I didn't speak to the tech side of things like I usually do but I found the tech of these paddles very cool and interesting. Me showing off the slides and summarizing quickly in my intro felt disingenuous and was a discredit to the cool technology they are using and it's a big thing that sets them apart. You can learn more on Gearbox's website here, gearboxsports.com/pages/pro-series?rfsn=7676489.281577. Or you can watch this interview @buildingpickleball did with the Gearbox owner/engineer that was really good, czcams.com/video/tnZHbTAWPOs/video.htmlsi=hkz2Z2JTsg5JVp91.
@@pickleballeffect that’s very kind of you to say. I’ve seen you guys together and appreciate your friendship. I do enjoy your channel and will continue to watch as I feel you’re very honest with your content.
Best reviewer out there, this guy actually tells you the flaws and good parts on a paddle and knows how to describe it in detail, gives everyone a picture of how the paddle plays before buying. Keep it up man
Finally, a review where the reviewer doesn’t rave about the power and pop over being able to control ball on defense and placement. A player has to be young, experienced and extremely athletic to handle this power model. The court is small and control comes into play in everyone’s game at some point.
Really helpful perspective. I think the initial impressions from the paddle are focused on how hard they hit. Chris over at Pickleball Studio used it at a recent tournament and on day two switched out of using it because he was struggling with resets, drops, dink volleys, etc. You can appreciate what Gearbox has done with their design but also realize it may not be the right paddle for most players as you pointed out. Appreciate your thoughts and review and look forward to your next. It looks like we will be flooded with pre-holiday paddle releases so lots to consider.
That sums it up well, thanks for the comment. And yes, lots of paddles coming up, it's worth waiting a couple of months to consider all your options. I can think of four bigger ones that are being released in that time frame.
I think the gearbox pro power elongated paddle is a great paddle. My thoughts on the Gearbox elongated pro power pickleball paddle. The Gearbox elongated pro power pickleball paddle is a power paddles and if you want better control of a power paddle then you need to add weight around the whole pickleball paddle which made mine a power paddle and a control paddle. I added 11 three ounce stripes around my pro power paddle. Also the reason for adding weights to ANY paddle is so that the paddle does not seem lighter than the pickleball itself when hitting or striking the pickleball. which without weights makes ANY paddle harder to control. I prefer to use any paddle that is not dominated by the pickleball itself when striking the pickleball which is why it is good to add weights to any and all paddles. and adding weights around the paddle also increases the sweep spot of the paddle.
I feel that you're right on with your review of this paddle. I know of two people so far that have purchased this paddle and don't like it. I appreciate your honest and scientific approach to reviewing paddles. You don't appear to let the manufacturers influence your reviews. You're the only channel who I believe in when it comes to straight-forward data/review about a new paddle. Thanks!
Excellent review as usual. The only thing I would add (as a Gearbox user) is the durability of Gearbox paddles. They are the only ones using carbon fibre cores (as far as I know) which means you technically will avoid the core crushing/delamination issues of thermoformed poly cores. The one downside to Gearbox paddles is the lack of power. It looks like they fixed the issue, perhaps a little too much :)…Premium price but the build quality might make it worth the cost if you’re a Gearbox fan.
Great point! It’s hard to get it all in there. I speak to that some in my written review but should expand on that. And yes, if you are a Gearbox fan and love the way they play then the Control model will still give you a bump in power while the Power model gives you the bigger bump.
Been a fan of GB since 2016, have had 5 GB paddles. Quality comes at a price. Also a San Diegan and support local business owners and Rafael is a solid guy.
Have a GB5 control, it keeps up in advanced play very well, serves and drives and control are all great. I generate the power when needed. I have no overgrip no lead tape, I like it stock. After playing with this paddle part time'ish I then switch to my Gruvn r16 for the tougher games,,really seems it helps me play better with an even more powerful paddle.
Very comprehensive review and covered the CON side from other reviews. I've seen them all. I just ordered the Pro POWER E. My goal is to create power with out having to swing harder. I nurse elbow and shoulder issues, so POP is important. I also use the "punch" volley often, so hoping this helps my game. How is the vibration transfer on your arm? I have played 5 different GB paddles over the last 6 years. Like that Rafael is always innovating the paddle and that cost money. His reviews with Brian and Ben were very informative on lots of reasons why the cost is high for Gearbox paddles. They are like no other paddle out there and that comes with a cost. Thanks for taking the time to put this together.
Sounds like the Pro Power will be a good fit. I thought it felt comfortable on my arm and didn't notice any harsh vibrations or anything. I've always respected and like that Gearbox paddles are truly unique in a space where there are a lot of very similar paddles.
Great review, people get drunk with the power but unless you are playing singles power in doubles can hurt you as much as help you. I'm anxious to see how lower-level players play with this expensive paddle. You IMO are the best reviewer out there. Keep up the great work.
When you first play with the paddle you’re like this so cool and awesome and then the more you play with it the more you start realize the drawbacks. And thanks for the nice comment, I’m glad you find my stuff helpful. I really enjoy doing it.
