Pro player James Ignatowich's brand RPM built its name on spin, but the Q2 is their most ambitious project yet. Developed in collaboration with John Kew – one of the most engineering-literate paddle reviewers in the game – the Q2 launches RPM's brand-new Q Series. It's their first full-foam paddle and it's designed for players who want elite power without giving up long-term durability. It definitely delivers on that promise in a big way.
If you play an aggressive game and you want a premium foam power paddle without spending over $250, this is precisely the paddle for you. It comes in four models, with your choice of 14 or 16 mm and widebody or elongated shapes.
The Q2 goes on the market at $250 but we've secured a big 15% discount from RPM that takes it down to $212.50.
The RPM Q2 is a top-tier power paddle. The 16 mm elongated is the model worth focusing on – it pairs RPM's signature elite spin with explosive power from the baseline, making it one of the most effective paddles for aggressive serve-and-drive play. For me, the 14 mm models are so poppy that controlling soft shots becomes a real challenge. For power players, though, this is a strong choice.Today's best deals
Buy or pass?
Buy if:
You want elite power from a foam paddle:
the Q2 is among the most powerful foam paddles, and the 16 mm has enough dwell to make that power feel controllable.
You're an aggressive, advanced-level player:
if you love ripping serves, driving from the baseline, and putting balls away with authority, the Q2 is built for your game.
You don't want to spend over $250:
you don't have to spend $300 on a JOOLA Pro V or $333 on a Selkirk Boomstik to get top-of-market power.
Pass if:
You want more feel and control:
the Q2 is a power tool, so check out the best pickleball paddles for control if you want a touch paddle.
You're a beginner or early intermediate:
the explosive pop makes this harder to control, so try a beginner paddle or intermediate paddle.
You want something a little cheaper:
paddles like the Honolulu J6CR and the Bread & Butter Loco offer serious power in the $175 range.
The RPM Q2's secret weapon: John Kew's engineering fingerprint
What makes the Q2 different from other foam paddles isn't just the foam – it's what RPM did with it. Working with John Kew, a reviewer well-known for applying rigorous engineering analysis rather than just feel-based impressions, RPM tuned the foam with variable density across the paddle. The result is a more uniform flex pattern across the face, which RPM says flattens the "diving-board" response you sometimes get with full-foam builds.
The first thing I noticed with the Q2 was the serve. The ball launched off the face with a pace I wasn't expecting – even on relatively casual swings, it was skidding deep and low with pace that opponents were struggling to return comfortably. That's before factoring in the spin. The CarbonBite surface layers topspin onto the power, which means you can attack hard and trust that the ball will curve down into the court rather than sailing long.
Counters and drive volleys are similarly impressive. When someone speeds it up at you, a short, compact swing is enough to redirect the ball back with serious pace. This paddle punishes any ball above the net – put your paddle in the right place and it does most of the work for you.
The 16 mm version, which is the one I'd recommend, strikes a great balance between dwell and pop. There's enough dwell to shape dinks and put some spin on drops, but the overall character of the paddle is unambiguously power-first. The 14 mm elongated is a different animal – extremely poppy, almost unmanageably so for soft touch shots. I genuinely can't see many players benefiting from it over the 16 mm, and I'd steer most buyers toward the thicker version.
Paddle Weight
7.7-7.8 oz
Paddle Length
16 inches (widebody) / 16.5 inches (elongated)
Paddle Width
8 inches (widebody) / 7.5 (elongated)
Handle Length
5.5 inches
Grip Circumference
4.125 inches
Paddle Face Material
CarbonBite carbon fiber
Core Material
EPP foam
Core Thickness
14 or 16 mm
Sweet Spot
Large
How the RPM Q2 plays
| Category | Rating | Notes |
| Power | 10/10 | As explosive as anything on the market – serves fly, drives rip, and counters require minimal effort to redirect with pace. |
| Control | 7/10 | The 16 mm adds dwell over the 14 mm, but this is still very much a power paddle. Keeping the ball down on resets takes work. |
| Spin | 9.5/10 | RPM's CarbonBite surface is elite. Heavy topspin, biting slices, and the spin helps keep aggressive shots from sailing long. |
| Forgiveness | 8/10 | The sweet spot is consistently large across the face, which is impressive for a power paddle. The caveat: everything pops, so even off-center hits tend to fly. |
| Weighting | 9/10 | The paddle feels light enough that adding lead tape doesn't slow your hands down. After customizing the weight, it felt comfortable in extended kitchen exchanges. |
| Grip | 8/10 | Solid grip – long enough, thin enough, comfortable enough. Nothing that wowed me, but nothing to complain about either. |
| Durability | 9/10 | Full EPP foam construction with molded grooves should hold up much better than post-cut incisions. Backed by RPM's limited lifetime warranty. The CarbonBite surface should outlast traditional grit surfaces too. |
| Aerodynamics | 8.5/10 | Light enough that you're not dragging the paddle in fast hands battles. Not a featherweight, but fast enough to be comfortable and reactive at the kitchen. |
✅ Pros
Elite power from a durable platform
The Q2 is among the most explosive full-foam paddles I've tested, and it's built to last. The molded EPP foam core and CarbonBite surface should hold their performance well over time, giving you a paddle that performs at day 100 the way it did on day one.
Spin that amplifies aggression
RPM excels at spin. Even if the grit here is not as insanely strong as their Friction Pro paddles, the Q2 is another one of the top pickleball paddles for spin. Heavy topspin on serves and drives helps the ball stay in play even when you're swinging hard, which increases your confidence when attacking.
Large, consistent sweet spot for a power paddle
It's unusual for a paddle this explosive to also have a large, reliable sweet spot. The Q2 manages it, which makes it more forgiving on off-center contact than many of its competitors.
❌ Considerations
Not for soft-game players
The pop is always present so keeping the ball down on resets is harder than it is with a control-focused paddle. Anyone who relies on a soft game will need to invest real practice time to dial in this paddle. Check out the RPM Friction Pro V2 if you want a paddle that's easier to control.
The 14 mm is hard to recommend
If you're considering the Q2 lineup, go straight to the 16 mm. The 14 mm elongated is extremely poppy – to the point where basic soft touches become difficult to execute – and most players will not need the extra pop.
RPM Q2 price – is it worth it?
At $250, the Q2 sits between the mid-market power options (the Honolulu J6CR at $195 and Bread & Butter Loco at $200) and the top-of-market premium paddles like the Selkirk Project LABS Boomstik at $333. For the performance level it delivers – particularly on power and spin – the Q2 earns its price tag. Even better, our 15% discount brings it way down to $212.50.
Today's best deals
Alternatives to the RPM Q2
If the RPM Q2 isn't quite the right fit, here are three alternatives worth considering:
Premium max power
Our Rating:
Selkirk LABS Project Boomstik
Slightly cheaper alternative
Our Rating:
Honolulu J6CR
Power with more control
Our Rating:
Bread & Butter Loco
What even more options? Try my 30-second quiz and I'll recommend the best paddles for your play style and budget.
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