CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage vs Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 takes the higher overall IQ score, but the right pick depends on which traits you value.
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Quick answer
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 edges it on the overall Paddle IQ score (86.8 vs 82.6), but the two split the scored categories — pick on the one trait you care about most.
Power
Too close to call
88 vs 87
Spin
Too close to call
92 vs 90
Control
Too close to call
89 vs 87
Forgiveness
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
86 vs 82
Hand speed
102 vs 116 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
Too close to call
$275 at IQ 86.8 vs $280 at IQ 82.6
Overall pick: Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 · $275 · IQ 86.8
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 87Power88
- 87Control89
- 92Spin90
- 82Forgiveness86
- 82Sweet spot88
- 75Stability90
- 93Maneuverability72
- 81Pop83
- 88Touch86
- 81Consistency88
- 53Swing weight76
- 65Twist weight86
- 53Launch angle55
- 63Plow through86
- 79Softness80
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage vs Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 specs
Every spec side by side. Highlighted values are the better of the two where one is objectively better.
| Spec | CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage | Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $280 | $275 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 82.6 | 86.8 — better |
| Weight(oz) | 8 | 8 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 14 | 16 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 102 | 116 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.1 | 6.8 — better |
| Shape | hybrid | elongated |
| Face length(in) | 16.2 | 16.5 |
| Face width(in) | 7.8 | 7.375 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4.125 | 4 |
| Surface | Raw T700 Carbon Fiber Face | Toray T700 raw carbon with TXR grip texture |
| Core material | TruFoam™ Floating Core | SSTCore carbon-fibre ribs with Smart Dampen foam |
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage verdict
The Barrage is CRBN's power interpretation of the TruFoam platform: a 14 mm hybrid whose full-foam core keeps the ball on the face longer than any thermoformed build at this power level.
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 verdict
Gearbox's rib-suspended SSTCore feels unlike any honeycomb paddle: firmer through contact, quieter on resets, and unusually consistent shot to shot. You pay $275 for that engineering.
The verdict
Scored on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model, the clearest separation is swing weight: Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 scores 76 against 53 for CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage — a 23-point gap. They are effectively level on control, spin, pop, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Price is close enough ($275 vs $280) that it should not break the tie.
Swing weight
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 23 points (76 vs 53).
Plow through
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 23 points (86 vs 63).
Maneuverability
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage leads by 21 points (93 vs 72).
Twist weight
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 21 points (86 vs 65).
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 Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 is the clearer pick at this level — twist weight 86 vs 65, stability 90 vs 75, sweet spot 88 vs 82. Twist weight 6.8 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Twist weight
- Stability
- Sweet spot
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage is a narrow pick at this level — maneuverability 93 vs 72, spin 92 vs 90, touch 88 vs 86. At 102 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Maneuverability
- Spin
- Touch
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (85.9 vs 85 on the weighted index). Pick on shape — elongated on the Pro Ultimate Elongated 16, hybrid on the CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage.
- Plow through
- Control
- Power
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 is the clearer pick at this level — twist weight 86 vs 65, forgiveness 86 vs 82, softness 80 vs 79. Its 16 mm SSTCore carbon-fibre ribs with Smart Dampen foam core at 8 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Twist weight
- Forgiveness
- Softness
Which one should you buy?
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Take Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 if you want swing weight (+23), plow through (+23), twist weight (+21). Its swing weight of 116 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 review →CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage
Take CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage if you want maneuverability (+21). Its swing weight of 102 kg·cm² and 14 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage review →Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage FAQ
- Which is better, the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 or the CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (86.8 vs 82.6), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — swing weight — Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 23 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage, at 102 kg·cm² swing weight against 116 for Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16. Lower swing weight is the single best predictor of hand speed in fast exchanges.
- Which paddle has more power, the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 or the CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 scores 88 for power against 87 for CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage. That comes from a 16 mm SSTCore carbon-fibre ribs with Smart Dampen foam core swinging at 116 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 at 89 versus 87. 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?
- CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage scores 92 for spin off its Raw T700 Carbon Fiber Face, against 90 for the Toray T700 raw carbon with TXR grip texture face on Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16. In practice a 2-point gap is small enough that technique matters more.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16, with the higher forgiveness score (86 vs 82). Its 6.8 twist weight against 6.1 is what drives it — higher twist weight means the face rotates less when you miss the middle.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- They are within $5 of each other, so price should not decide this matchup.
- Do they use the same core and face?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16: 16 mm SSTCore carbon-fibre ribs with Smart Dampen foam core with a Toray T700 raw carbon with TXR grip texture face. CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage: 14 mm TruFoam™ Floating Core with a Raw T700 Carbon Fiber 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 Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 86 and sweet spot 88 mean fewer mishits while your contact point is still inconsistent. CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage rewards a repeatable swing and can feel less stable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both are listed at 8 oz, though swing weight differs (116 vs 102) and that is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage to the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads on swing weight by 23 points; everything else is within 23 points. At $275 vs $280, the money is better spent elsewhere unless that one trait is your weak spot.
This matchup is a stability vs maneuverability decision
Browse every head-to-head that splits on the same trade-off:
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Top alternatives to both
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Guides featuring these paddles
Still deciding? These buying guides put CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage and Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage and Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.