# Power-foam buying guide, Vol. 2 — source ledger

Research cutoff and access date: **October 11, 2026**. Companion article: [October buying guide](../blog/posts/2026-10-11-power-foam-paddle-buying-guide-vol-2.md). Publication dates below are source dates; approval dates and expected shipping dates are explicitly different things.

This is a selective buying guide, not a census or a numerical meta-ranking. No first-hand paddle testing was performed for it. Recommendations synthesize the accessible evidence and state where a court demo or more evidence is needed.

## Method and access

- Searched the web and current YouTube uploads from John Kew, Pickleball Effect and Pickleball Studio, then followed new-model, durability and official-product leads. Discovery extended beyond June's shortlist.
- `yt-dlp` retrieved video metadata, descriptions and upload dates. English auto-captions were retrieved for the September 4 KewCast and June 18 SupaSenpai teardown; relevant passages were read. Other requested caption downloads returned HTTP 429, or no matching caption track. No inaccessible episode is presented as watched or transcribed.
- Raw metadata, caption files and transcript scratch text are outside this repository, under `/private/tmp/power-foam-vol2/`. This ledger contains summaries only. Auto-captions can misrecognize names and numbers; use the linked video for confirmation.
- Reviewer affiliate links/codes and supplied samples are potential incentives. Editorial-independence disclosures do not remove them. Manufacturer pages establish advertised specifications, prices and order status, not independent performance. Reddit reports establish anecdotes, not failure rates.
- All prices are **USD**, checked October 11, excluding taxes, delivery and import costs. Advertised codes were not tested through checkout. “Add to cart,” preorder and backorder are recorded separately; delivery was not verified. Warranty notes summarize product-page wording, not an adjudication of an individual claim.
- Accelerated spin loss, abrasive texture loss and actual court hours are different measurements. Tier labels are John Kew's testing categories, not official certifications. Historical and revised Power/Pop scores are not combined into a ranking.

## YouTube evidence

### Captions successfully retrieved

- [Did HexGrit’s Tier 1 Hold After 100 Games? Plus, Enhance ArmorGrit Tested — KewCast 121](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G20x87p4k-0). **Johnkew Pickleball, September 4, 2026.** At **56:23–1:04:16**, one Ultré Power 2 after 100 games/24 sessions, about 95% indoors: 2,384 to 2,317 RPM, approximately 2.8% loss. This is one paddle, not every HexGrit product. At **25:24–32:25**, early Enhance ArmorGrit sample loses approximately 30% in accelerated wear. Later batch results cannot be inferred. Affiliate codes disclosed.
- [What's Inside The 11SIX24 Power 2 Paddle Core?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31VZmCarv1w). **SupaSenpai, June 18, 2026.** **0:00–2:15** describes early disbonding, replacement, sound comparison and cutting; **3:32–4:15** discusses the exposed core and bond. Evidence for an individual Hurache-X failure, not failure prevalence. Creator also posted [this June 18 report](https://www.reddit.com/r/Pickleball/comments/1u95tuu/we_cut_a_disbonded_pickleball_paddle_in_half/), including a secondhand adhesive explanation. Unsupported percentage estimates excluded. Many affiliate codes in the description.