I appreciate your level take on the paddles! The idea of killer power is fun but being able to navigate different speeds on the ball is more important (to me). Out of curiosity what’s your #1 paddle?
Yeah, that sums it up well. Killer power and really fun but it sort of just has one speed and is more difficult to add variety. I’ve been switching paddles a lot this year ha. I was playing the DBD 16 for a while then switched to the DBD 14. Then I had a stint with the Vatic Pro and the Volair Forza 16. There are lots of good paddles right now and I’d be happy with any of those.
Ordered the Gearbox Pro Fusion Power and was hoping to love it. The paddle surprisingly has great control and lacks power. I dont know if its labeled wrong or what the deal is. My friend also go the elongated power and felt the same thing. Both of these paddles were put right back in our bags. I play with the Joola CJ Scorpeus currently. Several people I play with even commented on how much slower my serves were playing with the Gearbox. I personally dont see any advantage playing with either the Fusion or the Elongated. Lucky I got my paddle from Pickleball Galaxy and they have a 30 day play guarntee. Yes even on Gearbox you can return them. Needless to say this paddle is getting returned. Not worth the hype or the $275.00
Thanks for the comment. There’s been so many different experiences with their paddles which makes you think there is some sort of quality control thing going on.
I have noticed more and more lobbers lately, good lobbers and spinners at that!! Great power and strong drives kinda elemenates thier game ive noticed, so lately ive bring bringing on the heat, getting them to the net quickly and having success there. Maybe power is good.
Certainly a place for it and if you’re good with a big power game and find success there then lean into it! I played a guy the other day with the pro power and he was ripping drives and serves like I’ve never seen and was causing a lot of havoc and was giving people issues. This paddle will help enable that like nothing else out there.
Excellent and very objective review packed with great info. Good to know that the control paddle is nice but you can get a more forgiving all court paddle for a lot less
I could probably write an entire article on this ha. The Engage Pursuits have a better sweet spot and don't have to have lead tape so they are more approachable out of the box. They have good power though not as much as the Gearbox Pro Powers. And they have a more familiar feel than the Gearbox Pro Power so it's easier to control to me. I would recommend the the Pursuits over the Gearbox in most cases though there are scenarios where people will like the Gearbox more if they want bigger power and like the specs of a gearbox like the edgeless design or smaller grip size.
Here we gooo! Always appreciate the detail but most importantly, the brutal honesty. Learned: didn’t know the edgeless also effects swing weight. Agreed on the access of the power and sweet spot.
Gotta keep it real and I’m glad I’m not the only one that didn’t think the sweet spot was huge ha. I imagine that a year or two from now that edgeless paddles will be the norm.
Couple things here: That twist weight is almost always dead on about how a paddle performs. I’ve used about 10 paddles with varying twist weights and if you are someone who believes in the thought process of the higher the twist weight the better/more consistent the paddle performs (assuming stock, no weight added) appears to be holding true here. And this review tells me that this paddle REALLY needs a demo program (as it’s so unique). Expecting people to pay $275 with no ability to test it, isn’t a great company decision, IMO. The secondary paddle market is already getting flooded with paddles people bought based on a whim or a review and now want to sell them (typically at close to retail price, yet nobody knows the true condition of the paddle 😂).
It’ll be interesting to see how the market responds. I’m sure there will be many players who love them but I imagine we’ll see some in the secondary market too ha.
Thanks for an objective review of the Gearbox Pro series. I takes a lot of courage to swim upstream against the hype. As a control player this paddle series probably wouldn't work for me.
Good review as usual. I can always trust your reviews. I am always looking for newer and improved paddle technology and this sounds promising. The other reviewers mentioned it had a trampoline effect that helped with both power and spin. You didn’t mention anything about that. Maybe it was mostly hype and they are not much different than other paddles. I definitely like power but I also need control. I was hoping this paddle would solve the puzzle. I guess we will see.
Thanks for watching. Based on our convos in the past I would be surprised if this was the one you ended up liking the most but if you get a chance to play it you should give it a try.
@@pickleballeffect Thanks. Chris from Pickleball studio just released an article about how switching too many paddles can be detrimental. I see his point and yours too.
If you find yourself among those who invested in a high-priced paddle only to receive a defective one, with Gearbox refusing to honor the warranty, consider pursuing recourse through your local small claims court. File a claim to assert your rights and ensure accountability.
Great review. A paddle to add to the review list that is thermoformed but has a touch closer to the Hyperion is the new pickleball apes s shape.. have been a gearbox fan and was hopeful on this paddle but need more control in my game, not power :)
@@pickleballeffect you really should. I would expect your review to say it’s an all court paddle that has control and a little more pop than non-thermos, but I want to hear what you think :). And of course the elongated version is going to hit much harder.
Ha thank you, I appreciate that. Selkirk put in an order for me a couple of weeks ago but I haven't gotten them yet so my review for those will have to come later.
