Best Foam Paddle: Its Joola Perseus IV powerful on drives and full shorts and yet I feel like it's easier to control on dinks as it isn't too poppy. Great feel is a bonus, almost like the ball sinks into the face. Lots of spin on all shots. No adjustment time required for me coming from the Joola and I had a lot more confidence. Not a super fast paddle but I still added some lead tape to bring the weight up.
GX2 Power Elongated: I love this paddle as it gives me power with control. I also get a very soft "feel" allowing me to hit my dinks and other shots where I want to hit them. The rebound of the paddle face is fantastic, so I don't need to overswing to hit it hard with spin.
The Gearbox GX2 Elongated is a pretty powerful paddle with elite spin. Despite what Gearbox says, there is a break-in period, so be ready for a stiff feel out the box. As you play with it, though, it softens up and you get a solid balance of control and power. For me, however, this paddle doesn't stand out enough in any area to make it better than some of its competitors. That said, if the new CarbonRibCore™ tech makes it a lot longer lasting than other paddles, it could be a great long-term ...