RPM has quietly become one of Australia’s hero paddle brands. Walk into a club night anywhere from Mona Vale to Mount Colah and you’ll see them in the bags of players who’ve already cycled through a JOOLA Perseus, a Six Zero Double Black Diamond and at least one Selkirk. What keeps them coming back to RPM is the same thing every time — the spin signature. RPM’s CarbonBite carbon face grips the ball harder than almost anything else in the price band, and once you’ve felt your topspin drives dip three feet inside the baseline, switching back is genuinely difficult.
The catch is that RPM now make seven paddles in two distinct families — the new Q2 line (four variants) and the Friction Pro V2 signature paddles (two variants, plus the original Friction Pro 16mm Widebody still in the lineup). They look similar on a spec sheet. They play very differently in the hand. This is the guide we wish existed when we started carrying the brand.
Quick context on price: every paddle in this guide is $350–$358 RRP. RPM enforces price across all authorised dealers globally, so what you pay at Pickld is what you’d pay anywhere legitimate. The difference is what surrounds it — Australian stock, 1–3 day dispatch, AU warranty handling, free shipping over $200. Browse the full RPM range if you want the at-a-glance view.
What sets RPM apart from JOOLA and Six Zero
Three things, in order of importance.
The spin number. RPM consistently tests at 2,260–2,310 RPM across the Q2 and Friction Pro lineups. For context: JOOLA’s Pro IV sits around 2,200, Six Zero’s Double Black Diamond around 2,150. The gap isn’t huge on paper, but it’s real on court. Topspin drives shape harder, slices bite lower, third-shot drops with shape land more reliably inside the kitchen.
The construction philosophy. RPM is two generations into thinking about cores. The Friction Pro V2 uses a Gen 3 tri-density honeycomb with an EVA perimeter foam ring. The Q2 jumps to a fully moulded EPP foam core — no honeycomb at all — co-designed with engineer John Kew. Both deliver firm, predictable feel; the Q2’s foam build is the more sophisticated of the two and reads as the next-generation paddle.
The signature roster. James Ignatowich (top-10 world ranked) and Ryan Fu (rising APP/MLP pro) both compete with their signature Friction Pros. Unlike some signature paddles that are barely-rebadged stock builds, the V2 incorporates direct input from both players into the carbon layup and foam ring. The Q2 took a different path — engineer-led, not player-led — which suits a doubles-heavy Australian audience looking for stability and forgiveness more than tour-style aggression.
The Q2 platform: four variants explained
The Q2 is RPM’s 2026 flagship platform. Same core construction (full-mould EPP foam, TPU perimeter inserts, CarbonBite surface), four shape and thickness combinations. Think of it as four ways to ask the same question: how much reach do you want, and how fast do you want the paddle to swing?
RPM Q2 16mm Widebody — the safe pick
The 16mm core delivers more dwell time on the face, which means softer hands at the kitchen and more controlled drives. The widebody 8.0″ shape keeps the sweet spot centred — ideal for doubles play where most contact happens in the middle of the face. If you’re unsure which Q2 to start with and you’re a club doubles player, this is the one. Shop the Q2 16mm Widebody ($357.50).
RPM Q2 16mm Elongated — reach + control
Same 16mm core, but the 16.5″ elongated frame trades a smaller sweet spot for extended reach. You get an extra inch of length for high volleys, line drives and singles coverage. If you find yourself stretched on lobs or want more leverage on your serve, this is the Q2 for you. Be honest about your hand-eye though — elongated frames are less forgiving on off-centre contact. Shop the Q2 16mm Elongated ($357.50).
RPM Q2 14mm Widebody — fast hands, centred sweet spot
Drop the core to 14mm and the paddle gets faster — quicker swing, sharper pop, livelier rebound. Swing weight comes down to 104. The widebody face still keeps mishits forgiving. This is the Q2 for doubles players who want the firm Q2 feel but with more punch in hands-battle exchanges at the net. Shop the Q2 14mm Widebody ($357.50).
RPM Q2 14mm Elongated — the sharpest tool
14mm core, 16.5″ elongated frame, 2,260 RPM spin, swing weight 112. The most aggressive paddle in the Q2 family — built for players who attack the net, drive the third and look to put balls away rather than reset. If your DUPR is north of 4.0 and you play singles or aggressive doubles, this is the one. Shop the Q2 14mm Elongated ($357.50).
The Friction Pro V2: Ignatowich and Ryan Fu signatures
The Friction Pro V2 is the player-driven side of the RPM lineup. Same CarbonBite face, same elite spin numbers, but a Gen 3 tri-density honeycomb core with an EVA foam perimeter ring instead of the Q2’s full-foam build. The V2 update from V1 refined the Axial Carbon Layup and widened the effective sweet spot — the foam ring around the perimeter is the headline change and you can feel it on mishits.
RPM Friction Pro V2 16mm Elongated — James Ignatowich signature
This is the paddle Ignatowich actually competes with. 16mm core for control and dwell, elongated frame for reach and leverage. Built for power-baseline players who want elite spin without losing touch at the kitchen. We’ve covered it in depth in our full Friction Pro V2 review. Shop the Ignatowich signature ($358).