@@tommymorgan9293I don’t think the Ripple or Eva foam paddle from Ronbus has an official launch date yet but I imagine it’s coming in the next few months. Six Zero has some paddles coming soon, Paddletek has some ALW paddles, Joola has some coming soon, and Volair has another thermo coming. Those are just the ones that come to mind.
Okay thanks, will look at both. Rocking the luxx Invicta right now and like the long shape, came from a. DBD and also enjoyed that shape and handle length. Makes sense that two wide paddles would have higher twist weights. Hoping to get my Luxx up by adding led tape soon. @@pickleballeffect
I actually make and sell edge guard tape ha, you can get it on Amazon here, a.co/d/9ca7L7r. If you decide to get some, watch the video on my listing for the best way to apply it. You want to strech it around the corners so it lays flat and doesn’t wrinkle on you.
I'm hoping to go full time pickleball sometime early next year so I'll have more time to do stuff like that. You might be the only one that wants one though lol.
i have the vatic pro flash 16mm as my first paddle and love it, i saw the hype on this and jumped on it immediately. i like to hit the ball hard and im not the greatest player so this paddle with its tight sweet spot doesnt help me as much. my drive shots with the vatic have so much dip on them, im going to try this lead setup before i give up on this paddle sadly.
Do you think its possible for you to get your hands on a Sword & Sheild JH1 for review? Johnkew's stats gives this paddle similar mph numbers to the Gearbox but there is no, in depth, review on this paddle that I can find.
There is a wide variance in weight. My first Pro Power Elongated was right on at 8 oz, but my second one (just received) weighs 8.4 oz. This is a problem.
They are already head heavy so I bet that 8.4 has some heft to it. But yeah, the weight variation has been an issue from the start. They need to figure that out.
i fell for the hype...2 more mph, extra spin...why why why????.....oh well, it comes in a few weeks and I will see what it does...going from the DBD, it will be interesting to see how it does...great job Brayden
If you have a 14mm DBD dialed in then you’re more likely to be able to reign in the power model. A 14mm thermo is a little more forgiving and less powerful but it’s not so far off and I imagine you’d adjust overtime.
You might still like it, there are lots of good things about the paddle. I’d say give it more time than normal to try and adjust and see if you can make it work. If you can make it work then you’ll love the power!
Hi. Could you make a comparison/review between Gearbox Pro Power and Gearbox CX11E Power? Which is a better paddle in terms of power, control, feel, speed, etc ? Hope to hear from you soon. God Bless.
The Pro Power has more power and spin while the CX11E isn’t as lively of the face though it I’d easier to control. Similar forgiveness though I’d give the edge to the Pro Power there.
Will someone please explain to me why my Gearbox Power Pro Elongated has no power and even less pop? I have never seen a paddle got such great reviews so I had to buy one and I am EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED with the paddle! What am I missing? I am a 5.0 player and I hit with a lot of top spin but my volleys had less pop than my Ronbus by far!!! Not happy at all with this paddle!!!
You’re not the first to have that experience with them. It’s been a weird paddle release. People keep saying it’s quality control issues but it’s hard to say what the problem is.
There is more to these paddles than the description stated in this personal review....the in depth knowledge of this paddle is years ahead than any other paddle ever made in the sport. Research more and do the review again after getting use to the paddle ❤
I'm not questioning the technology of the paddles. I agree, Gearbox is the most differentiated brand out there and their tech is really cool. But simply because something has more tech in it doesn't mean it's better. I played with the paddles for over two weeks which is the typical time I play with a paddle before I form my final thoughts of how they play for my reviews. The Pro Powers can rip but from my experience with them I wasn't able to control them as well as other reviewers have stated.
when are people just gonna say they didn't like the paddle. like I think good players or better players should be able to play with anything stock or customized and if you cat then you aren't as good as you think. hate to call it bow it is but you should be able to play with anything with no excuses with whatever version or paddle you are using
when you look at your numbered ratings/specs in your written reviews, you are essentially rating this almost identical to a Power Air. That really doesn't fit the general consensus about these new paddles. I think it would be very interesting to speculate/investigate why every other reviewer is disagreeing with you about control
I do see these as a better spin, more powerful version of the power air. The Gearbox doesn't feel as harsh and isn't as loud as the power airs but that wasn't enough to make them easy to control. They still hit the ball hard and taking pace off is still more difficult. This was how I felt about them before all the reviews were dropped. Typically my thoughts on a paddle are in the same vein as most the others but that wasn't the case on this one for some reason. It'll be interesting to see what people start saying online once they end up in more player's hands.
