Paddles

This is my Pickleball Paddle Review and advice page.

October 2022 – Gearbox CX14e – $200. I love the feel of the paddle. My only complaint is that it doesn’t have enough power. This was my only paddle until the CX14e Ultimate was released. I added lead tape that helped, but the power was still lacking.

Gearbox paddles with the SST core are known as super durable compared to plastic honeycomb core paddles. They also sound and feel different than the honeycomb core paddles.

April 2023 – Gearbox CX14e Ultimate Power – $250. This fixes the lack of power in the CX14e, but still feels the same regarding control and spin so the ideal paddle for me. I’m currently using this as my only paddle. I added lead tape from the top of the grip to the top of each side to increase the weight to 9.5 oz. This adds power and stability. $250 is on the steep side of pricing. The grit seems to wear out in a few months with spin adversely affected.

October 2023 – Pro Power Elongated – $275 and the Pro Control Elongated – $275.

Dec 11, 2023 I played with the Pro Power Elongated today and here are my impressions. The paddle on dinks and drops was easy to get used to coming from CX14e Ultimate. The paddle feels and sounds deader than the Ultimate. The sweet spot is smaller and if you miss it, you know it more than the Ultimate. The paddle will vibrate a bit. If you hit the ball right in the sweet spot than the ball flies off the paddle face. I feel control as in Dink, Drops, Resets would be a small adjustment coming from the Ultimate. The adjustment would be to drives, make sure you have plenty of top spin on them. The big adjustment would be to off center shots when the paddle torques. I can’t recommend this paddle to anyone honestly until Gearbox modifies the sweet spot to be as large as the Ultimate. The tradeoff of more power is lost if you don’t hit the ball in the small sweet spot. It feels like the trampoline effect when you hit the ball right in the sweet spot.

I ordered them on Oct 16, 2023 and two weeks later they still haven’t shipped it or emailed me a status when I emailed them. Note that Gearbox charges your credit card when the order is placed, not when it is shipped. I ended up cancelling the order. The Gearbox return policy is very strict. If you use it, you can’t return it.

I saw this on reddit, and Pickleball Studio has a good review, but in his podcast, (scrub to 22:45) Will and Chris discuss cracked edges, weights being off, handles that are crunching, and how the Power paddle loses power after you play with it for a while. I’ll wait until more reviews come out and they are part of the Gearbox demo program. It looks like they may have some type of quality control problem. My CX14e Ultimate has been dropped and scraped on the asphalt and it looks like it’s a week or two old and plays fine, just like the first day I played with it.

Dec 2024. I bought a used Pro Power for $160 and can confidently say I really do not like this paddle. My impressions from a year ago hold. I would have shots that would sail into the next court. It’s a very unforgiving paddle. Honestly, I don’t recommend it to anyone. Moreover, it proves that the YouTube paddle reviews are almost useless to me since this paddle had universal praise for a couple of months and then the issues started coming to light. I plan to sell it in January.

I also demo’d the Pro Control and Pro Power Integra. The Pro Control is absolutely terrible. Absolutely no power or pop at all. Hard pass on this paddle. The Pro Power Integra is similar to the Elongated version but it feels much lighter and easier to swing. Another hard pass.

Pro Ultimate Elongated. I bought this used for $190 from fbm. Quieter and deader than the CX14e Ultimate. A huge improvement over both the Pro Power and Pro Control. However, I don’t see this as an improvement over the C14e Ultimate. It has less pop and power, though it has more spin. It’s quieter and feels deader. I’ll put some more lead tape on it and then see how it feels.

My take on paddles: The plastic honeycomb paddles are all very similar. Price really has no correlation to how much you’ll like the paddle or how well you’ll play with it. Try at least 10-20 different paddles before zeroing in on one. I chose the Gearbox since it felt like how I would imagine my ideal paddle to feel. What feels ideal is of course different for every player so don’t be swayed by marketing, what a famous pro uses or endorses, or even what Pickleball Studio or Pickleball Will recommend. I bought a Double Black Diamond Control paddle and put lead tape on it and still like my CX14e Ultimate much better.

