Ronbus Quanta and The Foam Revolution: Why Foam Paddles Are Taking Pickleball by Storm
The pickleball paddle landscape is experiencing a revolutionary transformation with foam core technology leading the charge. Gone are the days when players had to worry about core crushing or inconsistent performance from traditional honeycomb paddles. Today's foam paddles are not just solving old problems—they're creating entirely new possibilities on the court.
What Makes Foam Paddles Different
Traditional paddles relied on polypropylene honeycomb cores, which created durability issues over time. Players experienced core crushing, dead spots, and diminishing performance as their paddles aged. Foam cores eliminate these problems entirely by using materials that maintain their structural integrity throughout the paddle's lifespan.
The benefits are clear: bigger sweet spots, enhanced dwell time, reduced vibration, and consistent performance that doesn't degrade over months of play. Plus, foam construction allows manufacturers to fine-tune performance characteristics in ways that weren't possible with traditional honeycomb designs.
The Ronbus Quanta will now take a new direction, offering a low-priced alternative.
The Current Champions: Selkirk Boomstik and CRBN TruFoam
Selkirk Boomstik: The Power Beast
The Selkirk Boomstik has established itself as the current king of foam power paddles. At RM 1,418, it's a premium offering that delivers on its explosive promises. The paddle features BoomCore construction with an EVA Power Ring, completely eliminating traditional honeycomb materials.
What sets the Boomstik apart is its MOI Tuning System—external weights mounted on the edge guard that resist face twisting on mishits. Combined with Selkirk's InfiniGrit surface, which maintains texture three times longer than raw carbon fiber, the Boomstik produces spin rates up to 2000 RPMs.
Players love the Boomstik for its immediate power boost and massive sweet spot, particularly in the widebody version. There's no break-in period—you get consistent performance from day one. However, the power comes with a learning curve for touch shots, making it ideal for advanced players who want to dominate from the baseline.
CRBN TruFoam Genesis: The Complete Package
CRBN's TruFoam Genesis series represents what the company calls the first "Gen 4" paddles—featuring 100% foam cores with no honeycomb components whatsoever. Available in four shapes (elongated, square, hybrid, and elongated with long handle), these paddles offer incredible customization options.
The TruFoam core is inspired by surfboard construction and delivers exceptional dwell time and spin generation. The T700 raw carbon fiber face, enhanced with a fiberglass layer, provides the perfect balance of power and control. At RM 1,280, they're positioned as premium paddles that eliminate core crushing concerns forever.
What makes the Genesis series special is the immediate playability—no adjustment period required. Players report excellent power output with manageable control, making these paddles suitable for a wider range of skill levels than some other power-focused options.
Exciting New Releases on the Horizon
Ronbus Quanta: Disrupting the Market
The Ronbus Quanta series is generating massive buzz for potentially resetting the entire foam paddle market. Available in five different shapes with fourth-generation foam core technology, these paddles deliver premium performance at an unprecedented under RM600 price point.
Each Quanta features EPP foam cores with EVA and TPE elastomer rings, plus carbon grid-wrapped edge foam. The construction includes carbon-wrapped EPP handles and raw Toray T700 carbon faces with coarse peel-ply texture. All models are incredibly light (7.61-7.68 ounces), making them perfect for customization.
Early testing shows the Quantas deliver solid power output comparable to much more expensive paddles. The elongated shapes provide excellent leverage for power generation, while the lightweight construction allows players to customize swing weight to their preferences.
Six Zero Black Opal: Innovation Meets Performance
Six Zero's Black Opal represents the brand's latest advancement in foam paddle technology. This paddle features a patent-pending floating solid core combined with a Power Gel layer and Shock Shield handle for balanced power and enhanced dwell time.
The Black Opal builds on Six Zero's successful Carbon Fusion Edge Technology, which injects foam around the perimeter and adds a lightweight carbon seam to create one solid piece. This unique construction creates what appears to be an edgeless paddle underneath the edge guard.
Six Zero has gained recognition for their innovative hybrid shape (16.3" length) that sits perfectly between standard and elongated designs. This provides the maneuverability of a standard paddle with the added reach of an elongated shape.
CRBN Waves: The Next Evolution
While details are still emerging, CRBN Waves appears to be the next evolution in CRBN's foam paddle technology. Following the success of the TruFoam Genesis series, the Waves is expected to push foam core innovation even further.
Early glimpses suggest CRBN is continuing to refine their proprietary TruFoam blend, potentially offering even better durability and performance characteristics. The Waves will likely maintain CRBN's commitment to eliminating break-in periods while providing consistent, reliable performance.
Why Foam is the Future
The shift to foam cores isn't just a trend—it's solving fundamental problems that have plagued pickleball paddles for years. Core crushing, delamination, and performance degradation are becoming things of the past. Foam paddles maintain their characteristics throughout their lifespan, giving players confidence in their equipment.
Foam also enables precise performance tuning that wasn't possible with honeycomb cores. Manufacturers can adjust foam density and structure to create paddles optimized for specific playing styles, whether that's explosive power, enhanced control, or perfect balance between both.
The expanded sweet spots and improved vibration dampening make foam paddles more comfortable and forgiving, reducing the risk of tennis elbow and other repetitive stress injuries. This makes them appealing to players of all ages and skill levels.
Choosing Your Foam Paddle
For Power Players: The Selkirk Boomstik remains the gold standard if budget isn't a concern. Its explosive power and lifetime warranty make it a serious investment in your game.
For Value Seekers: The Ronbus Quanta series offers incredible performance at a fraction of the cost. At under RM 600 , these paddles make premium foam technology accessible to everyone.
For All-Around Performance: CRBN TruFoam Genesis paddles provide excellent balance of power, control, and spin with multiple shape options to match your playing style.
For Innovation Enthusiasts: Keep an eye on the Six Zero Black Opal and CRBN Waves for the latest advances in foam paddle technology.
The foam revolution is here to stay, and these paddles represent just the beginning. As more manufacturers embrace foam core construction, we can expect even more innovations that will continue pushing the boundaries of what's possible in pickleball equipment.
Whether you're looking to add more power to your game, improve consistency, or simply want a paddle that won't deteriorate over time, foam paddles offer compelling advantages that are hard to ignore. The future of pickleball is foam, and these paddles are leading the charge.