@@pickleballeffect thanks for your response! Comparing your ratings for Pro Power Elongated to Power Air Invicta: Control/Feel and Power are exactly the same. Spin is 2 points higher for Power Air and Forgiveness 2 points higher for Gearbox. If that is accurate, Gearbox is probably wasting their resources developing all these new technologies to create something almost equivalent to a somewhat niche paddle from over a year ago. And all the other reviewers are failing to recognize that? Maybe this highlights more than anything, a need for a more nuanced rating system that takes into account things like weight, contemporary rivals/alternatives, and data based power/control metrics like John Kew. Rafael mentioned that in his testing, players perception of power/control was erroneously affected just by changing the paddle's sound. That suggests to me that data is more important than personal impression
@@kyebeanI should go back and update the power air spin rating. When it was released it was one of the best spin paddles available which is why it has a high rating but it’s been passed up by many paddles now including these. One other big difference between the airs and these is swingweight. The Airs are much lighter but they aren’t terribly different performance wise. And yes, I love what Kew does with the speed numbers though I wish there was a better way to measure speed. Tempature and ball effect speed a lot. If you run a test with a speed gun in the middle of the summer with a ball that’s heated up a little it’s going to give you lower readings than hitting the same paddle and measuring in the fall. Same with the spin tests people run. They are cool and helpful but until we have robots in a controlled environment then we’ll never know for certain.
I started with 3g on each side and it certainly helped and could be enough for some players. It improves the forgiveness without moving the swingweight much. I was just still missing some dinks and more simple softer shots than I liked but when I upped to six grams it took out most of those silly mistakes for me.
I have both the Pro Power Fusion and the Pro Control Elongated. Let's start with the Pro Power: the lack of feel was terrible for my game. Resets were next to impossible. I had to be super delicate with grip strength and overthink every shot. IMO, the power is overrated. Coming from a 6.0 DBD, I would have to completely overhaul my game to use this paddle effectively. Now for the Pro Control: this fit my style of play better than the Pro Power, but still required me to alter my game considerably. Still a lack of feel for ground strokes and drives. Kitchen game and resets were solid, but I couldn't counter or attack effectively. I am returning both paddles and sticking with the DBD, especially considering the astronomical price for these paddles. Not worth it IMO.
Good review. As a consumer, i would leave out the tid bit about the 27 slide ppt…mentioning the tech and then summarizing in 2 super small points seems disingenuous. I know you are doing it for the viewer but it comes off biased.
Yeah, I could have done that better. Thanks for the feedback. The tech is cool, and if someone is interested in learning more then it’s explained well on their website.
You are the tech guy imo which is why I like you! You try and understand what makes the paddles different which you definitely elaborated on. Nice video again!
@@pickleballeffect On the topic of "durability", GB cores are not like any other paddle on the market period! The cost/time that goes into the manufacturing process that Rafael has come up with shows why the price is so high.
I really appreciate this video... and how you condensed it. Maybe cause I currently play with a Gearbox. Plus I have already seen the construction details several times in reviews that came out in the last few days. And I have had a warranty exchange on the Cx14e after 8- 9 months -which is very good customer service but shows gearbox cores are not perfect(I know of another local guy who had the exact same core issue with that paddle) So coming from the Cx14e which has as much power as a wet noodle to the pro power might well be too big a step for me at 4.0000😅 But I am likely still going to try it!🙃
@@kimleith1378 right, if anyone has a good reason for a price increase, it's Gearbox. You are certainly getting more there than you do with other brands. The face of the paddle will probably wear out quicker than the core will.
I didn't speak to the tech side of things like I usually do but I found the tech of these paddles very cool and interesting. Me showing off the slides and summarizing quickly in my intro felt disingenuous and was a discredit to the cool technology they are using and it's a big thing that sets them apart. You can learn more on Gearbox's website here, gearboxsports.com/pages/pro-series?rfsn=7676489.281577. Or you can watch this interview @buildingpickleball did with the Gearbox owner/engineer that was really good, czcams.com/video/tnZHbTAWPOs/video.htmlsi=hkz2Z2JTsg5JVp91.
Pickleball Studio is my favorite but I like your’s too.
@@mccgunter ha he does great stuff, he's my favorite too.
@@pickleballeffect that’s very kind of you to say. I’ve seen you guys together and appreciate your friendship. I do enjoy your channel and will continue to watch as I feel you’re very honest with your content.
Best reviewer out there, this guy actually tells you the flaws and good parts on a paddle and knows how to describe it in detail, gives everyone a picture of how the paddle plays before buying. Keep it up man
Ha I appreciate that. Lots of good reviewers out there, it’s nice to have multiple opinions.
@@pickleballeffect I feel the same. I read/watch/listen to pretty much all the PB content out there and always put these first.
Finally, a review where the reviewer doesn’t rave about the power and pop over being able to control ball on defense and placement. A player has to be young, experienced and extremely athletic to handle this power model. The court is small and control comes into play in everyone’s game at some point.
Nope
Thanks for putting down the glass of Gearbox Kool Aid, and giving a different perspective on these very expensive paddles.
This paddle is a beast. Love how it feels.
You are my favorite paddle reviewer! You always provide fair and well reasoned reviews. Please keep up the great work, so many of us trust your voice.
Thanks for watching, I really enjoy doing it and am glad my stuff is helpful!
