I never imagined I’d say this any time soon. But CRBN just solved foam cores. Brands have been racing to create the next frontier in core innovation to improve durability, feel, and performance. While there have been several attempts, no one has solved the riddle yet. Until now, that is. CRBN developed what I believe is the most promising new core design that could be the future of paddle core technology.
CRBN’s TruFoam Genesis series features a full foam core and comes in three shapes. This review will dive into the advantages of foam cores, the technology behind their TruFoam core, the overall performance of the series, and then finish with a brief review of each shape and their nuances.
If you find my review helpful and decide to purchase one of these paddles, please use my code PBEFFECT on CRBN’s website. This will give you a discount and support my review efforts. Thanks to CRBN for sending me these paddles; however, this article is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.
(Get 10% off with the discount code PBEFFECT on CRBN’s website)
Table of Contents
Are Full Foam Cores Better Than Polymer Cores?
Polymer has been the primary material used in paddles for years. This is the first paddle to successfully challenge polymer cores with a material that I believe performs better. Foam has three main advantages over polymer that I’ve identified.
1) Foam provides a softer, more intuitive feel
The impact feel of the CRBN TruFoam paddles is unique. It’s softer and more comfortable than the plastic-on-plastic feel of a polymer core, but it’s not overly plush and still has a crisp response.
2) Foam allows for greater performance potential
The TruFoam paddles start with a blank foam panel and then have a design cut out of them to create voids in the core. These voids are a big part of what creates the performance characteristics of the paddle. Changing up the void design can result in more power, control, pop, etc. You can also change up the type of foam you use and how dense it is to manipulate performance. The performance possibilities are endless where polymer had a limit on what you could create with it.
3) Foam is more durable, as it is less prone to developing dead spots or core crushing
Now, when I say foam, it may not be what you’re thinking. There are many types of foam, each with different densities and properties. The most common types used in paddles until now have been compressible foams like expandable foam and EVA foam. These wouldn’t be a good option for a solid foam core because they break down too quickly and don’t hold their shape well after being stressed. The type of foam CRBN uses is non-compressible, holds its shape, and doesn’t break down after being stressed.
Full Foam Cores Weren’t Allowed in the Past, Why Now?
USAP, the leading governing body for paddle regulations, used to use a deflection test in their paddle approval process to restrict power in paddles. But in 2025 USAP changed to a test more dynamic than deflection called PBCor to measure the power of a paddle. Now that deflection isn’t how power is measured, it opens the door to materials that are not as stiff as polymer but still fall within the acceptable power range for paddles.
CRBN TruFoam Construction Explained
Let’s dissect this paddle. I cut one open and even took an x-ray for a closer look at its inner workings. You’ll notice circular cutouts in the middle and rectangular ones around the sides. These voids are strategically placed within a solid foam core. CRBN’s engineers have experimented with various cutout designs to achieve specific performance characteristics. By tweaking the void design, they can fine-tune power, forgiveness, and other attributes—the possibilities are seemingly endless. For this particular design the rectangular cutouts around the edge add flex to the sweet spot while the circle cutouts in the middle are primarily there to reduce weight.
The large white square covering the circular voids in the x-ray is a fiberglass layer that’s next to the foam core which adds pop and power to bigger swings. On top of the fiberglass layer are carbon facing layers. You’ll also see more white around the bottom half of the paddle’s edges in the x-ray. That’s another fiberglass layer attached to the edge of the foam, providing targeted perimeter weighting for enhanced stability and balance.
You can learn more about the story behind the paddle tech and development in this interview I did with the CRBN owners.
CRBN's R&D Capabilities
I wanted to emphasize CRBN’s R&D capabilities because this side of their business sets them apart from many brands. They have an engineer in California who helps find and source the material they use and also designs the void structure in the core. He’s very smart and understands how changes to the void structure affect paddle performance. He can also make TruFoam paddles in their own California lab, which speeds up the R&D process significantly. CRBN reportedly tested over 300 different designs until they landed on what they went to market with. CRBN then takes the product they develop in house and works with their manufacturer to get the right machines and training to scale their design.
