Gamma’s pickleball paddle line is full of classic and extreme paddle shapes. They seem to have every shape you would need, except one. Which may be the most popular shape in the game right now, the elongated shape. This was a gaping hole in their line, but not anymore. They went all in on the elongated shape and released three different versions. The 405, 505 and the Newman Signatures.
This article is reviewing Gamma’s 505 paddle. After drilling and playing over 30 games with the paddle, here’s my review of its performance.
Performance Summary
I’ve played and reviewed several of Gamma’s paddles that use their Neucore technology and graphite face and thought the 505 would fall in line with those. But it didn’t. It had its own identity.
It plays with much more jump and power than I anticipated. So much so that I’m categorizing it as a power paddle. It’s not the most powerful power paddle, but it does fall in that category. The first Neucore/graphite gamma paddle to be labeled as such. Its elongated shape, head heavy design, and longer handle can be thanked for that. Counters, serves, returns and put aways all had some extra heat and were more effective with this paddle in your hands.
It was also very stable and forgiving, especially for an elongated shape, which made wielding the extra pop it gave you much easier. The spin rating was on the medium to low side, though. It would have been nice to have some additional spin to help harness the power.
On the soft side it still had that Neucore feeling which gives you excellent touch, but the extra bounce does come with some drawbacks when you need to slow the ball down. The extra pop off the face made my thirds less consistent but it didn’t mess with my soft game as much elsewhere.
The bottom line: The Gamma 505 is a very stable, forgiving elongated shape that comes with easy power. It offers a better feel than most power paddles, but the ball jumps off quickly and its lower spin potential brings down its control rating.
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Price: $180
Quick Stats
| Technical Specifications | |
|---|---|
|
Weight |
7.6 oz |
|
Length x Width |
16 3/8″ x 7 3/8″ |
|
Thickness |
16mm |
|
Facing Material |
Graphite |
|
Handle Length |
5 1/4″ |
|
Handle Circumference |
4 1/8″ |
Paddle Design and Technology
This paddle features your classic elongated shape (16.5” x 7.5”) with a 5.25” handle. The handle length is longer to make room for two handed shots and increases the leverage you can get to add power. This paddle, along with the Newman and 405 models they released at the same time, are the first Gamma paddles to have this handle length. All their other paddles have either short handles below 5” or super long ones above 5.5”. I personally think that 5” to 5.25” in is the optimal length for handle lengths, so I liked that.
It’s a thicker core paddle at 16mm with a graphite face. The same materials they have used for other paddles they’ve developed like the Hellbender and Legend. Although the 505 does not play like those paddles, it has more pop. Although it has more pop, the thicker core and graphite face help increase its forgiveness and stability.
Talking more about the core of this paddle, Gamma calls it their Neucore technology. They’ve developed a polymer core with larger honeycomb cells compared to what other brands use. This increases forgiveness, adds touch and makes the paddle quieter.
Attacking
The Gamma 505 had a higher power rating than I thought it would. Based on my experience with similarly constructed paddles from Gamma I didn’t expect the pop coming from this paddle. The ball jumps off the face pretty quickly and it doesn’t take much to get the power you need. If you have ever played Ben John’s signature paddle, it feels similar to that except it’s not quite as soft and is more forgiving.
The power from the paddle performed really well with counter punches, serves, returns and putting away high balls. However, it has a lower spin rating so roll volley attacks and similar shots tended to go long if you weren’t careful. I had to hold back a little power when I attacked the ball from below the net.
The paddle was very stable and forgiving to go along with the extra pop it gave you. This is uncommon for a power paddle with an elongated shape. I loved what this did for me during fast volley exchanges. I didn’t need big, precise swings to generate power. This helped with the flow of my second or third hit during hand battles. I could keep things tight and effective.
The paddle has a lighter weight of about 7.6 oz, but because it is head heavy it had the paddle weight needed to crank overheads and high balls. My opponents got less balls back when I was pounding them while they were at the baseline. The thicker core and head heavy design made the paddle feel somewhat slower but that was negated by the fact I could keep my swings more compact.
The one drawback to this paddle’s offensive ability was its lower spin rating. With more paddles coming out that have higher spin potential like Electrum, Crbn and Engage, I wish Gamma was more innovative there. But, if spin is not a big part of your game, then that doesn’t matter as much.
Soft Game and Defense
Although the paddle had more pop than I expected, it wasn’t without that unique Neucore feel that I love from Gamma. It’s a softer feeling, about 7/10 if I had to give it a rating. Gamma has several other paddles like the Hellbender and the Compass that use their Nuecore technology combined with their graphite face (same as the 505) that creates a really nice touch.
This nice touch translated well to controlling pace around the net and midcourt. Resetting harder balls and hitting defensive lift dinks weren’t a problem like I would have expected with the extra bounce. However, the bounce and lower spin rating of the paddle decreased the consistency of my thirds. I will say that after drilling my thirds with the 505 a few times I eventually was able to get a hang of it, but it didn’t come quickly. I am still more consistent with my thirds using other paddles that don’t have that jumpy face and offer a little more spin.
I will say that If you’re a person who has a harder time resetting the ball and controlling the pace of play, then this may not be the best paddle for you. The 505’s bouncy face makes it harder to control the pace of play if you haven’t developed those skills yet. There are other power paddles that aren’t as bouncy off the face, like the Gamma Typhoon, that might suit you better if you want a power paddle.
Defensively, the paddle could handle drives really well. It was easy to keep the ball low and deep in the court when my opponents drove the ball from the baseline or midcourt. This was a huge plus for me. I tend to hit more balls into the net when defending drives than I should, but I didn’t do that as much with this paddle.
Other Player Comments
Who Would Like This Paddle?
The 505 is a great option for someone who wants a forgiving elongated shape, has a developed touch and needs help generating power. The power and stability of the paddle makes dealing with bangers a breeze and enables your own offensive ability. It takes some time to get used to the extra bounce off the face it gives you, but it still has that nice Neucore feel that I love from Gamma. I would consider it one of the more player friendly elongated power paddles out there and is not restricted to a specific skill level.
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SHOP GAMMABraydon competes at the 4.5 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.
