The Volair CMD Hybrid is the HexGrit hybrid to get if a Power 2 feels too stiff and a Jelly Bean 2 doesn't hit hard enough. It's a 16mm full foam hybrid, and it's Dylan Frazier's signature paddle. Volair licenses the HexGrit face from 11SIX24, the same grit 11SIX24 builds into its own paddles, and the CMD spun 2,396 RPM in my spin test, so only five paddles I've tested spin more. The rest of my scores land in the middle. It scored 79 out of 100 for power and 72 out of 100 for control, both about the same as the average hybrid, so it sits on the line between all-court and power, with a lot of spin. Its sweet spot scored 69 out of 100, about average for a hybrid, and shots caught high on the face come off short. It's also approved by UPA-A only, and it's still on pre-order, with new orders expected to begin shipping November 1, 2026. It's $179.99. The code STSPICKLEBALL takes 10% off, which brings it to $161.99, and that's $38 less than the Vapor Power 2 with my code. I earn a commission when you use my codes.
Pros and cons
Pros
- The CMD spun 2,396 RPM for a spin score of 98 out of 100. Only five paddles I've tested spin more, and three of those are hybrids.
- Only three paddles I've tested match or beat the CMD on power, pop and spin together, the Honolulu J2CR Long Handle, J3CR and J6CR Crystal Blue.
- It's softer than a Power 2, and the ball stays on the face long enough to shape it, so drops and topspin dinks come easily.
- It has clearly more power and clearly more pop than either Jelly Bean 2 hybrid, for $2 more with the codes.
- In my wear test, 11SIX24's HexGrit lost about 1% of its spin over 75 games, and the CMD's face is that same HexGrit.
Cons
- Its sweet spot scored 69 out of 100, and nearly half the paddles I've tested have a bigger one. Shots caught near the top of the face die a bit.
- It's approved by UPA-A only, so you can't use it in USA Pickleball sanctioned events.
- It's on pre-order, so you can't get one right away.
- It only comes in one shape and one thickness, a 16mm hybrid.
Quick answers
Is the Volair CMD USA Pickleball approved?
No. On October 21, 2026, USA Pickleball's approved paddle list had no Volair CMD on it, and Volair's product page lists it as UPA tournament approved. So you can play it in UPA-A events like PPA qualifiers, but not in USA Pickleball sanctioned events. If you need USA Pickleball approval, the Enhance MPP Turbo ArmorGrit Hybrid and the Pickleball Apes Zen S+ further down are the ones I'd look at.
Is the Volair CMD a power paddle?
Not quite. It sits on the line between all-court and power. Its power score of 79 out of 100 is about the same as the average hybrid's 77, and its control score of 72 is about the same as the average hybrid's 71. Its pop score of 82 out of 100 is a little more than the average hybrid's 74. Spin is the one place it pulls far ahead, at 2,396 RPM against 2,272 RPM for the average hybrid.
Volair CMD or 11SIX24 Jelly Bean 2?
The CMD, if you want more pace. Next to the Ultré Jelly Bean 2, the CMD has clearly more power, 79 out of 100 against 68, and clearly more pop, 82 against 69, with about the same spin and sweet spot. The Ultré Jelly Bean 2 has a little more control, 78 out of 100 against 72, and the Jelly Bean 2 costs $2 less with the codes. If your resets are the part of your game you most want help with, get the Jelly Bean 2.
When does the Volair CMD ship?
As of October 21, 2026, Volair sells the CMD Hybrid as a pre-order at $179.99 and says new orders are expected to begin shipping November 1, 2026, in the order they come in. Volair also says the first batch sold out and was set to ship around October 15.
Volair CMD or Volair Shift Hybrid?
The CMD, if you can spend the money. It has clearly more power, 79 out of 100 against 64 on the 14mm Shift Hybrid, clearly more pop, 82 against 68, and clearly more control, 72 against 58. It also spins far more, 2,396 RPM against 2,264 RPM, with the same sweet spot score of 69. The Shift Hybrid is $69.99, or $62.99 with the code STSPICKLEBALL, so it's $99 less with the codes, and it's approved by both USA Pickleball and UPA-A.
Soft for a HexGrit paddle, and the ball sits on the face
So, the CMD plays soft. It's softer than 11SIX24's Power 2 paddles and firmer than its Jelly Bean 2s, which puts it right between the two HexGrit lines in feel. Contact is a little hollow rather than dense.
The ball also stays on the face a beat longer than it does on stiffer durable grit paddles. That's what lets you shape a drop or carve a dink instead of just pushing it, and it's the main reason to pick the CMD over a Power 2.
Pace comes off the face in line with your swing. A short swing sends the ball off slow and a full swing sends it off fast, and there are no hot spots sending balls long.
Swing weight is how heavy the paddle feels when you swing it, lower means faster hands. The CMD's swing weight of 112.0 is about the same as the average hybrid's 111.9, so it's neither quick nor slow for the shape. Twist weight is how much the face resists twisting when you miss the center, and the CMD's twist weight of 6.5 sits right next to the average hybrid's 6.57.
