Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated vs Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated
Two elongated power builds with very different construction — solid-span Gearbox against a conventional thermoformed core. Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated takes the higher overall IQ score, but the right pick depends on which traits you value.
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Quick answer
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated wins this matchup for most players: it takes hand speed and value on Paddle DNA against the Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated, which costs $250.
Power
Too close to call
93 vs 92
Spin
Too close to call
88 vs 86
Control
Too close to call
83 vs 82
Forgiveness
Too close to call
78 vs 76
Hand speed
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated
118 vs 123 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated
$180 at IQ 81.4 vs $250 at IQ 83.4
Overall pick: Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated · $180 · IQ 81.4
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 92Power93
- 82Control83
- 88Spin86
- 76Forgiveness78
- 79Sweet spot80
- 82Stability87
- 67Maneuverability70
- 86Pop89
- 80Touch80
- 83Consistency84
- 86Swing weight82
- 72Twist weight84
- 60Launch angle60
- 91Plow through91
- 84Softness68
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated vs Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated specs
Every spec side by side. Highlighted values are the better of the two where one is objectively better.
| Spec | Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated | Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $180 — better | $250 |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 81.4 | 83.4 — better |
| Weight(oz) | 8.3 | 8.4 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 14 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 118 | 123 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.2 | 6.3 — better |
| Shape | elongated | elongated |
| Face length(in) | 16.5 | 16.6 |
| Face width(in) | 7.5 | 7.3 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4.25 | 4 |
| Surface | Carbon–fiberglass–carbon face | Textured carbon |
| Core material | Full foam dual-density core | Solid-span carbon (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 GX2 Power Elongated verdict
Gearbox's solid-span construction with a genuine power tune. It feels unlike any honeycomb paddle — firmer, more direct — and rewards players who already hit clean.
The verdict
Scored on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model, the clearest separation is softness: Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated scores 84 against 68 for Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated — a 16-point gap. They are effectively level on maneuverability, pop, spin, 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 16 points (84 vs 68).
Twist weight
Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated leads by 12 points (84 vs 72).
Stability
Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated leads by 5 points (87 vs 82).
Swing weight
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated leads by 4 points (86 vs 82).
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
Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated
Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated is a narrow pick at this level — twist weight 84 vs 72, stability 87 vs 82, forgiveness 78 vs 76. Twist weight 6.3 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Twist weight
- Stability
- Forgiveness
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (80.8 vs 81.6 on the weighted index). Take Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated and keep the $70.
- Maneuverability
- Forgiveness
- Control
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (84.6 vs 84.9 on the weighted index). Take Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated and keep the $70.
- Maneuverability
- Power
- Control
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 68. Its 16 mm Full foam dual-density core at 8.3 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Softness
Which one should you buy?
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated
Take Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated if you want softness (+16), swing weight (+4). 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 GX2 Power Elongated
Take Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated if you want twist weight (+12), stability (+5). Its swing weight of 123 kg·cm² and 14 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated review →Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated vs Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated FAQ
- Which is better, the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated or the Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated?
- Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (83.4 vs 81.4), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — softness — Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated leads by 16 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated, at 118 kg·cm² swing weight against 123 for Gearbox GX2 Power 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 GX2 Power Elongated?
- Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated scores 93 for power against 92 for Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated. That comes from a 14 mm Solid-span carbon (no honeycomb) core swinging at 123 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated at 83 versus 82. Its 14 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, against 86 for the Textured carbon face on Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated. In practice a 2-point gap is small enough that technique matters more.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated, with the higher forgiveness score (78 vs 76). Its 6.3 twist weight against 6.2 is what drives it — higher twist weight means the face rotates less when you miss the middle.
- 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 with a Carbon–fiberglass–carbon face. Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated: 14 mm Solid-span carbon (no honeycomb) core with a Textured carbon face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both run a 5.5 in handle, long enough that neither forces you to choke the bottom hand onto the face bevel.
- Which one is better for beginners?
- Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 78 and sweet spot 80 mean fewer mishits while your contact point is still inconsistent. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated rewards a repeatable swing and can feel less stable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated at 8.3 oz against 8.4 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (118 vs 123) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated to the Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated leads on softness by 16 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.
Related comparisons
The other matchups shoppers open in the same session as this one.
- Loco 16mm Elongated vs Loco 16mm Hybrid
- Loco 16mm Elongated vs Perseus CFS 16
- GX2 Power Elongated vs GX2 Integra XL
- GX2 Power Elongated vs OMNI 16
- GX2 Power Elongated vs Perseus CFS 16
- GX2 Power Elongated vs Double Black Diamond Control
- GX2 Power Elongated vs Labs Project Boomstik Elongated 16
- Loco 16mm Elongated vs R4 Pulsar
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
- GX2 Power Elongated vs 2X Power Series
- GX2 Power Elongated vs Labs Project 006
- GX2 Power Elongated vs Pro XS 16
- GX2 Power Elongated vs Hyperion CFS 16
Top alternatives to both
Paddles that beat one of these two on a specific trait or on price.
Guides featuring these paddles
Still deciding? These buying guides put Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated and Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated and Gearbox GX2 Power Elongated. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.