Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated vs Ronbus R4 Pulsar
Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. Ronbus R4 Pulsar takes the higher overall IQ score, but the right pick depends on which traits you value.
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Quick answer
Ronbus R4 Pulsar wins this matchup for most players: it takes forgiveness, hand speed and value on Paddle DNA against the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated, which costs $180.
Power
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated
92 vs 88
Spin
Too close to call
88 vs 88
Control
Too close to call
82 vs 82
Forgiveness
82 vs 76
Hand speed
113 vs 118 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
$160 at IQ 83.5 vs $180 at IQ 81.4
Overall pick: Ronbus R4 Pulsar · $160 · IQ 83.5
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 92Power88
- 82Control82
- 88Spin88
- 76Forgiveness82
- 79Sweet spot84
- 82Stability86
- 67Maneuverability78
- 86Pop86
- 80Touch78
- 83Consistency84
- 86Swing weight76
- 72Twist weight80
- 60Launch angle56
- 91Plow through86
- 84Softness68
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated vs Ronbus R4 Pulsar 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 | Ronbus R4 Pulsar |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $180 | $160 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 81.4 | 83.5 — better |
| Weight(oz) | 8.3 | 8.1 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 14 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 118 | 113 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.2 | 6.5 — better |
| Shape | elongated | elongated |
| Face length(in) | 16.5 | 16.5 |
| Face width(in) | 7.5 | 7.4 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4.25 | 4.25 |
| Surface | Carbon–fiberglass–carbon face | Raw T700 carbon |
| Core material | Full foam dual-density core | Thermoformed polypropylene with foam walls |
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.
Ronbus R4 Pulsar verdict
Ronbus swings for pace with a 14 mm foam-walled build. Power 88 and pop 86 at $160 is the best price-to-punch ratio in the database this year.
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 Ronbus R4 Pulsar — a 16-point gap. They are effectively level on touch, consistency, control, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Ronbus R4 Pulsar is $20 cheaper at $160.
Softness
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated leads by 16 points (84 vs 68).
Maneuverability
Ronbus R4 Pulsar leads by 11 points (78 vs 67).
Swing weight
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated leads by 10 points (86 vs 76).
Twist weight
Ronbus R4 Pulsar 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
Ronbus R4 Pulsar
Ronbus R4 Pulsar is a narrow pick at this level — forgiveness 82 vs 76, twist weight 80 vs 72, sweet spot 84 vs 79. Twist weight 6.5 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Forgiveness
- Twist weight
- Sweet spot
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
Ronbus R4 Pulsar
Ronbus R4 Pulsar is a narrow pick at this level — maneuverability 78 vs 67, forgiveness 82 vs 76, consistency 84 vs 83. At 113 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Maneuverability
- Forgiveness
- Consistency
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (84 vs 84.6 on the weighted index). Take Ronbus R4 Pulsar and keep the $20.
- Power
- Plow through
- Touch
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?
Ronbus R4 Pulsar
Take Ronbus R4 Pulsar if you want maneuverability (+11), twist weight (+8), forgiveness (+6). Its swing weight of 113 kg·cm² and 14 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Ronbus R4 Pulsar review →Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated
Take Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated if you want softness (+16), swing weight (+10), plow through (+5). Its swing weight of 118 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated review →Ronbus R4 Pulsar vs Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated FAQ
- Which is better, the Ronbus R4 Pulsar or the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated?
- Ronbus R4 Pulsar carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (83.5 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?
- Ronbus R4 Pulsar, at 113 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 Ronbus R4 Pulsar or the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated scores 92 for power against 88 for Ronbus R4 Pulsar. That comes from a 16 mm Full foam dual-density core swinging at 118 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both score 82 for control.
- Which paddle spins the ball more?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both score 88 for spin.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- Ronbus R4 Pulsar, with the higher forgiveness score (82 vs 76). Its 6.5 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?
- Ronbus R4 Pulsar costs $160, $20 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?
- Ronbus R4 Pulsar: 14 mm Thermoformed polypropylene with foam walls core with a Raw T700 carbon face. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated: 16 mm Full foam dual-density core with a Carbon–fiberglass–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?
- Ronbus R4 Pulsar is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 82 and sweet spot 84 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?
- Ronbus R4 Pulsar at 8.1 oz against 8.3 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (113 vs 118) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated to the Ronbus R4 Pulsar?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated leads on softness by 16 points; everything else is within 11 points. At $160 vs $180, the money is better spent elsewhere unless that one trait is your weak spot.
This matchup is a forgiveness vs power decision
Browse every head-to-head that splits on the same trade-off:
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Guides featuring these paddles
Still deciding? These buying guides put Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated and Ronbus R4 Pulsar in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated and Ronbus R4 Pulsar. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.