The CRBN TruFoam Barrage 2 is a 14mm full foam widebody, and it hits like a power paddle. CRBN lists it as the CRBN2 TruFoam Barrage (Square). It's built for players who want a widebody that still drives the ball hard, and for hands players who like to play fast at the kitchen. If that's your game and you like a paddle that feels solid instead of hollow, the Barrage 2 is my pick. It's $229.99, or $206.99 with the code STSPICKLEBALL.
Pros and cons
Pros
- It has clearly more power than the typical widebody, and about as much as the typical elongated.
- Only 11 widebodies I've tested have more pop.
- It swings lighter than about three quarters of the paddles I've tested, so it's quick in your hands.
- It's approved by both USA Pickleball and UPA-A, and none of the cheaper widebodies I suggest below is on both lists.
Cons
- The sweet spot is only about average for a widebody.
- It spins about the same as the typical widebody, so it isn't a spin paddle.
- It gives you a little less control than the typical widebody.
- It's $229.99, and some widebodies that cost less match or beat it on my numbers.
Quick answers
Which CRBN TruFoam paddle is the best?
For most players, I'd pick the Barrage 2. It has far more power than the Genesis 2, with about the same control and sweet spot, and it beats the Waves 2 on power, control, sweet spot and spin.
Should I get the Barrage 2 or the Barrage 4?
Get the Barrage 2 unless you want the reach of a hybrid. It's the more forgiving of the two.
Stiff, but not as stiff as a Boomstik or a Loco
The Barrage 2 is a stiff paddle, but it isn't as stiff as a Selkirk Boomstik or a Bread & Butter Loco. It sounds solid, not hollow. A big swing in the middle of the face sounds sharp, and soft shots sound muted.
The ball doesn't sink into the face. It comes off quickly, and if you're coming from CRBN's Genesis or Waves, both of those hold the ball on the face longer.
Its pop is even a little higher than its power, and it's still predictable. The pace you get matches the swing you put on it, with no sudden jumps.
Next to all the paddles I've measured, it swings light. For a widebody, though, its swing weight is right in the middle.
All of that makes the Barrage 2 a paddle for players who like a stiff face where the ball comes off quickly. If you want a soft paddle that holds the ball, skip this one.
Power paddle pace on drives and fast hands, with an average sweet spot
How its spin stacks up against other widebodies you can buy
About average spin for a widebody, right at the average
The top three for spin
- 1Honolulu J3CR Crystal Blue2,436
- 211SIX24 Pegasus Jelly Bean 22,37561 RPM behind
- 3RPM Q2 Widebody2,36967 RPM behind
- 20CRBN TruFoam Barrage 22,282154 RPM behind
Drives, serves and returns
Pace on drives, serves and returns is solid, so you can swing out from the baseline. Just seven widebodies I've tested hit harder. It's not one of the very hardest hitters across all the paddles I've tested, though.
If your widebody feels dead on drives, this one's the opposite. You can attack with it.
Speed-ups, counters and hands battles
Hands battles are the other strength. Because the ball leaves the face quickly and it has a little more pop than the typical widebody, speed-ups and counters come off sharp. The light swing weight helps you keep up in fast exchanges too.
Keep in mind it takes a few exchanges to dial in the face angle on your counters.
Spin
On serves and drives, it spins about the same as the typical full foam EPP widebody I've scored. If spin is the main reason you're buying, the Honolulu J3CR Crystal Blue below is a better fit.
Off-center hits
Twist weight is how steady the face stays on a mishit, and this one's is higher than most of the paddles I've tested. It's under the typical widebody, though.
That's mostly the 14mm core, and it's why the sweet spot doesn't stand out either. A 16mm core is steadier and more forgiving on off-center hits. This paddle does get better with a little added weight. Want more forgiveness? Add weight at 3 and 9 o'clock. It raises the twist weight and only adds a little swing weight.
Dinks, resets and drops
If you want the most control you can get in a widebody, this isn't the one.
How it feels in your hand next to other widebodies you can buy
About average in your hands, about average when you miss the middle
How heavy the paddle feels when you swing it. A lower number swings quicker.
About average swing weight for a widebody.
How much the paddle fights twisting when you miss the middle. A higher number is steadier.
About average twist weight for a widebody.
How its sweet spot stacks up against other widebodies you can buy
An average-size sweet spot for a widebody
Both rings are sized to their score.
The Barrage 2 is a little more forgiving than the Barrage 4
The Barrage 4 is the hybrid version of the Barrage, and it's one of the paddles people compare the Barrage 2 to the most. Both are $229.99 with the same core, face and handle, and power, pop and spin are about the same.
You get a little more control and a little bigger sweet spot with the Barrage 2. Its twist weight's higher too, so it twists less on mishits.
Want reach and a quicker swing? That's the Barrage 4. It's a little longer, 16.2 inches to 16.0, and swings a little lighter.
Full foam, with far more power than the typical honeycomb widebody
CRBN says it designed the Barrage for power that comes from pop, with a new core design on the same Gen 4 TruFoam technology CRBN uses in the Genesis and Waves. The core is 14mm full foam. It has an EPP foam center inside an EVA foam ring, with foam injected at the edges. The whole paddle is thermoformed as one piece, and the face is raw T700 carbon fiber with a peel-ply texture.
Next to the typical honeycomb widebody with perimeter foam, counting every core thickness, the Barrage 2 has far more power and pop and clearly less control. Next to the typical 16mm full foam widebody I've tested, it has a little more power, and its pop and control are about the same.
CRBN lists the swing weight at 110 to 112, and I measured 108.9, which is just under that range.