Typically, brands work with their manufacturers, requesting different paddle makeups within the manufacturer’s capabilities. Then, they wait for the sample to be shipped, test it, request changes, and wait for another sample. This process is slower and more cumbersome compared to what CRBN is doing. It’s also limited to what the manufacturer can create. CRBN, on the other hand, has more creative freedom and can produce new prototypes in a day. They benefit from instant feedback from their team and testers, and avoid communication and shipping delays. This enables them to test and iterate more prototypes than their competitors which is a big deal.
TruFoam Genesis Series Performance Review
This section will provide a general overview of the series, and the sections that follow will detail the performance nuances of each shape.
Power & Pop: These paddles are what I describe as aggressive all-court paddles. They have above-average power and pop, though not quite power paddle levels. You’ll have enough power to finish points when the opportunity arises and put pressure on your opponents with counters and drives though you won’t blow anyone off the court with them.
The pop is low enough that you don’t have to over finesse speed ups and volley dinks to keep them down and in play. You can also find angles and dink aggressively without accidentally floating the ball too wide.
The paddles also have higher launch angles, which I discuss in more detail below. This allows you to attack lower balls and get them over the net more easily than with other 14mm paddles.
Control & Feel: The impact feel when you strike the ball is so nice with these. It’s subtly less harsh than what a typical polymer core paddle feels like and it feels good. It somehow feels like you think a paddle should. It’s very intuitive and natural. They offer good feedback in the sense you know if you hit it where you wanted to or missed your target. Something about the unique feel of the paddle gives you a better connection with the ball and you know where it’s going. This aspect was one of my favorite elements of the paddles.
The paddles are poppy enough though that they require some adjustment to control. The fiberglass layers can deliver unexpected power sometimes, as I experienced when resetting balls from the midcourt. However, once you get past the learning curve, the connection to the paddle feels very strong.
Launch Angle: One thing I noticed with these paddles is that the launch angle is very different compared to other 14mm paddles. Typically, thinner paddles have lower launch angles and flatter ball trajectories, while 16mm paddles have higher launch angles and loopier ball trajectories. These paddles behaved like 16mm paddles. They give you a pocketing sensation, and you can shape the ball well on drives and drop shots, but it also increases the risk of hitting the ball too high or long
Forgiveness/Sweet Spot: The twistweight measurements were good for 14mm paddles, other than the TF1. They correlated well with the size of the sweet spot for each paddle. Generally they played a little more forgiving than typical 14mm paddles but weren’t as good as your average 16mm polymer core paddle. The sweet spots aren’t a strength for this series though they don’t necessarily hold them back either. You can certainly customize them with tungsten weighted tape and handle weighting to improve them in this area.
Maneuverability: A common strength of 14mm paddles is increased maneuverability due to the thinner core, which reduces overall material, weight and drag. However, these paddles have higher than normal swingweights for 14mm paddles, and instead align with the average swingweights of 16mm paddles. Therefore, these paddles don’t offer the enhanced maneuverability expected with 14mm paddles. While the heavier 14mm design doesn’t offer any additional maneuverability, it does provide a little extra forgiveness vs other 14mm paddles, as mentioned previously. I’ll speak to this element more for each shape below since it’s more shape specific than the other elements of the paddles.
Spin: My spin tests averaged above 2000 RPMs for each shape, which is a good result. I noticed that when you caught one just right, you could really dip the ball when you drove it; otherwise, it behaved the same as the many other good spin paddles out there. The paddle gives you a pocketing sensation and maybe that could be contributing to the good spin on drives I would get sometimes. Not sure if it is pocketing the ball better, but it certainly felt like it.
(Get 10% off with the discount code PBEFFECT on CRBN’s website)
TruFoam Genesis Review by Shape
While the above section was meant to give you the general idea of the TruFoam Genesis series as a whole, this section will give you a more detailed look into the nuances and numbers of each paddle in the series.
