PADDLE BATTLE

Speedup Tide 14L vs. Selkirk Boomstik: The Foam Core Power Struggle

by
Speedup Tide 14L

The Selkirk Labs Boomstik is the gold standard for “limitless” power and a massive sweet spot, but it comes with a premium $333 price tag. The Speedup Tide 14L ($170) is the underdog that offers a unique, more connected feel with a thinner 14mm profile that surprisingly mimics the dwell time of a thicker paddle. Choose the Boomstik for raw, forgiving offense; choose the Tide 14L if you want a fast, high-spin weapon that doesn’t feel like a hollow “pop” machine.

Read more

11six24 Hurache-X Power 2 vs. Volair Shift EL

by
11six24 Hurache-X Power 2 vs. Volair Shift EL

If you’ve been following my journey, you know I’ve been a die-hard Engage Pursuit Pro MX (13mm) user for a long time. I lived for that “pingy” pop and the raw power it delivered on drives. But as my game moved into 4.0+ territory, my Engage MX started to feel like a liability. In fast-paced kitchen exchanges, the stiff 13mm core was just too “hot”—I was popping up dinks that should have been dead.

I needed a “cheat code”: a paddle with explosive drive power, elite spin longevity, and a handle longer than 5.5 inches for my two-handed backhand. Most importantly, I needed to fix my soft game without losing my identity as a power player.

After weeks of court testing, two Gen 4 monsters emerged as the top contenders: the 11six24 Hurache-X Power 2 and the Volair Shift EL.

Read more

Six Zero Coral vs. CRBN³ TruFoam Waves Review: Best 100% Foam Core Paddle?

by
Six Zero Coral vs. CRBN³ TruFoam Waves: The Battle for Foam Supremacy

The 2026 gear race has officially moved past “honeycomb with a little bit of foam” and into the era of the 100% foam core. If you’re tired of that hollow “clack” and paddles that lose their pop after two months of hard hitting, you’re looking at the right two contenders.

Today, I’m putting the Six Zero Coral up against the CRBN³ TruFoam Waves. These are two very different animals. One feels like it was designed by a precision engineer to be the ultimate control scalpel, while the other is a high-tech “Gen-4” powerhouse that feels like a tennis racket and a pickleball paddle had a baby.

Read more

Honolulu Gen 4 Foam Launch Guide: Everything We Know About J6CR, J2CR & J3CR (2026)

by
J6CR paddle

The Honolulu Pickleball Gen 4 Foam lineup ($195) introduces “Gen 4.5” multi-density foam technology designed to maximize energy return while eliminating the vibration common in honeycomb paddles. The J2CR is the ultimate balanced hybrid for most 4.0 players, the J6CR is a baseline power specialist with an 111-116 swing weight, and the J3CR is built for maximum hand speed at the kitchen line.

Read more

Honolulu J2NF vs 11SIX24 Vapor Power 2 Review: Best Foam-Core Paddle?

by
Honolulu J2NF vs 11SIX24 Vapor Power 2 pickleball paddle battle comparison on outdoor court with glowing outlines

The foam-core revolution is officially here, and it’s getting loud. If you’ve been hanging around the courts lately, you’ve probably heard that deep “thud” of a foam-filled paddle. It’s a completely different feel than the hollow “clack” we’ve all used for years.

Today, I’m putting two of the newest and most hyped 2026 releases against each other. In one corner, we have the Honolulu J2NF, a paddle being hailed as the “Forgiveness King.” In the other, the 11SIX24 Vapor Power 2, a brand-new “value disruptor” that just launched with a surface texture—HexGrit—that looks like it could peel the paint off a car.

I’ve spent the last week rotating between these two in competitive play. While they both use foam, they represent two completely different philosophies of the game.

Read more

Cookie Consent with Real Cookie Banner