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I’ve been playing pickleball since July 2022. I’ve played with over 20 paddles. This is how I zeroed in on my go to paddle. My first paddles were the Gamma Odyssey, Gamma Fusion 2.0, Onix Z5. These were the cheapest name brand paddles I could find. I wanted to try out the longer handle paddles, so I bought the Gamma Compass LH and Prince Quantum Pro. I then demoed several Engage Encore, Poach, and Pursuit paddles. I honestly didn’t find the paddles all that much different except the Onix Z5 clearly had more pop, power, and sound than all the other paddles though the Gamma Fusion 2.0 was close. They both have a Nomex core which is known to have a lot of pop but not much control. During this demo period I found that I liked longer octagonal handles 5”-6” long and skinnier grips around 4.0” since I use at least one overgrip and hold the handle with both hands in ready position. Being a tennis player, this is what I feel most comfortable with.

I then demoed 8 Gearbox models in the 8.0 to 8.5 oz weight including the: CX14H, CX14E, CP7, GX6 Control, CX11E Control, CX11E Power, CX11 Quad Control. Gearbox has a great demo program, $40 for 4 paddles for a week. I was impressed with the CP7 and think it is as good as most honeycomb polymer core paddles that I’ve used to that point. For $100 it’s a great value. The CX14H has very similar specs to the CX14E, but it feels radically different. I honestly hated it. I played one game with it and never picked it up again. So I learned I prefer the elongated and narrower paddle heads and hate the wider shorter heads that come on many paddles. 

The CX14e was clearly the winner. I’ve been using the CX14E since Oct 2022 as my only paddle, until I got the Selkirk Labs Project 003 Invicta on November 15, 2022 and a Selkirk Invicta Power Air on Dec 1, 2022. I have since been evaluating the paddles and using them interchangeably with my CX14e. 

Invicta Power Air

This paddle is significantly lighter and thinner than the 003. Resets and blocks don’t feel as in control as the 003. In every respect, the 003 is a far superior paddle. I thought the Power Air would be a lot more powerful, but it isn’t and is really a far inferior paddle. Since popular YouTubers like Jordan Briones, Tyson McGuffin and others use this paddle, I thought I’d give it a try, but the 003 is superior in every way. The short handle is really a deal breaker since I hold the paddle with both hands in ready position so I’ll never buy a short handled paddle again.

My doubles partner and I both tried it out and when I offered it to her to use in a game, she said, “No thanks. It’s too flimsy and the ball doesn’t go to where I think it should.” She would take the 003 however, but still prefers her Gearbox CX14e over the 003. To be fair, any paddle takes a game or more to get used to to calibrate your baseline drives and kitchen dinks, but often we hit with a paddle and immediately know, “this isn’t the paddle for me.”

I didn’t like playing with the Power Air either. The Power Air wasn’t any more powerful than the Project 003 Invicta. It didn’t have nearly as much control on resets, dinks, and blocks. The thinness of the paddle face reduces stability. It’s not a soft paddle at all. This is probably typical behavior of a power paddle. I’m definitely not a fan of power paddles.

Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend the Power Air to anyone. The 003 is far superior in every respect except for power where I feel they are about equal.

I didn’t add lead tape since though it would improve the feel of the paddle, I knew I wouldn’t be keeping it. This paddle was disappointing. I returned it the same week I received it. The weight was 8.6 oz with overgrip and some tape on the head to protect it.

project 003 Invicta

I’ve played with the Project 003 Invicta for more than 10 games.

Comparing the 003 to my go to paddle of the last 2 months, the Gearbox CX14e, the 003 has more pop and power, but about 50-75% of the spin potential. Chris at Pickleball Studio lists the RPM at 1800 whereas my CX14e is only 1512. I can attest that this is not at all consistent with my experience. The CX14e has visibly more kick on a forehand slice serve than the 003. The CX14E feels softer so the ball stays on the face longer and allows me to put more spin on it, whereas the 003 Invicta is less forgiving and the ball just pops off of it. This is my working theory from using both paddles.

The out of the box weight is 8.4 oz, so I added lead tape and electrical tape to bring the weight up to 8.7 oz.

