Table of Contents
Three 14mm elongated paddle contenders, three completely different feels. Two new ones landed on my desk — the Ramsports Typhoon Gen 3 and the RPM Friction Pro V2 — so I ran them against my current elongated benchmark, the Gherkin Draco Elongated 16mm. A week of drilling and games: dinks, drops, resets, drives, serves. Here's how they stack up.
TLDR
- RPM Friction Pro V2 14mm Elongated — Elite spin, low-tier power, mid-tier pop on a proven Gen 3 platform that keeps climbing in popularity.
- Ramsports Typhoon 14mm — A familiar dense, Pro V-like feel with mid-tier power and pop on a Gen 3 platform with great value.
- Gherkin Draco Elongated 16mm — The best elongated sweet spot on the market in my testing, with elite firepower and spin out of the box.
If you read my stuff, you know I'm a widebody guy. I play elongated to test for customers and readers because it's the most common shape bought at Spinwave. So when two new 14mm elongated paddle options showed up, I knew exactly how I wanted to test them.
Plug: use code JDPB at Spinwave Pickleball to save 10% off your entire purchase on any of these paddles.
The 14mm Caveat
Before the breakdown, I need to address the 14mm elephant in the room. I don't know if this is my personal technique or if there's science to it, but I've consistently found that 14mm paddles have a lower launch angle than their 16mm counterparts.
If you're coming from 16mm, this is absolutely worth knowing before you buy any 14mm elongated paddle. You'll likely have to adjust your swing path slightly to get the same net clearance. Not a dealbreaker, but you should know what you're getting into.
Worth saying plainly: every 14mm elongated paddle I've tested behaves this way, so treat it as a category trait rather than a knock on any one of these three. Now let's get into the testing.
Ram Sports Typhoon Gen 3 Precision Power Paddle
$185.00
The Ram Sports Typhoon Gen 3 Precision Power is built for players who want to swing hard and still hit their spots. Gen 3 tech, real pop, and a spin-hungry face — a paddle that rewards an aggressive, fast-handed game.… read more
The Three Paddles at a Glance
| RPM Friction Pro V2 | Ramsports Typhoon | Gherkin Draco E | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thickness | 14mm | 14mm | 16mm |
| Platform | Gen 3 honeycomb | Gen 3 | Gen 4 full foam |
| Swing weight | 116 | 118 | 114 |
| Feel | Hollow, dwelly | Dense, slightly stiff | Hollow, slightly stiff |
| Price | $249.99 | $185.00 | $179.99 |
Control and Feel: Honeycomb vs Full Foam
I started with control — drilling dinks and drops. All three are a delight once dialed in. But this is where the feel differences immediately stood out.
The Draco (16mm) has a hollow and slightly stiff feel. Interestingly, it felt eerily similar to the RPM V2 (14mm), with one caveat: the V2 is a Gen 3 honeycomb core, so there's ever so slightly more density to its feel compared to the Draco's Gen 4 full foam build. The V2 also has incredible dwell time.
The Typhoon (14mm), on the other hand, felt very akin to the Joola Pro V line. Dense and slightly stiff.
That feel profile stayed consistent throughout testing, but starting with the soft game is where it became glaringly obvious. If you want dense, Joola-style feedback, the Typhoon is your paddle. If you prefer a hollow, dwelly response, look at the V2 or the Draco.
RPM Friction Pro V2 Elongated 14mm Pickleball Paddle - Ryan Fu Signature
$249.99
🚀 PRE-ORDER — SHIPS WEDNESDAY, JULY 23 Reserve yours now. All pre-orders ship out Wed 7/23. Limited run — once they are gone, they are gone. RPM Friction Pro V2 — Elongated 14mm, Ryan Fu Signature The Friction Pro line… read more
Pop and Sweet Spot: The 16mm Advantage
Next up: drilling resets to test pop and sweet spot.
I'll be honest, the Draco has the biggest sweet spot by far. But I also think it's a little unfair, because it's a 16mm Gen 4 going up against two 14mm Gen 3s.
The sweet spots on the Typhoon 14 and V2 14 aren't bad — they just don't hold a candle to the Draco's. When I hit resets slightly off-center with the Draco, the ball still behaved exactly as I expected. When I mishit on the Typhoon or the V2, some popped up or went into the net.