RPM Friction Pro V2 14mm Elongated — Ryan Fu signature
Ryan Fu chose the 14mm elongated shape because it mirrors a tennis racquet — long, precise and loaded for power. Same Axial Carbon Layup and EVA foam ring as the Ignatowich, but the 14mm core delivers faster rebound and sharper pop. Swing weight 113. This is the V2 for players with a tennis background or anyone who wants the V2’s signature feel with more aggression baked in. Shop the Ryan Fu signature ($358).
RPM Friction Pro 16mm Widebody — the original
Still in the lineup, still the doubles workhorse. The 16mm Tri-density core and wide 8.0″ face make this the most forgiving paddle in the Friction Pro family. Swing weight 109 keeps hands fast at the kitchen despite the wider body. If you want the Friction Pro feel without the signature pricing structure, this is the one to look at. Shop the Friction Pro 16mm Widebody ($350).
Q2 vs Friction Pro V2: head-to-head
The spec sheets are almost identical — same CarbonBite face, same spin numbers in the 2,260–2,310 RPM band, same price band. The difference is feel, and it comes down to core construction.
| Q2 (4 variants) | Friction Pro V2 (2 variants) | |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Full-mould EPP foam | Gen 3 tri-density honeycomb + EVA ring |
| Feel | Firmer, more connected, predictable flex | Softer dwell, slightly more “pop” on impact |
| Spin | 2,260–2,310 RPM | 2,300+ RPM |
| Sweet spot | Wide, TPU perimeter inserts | Wide, EVA foam ring |
| Best for | Players who want next-gen foam-core feel | Players who prefer traditional honeycomb pop |
| Pro link | Engineer-led (John Kew) | Player-led (Ignatowich, Ryan Fu) |
| Price | $357.50 | $350–$358 |
Honest take: the Q2 is the more interesting paddle from an engineering standpoint — full-foam cores are where the premium end of the market is heading, and RPM are ahead of most brands on it. The Friction Pro V2 is the safer pick if you’ve played a lot of honeycomb paddles and want the spin upgrade without re-learning your hands. Neither is wrong. Most players will find the Q2 reads as a slightly “tighter” paddle, while the V2 reads as slightly more forgiving on touch shots.
Pick by playstyle
If you don’t want to read seven product pages back-to-back, here’s the short version.
Power-driver (you swing hard, you attack the net)
- First pick: RPM Q2 14mm Elongated — fastest rebound, longest reach, most aggressive Q2.
- Alternative: RPM Friction Pro V2 14mm Elongated (Ryan Fu) — same shape, softer dwell, honeycomb feel.
Control-and-spin (you shape the ball, you reset, you build the point)
- First pick: RPM Friction Pro V2 16mm Elongated (Ignatowich) — 16mm dwell + elite spin, the most-used RPM on tour.
- Alternative: RPM Q2 16mm Elongated — firmer feel, same reach, slightly more predictable on resets.
All-court club doubles (you play three nights a week and want one paddle that does everything)
- First pick: RPM Q2 16mm Widebody — centred sweet spot, soft hands, the safest of the seven.
- Alternative: RPM Friction Pro 16mm Widebody — honeycomb feel, $7.50 cheaper, original Friction Pro DNA.
Singles or hybrid singles/doubles
- First pick: RPM Q2 14mm Elongated or RPM Friction Pro V2 14mm Elongated — both give you reach for the run and rebound for the put-away.
Pricing: why it’s $358 everywhere
RPM operates a strict global MAP (minimum advertised price) policy. Every authorised dealer in Australia, the US and Europe sells the Friction Pro V2 at the same number. The Q2 sits at $357.50. The Friction Pro 16mm Widebody is $350. We don’t discount these paddles — not because we’re difficult about it, but because we’re an authorised RPM dealer and that’s the agreement.
What we do offer is everything around the paddle:
- Australian-stocked — every paddle in this guide ships from our Mount Colah warehouse, not from a US drop-shipper. 1–3 business day dispatch.
- Free Australian shipping over $200 — every RPM in this guide qualifies. $9.99 flat if you’re ordering accessories under $200.
- 30-day returns — if the paddle isn’t right for you, send it back. No re-stocking fee, no international postage.
- AU warranty handling — we deal with RPM on your behalf. You don’t post anything to NZ or the US.
- Free Pickld paddle cover on every RPM — automatic on every paddle over $200.
The bottom line
RPM’s lineup is genuinely well-thought-out — the Q2 and Friction Pro V2 cover the same spin-led performance band from two different construction angles, and the four-variant Q2 platform lets you pick reach and rebound independently. For most Australian club doubles players, the Q2 16mm Widebody is the safest first RPM. For tour-style attacking players, it’s the Q2 14mm Elongated or the Ignatowich Friction Pro V2. Singles and hybrid players land on a 14mm Elongated regardless of family.
If you’ve been waiting to try the brand, this is a good moment — we have stock across all seven variants. If you’re already an RPM player and weighing the V1 Friction Pro vs the V2 upgrade, our Friction Pro V2 review walks through the differences in detail. And if you want the direct head-to-head on the Q2 specifically vs the V2, our Q2 review covers that ground.
Browse the full RPM Pickleball range at Pickld — Australian-stocked, RRP-respected, free shipping over $200.
— Ben & Chris
Pickld · Authorised RPM dealer · Mount Colah, NSW