### Metadata/descriptions accessible; captions unavailable

- [I Retested the Vatic V-Sol Tour. The Result Changed.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57m00Y6lt-w). **Johnkew Pickleball, September 15, 2026.** Description reports 15% spin loss on another production sample and cautions against generalizing to all production. Chapters: **3:30** latest test, **5:10** early loss, **7:17** possible causes, **10:59** manufacturer response. Caption request: HTTP 429. Curing explanations remain hypotheses.
- [The Vatic Pro V-Sol Tour has a Grit Problem](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxvImu6Oo0A). **Pickleball Studio, September 14, 2026.** Description/chapters identify RPM testing at **4:45** and a drilling-related wear segment at **7:32**. Caption request: HTTP 429. Used as a follow-up discovery/source link, not as independently read detailed test results.
- [Three $100 Power Pickleball Paddles That Are Actually Really Good](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tvCc8GZaxs). **Pickleball Effect, October 4, 2026.** Chapters: **1:30** performance, **2:25** shape, **2:59** feel, **4:07** grit, **5:34** pricing. Caption request: HTTP 429. Detailed claims instead use the accessible written comparison below.
- [All Tier 1 Paddles Have These 2 Things in Common — KewCast 125](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM5D-y2ziKw). **Johnkew Pickleball, October 5, 2026.** Caption request: HTTP 429. October 6 first-party newsletter provides accessible follow-up detail.
- [11SIX24 Jelly Bean 2 Full Review: All 4 Shapes Tested](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5_sWLlV528). **Johnkew Pickleball, August 21, 2026.** Metadata retrieved; caption request: HTTP 429. Used for discovery/date context; shape-specific measurements are not transferred between shapes.
- [Honolulu CR Blue Grit vs Six Zero Coral Pro: Twins on Paper, Opposites in Hand](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7S-3AuN7PQ). **Johnkew Pickleball, August 14, 2026.** Caption request: HTTP 429. Claims use the written primary comparison below.
- [BnB Loco 2, UPA-A Boulder Opal, & Enhance Turbo Armor Grit Update](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbnX_HvJiXw). **Pickleball Studio, October 7, 2026.** No requested English caption track available. Chapters: Loco 2 **3:15**; Enhance **48:08**; further shape updates **1:08:59** and **1:11:11**. Chapter titles establish topics, not verdicts. No assertion that the newer Enhance surface passed or failed.

## Original written testing and court reports

- [Best $100 power pickleball paddles](https://pickleballeffect.com/equipment-reviews/best-100-dollar-power-pickleball-paddles/). **Braydon Unsicker / Pickleball Effect, October 5, 2026 byline** (review directory displayed October 6; companion video October 4). Budget comparison, impact feel, shape choices and advertised discounts. Its abrasion-retention metric is not Kew's impact-driven RPM retention. Affiliate disclosure; laboratory/court work reported by author.
- [Volair CMD Hybrid vs Jelly Bean 2 Ultré vs Power 2 Ultré](https://pickleballeffect.com/equipment-reviews/volair-cmd-hybrid-vs-11six24-jelly-bean-2-ultre-vs-power-2-ultre/). **Braydon Unsicker / Pickleball Effect, September 22, 2026.** Controlled versus offensive response, shape and feel comparison; code prices. Review samples and affiliate incentives acknowledged. CMD review does not establish retail delivery.
- [Honolulu J2CR Blue Grit vs Six Zero Coral Pro Hybrid](https://www.johnkewpickleball.com/honolulu-j2cr-blue-grit-vs-six-zero-coral-pro-hybrid). **John Kew, updated August 2026**; associated video August 14. Tested J2CR Long Handle and Coral Pro Hybrid; comparative feel/stability and laboratory surface result. Findings change with shape. JOHNKEW discount prices. Affiliate disclosure; no paid editorial approval claimed.
- [JOOLA Power FX review](https://www.johnkewpickleball.com/joola-power-fx-review). **John Kew, September 30, 2026.** Preliminary court impressions and 15% accelerated spin loss; unusually stiff response. Supplied paddle, affiliate link, no payment/editorial control claimed. Only a few games at publication. Construction discussion includes manufacturer imagery, not an independently established CT scan.
- [Every Tier 1 paddle clears these two bars / Power FX play-test](https://johnkewpickleball.beehiiv.com/p/every-tier-1-paddle-clears-these-2-bars-our-joola-power-fx-play-test). **John Kew newsletter; Sean Padilla byline, October 6, 2026.** Further caution about Vatic sample variation; rougher Enhance batch two still awaiting durability testing; Power FX impressions. Latest accessible detailed first-party written follow-up used here. Affiliate content.
- [Power and Pop metrics are getting an overhaul](https://johnkewpickleball.beehiiv.com/p/power-and-pop-metrics-are-getting-an-overhaul). **John Kew newsletter; John Williams byline, August 31, 2026**; lab note dated August 30. Cannon/KewCOR and paddle-property model replace older human-shot radar-derived scores. Supports methodological warning, not official approval conclusions.
- [JOOLA's new patent grab / Pakle Fuse verdict](https://johnkewpickleball.beehiiv.com/p/johnkew-newsletter-joola-s-new-patent-grab-the-pakle-fuse-verdict). **John Kew newsletter; Sean Padilla, July 16, 2026.** Spitfire PermaGritNano result: 14.7% spin loss, Tier 3. Not the older P1 PermaGrit. Patent/legal discussion not used.
- [76% of your spin loss lands in the first 50 hits / Jelly Bean 2](https://johnkewpickleball.beehiiv.com/p/johnkew-newsletter-76-of-your-spin-loss-lands-in-the-first-50-hits-first-look-at-the-jelly-bean-2). **John Kew newsletter; Sean Padilla, August 10, 2026.** New OMNI InfiniGrit sample: 20.8% loss after 100 impacts. Separate already-used Boomstik comparison: approximately 12% after roughly 50 games, with noisy readings. Loco raw-carbon wear. These are different specimens/protocols, not a head-to-head longevity ranking.
- [Spartus Spitfire review](https://www.pickletip.com/spartus-spitfire-review/). **Sid Parfait / PickleTip, September 11, 2026.** Approximately 18 hours of play; short-stroke control versus full-swing power. Affiliate code PICKLETIP. Court experience, not controlled wear testing.
- [Spitfire lost most of its bite after 50 hours](https://www.reddit.com/r/Pickleball/comments/1x0gw1u/spartus_spitfire_lost_most_of_its_bite_after_50/). **Reddit owner report, October 8, 2026.** Claimed wear after approximately 50 hours. Unverified, uncontrolled, no before/after RPM. Used only as an explicitly labeled anecdote.
- [Six new paddles to watch in October](https://www.thedinkpickleball.com/6-new-pickleball-paddles-to-watch-in-october-2026/). **Alex E. Weaver / The Dink, October 1, 2026.** Discovery leads including Loco 2, RPM Jade, ArmorGrit, Gearbox Pressure X, Holbrook Fuze and Power FX. Affiliate incentives. Discovery only; no performance verdict imported into this article.

