Gearbox has a strong presence in the pickleball community and is known for their innovative and unconventional approach to making performance level paddles. Their original collection of carbon fiber paddles are unique to Gearbox and loved by lots of players. However, their new CP7 paddles don’t use Gearbox’s carbon fiber design and is their first foray into poly core paddles.
There is a lot of buzz around Gearbox’s new CP7 paddles so I was really excited to test and review them. Plus, they sell for a very palatable price of $100, which is nice to see since premium level paddle prices seem to keep climbing higher each year.
You can learn more about Gearbox from their website.
After drilling and playing over 30 games in the course of a few weeks with both the 7.8 oz and 8.5 oz weight options, here is my review on their performance.
CP7 7.8 OZ
CP7 8.5 OZ
The Core and Paddle Design
Both paddle weights have a poly core that is 13mm thick. Poly cores are durable and have a better feel than other core materials. The 13mm thickness is a little on the thin side and will give the paddle more power and a little less touch.
The face of the paddle is made of a carbon fiber and glass fiber mix. Carbon fiber is known for adding softness and control while glass fiber will generate more power. I like the combination of materials on the face. Glass fiber can be hard to control on its own if there isn’t something keeping it in check. Mixing the glass fiber with the carbon fiber offers plenty of power, but not an uncontrollable amount.
The face also has Gearbox’s Hyperbite Spin Technology which adds some nice texture to it.
The handle is long at 5.5″, the typical handle length is closer to 5″. The longer handle makes it easier for two handed backhand shots and helps create extra leverage to add more power to shots. But if you like to put your finger up on the paddle, then you may not like the extra length in the handle. The face is also elongated. So the combination of the longer handle and longer face give you lots of reach if you don’t mind the skinner paddle.
Get 10% Off the CP7
If you think this is the right paddle for you then get 10% off your first purchase with us using the discount code, 10EFFECT.
Buy NowQuick Stats
The two 7.8 oz and 8.5 oz play very similarly, but there are some differences which I’ll talk more about later. Here are the quick stats of how they performed in in regards to control, power, spin, and forgiveness.
Attacking
Both weights excelled when you were attacking the ball. Drives, speed ups at the net, and high put away shots came easy. I could generate plenty of power with these paddles. What was even better was the amount of spin I could produce along side the power. This made roll overs, and drives really effective.
I also liked serving with the CP7s because I could be a little more aggressive with it since the ball was diving so hard with the amount of topspin I could generate. I had lots of comments from people who were surprised how hard I could hit my serves and still keep them in. I won a couple points off of my serves almost every game.
The 7.8 oz paddle was a little easier to maneuver at the net and felt more well balanced to me. This was nice when I had to make quick maneuvers to get paddle in position to attack.
Soft Game and Defense
Dinking at the net was easy with the CP7. It has a harder feel to it, but I was still able to control the pace and placement of my dinks without popping it up too often. Drop shots and soft shots from the transition zone didn’t come as quickly, though. It took some drilling and a few hours of playing before I was consistently hitting good drop shots.
I’ve played with other paddles where the soft game came more naturally, but after a while I began to hit great drop shots, keep my dinks down, and block the ball well with the CP7s. Once I got used to the feel, my soft game was 90% as good as other control focused paddles I have played.
I personally like the added power and spin and am willing to sacrifice a little control for the increase in power. I’m sure that as I continue to play with them my soft game will get even better.
The 8.5 oz paddle was just little more stable than the 7.8 oz weight and gave the paddle a softer feel. Making it easier to hit drop shots. At the net, though, the 7.8 oz was little quicker in my hands and made it easier to get my paddle in position quicker for block shots and other defensive plays.
The extra length in the handle and face was a great addition when I was dinking at net. Once I got a good feel for the paddle I was a force at the net and was getting lots of dinks out of the air and was able to control the placement and pace well to keep my opponents on their toes. I really liked that about these paddles.
The paddle is a little skinnier because its elongated so I found myself catching a few more edges than normal but those came less frequently over time.
My Recommendation
The highlights of these paddles are its capability to speed up the ball and add lots of spin. I also liked that over time my soft game was solid and I was consistently hitting great drops and finesse shots.
Don’t forget that this paddle is only $100. This is a high value paddle for its price point and I’m really happy to see the price stay low.
If you have a medium to strong soft game, like a longer handle and face, and would benefit from some extra power and spin, then this is a paddle you should strongly consider.
If you have a weaker soft game, this paddle may be a little harder for you to wield, but you’ll love with it does for you when attacking and playing at the net.
When it came to the different weights, the heavier CP7 paddle at 8.5 oz was a little more stable and had a better feel to it. The lighter weight CP7 at 7.8 oz wasn’t quite as stable but felt more well balanced in my hands. Which improved its maneuverability.
Get 10% Off the CP7
If you think this is the right paddle for you then get 10% off your first purchase with us using the discount code, 10EFFECT.
Buy Now