The series is offered in three different shapes. The TF1, TF2, and TF3. The TF1 and TF3 are both elongated but with different handle lengths. The TF1 has an extended handle length of 5.5” while the TF3 has a 5.25” handle length. Then the TF2 is a widebody shape with a 5.25” handle.
TF1 Review
- Static Weight: 8 oz avg
- Swingweight: 118-121 (high)
- Twistweight: 5.7 (low)
- Spin RPMs: 2036 (very high)
- Length x Width: 16.5″ x 7.35″ (elongated)
- Face: Carbon top sheets with fiberglass activation sheet
- Grip Circumference: 4.125″
- Handle Length: 5.5″
- Core: 14mm TruFoam
- Paddle Type: Aggressive all-court
- Price: $279.99 ($252 with code PBEFFECT)
- Warranty: 1 year warranty & 30 day trial policy – learn more
(Get 10% off with the discount code PBEFFECT on CRBN’s website)
Of the two elongated shapes CRBN offers, this one has a lighter swing weight. So if weight is a concern and you want an elongated shape, this is the one for you. Although it is lighter than the TF3, it’s not as forgiving out of the box as the TF3.
Both of the elongated shapes offered more power and a little less pop than the TF2. This actually made them a little easier to control at the net than the TF2, but put less pressure on counters.
Although I liked the feel and playability of the elongated shapes, I wished the sweet spots were bigger. As a result, I preferred them modified rather than stock.
To improve the sweet spot while also keeping the weight under control, I added three grams of tungsten tape to each of the bottom corners and then replaced the butt cap with a one-ounce Slyce cap.
TF2 Review
- Static Weight: 8.1 oz avg
- Swingweight: 111-114 (low)
- Twistweight: 6.7 (high)
- Spin RPMs: 1992 (high)
- Length x Width: 16″ x 7.85″ (widebody)
- Face: Carbon top sheet with fiberglass activation sheet
- Grip Circumference: 4.125″
- Handle Length: 5.25″
- Core: 14mm TruFoam
- Paddle Type: Aggressive all-court
- Price: $279.99 ($252 with code PBEFFECT)
- Warranty: 1 year warranty & 30 day trial policy – learn more
(Get 10% off with the discount code PBEFFECT on CRBN’s website)
Of the three shapes, this one was my favorite. It was the most forgiving and easiest to maneuver. Its average swingweight of 112 is slightly higher than most 14mm paddles, which I appreciated. Many 14mm widebody shapes like this one are too light and lack the plowthrough to carry through the ball; this one did not. The added weight also improved its stock forgiveness compared to other 14mm widebody paddles.
The TF2 has a slightly different profile than the elongated shapes: it offers less power from the baseline but more pop at the net. I favored the combination of extra pop and maneuverability at the net over the elongated shapes. I felt more offensively effective at the net with the TF2 despite sacrificing some reach.
While this paddle plays well stock, I modified it to suit my preferences. In order to gain a bit more power and stability, I experimented with weight in the throat, trying a couple of different tungsten tape densities. I ended up putting three and a half grams of 1g per inch tungsten on the side that covers the crbn logo. I also added a 6g of tungsten tape near the butt cup to improve hand speed and enhance the paddle’s overall solidity. With these modifications, my swingweight increased from 112 to 116, my twistweight changed from 6.7 to 7.4, and my balance point dropped from 238 to 232.
TF3 Review
- Static Weight: 8.1 oz avg
- Swingweight: 119-123 (high)
- Twistweight: 6.3 (average)
- Spin RPMs: 2030 (very high)
- Length x Width: 16.5″ x 7.5″ (widebody)
- Face: Carbon top sheet with fiberglass activation sheet
- Grip Circumference: 4.125″
- Handle Length: 5.25″
- Core: 14mm TruFoam
- Paddle Type: Aggressive all-court
- Price: $279.99 ($252 with code PBEFFECT)
- Warranty: 1 year warranty & 30 day trial policy – learn more
(Get 10% off with the discount code PBEFFECT on CRBN’s website)
Not many brands offer two different handle lengths for their elongated options so it’s nice to have options there. This is their elongated option with a medium length handle of 5.25”. Shortening the handle added more material to the face which improved its stability and forgiveness over the TF1 but also made it heavier with an average swingweight of 121.
