Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated vs Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power
Both paddles measured on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA test. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated takes the higher overall IQ score, but the right pick depends on which traits you value.
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Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 92Power92
- 82Control78
- 88Spin82
- 76Forgiveness70
- 79Sweet spot72
- 82Stability78
- 67Maneuverability76
- 86Pop90
- 80Touch72
- 83Consistency76
- 86Swing weight74
- 72Twist weight68
- 60Launch angle60
- 91Plow through88
- 84Softness54
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated vs Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power specs
Every measured spec side by side. Highlighted values are the better of the two where one is objectively better.
| Spec | Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated | Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $180 — better | $250 |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 81.4 — better | 77.6 |
| Weight(oz) | 8.3 | 8 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 14 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 118 | 114 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.2 — better | 5.9 |
| Shape | elongated | hybrid |
| Face length(in) | 16.5 | 16 |
| Face width(in) | 7.5 | 7.6 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.5 | 5.375 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4.25 | 3.5 |
| Surface | Carbon–fiberglass–carbon face | Solid-span carbon fiber |
| Core material | Full foam dual-density core | Gearbox solid-core (no honeycomb) |
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated verdict
A full-foam power paddle at roughly a hundred dollars under the comparable CRBN and JOOLA builds. The fiberglass middle layer is what produces the pop; the foam is what stops that pop turning brittle.
Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power verdict
Nothing else feels like a Gearbox. The solid-span core has no honeycomb at all, so energy return is immediate and the paddle rewards a clean, compact swing.
The verdict
Measured on the same 15-trait test, the clearest separation is softness: Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated scores 84 against 54 for Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power — a 30-point gap. They are effectively level on plow through, power, launch angle, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated is $70 cheaper at $180.
Softness
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated leads by 30 points (84 vs 54).
Swing weight
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated leads by 12 points (86 vs 74).
Maneuverability
Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power leads by 9 points (76 vs 67).
Touch
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated leads by 8 points (80 vs 72).
Which one is right for your level?
Each call below re-weights the Paddle DNA traits that matter at that level, so the winner can differ from the overall pick.
Beginner
New to 3.0 — still building a consistent contact point
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated is the clearer pick at this level — sweet spot 79 vs 72, forgiveness 76 vs 70, consistency 83 vs 76. Twist weight 6.2 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Sweet spot
- Forgiveness
- Consistency
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated is a narrow pick at this level — spin 88 vs 82, touch 80 vs 72, forgiveness 76 vs 70. At 118 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Spin
- Touch
- Forgiveness
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated is a narrow pick at this level — touch 80 vs 72, spin 88 vs 82, plow through 91 vs 88. Swing weight 118 kg·cm² is what carries that through contact.
- Touch
- Spin
- Plow through
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated is the clearer pick at this level — softness 84 vs 54, forgiveness 76 vs 70, twist weight 72 vs 68. Its 16 mm Full foam dual-density core core at 8.3 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Softness
- Forgiveness
- Twist weight
Which one should you buy?
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated
Take Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated if you want softness (+30), swing weight (+12), touch (+8). Its swing weight of 118 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated review →Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power
Take Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power if you want maneuverability (+9), pop (+4). Its swing weight of 114 kg·cm² and 14 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power review →Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated vs Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power FAQ
- Which is better, the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated or the Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (81.4 vs 77.6), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — softness — Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated leads by 30 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power, at 114 kg·cm² swing weight against 118 for Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated. Lower swing weight is the single best predictor of hand speed in fast exchanges.
- Which paddle has more power, the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated or the Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated measures 92 on power against 92 for Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power. That comes from a 16 mm Full foam dual-density core core swinging at 118 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated at 82 versus 78. Its 16 mm core holds the ball on the face slightly longer, which is what makes resets and dinks land shorter.
- Which paddle spins the ball more?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated scores 88 for spin off its Carbon–fiberglass–carbon face face, against 82 for the Solid-span carbon fiber face on Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power. In practice a 6-point gap is noticeable on third-shot drives.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated, with 6.2 twist weight against 5.9. Higher twist weight means the face rotates less when you miss the middle, and Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated carries the higher forgiveness score (76) as a result.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated costs $180, $70 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on whether you actually use the traits it trades away — check the head-to-head DNA bars above before paying up.
- Do they use the same core and face?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated: 16 mm Full foam dual-density core core with a Carbon–fiberglass–carbon face face. Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power: 14 mm Gearbox solid-core (no honeycomb) core with a Solid-span carbon fiber face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated, at 5.5 in of handle against 5.375 in. Anything under 5.25 in forces you to choke the bottom hand onto the face bevel, which Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated avoids.
- Which one is better for beginners?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 76 and sweet spot 79 mean fewer mishits while your contact point is still inconsistent. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated rewards a repeatable swing and can feel unstable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power at 8 oz against 8.3 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (114 vs 118) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power to the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated leads on softness by 30 points; everything else is within 12 points. At $180 vs $250, the money is better spent elsewhere unless that one trait is your weak spot.
Also worth comparing
Head-to-heads that share DNA with this matchup — useful if you're still deciding between shapes, cores or price tiers.
- Loco 16mm Elongated vs TruFoam Genesis 1
- Loco 16mm Elongated vs Hyperion CFS 16
- Loco 16mm Elongated vs Labs Project 006
- Loco 16mm Elongated vs GX2 Power Elongated
- CX14H Ultimate Power vs Bantam TKO-C 14
- CX14H Ultimate Power vs Power Pro X 14
- CX14H Ultimate Power vs Vanguard Power Air
- CX14H Ultimate Power vs Warrior Edge 14
Top alternatives to both
Paddles that beat one of these two on a specific trait or on price.
Read the full reviews: Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated and Gearbox CX14H Ultimate Power. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.