Spin near the top of everything I've tested, with pace in the middle
How its spin stacks up against other hybrids you can buy
Only three hybrids you can buy spin more, 118 RPM above the average
The top three for spin
- 1Honolulu J2CR Long Handle Crystal Blue2,467
- 211SIX24 Vapor Jelly Bean 22,40364 RPM behind
- 311SIX24 Ultré Jelly Bean 22,39770 RPM behind
- 4Volair CMD Hybrid2,39671 RPM behind
Drives, serves and put-aways
Spin is the CMD's strength. It spun 2,396 RPM in my spin test, for a spin score of 98 out of 100, far more than the average hybrid's 2,272 RPM. The five paddles I've tested that spin more are two 11SIX24 Jelly Bean 2s and three Honolulu Crystal Blue paddles. The HexGrit grabs the ball, so a topspin drive or serve dips into the court sooner, and you can swing hard and still keep it in.
The pace is solid, not huge. The CMD's power score of 79 out of 100 is clearly less than the Vapor Power 2's 91 and clearly more than the Vapor Jelly Bean 2's 63, so drives and serves have plenty of pace without the jump of a Power 2. If you're coming from a Power 2, put-aways take a fuller swing.
Speed-ups and counters
Pop is the pace you get off short swings at the net. The CMD scored 82 out of 100 for pop, a little more than the average hybrid's 74, so counters and speed-ups come off with real pace for a paddle with average control. That mix is what makes it work at the kitchen. You get enough on a counter to win a hands battle, with a little less spring on your dinks than a Power 2 gives you.
Dinks, resets and third-shot drops
This is where the soft face pays off. Drops come off easy, and you can swing through a third-shot drop and still shape it. Dinks feel comfortable from the first game, and a topspin dink dips fast off the HexGrit.
Control is my score from the same ball-machine dink, drop and reset drills every paddle gets. The CMD scored 72 out of 100 for control, about the same as the average hybrid. That's a little more than the Vapor Power 2's 65 and clearly more than the Ultré Power 2's 58, so your soft game is easier than it is on either Power 2 hybrid.
The one reset to watch is the one you catch high on the face. Those die a bit and can come up short of the net.
Mishits
The CMD's sweet spot scored 69 out of 100, about the same as the average hybrid's 72, and nearly half the paddles I've tested have a bigger one. The weak area is the top of the face, where the ball comes off with less pace.
Lead tape helps here. The CMD's swing weight of 112.0 is only average for a hybrid, so it has room for a few grams along each side of the edge guard, above the middle of the face. That raises the swing weight a little and steadies the weak top of the face, which is worth doing if you tend to miss high.
How it feels in your hand next to other hybrids 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 hybrid.
How much the paddle fights twisting when you miss the middle. A higher number is steadier.
About average twist weight for a hybrid.
How its sweet spot stacks up against other hybrids you can buy
An average-size sweet spot for a hybrid
Both rings are sized to their score.
A floating foam core under licensed HexGrit
Inside is a 16mm full foam core, with a floating EPP center inside an EVA ring. Volair calls it a channel core and says its engineered flex gives a softer feel and a larger sweet spot. My sweet spot score doesn't back up the larger sweet spot part, since the CMD scored 69 out of 100, about average for a hybrid. The face is four layers deep, with T700 carbon fiber on the outside, fiberglass under it and two more layers of carbon fiber under that. The HexGrit sits on top, and the whole paddle is thermoformed.
The HexGrit is doing the spin work. Against the average 16mm full foam hybrid, the CMD spins more, 2,396 RPM against 2,303 RPM. Against the average 16mm hybrid with a grit face, it spins about the same, 2,396 RPM against 2,374 RPM. Next to that grit-faced average, it has a little less power, 79 against 84, a little less pop, 82 against 87, and a little smaller sweet spot, 69 against 76.
Volair says the CMD's HexGrit is engineered to hold its surface roughness through significantly more play than a traditional peel-ply carbon face.
Volair lists the CMD at 7.85 oz, 16.25 inches long and 7.75 inches wide, with a 5.6 inch handle and a 4.125 inch grip circumference. It lists a swing weight of 111 and a twist weight of 6.4, and I measured a swing weight of 112.0 and a twist weight of 6.5, so the CMD measured right around spec. The 5.6 inch handle has room for a two-handed backhand. The warranty is one year.
On pre-order now, with no owner reports yet
As of October 21, 2026, the CMD Hybrid is on pre-order at Volair's site for $179.99. Volair listed it on its store on September 10, 2026, and the first batch sold out. The hybrid is the only shape, and 16mm is the only thickness.
That also means there's nothing from owners yet. As of October 21, 2026, I haven't found a report from any buyer who has received a CMD yet.
Volair CMD Hybrid or 11SIX24 Vapor Power 2?
The Vapor Power 2 is the paddle I'd weigh the CMD against first. Both are 16mm full foam hybrids with HexGrit faces, both are approved by UPA-A only, and both are 16.25 by 7.75 inches. The Vapor Power 2 is $209.99, or $199.99 with the code STSPICKLEBALL, so the CMD is $38 less with the codes.
