Ronbus Quanta vs Ronbus Ripple V2: Which Gen 4 Core Fits Your Game? (2026)

Ronbus has done something unusual for 2026: they are selling two completely different Gen 4 cores under the same roof, at roughly the same price. The Ripple V2 uses their FIRE core - a 3D carbon fibre lattice bonded with EVA foam. The newer Quanta uses a solid EPP foam core wrapped in an EVA + TPE elastomer ring, the same construction family as the Selkirk LABS Boomstik and Bread & Butter Locos.

Same brand, same generation, same price band - two radically different feels on the ball. If you have been staring at the Ronbus page wondering which one you actually want, this is the comparison nobody has written yet.

The two cores, in one paragraph each

Ripple V2 (FIRE core, 14mm, from RM488). Think of the FIRE core as a carbon-fibre honeycomb skeleton with EVA foam poured into the cells. There is no plastic honeycomb and no core crush, which is the single biggest durability problem Gen 3 thermoformed paddles had. The hitting feel is firm but lively, with a very even response from the middle of the face all the way out to the edges. Reviewers describe it as "no honeycomb dead spots" - which is the point.

Quanta (full-foam EPP core, 16mm, from RM550). This is a true full-foam build. Solid expanded polypropylene core, EVA + TPE elastomer ring around the perimeter, two TPU vibration inserts near the throat. The ball sits on the face longer, launches hotter, and makes a louder, hollower pop. It is a power paddle in the modern sense of the word - more Selkirk Boomstik than Joola Perseus.

How they play, side by side

Power. The Quanta wins this one, and it is not close. Full-foam cores are built for pop, and the EPP + EVA ring combo gives you flagship-level drive speed without flagship pricing. The Ripple V2 is no slouch, but it is a controlled power paddle - you have to swing through it. The Quanta rewards shorter, flatter cuts.

Control and resets. This is where the Ripple V2 claws it all back. The FIRE core has a slightly more dampened feel on soft hands - third-shot drops, counters at the kitchen, dinks on the stretch. The Quanta's longer dwell gives you spin, but the louder pop means low-pace shots need more touch to land where you want. If you grew up on honeycomb paddles and love hearing a soft "thunk" at the kitchen, the Ripple V2 is going to feel more familiar.

Sweet spot and off-centre forgiveness. Honestly, both are good here, but for different reasons. Ripple V2's lattice stiffens evenly across the whole face, so an off-centre hit does not drop as much ball speed. The Quanta out of the box has a smaller sweet spot and a stiffer feel - several reviewers have noted it twists on contact until you tune it with 15g of lead at 3 and 9. Once tuned, it closes the gap. Untuned, Ripple V2 is more forgiving.

Spin. Both paddles use raw Toray T700 carbon faces and both grip the ball well. The Ripple V2 edges it slightly in our hands because the lattice core gives the face a hair more flex at contact, so topspin drives bite more. The Quanta's spin is excellent too, especially on serves and third-shot drives where you are swinging through.

Durability. Both solve the Gen 3 core-crush problem completely. There is no honeycomb to collapse. If you are the kind of player who has killed two paddles in a year, either one of these is a safe bet.

Which shape should you pick?

Both lines come in multiple shapes. The quick guide:

If you want elongated reach - longer face, more leverage, standard choice for singles or aggressive baseline play - look at the Ripple V2 R1.14 or the Quanta R1.16. The Quanta R1 and R4 in particular have the strongest twistweight-to-swingweight ratios in the Quanta lineup, which is reviewer-speak for "they handle well despite being powerful".

If you want a hybrid shape - a bit shorter, a bit wider, easier at the kitchen - the Ripple V2 R2.14 is the hybrid in that line, and the Quanta R4.16 is the hybrid in the Quanta line.

If you want a wider, squared-off widebody for maximum sweet spot and all-court play, the Quanta line offers it in R2 and R5. There is no widebody in the Ripple V2 line.

So which should you actually buy?

Pick the Ripple V2 if any of these sound like you:

• You are a 3.5 to 4.0 who wants a smoother, more forgiving feel without giving up pop.
• You play a touch-and-attack game: good hands at the kitchen, selective bangs.
• You do not want to mess around with lead tape out of the box.
• You are coming off a thermoformed paddle that core-crushed on you and want something more durable at a similar price.

Pick the Quanta if any of these sound like you:

• You want flagship-tier power at RM550 instead of RM1000+.
• You already play with lead tape and know how to tune a paddle in.
• You hit hard, drive the third, and want the hollow full-foam pop that reviewers rave about on the Boomstik and Perseus Pro V.
• You want the "state of the art 2026 feel" without flagship money.

Where this sits in Picklefox's shelf

At RM488 to RM550, both of these are the mid-range pick in our lineup, sitting a clear tier below the Six Zero Black Opal (RM899) and the CRBN TruFoam Genesis Hybrid Gen 4. Compared to those flagships: the Ripple V2 gets you about 85% of the Black Opal's feel on soft shots at roughly half the price, and the Quanta gets you a surprisingly close impression of the Boomstik's full-foam pop for less than half of what the Boomstik costs retail.

If you are picking your first Gen 4 paddle and do not want to spend flagship money to find out whether the hype is real, this pair is where we would start you. The hard part is choosing between them, which is why we wrote this piece.

Browse the full Ronbus range at Picklefox, or come try both at Mothership in Jalan Ipoh - we have demo units of the shapes that are in stock, and ten minutes on court will tell you which core your hands prefer.