If you've been playing pickleball for a while, you've probably had a paddle go bad on you. Maybe it lost its pop or developed a weird dead spot.
That's usually caused by core crushing – when the polymer honeycomb inside the paddle breaks down over time.
To fix this, brands are trying something new: building paddle cores entirely out of foam. It's a big shift from the design that's been the standard for years. And while early foam paddles felt soft and underpowered, the latest ones are a different story.
So, should you care? I think so. Foam paddles aren't just hype – they're solving real problems. I've been testing foam paddles for over a year, and in this guide, I'll break down what they are, why they matter, and which ones are worth trying.
If you just came here looking for a quick foam paddle recommendation, try out the super-premium CRBN TruFoam Barrage, the pinnacle of foam paddle tech.
Benefits of foam paddles
What exactly makes foam different – and why are brands suddenly all-in on it? For a couple of years, foam was mostly used around the edges of paddles to stabilize the frame and expand the sweet spot. But now, many brands are building entire cores out of foam, replacing the traditional polymer honeycomb design.
Why? Because polymer cores have a weakness: they break down over time. That leads to common issues like dead spots, delamination, and core crush – the slow death of your paddle's performance.
Foam seems to fix that. Here are the main benefits paddle brands are claiming with full-foam cores:
- More durability: foam doesn't crush or delaminate like polymer.
- More consistency: you get fewer dead spots and better feel across the face.
- Bigger sweet spot: foam fills space more evenly than honeycomb.
- Less vibration: that's a win if you need a paddle for tennis elbow or wrist issues.
Some misconceptions about foam paddles
Lack of power
The biggest concern many players have with foam paddles is that foam is a softer material than polymer. A lot of people assume that means less power. They think that foam paddles are built only as control paddles.
I had the same concern when foam paddles first hit the market in early 2025. When I tested the original CRBN TruFoam Genesis paddles, which helped to kickstart the foam craze, they were not at the level of a true power paddle like the JOOLA Perseus Pro IV (which was my power choice at the time).
Then I tried the Selkirk LABS Project 008, which is very soft on power. I almost wrote off foam paddles altogether. I didn't think they'd ever compete with top-tier traditional paddles.
Fast forward to 2026 and our best pickleball paddles guide is overwhelmingly made up of foam paddles. The top brands have figured out how to engineer foam tech for power. In fact, they've unlocked a whole new type of power that's more dwell-based than simply poppy.
On my favorite foam paddles, the ball manages to sit into the face momentarily, absorbed by the foam core, before flying off again with real aggression. The Holbrook Fuze is an excellent example of this: it's one of the only paddles we've ever scored a 10 on power and control.
Read about the difference between dwell-based and pop-based power.
Disbonding
Another thing to watch: disbonding. This happens when the paddle's face starts separating from the core – usually along the edges – and it's a major failure point. Foam paddles are supposed to prevent this, since foam fills in gaps more evenly and flexes less than honeycomb.
The Vatic Pro V-Core, one of the early budget foam paddles, had to be pulled after widespread reports of disbonding. That might've been due to low-quality materials – it was a $100 paddle, while most foam models are priced well over $150.
I haven't heard of disbonding issues from other foam builds, so I'm hopeful that was just a one-off. Vatic Pro soon returned with their V-SOL line, which put to bed any fears of poorer quality design. But it's a reminder: not all foam paddles are built the same.
Want to read about why foam paddles usually cost a little more? See our new guide to how much a pickleball paddle costs.
A few foam paddles I recommend
CRBN's TruFoam line is one of the flagship foam paddle series, but I already mentioned the highly recommended CRBN TruFoam Barrage at the top of this guide.
So, here are three more of the best foam paddles I've tested, each of which offers something different:
Long-lasting grit
Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue
Best power
Selkirk LABS Project Boomstik
Best value
Vatic Pro V-SOL Pro
Read more about my behind-the-scenes look at Selkirk, where I got to test the Boomstik.
History of paddle cores
The first pickleball paddles were made of wood but as the game evolved, different synthetic fibers have been experimented with. Some fell off while others stood the test of time. Here are some of the different paddle cores used throughout the history of pickleball:
Wood
When pickleball was invented in the mid-1960s, the whole paddles were made entirely of wood, from the core to the face. You'll still find plenty of wooden pickleball paddles on Amazon and other sites, but these are cheap paddles.
They're more for having a little fun at the beach or a park, and not for the competitive type of pickleball that most players play. Wood is too stiff and poppy, and doesn't cushion the ball in any way to help you hit shots with accuracy.
Read more about the history of pickleball.
Nomex
Nomex is a type of synthetic aramid fiber that's very heat-resistant. It was one of the first materials to be used in paddles as they became more advanced. Five or six years ago, you saw a lot of Nomex cores, but they've been phased out as better materials have been found.
Polymer
Until foam started taking over, the most common type of paddle core was made up of polymer. Polymer is a broad category that covers natural fibers like rubber, and synthetic fibers like polypropylene (which you see a lot in pickleball paddles).
Polymers were successful for paddle cores because they are lightweight and very durable. They offer more flexibility than Nomex or wood because they soften up a paddle's core to absorb the ball better, letting players shape their shots more. They also can provide better power with placement because the material is strong.
Most paddle brands use a honeycomb polymer design because this leaves spaces within the polymer core so it can "breathe", strengthening the overall core and making it more flexible, reducing vibrations.
The downside to polymer cores is that they can break down over time. This issue is known as "core crush", where the core loses its strength and collapses.
Foam
Issues like core crush and the dead spots that are sometimes found on honeycomb paddles have led paddle manufacturers to look for new materials. That's where foam cores come in. The hope is that foam cores will last longer, so your paddle will stay with you for years. Let's see if they stand the test of time.
Bottom line
While foam is still a relatively new pickleball paddle core technology, it looks like it's passed its early teething stage and is here to stay for the foreseeable future.
If you've written off foam as a soft material, like I almost did, I encourage you to think again. Try some of the newer foam paddles coming out and you'll see why they're the most popular in the sport right now.
Want to see the best paddles for your play style and budget? Try our 30-second quiz and see how many foam paddles show up in your results.
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