I’ve been a vocal critic of previous gearbox paddles, the paddles have never really lived up to what the high-end polymer paddles have achieved. Well, that all changes with the Gearbox’s latest power, control, and fusion paddles because Raphael has finally made me reconsider my initial opinions.
Firstly, I’ll be deliberating on which paddle to purchase. Based on my research, it appears that the best paddles from Gearbox currently are the Gearbox Pro Control (specifically the elongated version), Power, and the Power Fusion. While I recognize that each paddle is designed for a different play style, I’m contemplating which one is superior overall and why. Additionally, I would like to share the experiences I’ve had with either paddle.
Gearbox Pro Control Elongated Review
I’m a 3.5 player and 3 weeks (approx 25-30 play hours) into owning my Gearbox Pro Control Elongated and it’s hands down the best paddle I have ever played with. In the 1.5 years I have played Pickleball, I have used the 6.0 DBD, Gearbox 14x, Ronbus R3 Pulsar, and most recently the Ronbus R3 NOVA. I added 3g of lead tape to the 3 and 9 positions on the paddle and have always used a Hesacore Overgrip wrapped with a handle tap as I have very large hands.
I am a player who has always been able to generate power but struggled with drops, resets, and most other things related to the finesse side of Pickleball. Within the first week of using this paddle, all of those things seemed to change. Initially, I thought it was all in my head until my doubles partner, and others I play singles and doubles with, started to point out the improvements in my play. Out of nowhere my drops started landing in the kitchen, I was resetting more often, and wasn’t popping up nearly as many balls. The paddle just seems to make perfect sense in my hand, and if I could choose one word to describe it, it would be “consistent”. For the first time ever I seem to be able to consistently replicate shots that previously didn’t always make sense to me.
I have always struggled with using too much power in Pickleball. This is the first time in my life I have ever played a paddle/racket sport of any kind, but have been a strength athlete for years. Power-based paddles have always been unwieldy for me and pop-ups have been my downfall. While using this paddle I have been able to put significantly more power into my shots, especially my serves, due to the consistency of this paddle and its ability to generate so much topspin. When I serve or drive hard I swear I can feel the paddle biting the ball on contact.
My previous paddles were great at generating spin, but not so great at consistently doing so when they were in my clunky hands. I would not have expected this paddle to increase my “power dramatically” but it certainly has. In a match against a team that usually gets the better of us, over the course of 3 games I scored 8 points from my serves alone and only had 1 missed serve. I am not sure if this paddle has what everyone is looking for, but I could not be happier with it.
Gearbox Pro Power Fusion Review
“It is like trying to drive a Lamborghini in an ice storm.”
Let me start by saying I have been playing with the Legacy Pro for over a year, and overall I think it is probably the best paddle on the market. I LOVE that paddle.
The new technology of the Gearbox intrigued me so I decided to give it a shot. The Legacy is elongated, which I love, but I decided to try the Fusion model of the Gearbox as it is a little smaller and has a more balanced swing weight. (Quicker hands). The Gearbox was supposed to have a ton of power so I didn’t think I would lose much pop. The Fusion has the same 5.5” handle length as the elongated one, which is good for my 2 handed backhand.
“Power” has never concerned me as I’ve always said “I can control any paddle” because I have soft hands, and I excel in dinking and resets. Well, I had to eat my words for some time. I almost sold this paddle after the first night of play. Do not, DO NOT (in my opinion) buy this paddle unless you are a 4.5 to 5.0 player with very soft hands. This paddle will rock your world. My backhand dinks and resets would turn into overheads for my opponents. Now with that being said, if you are playing against 3.0 to 3.5 players, maybe you could blast your way through your opponents, but you can’t do that at higher levels and it will stunt your growth as a player if you try to do that.
It literally took me a couple of weeks and tons of drilling and games to wrap my game around this paddle. I can finally dink, reset, and play a soft game and this paddle has added an element of aggression and hand speed to my game. I absolutely do not recommend this paddle if you aren’t a high-level player, I would dare say it will hurt your play and inhibit your growth.
If you go with Gearbox and are into 3.0 to 4.0, consider the control version. This is simply my opinion, and I know lots of people will consider my opinion a terrible one. Take it at face value. I hope this was helpful for some.
Gearbox Pro Power Paddle Review
I have been looking at most of the reviews and complaints/QC issues about the Power Pro paddle that seem to be out there. So the first thing I looked for is the obvious ridge between the sweet spot and the outer perimeter of the paddle. I really can’t see it in the light or at any angle. There is virtually no flex with my fingers pressing into the paddle either. Build quality appears top-notch to me.
I’ve been using the Gearbox Pro Power paddle for a total of around 3-4 weeks so while my experience isn’t extensive, I’d like to share my initial thoughts. Firstly, the paddle’s attacking capabilities are impressive. It delivers powerful overhead shots that often result in winning points. Additionally, its serves are fast and generate a significant amount of spin. Overall, I’d rate its attacking performance a solid 9 out of 10.
The paddle excels with slice shots (forehand and backhand), drives, and compact hitting motion. Not for ex-tennis players who like to swing the paddle. With this gearbox, a very compact and short swing is all you need. Anything more will send the ball flying high. With a compact swing, you can also achieve faster hand speed. Mine was 8.0oz out of the box. I ended up adding 3g to the throats for stability and play like was was playing table tennis in the kitchen. lol
However, I’ve encountered some challenges with control and defense. Dropping shots and resets are hard to do. Typically resets and drops don’t give me any trouble. I’d give the control and defense aspects a 6 out of 10 rating.
Despite its drawbacks in control and defense, I thoroughly enjoy playing with this paddle. There’s a certain fun factor to it. However, I wouldn’t consider it my go-to paddle for ranked matches or tournaments.
Quick update. The more I play with this paddle the more I love it. My swings are becoming a flick almost. Less effort and focus on the swing allows me more time for placement. Most with any tennis background will hate it and those with a table tennis background will rejoice!! It’s like playing a different sports. Almost like going from tennis to table tennis.
Also read, Vatic Pro Prism Flash and V7 Paddle Review