Weird to say but it’s nice to see an objective review for these
Really helpful perspective. I think the initial impressions from the paddle are focused on how hard they hit. Chris over at Pickleball Studio used it at a recent tournament and on day two switched out of using it because he was struggling with resets, drops, dink volleys, etc. You can appreciate what Gearbox has done with their design but also realize it may not be the right paddle for most players as you pointed out. Appreciate your thoughts and review and look forward to your next. It looks like we will be flooded with pre-holiday paddle releases so lots to consider.
That sums it up well, thanks for the comment. And yes, lots of paddles coming up, it's worth waiting a couple of months to consider all your options. I can think of four bigger ones that are being released in that time frame.
I think the gearbox pro power elongated paddle is a great paddle.
My thoughts on the Gearbox elongated pro power pickleball paddle.
The Gearbox elongated pro power pickleball paddle is a power paddles and if you want better control of a power paddle then you need to add weight around the whole pickleball paddle which made mine a power paddle and a control paddle. I added 11 three ounce stripes around my pro power paddle.
Also the reason for adding weights to ANY paddle is so that the paddle does not seem lighter than the pickleball itself when hitting or striking the pickleball. which without weights makes ANY paddle harder to control. I prefer to use any paddle that is not dominated by the pickleball itself when striking the pickleball which is why it is good to add weights to any and all paddles. and adding weights around the paddle also increases the sweep spot of the paddle.
I feel that you're right on with your review of this paddle. I know of two people so far that have purchased this paddle and don't like it. I appreciate your honest and scientific approach to reviewing paddles. You don't appear to let the manufacturers influence your reviews. You're the only channel who I believe in when it comes to straight-forward data/review about a new paddle. Thanks!
Thanks for comment, I appreciate that!
Excellent review as usual. The only thing I would add (as a Gearbox user) is the durability of Gearbox paddles. They are the only ones using carbon fibre cores (as far as I know) which means you technically will avoid the core crushing/delamination issues of thermoformed poly cores. The one downside to Gearbox paddles is the lack of power. It looks like they fixed the issue, perhaps a little too much :)…Premium price but the build quality might make it worth the cost if you’re a Gearbox fan.
Great point! It’s hard to get it all in there. I speak to that some in my written review but should expand on that. And yes, if you are a Gearbox fan and love the way they play then the Control model will still give you a bump in power while the Power model gives you the bigger bump.
Been a fan of GB since 2016, have had 5 GB paddles. Quality comes at a price. Also a San Diegan and support local business owners and Rafael is a solid guy.
Have a GB5 control, it keeps up in advanced play very well, serves and drives and control are all great. I generate the power when needed. I have no overgrip no lead tape, I like it stock. After playing with this paddle part time'ish I then switch to my Gruvn r16 for the tougher games,,really seems it helps me play better with an even more powerful paddle.
Best to wait for the newer versions of these paddles when they actually give it proper tweaking. Like making fusion paddle wider.
You know they are going to tweak them and they'll keep getting better for sure.
Thank you for a great, honest, helpful review! Your perspective was important bc you didn’t get lost in the hype train.
Great job!
Nice job. You provided some unique insight, putting your assessment in front of the other top reviewers.
Thanks for watching, I'm glad it was helpful. It'll be interesting to see how the market responds to them once they start getting in more hands.
Very comprehensive review and covered the CON side from other reviews. I've seen them all. I just ordered the Pro POWER E. My goal is to create power with out having to swing harder. I nurse elbow and shoulder issues, so POP is important. I also use the "punch" volley often, so hoping this helps my game.
How is the vibration transfer on your arm?
I have played 5 different GB paddles over the last 6 years. Like that Rafael is always innovating the paddle and that cost money. His reviews with Brian and Ben were very informative on lots of reasons why the cost is high for Gearbox paddles. They are like no other paddle out there and that comes with a cost. Thanks for taking the time to put this together.
Sounds like the Pro Power will be a good fit. I thought it felt comfortable on my arm and didn't notice any harsh vibrations or anything. I've always respected and like that Gearbox paddles are truly unique in a space where there are a lot of very similar paddles.
What do you think about the new hyperion c2 ben johns joola ?
Great review, people get drunk with the power but unless you are playing singles power in doubles can hurt you as much as help you. I'm anxious to see how lower-level players play with this expensive paddle. You IMO are the best reviewer out there. Keep up the great work.
When you first play with the paddle you’re like this so cool and awesome and then the more you play with it the more you start realize the drawbacks. And thanks for the nice comment, I’m glad you find my stuff helpful. I really enjoy doing it.
I appreciate your level take on the paddles! The idea of killer power is fun but being able to navigate different speeds on the ball is more important (to me). Out of curiosity what’s your #1 paddle?
Yeah, that sums it up well. Killer power and really fun but it sort of just has one speed and is more difficult to add variety. I’ve been switching paddles a lot this year ha. I was playing the DBD 16 for a while then switched to the DBD 14. Then I had a stint with the Vatic Pro and the Volair Forza 16. There are lots of good paddles right now and I’d be happy with any of those.