## Official product checks

All entries: **manufacturer storefront, publication date not shown, checked October 11, 2026**. Specifications apply to the named product/variant. Stock statements describe the page at access, not a fulfilled order.

- **Spartus — [Spitfire Elongated](https://gospartus.com/products/spitfire-elongated):** $109.99; orderable, up to seven additional business days fulfillment. 16mm; 16.5 × 7.5 inches; 5.5-inch handle. 180-day limited warranty. Manufacturer claims USAP approval.
- **Vatic Pro — [V-Sol Tour](https://vaticpro.com/products/v-sol-tour):** $109.99, orderable. 16mm floating EPP/EVA construction; several shape/handle options. One-year warranty. Specific USAP elongated record independently accessed below.
- **Ronbus — [Quanta Pro R3.16](https://ronbus.com/collections/quanta-series/products/quanta-pro-r3-16):** $119.99, in stock. 16mm EPP/EVA; elongated R3; six-month manufacturing warranty. Manufacturer claims USAP approval.
- **11SIX24 — [Ultré Jelly Bean 2](https://11six24.com/collections/frontpage/products/ultre-jelly-bean-2):** $169.99, in stock. 16mm EMA/HexGrit; four shape options in the line. Twelve-month manufacturing warranty excludes normal wear. Page contains some inconsistent cross-shape comparison copy; do not treat all numbers as Ultré measurements.
- **11SIX24 — [Ultré Power 2](https://11six24.com/pages/ultre-power-2-product):** $209.99, orderable. 16mm, HexGrit, UPA-A claim. Thirty-day play-test return less shipping. Contradictory generic core wording on part of the page was not used to override the model-specific testing.
- **Honolulu / 808 Pickle — [J2CR Crystal Blue](https://808pickle.com/products/j2cr-crystal-blue-endurance-surface%E2%84%A2-pre-order):** $195, orderable; standard/extended handles. 16mm foam. URL contains “pre-order,” but current page order status takes precedence over the slug. Laboratory long-handle sample and current store dimensions must not be silently interchanged.
- **Six Zero — [Coral Pro, US store](https://us.sixzeropickleball.com/products/coral-pro):** $220, orderable, three shapes, 16mm. Retail description says Ultra Rough UPA-A; cannot equate every version to the USAP record below. Australian-dollar pricing from the non-US store was excluded.
- **Bread & Butter — [original Loco Hybrid](https://www.bnbpickleball.com/collections/loco/products/loco-16mm-pickleball-paddle-hybrid):** $149.25 sale / $199 original; checked Azul hybrid backordered. Sale excludes 30-day returns. Current qualifying-purchase warranty states one year. Policy-change date and retroactive eligibility not established.
- **Bread & Butter — [Loco 2 Hybrid](https://www.bnbpickleball.com/collections/paddles/products/loco-2-pickleball-paddle-hybrid-us):** $220; coming soon/unavailable. Space Dust Grit is a manufacturer claim, not long-term evidence.
- **Volair — [CMD HYB 16mm](https://volair.com/products/volair-cmd-hyb-pickleball-paddle-16mm-dylan-frazier):** $179.99; preorder October 25 for new orders, first batch described as around October 15. Expected dates, not demonstrated delivery. HexGrit licensing and EPP/EVA construction stated.
- **JOOLA — [Perseus Power FX](https://joola.com/products/perseus-power-fx-pickleball-paddle):** $179.95, in stock; 16mm Perseus, full foam; one-year warranty requiring registration. Claims USAP and UPA-A approval. [September 21 announcement](https://joola.com/blogs/blog/joola-introduces-power-fx-built-to-provide-effortless-power-for-every-player) set September 30 availability; current storefront was separately checked.
- **Selkirk — [LABS Project Boomstik](https://www.selkirk.com/products/selkirk-labs-project-boomstik):** $333; limited lifetime warranty advertised. Manufacturer durability multipliers are not independent evidence. No universal availability claim across colors/shapes.

