcast
@@johnkewpickleball Sounds good. Will look forward to it. Please add this gearbox Ultimate to your online spreadsheet when you get a chance.
Boy, that such an expensive piece of hardware requires so much modification is very disappointing. Hope Gearbox figures this out, no bueno.
For all the cutting edge tech gearbox waves around those twist and swing weight numbers are rough. In general I’ve ever only seen 5 gb paddles at my rec courts where there’s 80people at busy times ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
Why is Gearbox allowed to use foam in the core, but nobody else can?
@@MrJgoodwin7 exactly
There's nothing illegal about foam. Anyone can use it IF the end result meets USAP specs as far as exit velocity, coefficient of restitution, etc. The retail Gen 3 Joolas, Vatic Oni, and Ronbus Ripple fell outside of the USAP spec, though I would also argue for the latter two that it was BS that that USAP randomly created new specs to follow without a 12 to 18-month window. What they should have done is tell all the manufacturers that starting in January 2026, new specs would be in effect, which would give everyone proper time to adjust their paddles or create new ones.
@@zachcarmichael699 diadem vice is a foam core. Illegal
275!!!!!!
Is the muted sound the same as the pro power?
It's a little higher pitched compared to the pro power, although some of that might have to do with break in
Why buy a gearbox when you can get better and cheaper options. They're crazy. I lump them in with selkirk.
I’m still trying to figure out how a paddle with an all foam core is legal?
damn...i jut bought the power pro...
You won’t be disappointed!
I bought this paddle at 3:00 am today I have a problem
Same price
$275 dollar to then add all that weight to fix it. No thanks!
And even then, he still only got it to 6.0 for the TW and wasn't as stable as a stock hybrid paddle...
@@zachcarmichael699 Exactly! I should also say that John's video is amazing and really help us get some feeling about the paddle before investing all that money. I still think that something like a PIKKL Hurricane Pro is a good cost benefit option.
Too expensive.
Skip
Still plays like a foam paddle and delaminated paddle. I'm surprised it's still legal paddle. 🤷♂️
Hey John! Do you edit videos by yourself, or have you hired someone? I offer high-quality edits. Let me know if you’re interested,
The pro power has taken some of the fun out of the game. I’d like to see it fade away. When someone plays with that paddle , the points end more quickly not necessarily in their favor. Of course they do land some awesome shots but generally they miss direct the majority of the balls they hit to some degree.
this is a major fail
Pro power Waa waa. Less fun cry cry! Get over it the game is going to power
Their awful quality control is overwhelming their customer service, and bankruptcy is near. Gearbox sucks!!!
Wow, another cheat paddle
Gearbox Pro is still my favorite. I have the new Paddleteks and kept my Gen3 Joolas.