Ordered the Gearbox Pro Fusion Power and was hoping to love it. The paddle surprisingly has great control and lacks power. I dont know if its labeled wrong or what the deal is. My friend also go the elongated power and felt the same thing. Both of these paddles were put right back in our bags. I play with the Joola CJ Scorpeus currently. Several people I play with even commented on how much slower my serves were playing with the Gearbox. I personally dont see any advantage playing with either the Fusion or the Elongated. Lucky I got my paddle from Pickleball Galaxy and they have a 30 day play guarntee. Yes even on Gearbox you can return them. Needless to say this paddle is getting returned. Not worth the hype or the $275.00
Thanks for the comment. There’s been so many different experiences with their paddles which makes you think there is some sort of quality control thing going on.
Your reviews are top tier! Keep up the great work and Thanks
Much appreciated!
I have noticed more and more lobbers lately, good lobbers and spinners at that!! Great power and strong drives kinda elemenates thier game ive noticed, so lately ive bring bringing on the heat, getting them to the net quickly and having success there. Maybe power is good.
Certainly a place for it and if you’re good with a big power game and find success there then lean into it! I played a guy the other day with the pro power and he was ripping drives and serves like I’ve never seen and was causing a lot of havoc and was giving people issues. This paddle will help enable that like nothing else out there.
Excellent and very objective review packed with great info. Good to know that the control paddle is nice but you can get a more forgiving all court paddle for a lot less
Thanks for watching, I’m glad it helped!
Great objective review, as always. Keep up the good work.
Thanks, will do!
Nice job, Braydon. Happy to see you getting all the positive feedback in the comments. How do these compare to the Engage Pursuit Pro paddles?
I could probably write an entire article on this ha. The Engage Pursuits have a better sweet spot and don't have to have lead tape so they are more approachable out of the box. They have good power though not as much as the Gearbox Pro Powers. And they have a more familiar feel than the Gearbox Pro Power so it's easier to control to me. I would recommend the the Pursuits over the Gearbox in most cases though there are scenarios where people will like the Gearbox more if they want bigger power and like the specs of a gearbox like the edgeless design or smaller grip size.
@@pickleballeffect Thank you!
Really enjoyed the review. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Here we gooo! Always appreciate the detail but most importantly, the brutal honesty.
Learned: didn’t know the edgeless also effects swing weight.
Agreed on the access of the power and sweet spot.
Gotta keep it real and I’m glad I’m not the only one that didn’t think the sweet spot was huge ha. I imagine that a year or two from now that edgeless paddles will be the norm.
Couple things here: That twist weight is almost always dead on about how a paddle performs. I’ve used about 10 paddles with varying twist weights and if you are someone who believes in the thought process of the higher the twist weight the better/more consistent the paddle performs (assuming stock, no weight added) appears to be holding true here.
And this review tells me that this paddle REALLY needs a demo program (as it’s so unique). Expecting people to pay $275 with no ability to test it, isn’t a great company decision, IMO. The secondary paddle market is already getting flooded with paddles people bought based on a whim or a review and now want to sell them (typically at close to retail price, yet nobody knows the true condition of the paddle 😂).
It’ll be interesting to see how the market responds. I’m sure there will be many players who love them but I imagine we’ll see some in the secondary market too ha.
I spoke to GB and a DEMO program is scheduled for late January.??
@@kimleith1378 Nice, thanks for the info. I figured they would add them to their demo program eventually.
Thanks for an objective review of the Gearbox Pro series. I takes a lot of courage to swim upstream against the hype. As a control player this paddle series probably wouldn't work for me.
Good review as usual. I can always trust your reviews. I am always looking for newer and improved paddle technology and this sounds promising. The other reviewers mentioned it had a trampoline effect that helped with both power and spin. You didn’t mention anything about that. Maybe it was mostly hype and they are not much different than other paddles. I definitely like power but I also need control. I was hoping this paddle would solve the puzzle. I guess we will see.
Thanks for watching. Based on our convos in the past I would be surprised if this was the one you ended up liking the most but if you get a chance to play it you should give it a try.
@@pickleballeffect Thanks. Chris from Pickleball studio just released an article about how switching too many paddles can be detrimental. I see his point and yours too.
If you find yourself among those who invested in a high-priced paddle only to receive a defective one, with Gearbox refusing to honor the warranty, consider pursuing recourse through your local small claims court. File a claim to assert your rights and ensure accountability.
Great review. A paddle to add to the review list that is thermoformed but has a touch closer to the Hyperion is the new pickleball apes s shape.. have been a gearbox fan and was hopeful on this paddle but need more control in my game, not power :)
Thanks for the info, I've been hearing about those and need to add them to my list.
@@pickleballeffect you really should. I would expect your review to say it’s an all court paddle that has control and a little more pop than non-thermos, but I want to hear what you think :). And of course the elongated version is going to hit much harder.
@@ashevillescarborough haha you don't need me, you can read into a paddle on your own it looks like.
My favorite reviewer. Im a control paddle player and was wondering if this was the next best thing. Played with the lux yet???
