Update: The J6CR M105 with the new MPP core instead of EPP is available for preorder now, and you can use code SLICE10 at checkout for a discount.
I expected the J2CR, J2CR Long Handle, J3CR, and J6CR to feel like the same paddle in four shapes. They do share the same CR DNA: stiff, hollow, quick off the face, and with a huge sweet spot, but the different shapes and weight distribution change how each one actually plays.
The Honolulu CR Series retails for $195, and code SLICE10 gets you 10% off, bringing the price down to $175.50.
My short version is simple:
- J6CR (Unique Aero Top): my favorite. It gives me reach, leverage, spring, and the best directional control.
- J2CR (Aero Top): the easiest recommendation. It is quick, stable, and naturally suited to doubles.
- J3CR (Flat-Top): the surprise. It combines widebody forgiveness with compact offense.
- J2CR LH: the question mark. My stock sample was too light and may have been a dud.
Measurements
| Model | Shape | Weight | SW | TW | Balance | Power | Pop | Spin | PPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J2CR CBE | Hybrid | 7.98 oz | 109.9 | 6.69 | 233 mm | 58.6 mph | 38.8 mph | 2,318 RPM | 86 |
| J2CR CBE LH | Long-handle hybrid | 7.75 oz | 103.6 | 6.27 | 227 mm | 54.7 mph | 37.7 mph | 2,374 RPM | 78 |
| J3CR Blue Grit | Widebody | 7.96 oz | 107.5 | 6.63 | 226 mm | 59.9 mph | 39.4 mph | 2,354 RPM | 85 |
| J6CR Blue Grit | Elongated | 8.06 oz | 114.6 | 6.23 | 233 mm | 60.8 mph | 39.1 mph | 2,437 RPM | 88 |
These measurements belong to my specific samples.
Break-In Helps, but These Never Become Soft
Out of the box, the CR paddles can feel firm and abrupt. After two or three real sessions, the face relaxes slightly, the sweet spot becomes easier to read, and the response feels more connected. Drops and resets also become easier because the launch is more predictable.
They become slightly softer and more connected, but not soft. The underlying personality remains stiff and hollow.
Of the Blue Grit versions, the regular J2CR showed the biggest change in feel. Mine felt noticeably firmer and offered less pocketing than the non-Blue-Grit version. The J6CR Blue Grit stayed much closer to the original J6CR. It was a touch stiffer with slightly less pocketing, but still felt recognizably like the same paddle. The J2CR LH also felt closer, though mine was heavily weighted, so that wasn't a clean stock-to-stock comparison.
The arrows show the movement from out of the box to broken in: slightly softer and more connected while remaining in the stiff-hollow area.
Core Construction and Blue Grit
The CR core uses an EPP center with a lot more EVA Foam interlaced around the perimeter and throat.
On court, I feel that EVA more as support than softness. It helps the face resist twisting and keeps more of the hitting area usable, while the EPP retains the lively rebound.
Blue Grit is still one of my favorite durable surfaces because it provides both spin and feedback. It is not as coarse as HexGrit, but I can feel the ball catch on rolls, slices, dipping drives, and serves.
My first J2CR was the exception. It arrived unusually smooth, almost bald, and the hitting area became smoother within a couple of hours. Honolulu eventually approved the return, and the replacement had a much more obvious and even crystal layer.
My later J2CR LH, J3CR, and J6CR samples were also evenly coated.
Spin is not a weakness here: the range was 2,318 to 2,437 RPM. The more important issue is getting a consistent Blue Grit application.
J6CR vs J2CR: Where Does Your Offense Come From?
The J6CR and regular J2CR both balance at 233 mm, but they do not swing alike.
The J2CR sits at 109.9 SW with 6.69 TW, while the J6CR is 114.6 SW with 6.23 TW.
That creates the cleanest distinction in the lineup:
J6CR creates offense through leverage and plow-through. J2CR creates offense through speed and positioning.
The J6CR produced 60.8 mph power versus 58.6 mph from the J2CR. Pop was much closer at 39.1 versus 38.8 mph, so I would not call the J6CR dramatically poppier at the kitchen.
The difference is larger when I take a full swing.
The J6CR rewards contact slightly higher on the face. Drives, serves, overheads, and aggressive counters come off with a springy release that can feel almost like extra boing.
It is stiff and hollow, yet it also has a plush, elastic rebound. Some players will call that pocketing; others may find it less connected.
For me, once broken in, the J6CR gives me the best control over where the ball is going.
Compared with the 11SIX24 Power 2 Ultre, the J6CR gives me slightly better ball feel and a little more whip through the stroke, with roughly comparable usable sweet spots. I prefer the feel of Blue Grit over the Hex-Grit as a surface, but I think Hex-Grit has even more spin potential, and grit application over Power 2 and Jelly Bean 2 is pretty uniform compared to the Blue-Grit.
The regular J2CR is more direct. It gets into position faster, recovers more easily after a counter, and already has excellent stock stability.
Its impact is a little stiffer and more abrupt than the J6CR, but I would not call it distinctly hollower.
For blocks, counters, roll volleys, and fast kitchen exchanges, it is probably the smarter choice for most doubles players.
Pick the J6CR for reach, a two-handed backhand, drives, serves, and fuller swings. Pick the J2CR for faster hands, easier positioning, a more straightforward response, and a massive sweet spot, as standard/widebody paddles.
J2CR Long Handle and J3CR
The J2CR Long Handle should suit my two-handed backhand, but my sample came in at only 103.6 SW with a 227 mm balance point.
Compact punches still came off quickly, yet harder drives and counters lacked substance. At 54.7 mph, it was also clearly the lowest-power sample.