It’s a higher swingweight but still within reason. It can also be modified to feel lighter and more stable like the TF1 was. For this one I also added a one ounce Slyce cap to it but didn’t add any weight to the head as it was already forgiving enough and I just wanted the extra maneuverability at the net.
Like the TF1, it has a higher power and lower pop profile compared to the TF2 and largely plays the same as the TF1 other than the different weight.
Thoughts on CRBN’s Shapes
I thought the technology CRBN is introducing here fits best with their TF2 shape. The TF2 gave you a little extra offense at the net that I appreciated and the sweet spot was noticeably better compared to the other two. It also didn’t need to be altered to play its best though you could modify it if you wanted to. I wish CRBN made a true hybrid shape option that was 16.25” long and 7.75”. Since the foam material seems to be heavier than polymer, this would give us a lighter weight option with some extra reach over the TF2 for players who value that reach.
While the TF1 & TF3 both felt great at impact and gave you the benefits of a foam core, I wish they weren’t so heavy or were a little more forgiving for being on the heavier side. You can modify them to play well but I didn’t think they were ideal out of the box and think they could do some things to improve that.
Comparison to CRBN X Series
If you’re a fan of CRBN paddles and have been using their Power X series you may be wondering how these compare. There are several thickness options of the X series so I’ll just compare them to the 16mm versions to keep things simple.
With the TruFoam Genesis you get an offensive boost in both power and pop, similar maneuverability, more spin, and improved feel. Control wise the X series absorbs more pace for you though overtime as I adjusted to the TruFoams I don’t think I was controlling the X series any better. However, if you don’t have a well developed soft game then you would be able to control the X series better.
Final Thoughts
I really like what CRBN did here with the foam paddles and think this is a peek into the future of paddle core technology. While there may not be some huge performance gains with this new tech I do think they play marginally better compared to past generation aggressive all-court style paddles and the durability gains in the core is a big deal. I’d love to see more brands innovating around durability like this.
After doing this review I decided to keep the TF2 in my bag and will use it as my main paddle for now. I personally loved the intuitive feel it has and think it offers enough offense to be dangerous while keeping my creative shot making abilities in tact.
(Get 10% off with the discount code PBEFFECT on CRBN’s website)
Braydon competes at the 5.0 level and plays in 5-10 tournaments a year. He plays/drills 3 to 4 times a week and would play more if time allowed it.
Paddle Terms Glossary
We’ve categorized paddles into three categories. Control, All-Court, and Power. Paddle categories are determined by Braydon after he hits or reviews the paddle.
- Control paddles offer a softer feel and better absorbs pace off the ball but doesn’t give you as much power.
- All-Court paddles give you a blend of power and control and does well at everything though it doesn’t excel at anything.
- Power paddles often have a firmer feel and will return more power but are harder to control.
A paddle’s weight represents the inherent mass of the paddle as measured on a scale. However, relying solely on this static weight measurement can be misleading when assessing the true perceived heaviness of the paddle. Even if two paddles both clock in at 8 oz, their actual heft in your hand can markedly differ due to variations in weight distribution within the paddle. This is why the static weight should be considered with the swingweight of the paddle. See the definition of swingweight below.
The weight value listed in the database corresponds to the paddle’s weight that I used to gather the swingweight and twistweight measurement. It’s possible that if your paddle has a different static weight than then the swingweight and twistweight may be slightly different.
There are three primary shapes a paddle can have which consists of the length and width of the paddle. These three shapes are:
- Elongated: The dimensions for an elongated paddle are 16.5″ x 7.5″.
- Standard: A standard shaped paddle has dimensions of 16″ x 8″.
- Hybrid: A hybrid shaped paddle falls somewhere in between the standard and elongated shapes, with approximate dimensions of 16.25″ x 7.5″-7.7″.
