I finally got my hands on the CRBN TruFoam Waves. This is one of the most powerful paddles I've ever played with, with max power on drives, speed-ups, counters, and putaways.
What struck me was that I could also genuinely hit soft control-based shots for drops, resets, and dinks.
It got me thinking about the difference between power paddles. Not all are created equally. Some rely heavily on pop, while others have tons of power but a lot of dwell time on the paddle face too.
With the CRBN TruFoam Waves in mind, I want to break down the difference between dwell-based power and pop-based power. I'll explain why I'm naming the Waves the best pickleball paddle for power right now.
Dwell-based power vs. pop-based power
When people talk about dwell and pop, here's what they mean in a nutshell: dwell is when the ball sits (dwells) on the paddle face, pop is when the ball launches (pops) off the paddle face.
People sometimes think pop and power are the same thing, but you can have a powerful paddle that still has great dwell time. That's where CRBN's new paddles excel. We noted this dwell-power balance in our CRBN TruFoam Genesis review, and I felt it big time when I played with the CRBN TruFoam Waves.
Here's a breakdown of the difference between paddles that have dwell- and pop-based power:
- Dwell-based power
- The ball sits on the face longer.
- Gives you the ability to shape the ball more and create immense spin.
- Power comes from properly swinging through the ball (i.e. it doesn't just fly off the face like a plank of wood).
- Pop-based power
- Launches right off the face, doesn't have any dwell time.
- Less spin, much more of a linear launch.
- Flat counters are faster, but you don't necessarily have the ability to shape the ball or grab it in any way with a flick.
Why the CRBN Waves is the best power paddle
For a long time, the best power paddles were the ones with the most pop. Newer foam paddles are changing that. There's been a lot of experimentation, but the CRBN TruFoam Waves is the one that's impressed me the most with its awesome blend of features:
- 100% foam core: results in a more responsive feel, so you don't get that “plank of wood” stiffness.
- Carbon fiber + fiberglass face: you get the strength of carbon fiber with a layer of fiberglass for enhanced power.
- Maximum spin + dwell: CRBN realized that spin isn't just created by a gritty texture on the face. They've based the Waves surface off tennis racket strings for a flexible, wavy design that maximizes dwell time.
The CRBN TruFoam Waves has more to its arsenal than pop-based power paddles. You get all the power, but the dwell time on the paddle face allows for extreme cupping and pocketing of the ball. As a result, transitioning to the kitchen with drops and resets is effortless.
I could hit insane drives from the baseline and heavy, dipping drives. But I could also put tons of shape on my flicks when the ball went low below the net, to get it back up over the net with lots of power behind it.
What else makes the CRBN Waves stand out?
This paddle is the result of a huge amount of pro feedback from top CRBN athletes around the world. CRBN also worked to the USAP's rigorous PBCoR testing, and the Waves maxed out on the legal limit for exit velocity by PBCoR .43 standards.
The TruFoam Waves may be $280, but CRBN built in some great benefits to justify the value:
- 30-day no-questions-asked return policy
- 1-year manufacturer warranty
- US-based customer service (9am to 6pm)
- CRBN Concierge: one-on-one equipment consultations over video call
We've also worked with the CRBN team to get you an exclusive 10% discount with code PICKLEHEADS10, bringing the price down to $252. That's a great value considering the next-best power paddle, the Selkirk Boomstik, costs $333.
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This article was supported in part by CRBN.
