CRBN Waves Review: This is a Hard Pass

As someone who used the CRBN TruFoam Genesis for more than half of this year, the Waves was a letdown. This was the least enjoyable paddle I’ve reviewed in well over a year, and I haven’t been more frustrated or agitated while testing a paddle in a long time. There is a lot to unpack, so let’s get into it.

Table of Contents

Specs & Launch Info
What Changed From The Genesis
Power vs Perception
The Big Problem: The Sweet Spot & Weighting Experiments
Final Thoughts

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Specs & Launch Info

Launch date: September 25
Price: $279.99
NFC chip: Yes, for authenticity verification. You do not need it for warranty registration.
Discount: Use code PBSTUDIO to save 10%.

Specs

CRBN1 Waves (Elongated)

Swing weight: 118
Twist weight: 5.66
Static weight: 7.91 oz
RPM: 2,082
Handle length: 5.75”
Grip size: 4.25”
Warranty: 1 year

CRBN2 Waves (Widebody)

Swing weight: 112
Twist weight: 6.83
Static weight: 8.14 oz
RPM: 2,039
Handle length: 5.5”
Grip size: 4.25”
Warranty: 1 year

CRBN3 Waves (Elongated, Short Handle)

Swing weight: 119
Twist weight: 6.53
Static weight: 8.22 oz
RPM: 2,100
Handle length: 5.5”
Grip size: 4.25”
Warranty: 1 year

CRBN4 Waves (Hybrid)

Swing weight: 111
Twist weight: 6.48
Static weight: 8.0 oz
RPM: 2,161
Handle length: 5.5”
Grip size: 4.25”
Warranty: 1 year

What Changed From Genesis

CRBN made a couple key changes from the Genesis to the Waves. The biggest one is the new core cutout design. If you look at the X-ray, you’ll see the wave-like cutouts that give the paddle its name. These are supposed to increase dwell time and add more power.

Wave cutout core designed for more dwell and power
Full fiberglass sheet across the face (instead of just a small patch on Genesis), layered between carbon on both sides

Power vs Perception

Power

CRBN advertises Waves as one of the most legally powerful paddles because it nearly maxes the USAP core test.

In the hand, it does not feel like a big jump from Genesis.

A lot of the reason for that is the feel and sound. Waves is softer and more muted than many current power paddles. If you are used to full-foam, stiff, loud paddles, Waves may feel weaker even when it is not.

Radar results I saw

Objectively, Waves can hit drives, serves, and putaways in the same ballpark as other top power paddles. Pop, however, is more toned down than many competitors. That can help some players with control, but it will not feel as instantly hot as the “max pop” options.

Serves: Waves ~57 mph vs Genesis ~55 mph
Reference drives: Widebody Boomstik ~57.6 mph, Rhombus Quanta with 15 g ~58.3 mph

Spin and Dwell Time

Spin is good, similar to Genesis. I did not feel it was a clear upgrade. CRBN talks a lot about dwell time. It may be higher than Genesis, but it did not feel dramatically higher than other paddles marketed for dwell. Compared to something like Gearbox GX2, it did not stand out for me.

Control

When I was striking clean, resets felt fine. But as soon as I was stretched or off balance, the inconsistency showed up. For me, even paddles with more pop and power but better face consistency were easier to control than the Waves, but better face consistency were easier to control than Waves.

The Big Problem: The Sweet Spot

The biggest dealbreaker with the Waves is the sweet spot. It’s small, and the drop-off outside the center is sharp. Off-center hits felt flimsy and flexy, especially near the edges where the X-ray shows those bigger wave cutouts.

When I compared side by side with other foam or polymer paddles, the problem went away, which makes me think the design itself is the issue.

I even tested it against a stock Genesis 2 with all weight removed. The Genesis still felt more consistent across the face, even though it has that fiberglass patch some players don’t like.

In play, here’s what it felt like:

Miss near the sides, and the paddle flexes.
Blocks could fly long or drop short.
Counters were hit or miss, sometimes quick, or sometimes dead.

It often felt like rolling the dice. If you’re used to paddles with forgiving sweet spots, the Waves will feel like a step back. If you already play with paddles with smaller sweet spots, you may not notice it as much.

Weighting Experiments

I tried to “fix” Waves with weight on multiple shapes.

Edge wrap with 0.5 g tungsten around the rim (Shape 2): Moderate improvement. Sweet spot still underwhelming.
Heavier 15 g at 3 and 9 (Boomstik-style idea): Still not enough. Drop-off remained too sharp.
Other mixes: 10 g on throat, 10 g near head, 3 g pod on head.
- Best of the bunch: ~10 g on the sides plus 3 g at the head. Felt a little less dead and gave a bit more margin.

Resulting swing weights (examples)

CRBN 1: +10 g sides +3 g head → 128
CRBN 4: +10 g slightly higher +3 g head → 123
CRBN 2: 0.5 g edge wrap +3 g head → 119
Removing the 3 g head pod dropped swing weight by ~4 points on each.

Even the better setups were not good enough for me to recommend Waves over many other options, especially since Waves is not light out of the box, which limits how much weight you can add.

Final Thoughts

Where the Waves Stands Out

One thing CRBN does well is durability. The Genesis had one of the best track records in 2025, and with the Waves built in a similar way, I expect the same. In a market where plenty of paddles have quality control issues, that matters. CRBN also gives you a 30-day risk-free trial with free return shipping and a 1-year warranty, so it is easy to test it for yourself.

My Experience

For me, the Waves was frustrating. The small sweet spot and muted feel never gave me a satisfying session, and I found myself complaining about it more than any paddle I have tested in a long time. Every time I switched back to another paddle, even an unweighted Genesis, it felt like a breath of fresh air. With so many paddles that are more forgiving and consistent, this one was tough to stick with.

Who Might Like It

There is still a narrow group of players who could enjoy the Waves:

Genesis fans who only want more power
Players who like a softer, quieter feel and rarely miss the sweet spot
Anyone comfortable paying $280 for that exact setup

If that is you, the Waves might fit.

Final Take

For most players, the sweet spot penalty is too steep to overlook. Other paddles stood out more in testing: the Selkirk Boomstik for its pop, the Bread and Butter Loco for its lively feel, the Rhombus Quanta once weighted up, the Vatic Pro models for their balance of power and control, the Paddletech Bantam for consistency, and Honolulu’s J2 paddles for better value. Unless you are locked in on the Genesis and simply want more power with a softer feel, those options will give you a better overall experience.