Gearbox Pro Ultimate Power Elongated - pickleball paddle review

If you're looking for your next power paddle, or you're a big Gearbox fan, you'll like the new Gearbox Pro Ultimate Power Elongated. This is a 14 mm paddle made with quiet sound technology.

It aims to deliver the same raw power that the Gearbox Pro Power Elongated had, without being banned by USA Pickleball. Read my Gearbox Pro Ultimate Power Elongated review to see how it plays on the courts, and if it's worth the $275 investment.

If you're an advanced power player, you'll like what the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Power Elongated offers. This is Gearbox's answer to the now-banned Pro Power Elongated, which was controversial for its "trampoline effect" power.

It's actually the first Gearbox paddle I've played with. I was excited because of Gearbox's reputation for making some of the best pickleball paddles for power. I'm happy to say it does not disappoint.

Watch my first thoughts on the new Gearbox:

This is right up there with the Paddletek Bantam TKO-C, which is the most powerful paddle I've tested. However, the Gearbox has even more pop. It's also faster at the kitchen than the TKO-C. Plus, I like the extra length you get from the 5.5" handle.

I love the skinnier grip. It's so comfortable to grab with two hands (or one) and transition really quickly. It also has a touch more control and forgiveness than the original Pro Power Elongated, based on Brandon Mackie's testing.

While advanced players will love the pop here, this does make it more of a challenge for beginners and intermediates. If your control needs practice, you'll struggle to keep the ball in. The sweet spot is also pretty small.

So, if you're an advanced player looking for more power, spin, and speed at the kitchen, check this paddle out. $275 is 100% worth your investment. Unlike the previous Pro Power, this paddle passes the new USA Pickleball guidelines, so it's ready for tournament use.

Otherwise, if you're not advanced yet, there are easier options that hit a little harder, have a better balance of control and power, and cost less. Check out the Spartus Apollo ($130), Engage Pursuit V2.0 ($180), or Six Zero DBD Control ($180).

The Gearbox Pro Ultimate Power Elongated looks very premium and there's no doubt it's an expensive paddle. One minor thing: the face gets dust marks after playing, so I'd recommend getting a paddle eraser. If you care about how your paddle looks, this makes a great pickleball accessory.

Let's look at some of the main features.

Gearbox says that this paddle is USA Pickleball "Quiet" approved and it's definitely quiet for a power paddle. It's much quieter than the Paddletek Bantam ESQ-C or TKO-C, especially at the start. After a few weeks of playing and breaking in, there's a bit of a trampoline sound, but it's still not loud.

Gearbox's signature "solid span technology" (SST) core is not your typical honeycomb core. Made from carbon fiber instead of polypropylene, this is what gives Gearbox paddles their unique feel.

It's interesting to see the Power Matrix tech from the Pro Power Elongated here. Either it's different or that's not what got the original paddle banned.

I really notice this tech in the extra pop and effortless energy transfer onto the ball. I barely have to move my arm and wrist at the kitchen when attacking pop-ups or defending against speed-ups. That said, I had to learn to angle my paddle down, or else balls would bounce off the paddle and fly out of bounds.

I like the thin grip (4" circumference) and longer handle (5.5"). I find it easy switching between my forehand and two-handed backhand. The grip doesn't get sweaty and it's comfortable in my hand after hours of playing.

As this is my first Gearbox paddle, I can't compare it to any other, but it lives up to my expectations on power. It's easy to hit overpowering drives and I score a lot of points on my serve because I can hit the ball quickly and catch people off guard.

The pop is next level. The ball flies off the paddle with hardly any effort. I notice this most at the kitchen—hands battles do not last long with this paddle. I either put the ball away with a ton of power, or it flies off and goes out at the back of the court, or straight into the net!

Control is always tough when a paddle has so much pop. Since the ball doesn't have a lot of dwell time on the face, it's harder to consistently hit touch shots than with softer paddles like the Selkirk LUXX Control or Ronbus R2 PULSAR FX. Shots like resets into the kitchen are difficult when the ball comes at different speeds during the game.

If you're an advanced player, I think you'll be able to master control here. As a 5.0 player myself, I managed to hit drops with a decent level of consistency.

A word of advice: try to angle the paddle down and use a semi-Western or Western pickleball paddle grip when you're driving the ball. If you're using a Continental grip, you'll tend to get more pop-ups and high mishits.

This paddle surface doesn't get an intense grip on the ball like you get with the CRBN TruFoam Genesis paddles. Despite this, it still forces a strong rotation and generates high spin up there with some of the best spin paddles.

Topspin is especially great. My serves bounce off the ground higher than my opponents expect. I can hit drives that use the paddle's power and dip down at my opponents' feet.

I struggle with the sweet spot on this paddle. I can tell when I hit dead spots because the ball doesn't bounce off with the same pop. If I were to use this paddle long term, I'd put lead tape around the bottom to help increase the twist weight, which should mean fewer mishits.

The paddle is slightly head heavy but it still swings comfortably and doesn't put any strain on my arm because of its effortless power.

This is my favorite grip that I've played with. It's comfortable to hold, doesn't get sweaty and it's thin, which I like because I don't have the biggest hands.

It leaves you plenty of room to throw on an overgrip if you have bigger hands. Paddles with a thicker grip make that harder for you. I like the 5.5" elongated handle too, as it lets me play with two hands comfortably.

Of the many paddles we've reviewed on Pickleheads, only the Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta and Wild Monkeys Spirit also scored 10 for grip. Paddle brands rarely get this spot on.

This paddle lasted well during my testing. However, Gearbox paddle cores typically delaminate over time and the ball starts to fly off the paddle even harder, so I'll be keeping an eye on this over time.

Despite being a little heady heavy, this paddle is quick in the air during hands battles, so I feel confident that I can get to balls quickly.

While not as fast as a standard-shaped paddle like the Paddletek Bantam ALW-C, it's quicker than many elongated paddles like the CRBN TruFoam Genesis 1 and the Paddletek TKO-C.

This is priced at the high end ($274.99), though it's still $25 cheaper than the Selkirk Labs Project 007 series. It's a major investment but if you want one of the best power paddles that's approved by USA Pickleball, it's 100% worth it.

If you want to save a bit of money, there are some cheaper options that still hit really hard. Check out the TKO-C ($250), Six Zero Infinity DBD ($220), and Bread & Butter Filth ($165).

If you need more control and forgiveness, or you're a beginner or intermediate player, try the Spartus Apollo, Pickleball Apes Pro Line Energy S, or PIKKL Hurricane Pro.

If the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Power Elongated isn't the right choice for you, here are some other paddles I suggest you try:

This article contains affiliate links from which we receive a small commission from sales of certain items. As a brand associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you!