Gearbox GX2 Power Review & Comparison

It’s taken a while, but Gearbox has finally made a paddle that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with today’s top power paddles.

In my first impressions video, I covered the specs, design, and how it compared to the previous GX2.

In this review, I’m focusing on what’s changed since then — including how the paddle feels after breaking in, how it performs in real play, and how it stacks up against other top power paddles like the JOOLA Pro IV, Honolulu J2NF, Body Helix F1, and Selkirk Boomstik.

If you want the complete picture, make sure to check out my first impressions video.

Other wise, let’s break it down.

Break-In Period (Serve Speed Test Pre & Post Break in)

The GX2 Power definitely has a break-in period.

Around the 5-hour mark, the paddle softened up and started hitting harder.
- This may vary depending on how hard you hit the ball and how often you drive.
The sound pitch dropped slightly, the face felt softer, and power increased.
Compared side-by-side with a brand new unit, the difference was clear.

It’s not like the old Pro Power elongated (which changed dramatically over time), but it’s enough to impact play.

For me, the paddle was actually easier to use brand new. After break-in, resets and softer shots, like taking a ball out of the air at the kitchen, became harder to control.

Serve Speed Tests (Pre & Post Break-In)

To back this up with data, I tested serve speeds:

JOOLA Pro IV Scorpius 16mm: 56.6 mph average
GX2 Power Hybrid (brand new): 57.2 mph
GX2 Power Hybrid (broken in): 59.1 mph

So yes, the power does increase after break-in. The question is whether that’s just the paddle settling in or an early sign of durability issues.

With JOOLA Pro IV, seeing metrics of the paddle hitting harder over time usually meant the core was on it’s way out.

With the GX2 Power, it’s to early to tell if this is a feature or a red flag. My caution to you would be, if that worries you, wait for more consumers to get the paddle and report any issues.

Dwell Time

This paddle has a very high dwell time. The ball really sinks into the face before launching out.

For some players, that cushioned feel will be great. But for me, it made shot placement harder, especially in the soft game.

The best way I found to use it post break-in was to stay aggressive. Playing neutral and trying to outlast an opponent in resets didn’t feel as comfortable.

Weight Setup

Out of the box, the GX2 Power felt stable enough that I didn’t need to add weight.

When I did add weight, it was mostly out of habit and curiosity to see how it would change the paddle, not because I felt like it needed weakness to be corrected.

For testing, I added:

1 g per inch of tungsten tape from the throat into the bottom corners
A Hesacore grip

The changes were small:

Swing weight: 111 → 113
Twist weight: 6.42 → 7.15
Static weight: 7.9 oz → 8.6 oz

It did add some plow-through and stability, but I’d be comfortable playing it stock.

Gearbox GX2 Power Comparisons

JOOLA Pro IV

Feel

Pro IV: Stiffer, more immediate feedback. Feels quicker off the face.
GX2 Power: More dwell time and cushioned feel. Similar to a slingshot, where it sinks into the paddle then launches out.

Sweet Spot

✅ Winner: GX2 Power — stock form feels more solid to me, less need for weight.

Durability

✅ Winner: GX2 Power — Gearbox’s SST carbon core, in theory, should outlast JOOLA’s, which still has core-crushing issues.

Shape Variety

Pro IV: More options — widebody with a long handle, plus four different elongated shapes with varying handle lengths.
GX2 Power: Limited — just one elongated with a short handle and one hybrid.
✅ Winner: Pro IV — if you want different shapes, JOOLA gives you more options.

Tournament Pick

My choice: Pro IV — even though GX2 has more top-end pop, I trust the Pro IV’s feedback and control more for my game. The Pro IV played more balanced for a power paddle which fits my style of play better. Both are great paddles, but if I had to go to a tournament today, I would take a Pro IV over the GX2 Power.

Honolulu J2NF

These paddles are in 2 different categories. So there isn’t a clear “winner” in each categotry but rather how they cater to each audience in each one.

Power

J2NF: Lower-tier power, better for most players due to the toned down pop. Great for players who want to dabble in pawer but want a more balanced paddle overall
GX2 Power: High-end power, harder to control, better for more aggressive players who like to end points quickly and counter at the net

Feel

J2NF: Denser and stiffer, more predictable.
GX2 Power: Softer, more dampened.

Overall

If you want balance and usability → J2NF.
If you want top-tier power and can handle it → GX2 Power.

Body Helix FLIK F1

Power

✅ Winner: F1 — hits harder than the GX2.

Control & Sweet Spot

✅ Winner: GX2 Power — much more consistent across the face. The F1 has a big sweet spot and power drop off when hitting the ball off center.

Spin

✅ Winner: F1 — the spin potential is crazy good. This is the only thing this paddle does better than the GX2 Power in my opinion.

Overall

F1 feels like a “maxed-out power stat” paddle and sacrifices heavily in sweet spot and control.
GX2 Power is still very strong, but more balanced and playable.

Selkirk Labs Boomstik

Power

Even — both hit very hard, especially after the GX2 Power breaks in.

Feel

Boomstik: Louder, stiffer, crisp, immediate feedback.
GX2 Power: Softer, more dampened.

Spin Durability

Edge: Boomstik — uses Infinigrit, which Selkirk claims lasts longer than raw carbon fiber (still needs testing).

Overall

If you want stiffer + crisp → Boomstik.
If you want softer + cushioned → GX2 Power.

Final Thoughts — Who it is and isn’t for

✅ For Players Who:

Want a softer-feeling power paddle with more dwell time
Like aggressive play styles (drives, counters, shake-and-bake)
Prefer the hybrid shape (not offered by JOOLA or Selkirk)
Value Gearbox’s carbon core durability

❌ Not For Players Who:

Struggle with resets, dinks, or touch control
Want immediate pop, crisp, stiff, immediate feedback (choose Pro IV or Boomstik instead)
Already own and like a Pro IV (no big reason to switch unless durability is an issue)

The GX2 Power is a legitimate top-end power paddle.

It delivers big pop, long dwell time, and a solid sweet spot. That softer, dampened feel is going to be love-it or hate-it, great for aggressive players, but not ideal if you rely on resets and control.

For my game, the Pro IV and Boomstik are still a better fit. But if you’re looking for a cushioned, dwell-heavy power paddle, especially in a hybrid shape, the GX2 Power deserves to be in the conversation with today’s elite options.

Purchase the Gearbox GX2 Power

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Gearbox GX2 Power Review & Comparison

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