Gearbox News
Introducing the new 2022 collection of Gearbox Pickleball paddles. The CX11 line is similar to the current GX5/GX6 paddles but add an additional spin factor due to their new ribbed core construction. They also have been reinforced on the edges to help prevent damage caused by scraping and chipping when banging paddles. They also claim to have a larger sweet spot due to how the T-700 3K woven carbon fiber is laid out. They come in new colors which makes things a little more confusing for me as a dealer, but they have streamlined the naming convention. The CX11E (E for elongated) is the new version of the GX6 line and the CX11Q (Q for quad) is the new version of the traditional sized GX5 line of paddles.
The CX14 is the most exciting new offering. The 11 in the CX11 is the thickness of the paddle, 11mm. The CX14 is 14mm thick. What does that buy you you ask? For people having a hard time transitioning to the harder flatter hitting Gearbox SST paddles, the CX14 is designed to perform more like a traditional honeycomb paddle, with a soft feel and more control. The other features of the CX11 are included in these paddles with higher spin factor, reinforced edges and a bigger sweet spot. The CX14 only comes in one weight (8oz) and does not offer a power vs. control choice like the CX11 and GX paddles. This makes the naming convention much simpler for us dealers. The CX14E is of course the elongated paddle, similar to the shape/size of the GX6 and CX11E paddles. The CX14H is the bastard, H stands for Hyper. They have taken the longer handle of the GX6/CX11E and stuck it on a GX5/CX11Q like paddle, however they had to reduce the paddle face length a tad to accommodate for the wider width of those paddles, whilest still including the longer handle. So if you've wanted a traditional shaped paddle with a longer handle, this is the paddle for you.
You heard it at Here To Win first! Gearbox will soon be selling pickleball balls! It's true, I was gifted a dozen while visiting Gearbox in San Diego. I have tried one so far, played with it on 3 occasions now and it still has not broken (haven't put it to the true test of the Virginia sub freezing temps yet mind you). It plays like a Dura Fast 40 or Franklin. I voiced my disgust with how easily the Dura Fast 40 breaks and the wonkiness of the Franklin. I said, "we need a smart Engineer like Rafael Filippini to make a decent ball, we implore you, please!!!" I LOVE that Gearbox listened and did this!
I had the great privilege to enter and play in the PPA Newport Beach Doubles Shootout on 4/3/21 and 4/4/21 with my son Gregory, on my 60th birthday. We did not fair all that well. We really hardly ever play together on the same team, we are usually on opposing sides, he likes to challenge me, lol. This also was my first tournament and I was playing in a 19+ bracket. Is that enough excuses? We got knocked out in 3 matches, but it was actually OK because we were then free to spectate the pros, and that was simply the bomb!
While spectating on 4/3, we ran into this guy, Rafael Filippini, Gearbox owner and mastermind of one of the best racquetball racquet lines and the greatest pickleball technology in the market. It was so cool talking to him. He is 51 and has decided to give up racquetball to pursue pickleball alone (just like me). He was playing 4.5 19+ with his partner #3 racquetball player in the world Álvaro Beltrán (Alvie). They did better than us, but no medals :(
I have a great story to tell about this guy, Daniel de la Rosa, #1 racquetball player in the world, but I'll let you learn it for yourself first hand by referring you to my videos, see below (the 2nd/middle video) ppa with Daniel de la Rosa 2 to see how Daniel de la Rosa became part of my AWESOME Newport Beach PPA experience. Daniel is 27, Alvie is 33. It was so cool to be there with these guys! In these videos, I am filming pro players Matt Wright and Lucy Kovalova playing Tyson McGuffin and Irina Tereschenko in the next court over, that was the one I was primarily interested in. As I watched the court directly in front of me, the senior eventual Gold Medal contenders of this tournament, Cammy MacGregor (53) and John Sperling (51), I became more invested with how great they were (especially since they approximate my advanced age group, lol). And then enters Daniel de la Rosa, sooo awesome! Out on the far court was Gearbox mastermind Rafael Filippini playing with his partner Alvero Beltran (#3 racquetball sensation and Daniel De La Rosa's racquetball doubles partner). This is what attracted Daniel to our proximity :).
Team Here To Win Greg Baker & Leland Rupp take Gold in the Men's Doubles 50+ 3.5 Woodbridge Legends Spring Fling Tournament on April 10, 2021. Not bad for a couple of displaced racquetballers driven to outdoor pickleball in March 2020 thanks to Covid-19
Greg Baker representing Here To Win at the Virginia Pickleball Classic Tournament in Henrico, VA on 5/8/2021 taking GOLD in men's doubles 3.5 60+ with Greg Murphy. Honorable mentions Greg Baker II and his partner Ajay Mathew take BRONZE in men's doubles 3.5 19+.
An ALL GEARBOX paddle victory at the Virginia Pickleball Classic Tournament in Henrico, VA on 5/9/2021 with Alexis Sheehan and Greg Baker II taking GOLD in mixed doubles 3.5 19+ and Ajay Mathew and Beth Devine taking SILVER in a very closely matched finale.