Pop, ranked:
- Draco and RPM V2 (tied)
- Typhoon (slightly less poppy)
Gherkin USA DRACO 16mm Pickleball Paddle - Elongated
$179.99
New to Gherkin's lineup? See how this paddle compares to every other Gherkin shape before you commit. Read the complete Gherkin Guide → Gherkin USA DRACO Elongated Pickleball Paddle The Gherkin USA DRACO Elongated is built for players who want… read more
Power and Spin: Full Swings
Finally, power and spin on serves and drives.
Power goes to the Draco again. It was the easiest to plow through the ball and get effortless depth on drives. Next was the Typhoon, then the V2, which was noticeably the least powerful on full strokes.
However — at this point in testing, I started to realize the V2's spin was definitely the best. The combination of great dwell time from the core and the rough surface texture RPM has become known for really stood out. I could swing freely and watch the ball shape incredibly well.
Because the V2 has lower power on full swings and a lower launch angle, it's fantastic for players who like to swing big without fear of launching the ball out. All three are still technically power paddles, but the V2 borders on all-court when it comes to full-swing power — which is unusual for a 14mm elongated paddle.
The Rankings
| Category | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power | Draco | Typhoon | V2 |
| Spin | V2 | Draco | Typhoon |
| Maneuverability | Draco (114 SW) | V2 (116 SW) | Typhoon (118 SW) |
| Sweet spot | Draco | Typhoon and V2 comparable, both well behind | |
Side note: all three generate great spin. Those rankings matter if you're trying to optimize, not if you're just trying to find something that works.
Final Verdict: Which One Should You Buy?
Buy the RPM Friction Pro V2 14mm ($249.99) if
You're still in the camp of preferring honeycomb feel. This is a great elongated option for players who generate their own drive pace and like being aggressive at the net with off-bounce speed-ups and roll dinks. You get a hollow, dwelly feel and elite spin that lets you swing freely.
Buy the Ramsports Typhoon Gen 3 14mm ($185.00) if
You want a dense, slightly stiff feel — think Joola Pro V — at a great value price. It rewards aggressive playstyles and gives you a bit more plow-through power than the V2.
Stick with the Gherkin Draco Elongated 16mm ($179.99) if
You're a full foam Gen 4 lover who wants top-tier power, the biggest sweet spot of the bunch, and a highly customizable platform at an unbeatable price point.
If you're not sure whether a 14mm elongated paddle is even the right shape for you in the first place, our guide to elongated vs hybrid vs widebody paddles covers how shape changes swing weight and forgiveness. Or demo all three at Spinwave — we stock them in Great Neck and Long Beach, and an hour with all three settles it faster than any article.
Don't forget to use code JDPB at checkout on Spinwave to knock 10% off any of these. See you on the courts.
FAQs
What is the best 14mm elongated pickleball paddle in 2026?
It depends on what you're optimizing for. The RPM Friction Pro V2 has the best spin of the 14mm options thanks to its dwell time and rough surface texture. The Ramsports Typhoon Gen 3 gives you a denser, Joola Pro V style feel with more plow-through power at a lower price. Both are strong 14mm elongated options with different feel profiles.
Is a 14mm or 16mm paddle better for elongated shapes?
Neither is objectively better, but they play differently. In my testing, 16mm paddles like the Gherkin Draco Elongated deliver a bigger sweet spot and more power, while 14mm paddles consistently produce a lower launch angle. If you're switching from 16mm to 14mm, expect to adjust your swing path slightly to get the same net clearance.
Why do 14mm paddles have a lower launch angle?
I can't say whether it's technique-specific or physics, but I've consistently found 14mm paddles launch the ball lower than their 16mm counterparts. Practically speaking, that means you may need to swing slightly more upward to clear the net at the same margin you're used to on a 16mm paddle.
Which paddle has the best spin: Typhoon, Friction Pro V2, or Draco?
The RPM Friction Pro V2 takes the spin crown. The combination of excellent dwell time from the Gen 3 honeycomb core and RPM's signature rough surface texture lets you swing freely and shape the ball aggressively. The Draco comes in second, with the Typhoon third — though all three generate great spin.
Which paddle has the biggest sweet spot?
The Gherkin Draco Elongated 16mm, by a significant margin. It's worth noting the comparison isn't entirely fair since the Draco is a 16mm Gen 4 full foam build going up against two 14mm Gen 3 paddles. Off-center resets on the Draco still behaved predictably, while mishits on the Typhoon and V2 tended to pop up or go into the net.
Is the RPM Friction Pro V2 a power paddle or an all-court paddle?
Technically it's a power paddle, but it borders on all-court when it comes to full swing power. It's noticeably the least powerful of these three on full strokes, which combined with the lower 14mm launch angle makes it great for players who want to swing big without launching the ball out.