Ha thank you, I appreciate that. Selkirk put in an order for me a couple of weeks ago but I haven't gotten them yet so my review for those will have to come later.
@@pickleballeffect What are the other paddles coming that you said to wait on?? :) The Ronbus eva approved paddle?
@@tommymorgan9293I don’t think the Ripple or Eva foam paddle from Ronbus has an official launch date yet but I imagine it’s coming in the next few months. Six Zero has some paddles coming soon, Paddletek has some ALW paddles, Joola has some coming soon, and Volair has another thermo coming. Those are just the ones that come to mind.
What has a very high twist weight, sweet spot? Thank you!
The CRBN 2X 16mm and the Volair Mach 2 Forza 16mm are two that come to mind.
Okay thanks, will look at both. Rocking the luxx Invicta right now and like the long shape, came from a. DBD and also enjoyed that shape and handle length. Makes sense that two wide paddles would have higher twist weights. Hoping to get my Luxx up by adding led tape soon.
@@pickleballeffect
Nice review !!
Where did you get the white edge guard tape.. It fits pretty great
Thanks
I actually make and sell edge guard tape ha, you can get it on Amazon here, a.co/d/9ca7L7r. If you decide to get some, watch the video on my listing for the best way to apply it. You want to strech it around the corners so it lays flat and doesn’t wrinkle on you.
@@pickleballeffect nice !! What’s the right width for this paddle?? I don’t see the narrow option
@@RickLeon7the standard width fits it, narrow should be up in about a week. I have them in stock, just working on getting them up on Amazon.
@@pickleballeffect thanks my dude.. I’ll wait for that narrow 🫡
Either way my GB pro hasn’t arrived yet 😅
How about some PE merch? Dri-Fit tees? To rep the channel.
I'm hoping to go full time pickleball sometime early next year so I'll have more time to do stuff like that. You might be the only one that wants one though lol.
i have the vatic pro flash 16mm as my first paddle and love it, i saw the hype on this and jumped on it immediately. i like to hit the ball hard and im not the greatest player so this paddle with its tight sweet spot doesnt help me as much. my drive shots with the vatic have so much dip on them, im going to try this lead setup before i give up on this paddle sadly.
Update: Played with it for a few hours, new lead setup is money… more dip on drives and sweet spot made a hell of a difference! Thank you
Nice! I’m glad to hear that helped
Nice reviens, how come nobody did mentioned anything about the new Integra… Is it a replacement name of the Fusion?
Yeah, the Integra and the Fusion are the same paddle, Gearbox decided to change the name to Integra for some reason.
Good review from your experience. Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure
Do you think its possible for you to get your hands on a Sword & Sheild JH1 for review? Johnkew's stats gives this paddle similar mph numbers to the Gearbox but there is no, in depth, review on this paddle that I can find.
There is a wide variance in weight. My first Pro Power Elongated was right on at 8 oz, but my second one (just received) weighs 8.4 oz. This is a problem.
They are already head heavy so I bet that 8.4 has some heft to it. But yeah, the weight variation has been an issue from the start. They need to figure that out.
i fell for the hype...2 more mph, extra spin...why why why????.....oh well, it comes in a few weeks and I will see what it does...going from the DBD, it will be interesting to see how it does...great job Brayden
I'm seriously considering getting one of these, and I'm currently very dialled in to a 14mm DBD
If you have a 14mm DBD dialed in then you’re more likely to be able to reign in the power model. A 14mm thermo is a little more forgiving and less powerful but it’s not so far off and I imagine you’d adjust overtime.
You might still like it, there are lots of good things about the paddle. I’d say give it more time than normal to try and adjust and see if you can make it work. If you can make it work then you’ll love the power!
Are there flaws regarding the Gearbox Pro Power paddle based from what I've read from different players reviews?
There definitely seems to be some quality control issues with them though I don’t know of gearbox has publicly addressed those questions yet.
Hi. Could you make a comparison/review between Gearbox Pro Power and Gearbox CX11E Power? Which is a better paddle in terms of power, control, feel, speed, etc ? Hope to hear from you soon. God Bless.
The Pro Power has more power and spin while the CX11E isn’t as lively of the face though it I’d easier to control. Similar forgiveness though I’d give the edge to the Pro Power there.
Will someone please explain to me why my Gearbox Power Pro Elongated has no power and even less pop? I have never seen a paddle got such great reviews so I had to buy one and I am EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED with the paddle! What am I missing? I am a 5.0 player and I hit with a lot of top spin but my volleys had less pop than my Ronbus by far!!! Not happy at all with this paddle!!!
You’re not the first to have that experience with them. It’s been a weird paddle release. People keep saying it’s quality control issues but it’s hard to say what the problem is.
Thank you!!!@@pickleballeffect
There is more to these paddles than the description stated in this personal review....the in depth knowledge of this paddle is years ahead than any other paddle ever made in the sport.