It weighs 7.8 to 8.2 ounces, and it's 16 inches long. The 5.5 inch handle has room for two hands, and the grip is 4.125 inches. CRBN's warranty is one year.
Owners say it's quick in the hands, with no common defect so far
CRBN released the Barrage 2 on March 17, 2026. The thing owners mention most is that they had control of it right from their first session. They also say it's quick in the hands and strong on counters.
As of October 2026, about seven months after it first shipped, I haven't found a defect that three or more owners report.
Should you get the Barrage 2 or the Boomstik Widebody?
The Boomstik Widebody is $333, and the code INF-STSPICKLEBALL adds a $40 Selkirk gift card instead of lowering the price. That's $103.01 more than the Barrage 2 at list, or $126.01 more with the codes.
The two are about the same on power, pop, control and spin. The Boomstik Widebody's sweet spot is clearly bigger and its twist weight is higher, so it's the more forgiving paddle. It also comes with Selkirk's lifetime warranty.
The Barrage 2 swings a little lighter. It's also on the UPA-A list, and the Boomstik Widebody's only USA Pickleball approved.
Two cheaper widebodies match or beat it on every score
Two paddles you might pick instead
How it stacks up against the Pegasus Power 2 and the MPP Turbo ArmorGrit Widebody
A paddle only wins a score when it leads by 5 points or more.
TruFoam Barrage 2Widebody · $206.99
Pegasus Power 2Widebody · $199.99The Pegasus Power 2 hits harder, has more pop, spins more and has a bigger sweet spot. Control is about the same. The Pegasus Power 2 costs about $7 less.
TruFoam Barrage 2Widebody · $206.99
MPP Turbo ArmorGrit WidebodyWidebody · $99.99The MPP Turbo ArmorGrit spins more and has a bigger sweet spot. Power, pop and control are about the same. The MPP Turbo ArmorGrit costs about $107 less.
On my numbers, eight widebodies I've tested that cost at least $10 less than the Barrage 2 match or beat it on both pop and sweet spot. Two of them, the Pegasus Power 2 and the MPP Turbo ArmorGrit Widebody, match or beat it on every score I give.
11SIX24 Pegasus Power 2, $209.99, or $199.99 with code STSPICKLEBALL. The Pegasus Power 2 is $20 less, and it's for players who want everything the Barrage 2 does with a bigger sweet spot. Its sweet spot scored 100 out of 100, more than any other paddle I've tested. It also has more spin, a little more power and a little more pop, and its twist weight is higher. Control and swing weight are about the same. You give up USA Pickleball approval, since it's only on the UPA-A list. The warranty is one year, and the handle is a little longer at 5.75 inches.
Enhance MPP Turbo ArmorGrit Widebody, $119.99, or $99.99 with code STSPICKLEBALL. For value, this is the one. It's $110 less than the Barrage 2, and its power, pop and control are about the same. Its sweet spot is clearly bigger, it has more spin, and it swings a little lighter. It's USA Pickleball approved but not on the UPA-A list, and the warranty covers the core for one year.
Honolulu J3CR Crystal Blue, $195, or $175.50 with code STS10. The J3CR Crystal Blue is $34.99 less, and it's the pick for spin-first players. It has far more spin than the Barrage 2, plus a little more control and a little bigger sweet spot. Power and pop are about the same. It has a 6 inch handle, it's only on the UPA-A list, and the warranty is one year.
Enhance EPP Turbo Widebody, $119.99, or $99.99 with code STSPICKLEBALL. The EPP Turbo has the same kind of core, an EPP foam center with an EVA foam perimeter, plus a raw peel-ply face, for $110 less. It has a little more power and a little bigger sweet spot, and pop, control and spin are about the same. Keep in mind the 5.3 inch handle is tight for two hands. It's USA Pickleball approved but not on the UPA-A list, and the warranty covers the core for one year.
Ronbus Quanta Pro R2.16, $119.99, or $107.99 with code STSPICKLEBALL. The Quanta Pro R2.16 is $110 less, and it's for hands players who want even more pop. It has a little more pop and a little bigger sweet spot, with about the same control and spin. It has clearly less power, though. It's USA Pickleball approved but not on the UPA-A list, and the warranty is six months.
Friday Aura Pro Widebody, $169, or $152.10 with code STSPICKLEBALL. The Aura Pro Widebody is $60.99 less, and it's for attackers who want more pace and spin. It has a little more power, more spin and a lighter swing, and pop and sweet spot are about the same. It has clearly less control, though. It's USA Pickleball approved but not on the UPA-A list, and the warranty is six months.
Get it for the feel and the pace, not for value
Get the Barrage 2 if you want a widebody that hits like a power paddle. It feels solid, and it's got the pop for fast hands battles. Play both USA Pickleball and UPA-A events? It works for that too. Care more about price than feel? The Pegasus Power 2 and the MPP Turbo ArmorGrit Widebody give you as much or more on my numbers for less.
Testing details
- Tested
- May 1, 2026
- Power and pop
- 20 full serves for power and 20 punch volleys for pop, every ball speed read on a Stalker radar gun.
- Spin
- 20 more serves on the radar. I drop the outliers and average the rest, which gave this paddle 2,282 RPM.
- Swing and twist weight
- Measured on a Briffidi SW1 swing weight machine.
- Sweet spot and control
- The same dinks, drops, resets and drives off a Titan ONE ball machine, for every paddle.
- The scores
- Out of 100, with the same tests for every paddle. The top paddles I've tested score 100.
- Published
- Scores from
- My database, updated October 15, 2026. How I test
No. 1
No. 1
No. 2
No. 3
No. 4