On my numbers, spin is a tie, 2,396 RPM on the CMD against 2,374 RPM on the Vapor Power 2. They swing about the same too, with swing weights of 112.0 and 110.6. The Vapor Power 2 hits clearly harder, with a power score of 91 out of 100 against 79, pops a little more, 87 against 82, and has a little bigger sweet spot, 78 against 69. The CMD has a little more control, 72 out of 100 against 65, and it feels softer.
So if you want the most pace you can get from HexGrit and your resets are already solid, spend the extra $38 on the Vapor Power 2. If you want HexGrit spin with an easier soft game and a softer feel, get the CMD.
Where I'd look instead, for a bigger sweet spot or USA Pickleball approval
Two paddles you might pick instead
How it stacks up against the J2CR Long Handle Crystal Blue and the MPP Turbo ArmorGrit Hybrid
A paddle only wins a score when it leads by 5 points or more.
CMD HybridHybrid · $161.99
J2CR Long Handle Crystal BlueHybrid · $175.50The J2CR Long Handle hits harder, has more pop and a bigger sweet spot. Spin and control are about the same. The J2CR Long Handle costs about $13 more.
CMD HybridHybrid · $161.99
MPP Turbo ArmorGrit HybridHybrid · $99.99The CMD spins more. The MPP Turbo ArmorGrit hits harder and has a bigger sweet spot. Pop and control are about the same. The MPP Turbo ArmorGrit costs about $62 less.
Honolulu J2CR Long Handle Crystal Blue, $195, or $175.50 with code STS10. If you want spin and a bigger sweet spot, this is the one I'd get. It's $13.51 more with the codes, and its 2,467 RPM is the most spin of any paddle I've tested, against 2,396 RPM on the CMD. It has a clearly bigger sweet spot, 82 out of 100 against 69, a little more power and a little more pop, with about the same control. It also swings a little lighter, with a swing weight of 108.9 against 112.0. In my wear test, Honolulu's Crystal Blue surface lost about 1% of its spin over 75 games. It's approved by UPA-A only too, and its 6 inch handle has plenty of room for two hands.
Enhance MPP Turbo ArmorGrit Hybrid, $119.99, or $99.99 with code STSPICKLEBALL. On a budget, or if you play USA Pickleball events, this is the one. It's $62 less with the codes, and it scores about the same as the CMD for pop, control and spin, at 2,354 RPM against 2,396. It has a little more power, 84 out of 100 against 79, and a little bigger sweet spot, 78 against 69, and it swings a little lighter, with a swing weight of 109.1 against 112.0. It's approved by USA Pickleball only. Enhance's warranty covers just the core, for one year, and ArmorGrit isn't in my wear test.
Pickleball Apes Zen S+, $188.88, or $169.99 with code STSPICKLEBALL. For USA Pickleball players who want a lot more pace, this is the pick. It's $8 more with the codes. It has far more power, with a power score of 100 out of 100 against 79. It has clearly more pop, with a pop score of 92 against 82, and a clearly bigger sweet spot, with a sweet spot score of 85 against 69. Control is about the same. The CMD spins more, 2,396 RPM against 2,344, and the Zen S+ swings clearly lighter, with a swing weight of 104.4 against 112.0. It's approved by USA Pickleball only, and Pickleball Apes doesn't say what foam is in the core.
Bread & Butter Loco 2 Hybrid, $220, or $198 with code STSPICKLEBALL. If you want one paddle for both USA Pickleball and UPA-A events, this is the one. It's $36.01 more with the codes. It has clearly more power, 89 out of 100 against 79, a little more pop and a clearly bigger sweet spot, 79 against 69, with about the same spin. The CMD has clearly more control, 72 out of 100 against 60, and the Loco 2 plays stiff and hollow, while the CMD is softer and a little less hollow. The Loco 2 Hybrid is on pre-order too, and Bread & Butter expects it to ship November 11, 2026. Its 5.3 inch handle is tight for a two-handed backhand.
Get the CMD if you shape the ball, and skip it if you miss high or need USA Pickleball approval
If you win with spin, drops and counters more than raw pace, and you play UPA-A events, the CMD Hybrid is the HexGrit hybrid I'd get. It gives you the spin of a Jelly Bean 2 with clearly more pace, a softer feel than a Power 2 and more control than either Power 2 hybrid, for $38 less than the Vapor Power 2 with my code. Pre-order it if you don't mind the wait.
Skip it if you need USA Pickleball approval, because the Zen S+ and the ArmorGrit Hybrid are the ones for that. Skip it if you miss the center a lot and don't want to add lead tape, because the J2CR Long Handle Crystal Blue gives you more spin and a clearly bigger sweet spot for $13.51 more. And if you want the most pace you can get from HexGrit, get a Power 2 hybrid instead.
Testing details
- Tested
- September 12, 2026 through early October 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 2,396 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 21, 2026. How I test
Watch the review
8:23The J2CR Finally Has a Serious Rival: Volair CMD
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