Research more and do the review again after getting use to the paddle ❤
I'm not questioning the technology of the paddles. I agree, Gearbox is the most differentiated brand out there and their tech is really cool. But simply because something has more tech in it doesn't mean it's better. I played with the paddles for over two weeks which is the typical time I play with a paddle before I form my final thoughts of how they play for my reviews. The Pro Powers can rip but from my experience with them I wasn't able to control them as well as other reviewers have stated.
when are people just gonna say they didn't like the paddle. like I think good players or better players should be able to play with anything stock or customized and if you cat then you aren't as good as you think. hate to call it bow it is but you should be able to play with anything with no excuses with whatever version or paddle you are using
when you look at your numbered ratings/specs in your written reviews, you are essentially rating this almost identical to a Power Air. That really doesn't fit the general consensus about these new paddles. I think it would be very interesting to speculate/investigate why every other reviewer is disagreeing with you about control
I do see these as a better spin, more powerful version of the power air. The Gearbox doesn't feel as harsh and isn't as loud as the power airs but that wasn't enough to make them easy to control. They still hit the ball hard and taking pace off is still more difficult. This was how I felt about them before all the reviews were dropped. Typically my thoughts on a paddle are in the same vein as most the others but that wasn't the case on this one for some reason. It'll be interesting to see what people start saying online once they end up in more player's hands.
@@pickleballeffect thanks for your response! Comparing your ratings for Pro Power Elongated to Power Air Invicta: Control/Feel and Power are exactly the same. Spin is 2 points higher for Power Air and Forgiveness 2 points higher for Gearbox.
If that is accurate, Gearbox is probably wasting their resources developing all these new technologies to create something almost equivalent to a somewhat niche paddle from over a year ago. And all the other reviewers are failing to recognize that?
Maybe this highlights more than anything, a need for a more nuanced rating system that takes into account things like weight, contemporary rivals/alternatives, and data based power/control metrics like John Kew. Rafael mentioned that in his testing, players perception of power/control was erroneously affected just by changing the paddle's sound. That suggests to me that data is more important than personal impression
@@kyebeanI should go back and update the power air spin rating. When it was released it was one of the best spin paddles available which is why it has a high rating but it’s been passed up by many paddles now including these. One other big difference between the airs and these is swingweight. The Airs are much lighter but they aren’t terribly different performance wise. And yes, I love what Kew does with the speed numbers though I wish there was a better way to measure speed. Tempature and ball effect speed a lot. If you run a test with a speed gun in the middle of the summer with a ball that’s heated up a little it’s going to give you lower readings than hitting the same paddle and measuring in the fall. Same with the spin tests people run. They are cool and helpful but until we have robots in a controlled environment then we’ll never know for certain.
what was you lead tape set up
How did you decide on 6 grams on each side of the paddle? Did you try less weight? I would wanna see how 3 grams affects playability
I started with 3g on each side and it certainly helped and could be enough for some players. It improves the forgiveness without moving the swingweight much. I was just still missing some dinks and more simple softer shots than I liked but when I upped to six grams it took out most of those silly mistakes for me.
I have both the Pro Power Fusion and the Pro Control Elongated. Let's start with the Pro Power: the lack of feel was terrible for my game. Resets were next to impossible. I had to be super delicate with grip strength and overthink every shot. IMO, the power is overrated. Coming from a 6.0 DBD, I would have to completely overhaul my game to use this paddle effectively. Now for the Pro Control: this fit my style of play better than the Pro Power, but still required me to alter my game considerably. Still a lack of feel for ground strokes and drives. Kitchen game and resets were solid, but I couldn't counter or attack effectively. I am returning both paddles and sticking with the DBD, especially considering the astronomical price for these paddles. Not worth it IMO.
Thanks for the input and review, this is fantastic! it’s good to see multiple opinions.
Good review. As a consumer, i would leave out the tid bit about the 27 slide ppt…mentioning the tech and then summarizing in 2 super small points seems disingenuous. I know you are doing it for the viewer but it comes off biased.
Yeah, I could have done that better. Thanks for the feedback. The tech is cool, and if someone is interested in learning more then it’s explained well on their website.
You are the tech guy imo which is why I like you! You try and understand what makes the paddles different which you definitely elaborated on.
Nice video again!
@@pickleballeffect On the topic of "durability", GB cores are not like any other paddle on the market period! The cost/time that goes into the manufacturing process that Rafael has come up with shows why the price is so high.
I really appreciate this video... and how you condensed it. Maybe cause I currently play with a Gearbox. Plus I have already seen the construction details several times in reviews that came out in the last few days. And I have had a warranty exchange on the Cx14e after 8- 9 months -which is very good customer service but shows gearbox cores are not perfect(I know of another local guy who had the exact same core issue with that paddle) So coming from the Cx14e which has as much power as a wet noodle to the pro power might well be too big a step for me at 4.0000😅 But I am likely still going to try it!🙃
@@kimleith1378 right, if anyone has a good reason for a price increase, it's Gearbox. You are certainly getting more there than you do with other brands. The face of the paddle will probably wear out quicker than the core will.