Then there are two less common shapes you’ll see. These are:
- Extra-Elongated: This shape is 17″ x 7″
- Widebody: This any paddle shorter than 16″ long.
When considering the advantages and trade-offs of paddle shapes, it’s important to understand the characteristics of each shape.
- Elongated Paddle: An elongated paddle offers increased reach, spin, and power. However, this additional reach comes at the expense of forgiveness, particularly from side-to-side.
- Standard Paddle: In contrast, a standard-shaped paddle provides less reach and a little less power & spin but offers greater overall forgiveness. This means that while you may not have the same extended reach as an elongated paddle, you gain better control and stability.
- Hybrid Paddle: The hybrid shape serves as a middle ground between the elongated and standard shapes. It provides a balance between reach and forgiveness, offering players a versatile option that combines aspects of both shapes.
It’s interesting to note that advanced players often prefer elongated shapes. On the other hand, players at lower skill levels typically opt for the extra forgiveness offered by standard shaped paddles.
Ultimately, the choice of paddle shape depends on an individual’s playing style, preferences, and skill level. Whether your focus is on reach or forgiveness, understanding the unique benefits and trade-offs of each shape can assist you in selecting the paddle that best suits your game.
Swingweight is a measure of the paddle’s resistance to swinging about the end of the handle. The higher the swingweight number the heavier it will feel in your hands. A higher swingweight has more power but is harder to swing, lower swingweight is easier to swing but has less power. Sometimes a faster swing with a lower swingweight can make up for power lost in swingweight. The price paid for that is greater impact shock. Stock swingweights will vary between 100 – 140.
Twistweight is the resistance to rotating around the long axis through the middle of the paddle from butt to tip. The higher the twistweight the more resistance the paddle has to rotating on off center hits. This measurement is closely related to the amount of forgiveness or the size of the sweet spot of the paddle. A higher twistweight indicates a bigger sweet spot. Twistweight numbers range from 5 – 8.
Measuring the revolutions per minute (RPMs) off of a serve you get a number that shows the spin potential of a paddle. Using these RPM measurements I’ve created five buckets that a paddle will fall into indicating its overall spin potential. The five buckets are:
1900 or Higher = Very High
1700 – 1900 = High
1500 – 1700 = Medium
1300 – 1500 = Low
1300 or less = Very Low
You can tell a big difference in the amount of spin a paddle generates when you compare a Very High paddle to a low paddle. But the gains from Medium to High to Very High are marginal. We’ve found that having at least a medium rating is often enough if you’re looking for a good spin paddle. However, if you’re a big hitter then you will benefit more from a high spin paddle to help you keep the ball in play more often.
The power level of a paddle is shown in miles per hour (MPH) after taking ten measurements with a speed gun of hitting a serve as hard as I can. This measurement gives you an idea of how hard you can hit the ball when given the chance to take a full swing. So shots like serves, drives and overheads. The higher the MPH reading the more power you can generate with the paddle.
I also show the percentile ranking of the measurement to give you an idea of how it stacks up against the rest of the paddles in my database.
The pop level of a paddle is shown in miles per hour (MPH) after taking the average of ten speed gun measurements of hitting a punch volley as hard as I can. This measurement gives you an idea of how hard you can hit the ball on shorter swings and gives you an idea of how quickly a ball comes off the face when you apply less force on the ball. So shots volleys, dinks, counters, and resets are all affected by the pop measurement. The higher the pop measurement the stronger your counters will be but it takes more skill to keep the ball from floating or popping up on you when resetting a hard hit ball or when dinking.
I also show the percentile ranking of the measurement to give you an idea of how it stacks up against the rest of the paddles in my database.
The term “forgiveness” pertains to both the size of the sweet spot and the stability of the paddle. A paddle that is more forgiving offers a larger sweet spot, greater stability, and yields more power when hitting off-center shots. On the other hand, a less forgiving paddle has a smaller sweet spot and does not provide as much power when hitting off-center shots.
While there seems to be only benefits of more forgiving paddles, less forgiving paddles are often more maneuverable and is easier to generate more paddle speed.
