Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2
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
RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 wins this matchup for most players: it takes power, spin and value on Paddle DNA against the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16, which costs $275.
Power
RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2
92 vs 88
Spin
RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2
94 vs 90
Control
Too close to call
89 vs 86
Forgiveness
Too close to call
86 vs 84
Hand speed
Too close to call
116 vs 117 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2
$249.99 at IQ 86.3 vs $275 at IQ 86.8
Overall pick: RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 · $249.99 · IQ 86.3
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 88Power92
- 89Control86
- 90Spin94
- 86Forgiveness84
- 88Sweet spot86
- 90Stability88
- 72Maneuverability72
- 83Pop88
- 86Touch82
- 88Consistency86
- 76Swing weight80
- 86Twist weight86
- 55Launch angle60
- 86Plow through88
- 80Softness74
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 specs
Every spec side by side. Highlighted values are the better of the two where one is objectively better.
| Spec | Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 | RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $275 | $249.99 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 86.8 — better | 86.3 |
| Weight(oz) | 8 | 7.9 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 16 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 116 | 117 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.8 — better | 6.5 |
| Shape | elongated | elongated |
| Face length(in) | 16.5 | 16.5 |
| Face width(in) | 7.375 | 7.5 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4 | 4.125 |
| Surface | Toray T700 raw carbon with TXR grip texture | CarbonBite raw carbon with Axial Carbon Layup |
| Core material | SSTCore carbon-fibre ribs with Smart Dampen foam | Tri-Density honeycomb core with EVA foam ring |
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.
RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 verdict
The James Ignatowich signature build is an unapologetic attack paddle: 16.5 in of reach, a grippy CarbonBite face and a tri-density core that launches drives without giving up the sweet spot the first V2 lacked.
The verdict
Scored on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model, the clearest separation is softness: Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 scores 80 against 74 for RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 — a 6-point gap. They are effectively level on control, forgiveness, sweet spot, so those traits should not decide the purchase. RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 is $25.00999999999999 cheaper at $249.99.
Softness
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 6 points (80 vs 74).
Pop
RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 leads by 5 points (88 vs 83).
Launch angle
RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 leads by 5 points (60 vs 55).
Power
RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 leads by 4 points (92 vs 88).
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
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (87.6 vs 85.8 on the weighted index). Take RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 and keep the $25.00999999999999.
- Forgiveness
- Sweet spot
- Stability
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (85.2 vs 85 on the weighted index). Take RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 and keep the $25.00999999999999.
- Control
- Touch
- Forgiveness
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (85.9 vs 86.8 on the weighted index). Take RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 and keep the $25.00999999999999.
- Power
- Spin
- Plow through
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 is a narrow pick at this level — softness 80 vs 74, forgiveness 86 vs 84. Its 16 mm SSTCore carbon-fibre ribs with Smart Dampen foam core at 8 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Softness
- Forgiveness
Which one should you buy?
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Take Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 if you want softness (+6), touch (+4). Its swing weight of 116 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 review →RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2
Take RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 if you want pop (+5), launch angle (+5), power (+4). Its swing weight of 117 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 review →Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 FAQ
- Which is better, the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 or the RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (86.8 vs 86.3), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — softness — Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 6 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16, at 116 kg·cm² swing weight against 117 for RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2. 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 RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2?
- RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 scores 92 for power against 88 for Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16. That comes from a 16 mm Tri-Density honeycomb core with EVA foam ring core swinging at 117 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 at 89 versus 86. 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?
- RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 scores 94 for spin off its CarbonBite raw carbon with Axial Carbon Layup face, against 90 for the Toray T700 raw carbon with TXR grip texture face on Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16. In practice a 4-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 84). Its 6.8 twist weight against 6.5 is what drives it — higher twist weight means the face rotates less when you miss the middle.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 costs $249.99, $25.00999999999999 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 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. RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2: 16 mm Tri-Density honeycomb core with EVA foam ring core with a CarbonBite raw carbon with Axial Carbon Layup 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. RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 rewards a repeatable swing and can feel less stable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 at 7.9 oz against 8 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (117 vs 116) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 to the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads on softness by 6 points; everything else is within 5 points. At $275 vs $249.99, 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.
- CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage vs RPM Friction Pro Elongated V2
- 11SIX24 Ultré Power 2 vs RPM Friction Pro Elongated V2
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Pro Power Elongated
- Friction Pro Elongated V2 vs CRBN-1X Power Series
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs TruFoam Genesis 2
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs TruFoam Genesis X
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Scorpeus Pro IV 16
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Agassi Pro 16
Also worth comparing
Head-to-heads that share DNA with this matchup — useful if you're still deciding between shapes, cores or price tiers.
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs CRBN-1X
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Infinity Ruby 16
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Nova R1
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs CRBN-3X Power Series
- Friction Pro Elongated V2 vs Ultré Power 2
- Friction Pro Elongated V2 vs 1X TruFoam Power
- Friction Pro Elongated V2 vs Agassi Pro 16
- Friction Pro Elongated V2 vs Hyperion Pro V 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 Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 and RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2 in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 and RPM Pickleball Friction Pro Elongated V2. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.