I started playing Pickleball in 2009 and at that time there were only a couple of paddles on the market including the dinosaur all wood paddle. During the years that followed, I would continue to wait for a better mouse trap to be built but it seemed like it would never come. I learned that most of the paddles consisted of a honeycomb core either Nomex (cardboard-like material), or Polymer (Plastic). The problem is that plastic and cardboard are cheap and inferior materials which breakdown quickly. It was a good thing that I was getting my paddles for free because they didn’t last more than a couple of months before breaking down. The construction of the majority of paddles are basically the same throughout the industry. They cut out the plastic sheet, glue on the face, glue on the handle, and glue on an edge guard. Lots and lots of glue and you know what happens when things are glued to together…they eventually become unglued! Not only did I have to deal with the “dead spots”, I had numerous paddles where the handle broke off, the face delaminated, and the edge guard separated…Sound familiar? In 2019 I discovered Gearbox and at first I was highly skeptical because I had pretty much given up on any new technological advances in Pickleball paddles. However after speaking with the owner of company and trying out the paddle, I soon realized that my wait was finally over. If you trace the evolution of tennis rackets, there are many similarities to Pickleball where initially there were wood rackets, then steel, then aluminum, and finally carbon fibre. For almost 60 years, tennis has used predominately graphite material in their products because of the superior attributes including touch, feel, and durability. Gearbox has patents protecting their proprietary paddles using this carbon fibre system. No plastic or cardboard core! No plastic edge guard! No glued on handle! No glued on face to delaminate! As I get older, I am always trying to find things that will help slow down father time. This paddle has literally improved my game by at least 20%! More spin, more power, more control, more feel…it’s a no brainer! Do you want a thick plastic cumbersome paddle moving through the air or an aerodynamic carbon fibre paddle that you can maneuver quickly? The hitting surface goes all the way to the edge so no more edge guard miss hits. One piece unibody construction makes this paddle the most durable on the market. To order any of the Gearbox paddles call me today and I will help you customize a paddle that is geared especially for you. News Alert: Gearbox Pro Power series paddles are rated at the top of the charts for power and spin.