RPM Pickleball: Full paddle lineup and reviews for each model (2026)
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RPM Pickleball might have one of the most impressive paddle lineups of any company. With three very different paddles to choose from, figuring out which one is right for your game can be a challenge.
In this video, we break down the entire RPM Pickleball lineup, including:
- Original Friction Pro
- Friction Pro V2
- Q2
We discuss how each paddle feels, how much power and control they offer, and what type of player is best suited to each option.
Read next: Pickleball paddle weight guide — how to add more power, stability or hand speed
Original Friction Pro: Softer feel, more control
Arguably the biggest attribute of this paddle is its consistency on dinks, drops and resets in the transition zone — especially the 16mm models. Resets feel effortless and it’s also very easy to control spin and pace on dinks at the kitchen line. Comes in elongated and widebody shapes.
RPM Friction Pro V2: More power, slightly stiffer feel
The RPM Friction Pro V2 is an updated version that offers more power and pop than the original Friction Pro while maintaining the Gen 3 feel that many high-level players prefer.
In an interview with The Kitchen, RPM Founder and pro player James Ignatowich said he has essentially moved to China to be at the factory where RPM paddles are made, which has allowed him to be very hands-on and make small tweaks that ultimately impact performance. He compared the RPM Friction Pro V2 to an iPhone update — it’s not a complete overhaul, rather a 5-10% improvement from the original.
“With me in China I was able to really dial in the materials,” he said.
It’s available in elongated and widebody shapes and 14mm and 16mm thicknesses — as well as multiple colorways.
RPM Q2: Effortless power
The RPM Q2 was designed in collaboration with popular paddle reviewer John Kew. It delivers everything we’ve come to expect from full-foam paddles: Big power, a consistent sweet spot and a firm feel on contact.
RPM also introduced two hybrid shapes with the Q2 — a flat-top hybrid and curved-top option. It also comes in the traditional elongated and widebody shapes as well as 14mm and 16mm thicknesses.
Our testing process
Team Kitchen is our team of expert paddle reviewers, all 5.0+ players. They test every paddle with other high-level players in their area, on every kind of shot, in drills and real games, to see how it performs in real-world play.
Every paddle is also measured on the same scale: power, spin, swing weight and twist weight, so any two paddles compare fairly.
We use the Life Time LT Pro 48 pickleball for our testing.