Discount assumptions: Pickleball Effect advertises PBEFFECT prices of $99.99 for Vatic/Ronbus, $98.99 for Spitfire, $159.99 for Jelly Bean 2 and $199.99 for Power 2. Kew's comparison advertises JOHNKEW prices of $175.50 for J2CR and $198 for Coral Pro. No code is embedded in the article's store links; none was checkout-tested.

## Official approval evidence

- **USA Pickleball — [spin-rate implementation notice](https://usapickleball.org/usap-news/equipment-news/update-regarding-the-usa-pickleball-spin-rate-test-and-implementation-timeline/):** publication date not visible in retrieved body; checked October 11. New submissions from October 1 face a 2,100 RPM limit under USAP's own protocol. Roughness/friction retained as recorded measurements. Existing certifications remain under applicable certification standards. A reviewer's RPM is not interchangeable with this test.
- **USA Pickleball — [Coral Pro entry 13780](https://equipment.usapickleball.org/paddle-list/entry/13780/):** Pass, added **October 1, 2026**, RCD 16MM, hybrid, diamond-infused carbon, Peel Ply. Checked October 11. Retail Ultra Rough/shape mapping remains unresolved.
- **USA Pickleball — [V-Sol Tour Elongated entry 13672](https://equipment.usapickleball.org/paddle-list/entry/13672/):** Pass, added **August 6, 2026**, elongated 16mm. Checked October 11. Does not automatically establish all V-Sol shapes.
- **UPA-A — [approved paddles](https://upaa.unitedpickleball.com/approved-paddles/):** checked October 11. Relevant exact entries: Jelly Bean 2 **992.2T-H/P/U/V**, July 24; Ultré Power 2 **W212.63-U**, May 4; CMD HYB **V0014**, August 20; Coral Pro **RCD/RCD-E/RCD-W**, May 19–29; Perseus Power FX **P16G3FD**, September 22. Dates are approvals, not launches. Honolulu J2CR variants also appear, but list wording alone does not resolve every retail Blue Grit variant.
- **Access gap:** USAP's main search page failed in the available fetch/browser tooling. Direct records above worked. Spitfire, Quanta Pro and Power FX USAP statements are therefore attributed to manufacturers; no independent USAP verification claimed for them, Jelly Bean 2, Power 2 or CMD. A third-party approval mirror was a discovery aid, not substituted for the official registry.

## Historical baseline and unresolved questions

- [June 4 guide / Vol. 1](../paddle-buying-guide-2026/index.html) and [older meta-ranking](../v/best-paddles-2026-meta-ranking/index.html): historical recommendations only. Their review totals were not re-audited or inherited. Both remain unchanged by this task.
- No controlled multi-brand core-failure incidence study or general foam lifespan was established. Surface retention cannot stand in for core longevity. Warranty replacements and anecdotes do not provide a denominator.
- September/October evidence is strongest for new value choices, sample-dependent surface wear and the one-paddle 100-game follow-up. Longer production histories for new launches remain absent or inaccessible.
- The inaccessible October 7 discussion could contain relevant newer results; the guide explicitly withholds a conclusion where that matters. No conclusions about fixing Enhance batch two, long-term Power FX life, or delivered CMD/Loco 2 production are invented.