Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid vs Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power
Both paddles measured on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA test. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid 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
- 89Power88
- 85Control81
- 88Spin82
- 83Forgiveness74
- 85Sweet spot76
- 85Stability86
- 72Maneuverability68
- 84Pop88
- 83Touch76
- 85Consistency81
- 81Swing weight82
- 79Twist weight82
- 61Launch angle52
- 86Plow through89
- 85Softness58
Specs
| $180 | Price | $210 |
|---|---|---|
| 16 mm | Core | 14 mm |
| 8.2 oz | Weight | 8.4 oz |
| 114 | Swing weight | 123 |
| 6.4 | Twist weight | 6.5 |
| hybrid | Shape | elongated |
| Carbon–fiberglass–carbon face | Surface | Solid-span carbon |
| 5.5 in | Handle | 5.5 in |
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid verdict
The shape most Loco buyers should start with. It keeps the long handle and most of the drive output while widening the face enough to make off-center contact survivable.
Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power verdict
A more livable Gearbox. It keeps most of the drive velocity of the Pro Power while adding enough stability to survive hands battles.
The verdict
Measured on the same 15-trait test, the clearest separation is softness: Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid scores 85 against 58 for Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power — a 27-point gap. They are effectively level on twist weight, plow through, power, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid is $30 cheaper at $180.
Softness
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid leads by 27 points (85 vs 58).
Forgiveness
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid leads by 9 points (83 vs 74).
Sweet spot
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid leads by 9 points (85 vs 76).
Launch angle
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid leads by 9 points (61 vs 52).
Which one should you buy?
Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power
Take Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power if you want pop (+4). Its swing weight of 123 kg·cm² and 14 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power review →Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid
Take Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid if you want softness (+27), forgiveness (+9), sweet spot (+9). Its swing weight of 114 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid review →Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power vs Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid FAQ
- Which is better, the Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power or the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (84.1 vs 80.4), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — softness — Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid leads by 27 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid, at 114 kg·cm² swing weight against 123 for Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power. Lower swing weight is the single best predictor of hand speed in fast exchanges.
- Which paddle has more power, the Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power or the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid measures 89 on power against 88 for Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power. That comes from a 16 mm Full foam dual-density core core swinging at 114 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid at 85 versus 81. 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 Hybrid scores 88 for spin off its Carbon–fiberglass–carbon face face, against 82 for the Solid-span carbon face on Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power. In practice a 6-point gap is noticeable on third-shot drives.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power, with 6.5 twist weight against 6.4. Higher twist weight means the face rotates less when you miss the middle, and Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid carries the higher forgiveness score (83) as a result.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid costs $180, $30 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?
- Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power: 14 mm Coreless carbon core with a Solid-span carbon face. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid: 16 mm Full foam dual-density core core with a Carbon–fiberglass–carbon face face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power, at 5.5 in of handle against 5.5 in. Anything under 5.25 in forces you to choke the bottom hand onto the face bevel, which Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power avoids.
- Which one is better for beginners?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 83 and sweet spot 85 mean fewer mishits while your contact point is still inconsistent. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid rewards a repeatable swing and can feel unstable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid at 8.2 oz against 8.4 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (114 vs 123) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power to the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Hybrid leads on softness by 27 points; everything else is within 9 points. At $210 vs $180, 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 Hybrid vs Pegasus Gen 3
- Loco 16mm Hybrid vs Oni 16
- Loco 16mm Hybrid vs Nova R1
- Loco 16mm Hybrid vs TruFoam Genesis 3
- CX14E Ultimate Power vs Hyperion CFS 16
- CX14E Ultimate Power vs CRBN-1X Power Series
- CX14E Ultimate Power vs Bantam TKO-C 14
- CX14E Ultimate Power vs Labs Project 006
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 Hybrid and Gearbox CX14E Ultimate Power. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.