Good:

• The balance feels good.
• The handle length, shape, and grip size are perfect
• The paddle looks cool. The graphics and color scheme are by far the best on the market.

Could Improve:

• The spin feels consistent with the Power Air, but about 50-70% of a Gearbox CX14e. The spin feels inconsistent meaning sometimes it bites and I get a decent kick on my slice forehand serve, and other times not nearly as much. I wanted to research this more and see if one side of the face is different than the other or if there is another variable, but I returned the paddle already.

The Hole:

A guy I was playing with asked me about the paddle and if the hole made any difference. I said, “not that I can tell.” Not sure what I was expecting, a faster swing speed? I used the hole as a handle when carrying the paddle, but other than that, I can’t say I noticed any functional difference when playing with it. I’d also need to test it a bit more. When I swing my CX14e really fast, I can hear and feel it pushing a lot of air. This 003 might be faster in those situations. The hole does give you another surface to apply lead tape to. I didn’t, but might try it when I buy the released version.

Verdict:

The Project 003 Invicta is the best honeycomb paddle I’ve played with and possibly the best honeycomb polymer core paddle available. The control and balance of the paddle is better than any other honeycomb paddle I’ve played with. I know other reviewers will contradict this, but I felt the power was on par with Selkirk’s own Power Air, so among the best on the market.

Comparing the 003 to the Gearbox CX14e, the Gearbox is softer and easier to spin and shape shots and excels at resets, blocks, and dinks. You will have to generate your power, but this is an acceptable trade off for me. The 003 has significantly more pop and power than the CX14e.

Whenever I had a choice, I found myself always selecting the Gearbox CX14e unless I was specifically testing the Selkirk. This solidified my decision to return it. The only thing the Gearbox lacks is the power and pop of the 003 Invicta. Yes, the looks are also significantly better, but when given the choice, I would choose my CX14e over the 003 Invicta. After the 003 is out of the lab and sold by Selkirk, I’d like to reevaluate it to see how it performs.

Selkirk and Gearbox are developing new technology unlike all other companies. The vast majority of paddles available are polymer honeycomb with either a graphite or fiberglass face. Some have short handles, others have long handles. Some paddle handles are octagonal, others are an oval. Face sizes and shapes also vary. When comparing paddles of similar handle length, size, weight, and face shape, there are only subtle differences. There seems to be a compromise on power vs control, which do you prefer? I prefer control and generating the power myself.

10.31.23 – The Selkirklabs Project 003 is now available from Selkirk.com and is called the LUXX Control Air. Available in Invicta, S2, and Epic shapes for $250. I know I said I’d buy one, but after my experience with the Double Black Diamond Control and Project 003 grit wearing off and spin capability being reduced by 50%, I just don’t think I’ll buy another brand besides a Gearbox with the SST core. I’m used to it and I have no complaints about my CX14e paddle except my resets tend to go deep. I need to soften them up a bit.

The main lesson I learned from demoing 20+ paddles is that demoing is the best way to determine what paddle will be the best for one for me to play with. Sure, there is a wealth of information on the internet including YouTubers Pickleball Studio and Briones Pickleball, but to find the paddle that works best for me, playing with the various paddles was the only methodology that worked.

Diadem Vice

Dec 2022
First impression: It is heavier than 8.5 oz and it is head heavy. The grip is big with over grip. Spin is inconsistent, but it can generate spin. It is really soft and makes a thud type of sound, not like any other paddle I’ve hit with before. It doesn’t feel hollow like other paddles. Nov 1, 2023. I have not seen anyone playing with this paddle anywhere in the last year, so probably best to skip this paddle.

I don’t recommend buying this paddle. 

You can’t return it once you’ve used it.

The Diadem warranty is only 6 months.

This paddle is not legal to play in tournaments. So if you got good with it, you’d have to switch paddles to play in a tournament. Rec play – A player I beat in doubles in Granada Hills complained to me that I was using an illegal paddle. He was a sore loser.

I bought this for my wife who has tennis elbow off and on. She played with it for a game and said she didn’t like the balance of the paddle and couldn’t control her drives. She said it felt heavy though her current paddle is 8.4 oz. I assume this perception is due to the head heavy balance of the paddle.

