RPM Friction Pro V2 Review: Gen 3 Is Not Dead (Widebody + Elongated Tested)

The RPM Friction Pro V2 lineup is the best Gen 3 recommendation I can make right now. Not because foam is bad. Because this platform still does the one thing foam hasn't fully caught up to: feedback.

Widebody + Elongated Tested | By Jan Dayleg | Paddle Reviews | Spinwave Pickleball

1. TLDR

• Play Profile: Toned-down pop across the board with enough firepower to finish. Drop first or drive and crash, your call.
• Best For: Gen 3 players who already know their shape and want elite spin with a controllable, toned-down pop.
• My Pick: Widebody 14mm. I'm a widebody guy. That's not a secret.
• The Catch: CarbonBite is not durable grit. After 12+ hours per unit the sweet spots feel slightly smoother, though spin hasn't dropped in a way I can notice.
• Coming Soon: Flat-top hybrids. Our order's on the way.

Spoiler: this won't be my new main. My mains are foam -- the Gherkin Draco Widebody and the RPM Q2 Widebody 16mm. If you already love honeycomb feel, though, stop shopping. Pick your shape and go.

(Plug: Use code JDPB at Spinwave Pickleball to save 10% off your entire purchase.)

2. The RPM Friction Pro V2 Lineup

I tested both thicknesses of the elongated and the widebody, all stock, no perimeter weight added. RPM's flat-top hybrids are inbound at Spinwave -- I'll update this once they land. Until then, this review covers the two shapes actually in hand.

• Elongated 16mm -- James Ignatowich signature
• Elongated 14mm -- Ryan Fu signature
• Widebody 16mm -- Ella Oh pink colorway in our stock
• Widebody 14mm -- my favorite of the four
• Hybrid flat-top -- ordered, not tested yet

Elongated is still the shape we sell most at Spinwave. That's why I played the full lineup instead of disappearing into my widebody bias and calling it a day. Same advice I give everyone: grab the shape you already play.

3. RPM Friction Pro V2 Target Specs

These are RPM's published targets, not numbers I personally measured off each unit. Units vary. You can always add weight. You can't take it off.

All four are USAP approved at PBCoR .43 and show up on UPA-A lists too. If you play sanctioned events, that matters -- plenty of the durable grit paddles people ask me about don't clear both.

4. Why Gen 3 Is Not Dead

Look around your local courts. That's the whole argument.

Players know the durability conversation. They still show up with Joola Pro Vs, and now with this V2 lineup, especially the more competitive crowd in my area. Foam has given us stability and a more consistent aging curve. It hasn't given us the same feedback. Gen 3 still tells you exactly where the ball is.

I'm saying that as someone whose main paddle is foam. My rotation switches between the Gherkin Draco Widebody and the RPM Q2 Widebody 16mm. I'm not anti-Gen 4. I don't think Gen 3 is better or worse. That's the beauty of this market right now -- there's something for everyone, and trying different profiles is half the hobby.

If you already like honeycomb feel, the RPM Friction Pro V2 is the version of that feel I'd hand you first.

5. Power & Pop

All of this is measured against the broader market, stock, no added lead.

• Elongated 16mm -- Full-swing power in the middle of the power tier. Pop on short swings at the high end of all-court.
• Elongated 14mm -- Power at the high end of all-court. Pop at the high end of all-court.
• Widebody 16mm -- Power at the high end of all-court. Pop at the high end of all-court.
• Widebody 14mm -- Power at the high end of all-court. Pop at the high end of all-court.

Inside the lineup, the order is clean:

Power: Elongated 16 > Elongated 14 > Widebody 16 > Widebody 14
Pop: Widebody 14 > Elongated 14 > Widebody 16 > Elongated 16

The story of the platform is the toned-down pop. That's what makes the spin usable. You can build a point -- drop first, dink, wait -- or drive and crash. Both are easy once you pick the shape that already matches your game.

6. Feel: The Pro IV / Pro V Baby

The whole RPM Friction Pro V2 lineup is stiff and hollow. It's also one of the more dwelly Gen 3 platforms I've hit. The 16s dwell more, as you'd expect. The 14s are the surprise -- nowhere near as stiff as a 14mm usually feels. That's the unique part of this Gen 3 recipe, and honestly the most pleasant part.

If I have to put it on a ladder: imagine the Joola Pro IV and Pro V had a baby. Closer to the Pro IV in hollowness. Pleasant like the Pro V.

7. Spin: Not Durable Grit, But Holding

Same CarbonBite face across all four shapes. This is not durable grit, and I want that stated plainly up front, because RPM's branding can read like a longevity claim and it isn't one -- this isn't HexGrit or Crystal Blue Endurance territory.

