Why USAP will NOT delist Gearbox | Gearbox Pro Ultimate Review

Introduction

Your Boox is not allowing discount codes on the Pro Ultimates yet, but by purchasing yours through the link in the description, I do receive a bit of a kickback. Those proceeds go a long way in helping me improve the channel as we gear up for the launch of the Gearbox Ultimate Series. There are probably a lot of questions running through your head: Why does it look almost exactly the same? What is the difference between it and the other Pro models? Is it going to be banned? How's it going y'all, I'm Raa, the Pickleball Tech Dude. I'm an ex-PA employee, a Harvard educator, engineer, and seasoned pickleball product tester. Let's just keep it real: you have a lot of questions, and I have solid answers. Let's talk about the new Gearbox Ultimate Elongated.

Overview of Gearbox Pro Series

Most of you will be familiar with Gearbox's previous Pro Series drops—the Power and Control paddles. There were actually a deceiving number of changes that went into making this paddle, but for the sake of you guys making a quick and informed decision about whether or not it's for you, I will simplify my thoughts through a comparison of this paddle to the current Pro paddles on the market, the Pro Power and the Pro Control, from both a structural and gameplay perspective. Then, I will answer some of the more frequent questions you guys are probably going to have about this paddle.

The Pro Ultimate, at least for the first drop happening on July 30th, is only going to be available in the elongated shape. Therefore, all comparisons in this article will pertain to the Pro Power Elongated and Pro Control Elongated paddles. All three of the Pro Elongated paddles have practically the same static weight, the exact same elongated shape and dimensions, the exact same grip length and circumference (which I've always found to be very thin and have come to dislike quite a bit), and the exact same balance point, which leans very head-heavy and contributes a bit to the power you see in all three paddles. In fact, the only two visible differences from the Ultimate to the other two Pro paddles are the new teal colorway and the slight increase in the physical thickness of the paddle by a couple of millimeters.

Key Characteristics

When I got onto the court, it became very apparent that there were bigger factors at play because the gameplay experience was night and day. There are four key characteristics that differentiate the Ultimate from the other two Pro paddles in my view.

Heavier Swing

Firstly, this paddle feels much heavier to swing than the other two paddles. With swing weights of around 120 to 130, these paddles tend to feel heavier than the average paddle to swing through the air. While both the Pro Control Elongated and Pro Power Elongated manage to keep their swing weights around 120, the Pro Ultimate Elongated has cemented itself firmly into the heavy-feeling swing category with a swing weight of 124. This might feel good for people looking for more plow-through the ball or really looking to anchor down heavy on resets, but it definitely comes at a detriment to your hand speed.

Power Levels

Secondly, the power on the Pro Ultimate has been toned down significantly from the Pro Power and Pro Control paddles. During my testing, I was able to achieve ball speeds on average of about 55.8 mph with the Pro Ultimate, about 1.5 mph down from even the Pro Control. While it may not seem like a lot, when we’re talking about a distance of 40 feet of measurement, that difference becomes very noticeable. Anyone who felt like the Pro Power Elongated was too poppy and powerful is going to feel comfortable switching to a paddle like the Pro Ultimate, as you will be able to keep a significantly larger number of balls in the court. That said, the Pro Ultimate is still in the highest echelon of power-achieving paddles on the market right now.

Increased Spin

Thirdly, the increase in spin. Due primarily to Gearbox’s continued use of unidirectional carbon fiber layers in the face coupled with the increase in core size, Gearbox has been able to achieve a much higher dwell time, resulting in higher spin. The feeling of the ball sinking into the face is much more apparent on the Pro Ultimate than the Pro Power and Pro Control paddles, which I quite enjoy. Achieving higher spin numbers through more dwell time rather than just adding more grit means that you are a lot more likely to see your balls dip and have more shape than you would otherwise.

Sweet Spot

Fourth and perhaps most importantly, the sweet spot is significantly bigger. The sweet spot of the Pro Ultimate, especially when compared to the power and control variants, is not only much bigger but is competitive with some of the best paddles on the market. Gearbox intended to produce a nearly wall-to-wall sweet spot on the Ultimate in both directions. Though they haven't quite achieved this, they have made notable improvements. The balls off the face of the Ultimate feel more predictable and controllable than they did on previous variants.

The Technology Behind It

So how has Gearbox managed to achieve these unique characteristics where no other power paddle could? The answer lies in the technology. After speaking directly with the CEO of Gearbox, I understand the internal construction of the paddle, which helps explain why it performs the way it does.

Will They Be Banned?

No, these Pro Ultimate paddles will not be banned. Gearbox owners with the Pro Power or Pro Control paddles will be happy to hear their paddles are also not in danger of being banned for the same reasons. First, Gearbox achieves their high spin levels through increased dwell time, not through grit, so having a legal grit level isn’t an issue. Secondly, when it comes to the PB coefficient of restitution (PB COR) test, measuring ball velocity off the paddle face, the Pro Ultimate and all Pro variants pass with flying colors. Gearbox paddles are in no danger of failing this test.

Detailed Construction

The Twist weight value on the Gearbox Pro Ultimate came in at about 5.6, which is pretty bad. Across the entire Pro lineup, twist weights have been sub-six. Even with the bad twist weight, the Pro Ultimate feels extremely stable. Here’s why: The typical internal structure of the paddle features stiffer carbon fibers on the outer parts of the face layers, different carbon fiber weights in the core, and changes in fiber direction towards the edges.

Even more fascinating is how Gearbox uses foam. Instead of just denser EVA foam, they've ingeniously incorporated expansive foam that pressurizes the EVA over time, making it more dense and thus improving the sweet spot. This expandable foam starts at about 1 mm and can expand to 40-50 times its original size, optimizing the paddle's performance as you play with it over time.

Conclusion

You now have pretty much everything you need to know about the Gearbox Pro Ultimates if you're considering getting them soon. If you made it to the end of this article, thank you so much for reading and for nerding out with me. Feel free to like and subscribe for more content like this and more reviews to come. Remember, the link in the description to buy the Gearbox Pro Ultimate does not apply a discount code, but the proceeds do kick back to me and help improve my content on this channel. Stay happy and healthy until the next one!

Keywords

Gearbox Pro Ultimate
Pickleball paddles
Swing weight
Power levels
Increased spin
Sweet spot
Dwell time
Twist weight
Unidirectional carbon fiber
EVA foam
Usap ban
PB coefficient of restitution

FAQ

Q: Will the Gearbox Pro Ultimate be banned by USAP?

A: No, the Pro Ultimate, along with other Pro variants, will not be banned. Gearbox achieves high spin through increased dwell time rather than illegal grit, and they pass the PB coefficient of restitution tests with flying colors.

Q: What are the key differences between the Pro Ultimate and other Pro paddles?

A: The Pro Ultimate has a heavier swing weight, a toned-down power level, increased spin, and a significantly larger sweet spot compared to the other Pro paddles.

Q: What is the swing weight of the Pro Ultimate?

A: The swing weight of the Pro Ultimate Elongated is 124, placing it firmly in the heavier swing category.

Q: How does Gearbox achieve the larger sweet spot in the Pro Ultimate?

A: Gearbox uses a combination of stiffer carbon fibers on the outer parts of the face, varying carbon fiber weights in the core, changes in fiber direction, and innovative use of expansive foam that densifies the EVA foam over time.

Q: How does the Pro Ultimate compare in terms of power to other paddles?

A: While the Pro Ultimate is not as powerful as the Pro Power Elongated, it is still among the highest echelon of power paddles on the market, surpassing even some well-known high-power paddles.