This paddle is not 5 years ahead of its time, in fact, other paddles on the market play better.

I don’t recommend buying this paddle unless you have an injury and need a really soft paddle. They went on sale for $110 in early 2024 and are still on sale in 2025.

July 2023. The Diadem VICE hype died out after 3 weeks. The first few weeks after it was released people were talking about it, but I have never seen anyone playing with one.
I bought a Gearbox CX14E Ultimate in March 2023 and it has been my go to paddle since then. I added lead tape, and covered it with black electrical tape to bring the weight up to 9.5 oz. This paddle feels the same as the previous CX14E but with more power. The control is still there so this is the best of both worlds. The spin is consistent. It hasn’t changed since I’ve been playing with it.

Due to a wrist injury I started using this paddle for 4 months. It is really soft and easy on the wrist. My wrist healed up so I went back to my Gearbox CX14e Ultimate.

September 2023 – I bought the 6.0 Double Black Diamond to see how it played. Pickleball Studio and Pickleball Will love this paddle. The grip was thicker than my ideal, but was okay. I put some lead tape on it and omg, the spin was enormous! My forehand slices would kick 2.5-3 feet! Unfortunately, this only lasted a few hours and then the kick was about 1.5 feet, so the same as my Gearbox CX14E Ultimate. This loss of grit seems to be the state that pickleball paddles are in in 2023 with the current technology. This is why I’m sticking with my Gearbox and the SST core. I sold the Double Black Diamond Control paddle in Oct 2023 for $135

Even with lead tape, I only got the weight up to 8.95 oz where my Gearbox is 9.49 oz which is my ideal weight.

How to choose a paddle:

This gets tougher as more paddles come on to the market. The market in 2025 is flooded with paddle brands and models. Few websites or manufacturers offer demo programs. There are almost no pickleball stores where you can try them out. I have only found one in California. The Pickleball Exchange in Encino. I’ve been there a couple of times. They have a half court where you can try out paddles. This would be the quickest way to zero in on a grip shape, length, and diameter. Face length and style.

Prices generally range from $75-$275, with some selkirklabs.com paddles costing $333. I’d buy some cheap paddles or demo paddles from Gearbox or other manufacturers that have a demo program so you can try out a variety of grip lengths, grip sizes, face shapes, face materials, brands, etc.
Keep in mind the goal of the demo process is to determine:

1. What grip length you like. If you have a 2 handed backhand, a longer grip starting at 5.5″ will be preferable.
2. What grip diameter you like. Note that this can be increased easily with over grip, but not decreased easily. Most paddles have 2 grip diameters.
3. What grip shape you like. Octagonal or oval? These are the only 2 choices that I know of.
4. What head shape suits you. For example, I tried the Gearbox CX14h and hated it. I loved the Gearbox CX14E. The main difference is the head or face shape. This has a profound difference in the feel of the paddle.
5. What weight do you prefer? If a paddle is too light, you can make it heavier by adding lead tape. If it’s too heavy, I would select a different paddle. Some manufacturers allow you to select a weight range when ordering.
6. Paddles are often designated as a control or power paddle. Apparently these two characteristics are mutually exclusive so you have to find the balance that feels right to you.
7. Once you have the the questions above answered, then you can demo paddles that meet all of these requirements.
8. YouTube reviews can give a you a lot of information, but a paddle that a reviewer hates I’ve found I love so the best way to determine what paddle works for you is to demo until you find a grouping that meets your requirements for handle length, diameter, shape, face shape, material, and feel. After narrowing your ideal paddle down to 5-10 paddles just keep playing with them until you find the one you like the best.
9. Be cautious buying a used paddle unless it’s pretty much brand new. You don’t know how much wear is on it so just get one new. Some manufacturers like Engage have 20-25% off sales on cosmetically blemished paddles etc. so be on the lookout. Gearbox has never had a sale nor do they hand out discount codes to YouTubers. After you pay $40 to be in their demo program, they give you a $5 coupon to buy one of their paddles but that’s it. Still, I like their paddles the best.