They all start very gritty. I've got 12+ hours on each unit at this point, including handing the elongateds off to my girlfriend, a 4.5-rated D1 tennis player, to really put them through the wringer. I haven't seen a noticeable drop in spin. The sweet spots feel slightly smoother to the touch, but the ball still dips.

Spin on top of that toned-down pop is the whole controllable experience here. You get to choose how you construct the point instead of the paddle choosing for you.

8. The Widebody 14mm -- My Pick

My favorite of the series is the RPM Friction Pro V2 widebody 14mm.

Massive sweet spot. No super-dead zone near the throat, which is the thing Joola lineups have historically been known for. Hand speed is there. The play profile fits how I actually play: drop first, stay patient in transition, grind the point, be ready to counterpunch.

I know elongated is the most popular shape we sell, which is exactly why I tested the full lineup instead of just the widebody. If you already live on an elongated, don't let my widebody bias talk you onto a 16x8. Pick your shape.

Flat-top hybrids are on the way. If that's the silhouette you've been waiting on from this platform, wait for that update rather than forcing a shape you don't play.

9. V2 vs Q2, Quickly

Short version: same price, same face family, different generation.

The V2 is Gen 3 -- honeycomb with an EVA ring. The Q2 is Gen 4 -- full foam. I main the Q2 Widebody 16mm. I'd recommend the RPM Friction Pro V2 if honeycomb is what your hands already understand and you don't want to spend three sessions relearning contact.

Neither is a downgrade. It's a feel preference.

10. Who Should Buy Which RPM Friction Pro V2

Buy the Elongated 16mm if: You want the most full-swing power in the family and you already play elongated. Middle of the power tier on drives, calmer pop than the 14s.

Buy the Elongated 14mm if: You want the snappier elongated and you're fine living in high-all-court power and pop.

Buy the Widebody 16mm if: You want widebody forgiveness with a little more plow-through than the 14. Same high-all-court band, slightly more power than the 14 inside the lineup.

Buy the Widebody 14mm if: You want the fastest hands in the family, the biggest usable face, and a play profile that lets you grind. This is the one I kept reaching for.

Wait on the hybrid if: That's your shape. They're coming. I haven't hit them yet, and I'm not going to pretend I have.

Look elsewhere if: You need durable grit as a dealbreaker, or you want a foam main and already like how the Q2 talks to you. This won't replace my Q2 or my Draco. For Gen 3 lovers, though, it's my undisputed number one recommendation.

Shop the RPM Friction Pro V2 lineup at Spinwave Pickleball and use code JDPB at checkout for 10% off. Want more paddle breakdowns? Browse the rest of our paddle reviews.

Questions? Find me at @threefiveforever on Instagram or drop a comment below. See you on the courts.

RPM Friction Pro V2 Hybrid Flat Top Pickleball Paddle

$249.99

RPM Friction Pro V2 Hybrid Flat Top The Friction Pro V2 in the shape a lot of people have been asking RPM for. The hybrid splits the difference between the elongated and the widebody — enough added length to reach… read more

16MM - $249.99 14MM - $249.99

Add to cart

11. RPM Friction Pro V2 FAQs

Is the RPM Friction Pro V2 a Gen 3 paddle?

Yes. Tri-Density honeycomb core with an EVA foam ring. That's the whole point of this review.

Is CarbonBite durable grit?

No. It starts very gritty. After 12+ hours per unit the sweet spot feels slightly smoother, but spin generation has held for me.

Should I get the 14mm or 16mm?

The 16mm dwells more. The 14mm is snappier -- and on this platform, noticeably less stiff than most 14mm paddles on the market. I preferred the widebody 14. Pick your shape first, thickness second.

Widebody or elongated?

Play the shape you already play. The Elongated 16 has the most power in the lineup. The Widebody 14 has the most pop and the hand speed I want at the kitchen.

How does the V2 compare to the RPM Q2?

The V2 is Gen 3. The Q2 is Gen 4. Same price tier. I main the Q2 Widebody 16mm, but I'd take the V2 if you want honeycomb feedback and a more familiar Gen 3 contact point.

Is the RPM Friction Pro V2 good for beginners?

Playable, especially the widebody 16, but this is a $249.99 paddle built for players who already have a shape and a plan. Newer players are usually better served starting on a cheaper all-court paddle until their mechanics catch up.

When do the flat-top hybrids arrive?

Our flat-top hybrid order is in. I'll review them once I have real hours on them -- not before.