I would not judge the shape until it is weighted and remeasured. Its PPI remains 78 stock, because estimated improvements do not belong in a published stock score.
The J3CR is the weird one in the best way.
Its short widebody face, 226 mm balance, 107.5 SW, and 6.63 TW make it extremely easy to position, but it still produced 59.9 mph power and the highest pop result at 39.4 mph.
It does not feel dramatically hotter than the J2CR. Flicks and compact counters simply have a little more jump.
Most importantly, its large sweet spot does not come from extra dwell. The J3CR holds the ball for less time than either J2CR version. Its forgiveness comes from width and resistance to twisting.
For pure hands battles and lateral forgiveness, the J3CR may be the easiest paddle here. I still rank the J2CR slightly higher because I prefer hybrid reach and contact geometry.
J6CR vs Spitfire, Boomstik, unMARKed, RPM V2/Q2, and Power 2
These paddles are all offensive foam options, but they do not deliver offense in the same way.
The easiest way to separate them is by how the ball leaves the face, not by treating one power or pop number as the entire story.
| Paddle | Feel | Power delivery | Dwell/control | Sweet spot | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J6CR | Stiff-hollow with a plush, springy rebound | Leverage plus sudden short-stroke acceleration | Moderate after break-in; best directional control for me | Oversized for an elongated | Reach, drives, counters, and an all-around offensive game |
| Spitfire | Soft-hollow and thonkier | Smoother, medium power; gains offense when weighted | Most dwell and easiest soft game | Smaller than J6CR in my samples | Players who want foam power without giving up touch |
| Boomstik | Stiff, hollow, loud, and direct | Immediate and top-end power | Least forgiving when trying to take pace off | Largest usable sweet spot | Short swings, putaways, and maximum free offense |
| unMARKed | Softer-hollow with more pocketing | Non-linear: controlled at lower pace, explosive when activated | More dwell and composure than J6CR or Boomstik | Larger than Spitfire; very forgiving | Players wanting top-end power without a uniformly rigid response |
| RPM Q2 | Stiff, hollow, and Powerful | Non-linear; if weighted, probably more powerful than Boomstik | Stiff Paddle, not much dwell like the Spitfire | Comparable to Spitfire, but J6CR and Boomstik sweet spots are massive compared to Q2 | Players who enjoy a pronounced trampoline-style response |
| 11SIX24 Power 2 Ultre | Stiff, Hollow. More direct and less plush than J6CR to me | Fast modern power; exact result depends on shape and setup | Connected, but with less of the J6CR’s elastic pocketing | Roughly equal to J6CR in the setup I played | Players who prioritize grit and a more direct response |
My Actual Takeaway
There is no single winner because these paddles solve different problems:
- Best touch and dwell: Spitfire
- Most free power and biggest sweet spot: Boomstik
- Best soft-to-explosive power curve: unMARKed
- Most obvious trampoline character: RPM Q2
- Best grit and bite: Ultre Power 2 with HexGrit
- Best overall blend for my game: J6CR
The J6CR does not beat every paddle in every category.
It is the one I prefer because it combines reach, a surprisingly large sweet spot, springy offense, elite spin, and the best directional control for me without reaching Boomstick-level swingweight.
How I Would Weight Them
Each proposed setup adds 3 g per side plus a 5 g overgrip, or about 11 g total.
| Paddle | Placement | Final weight | SW: stock → est. | TW: stock → est. | BP: stock → est. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J2CR CBE | 3 and 9 | 8.37 oz | 109.9 → 113.8 | 6.69 → 7.34 | 233 → 231 mm |
| J2CR CBE LH | 3 and 9 | 8.14 oz | 103.6 → 107.5 | 6.27 → 6.92 | 227 → 225 mm |
| J3CR Blue Grit | 3 and 9 | 8.35 oz | 107.5 → 111.2 | 6.63 → 7.33 | 226 → 224 mm |
| J6CR Blue Grit | Lower sides, around 4 and 8 | 8.45 oz | 114.6 → 116.0 | 6.23 → 6.73 | 233 → 228 mm |
The J6CR placement is lower because it already has enough swingweight. I want more stability without loading the tip.
A higher 3-and-9 placement can push its TW closer to 7, which is wild for an elongated paddle, but the lower-side setup better protects hand speed and balance.
PPI and Final Ranking
PPI is my overall paddle score, not a simple average of the radar numbers. It includes feel, shape, sweet spot, stock setup, measurements, break-in, and how naturally the paddle fits my game.
Every score below is for the broken-in stock paddle before customization.
- J6CR (PPI 88): My favorite. Best combination of reach, full-swing offense, spring, spin, and directional control.
- J2CR (PPI 86): The easiest recommendation. Quick, stable, versatile, and the cleanest doubles option.
- J3CR (PPI 85): Best for compact offense, hand speed, and lateral forgiveness; my shape preference keeps it behind the J2CR.
- J2CR Long Handle (PPI 78 stock): Promising geometry, but my sample needs mass before I can judge the final setup.
Bottom Line
The J6CR is the one I would keep. It gives me elongated leverage without the tiny sweet spot that often comes with the shape.
The regular J2CR is the one I would recommend most often, especially to doubles players who value quick counters and easy positioning.
The J3CR is the surprise, combining widebody stability with far more offense than I expected.
The J2CR LH remains unfinished business because the stock sample was too light.
Across the lineup, the shared identity is clear: stiff-hollow feel, slightly softer and more connected after break-in, excellent spin when the Blue Grit application is right, and unusually usable sweet spots for offensive paddles.