11six24 Vapor Power2 Review (2026): HexGrit, Spin Durability, and the UPA-A Caveat

What the experts say

Chris Olson, Pickleball Studio (8/10)

The framing on what HexGrit actually does:

"The 11six24 brings combines full foam core performance with their new HexGrit which is now data backed and shown to last considerably longer than raw carbon fiber paddles. In a test of 100 games, the Vapor Power2 lost less than 100 RPM, while other competing raw carbon fiber paddles lost nearly 300 RPM in the same 100 games."

The exact numbers from his testing protocol:

"Our Power2 tested at 2,141 RPM when brand new, and after logging 100 games equivalent between drilling and actual games, the paddle only dropped to 2,071 RPM. For reference, the two raw carbon fiber paddles we have tested so far, the Loco and the Franklin C45, those dropped from the 2,000 RPM range down to the 1,700 and 1,600 RPM ranges."

Olson's calibrated read on how it stacks against the Permagrit (Spartus P1) durability story:

"Which is a bit higher of a drop than what we saw on the Spartus P1, but I think it's also worth pointing out that when I finished that review, the P1 had 84 games equivalent on it, and the raw carbon fiber paddles and the Power2 all have 100 logged. So, the difference in that drop could just be that the P1 is still missing some games. But, overall in my testing so far, HexGrit clearly holds up meaningfully longer than the raw carbon fiber paddles we have tested so far."

The big caveat: UPA-A only, not USAP

Worth covering before anything else, because it determines whether this paddle is even an option for you:

"The Power2 only has UPA-A certification. There are some tournaments that might disallow you from using this paddle because of the lack of USAP certification, and if you play in those, you will probably want to know."

Why HexGrit doesn't pass USAP:

"The reason is because the texture of their paddle is too rough to pass USAPs certification test. This is probably one of the roughest feeling paddles I have ever touched, so if you're someone who always touches your paddle to see how rough they are, you'll probably be very happy with how gritty it is."

The two governing bodies use different testing methods. USAP fails paddles based on a surface-roughness test. UPA-A measures actual RPMs by shooting a ball at the paddle out of a cannon. HexGrit fails the surface roughness threshold but the build doesn't generate over-spec RPMs.

What this means in practice: if you play sanctioned APP Tour, USAP-rule national tournaments, or any local tournament that follows USAP rules strictly, you cannot use this paddle. If you play PPA pro divisions, rec, or local tournaments with mixed-rule acceptance (Olson notes his local tournaments accept either stamp), you're fine. Ask your tournament director before buying this paddle for a tournament. 11six24 has stated they have no plans to release a USAP-certified version.

How it plays out of the box

Olson's positioning of the feel:

"If I had to try and describe the feel of the Power2, I think it sits pretty perfectly between the Spartus P1, and the Bread & Butter Loco. The Loco is very hollow and stiff, while the P1 is denser and feels more plush. The Power2 to me, is less stiff and hollow than a Loco, but not as dense and soft as a P1."

On power tier:

"For power, I would place it mid tier out of the box. I think it's below paddles like the Loco, Inferno, and Boomstik. Out of the box it feels pretty poppy, but power on drives and serves felt a little lacking, like the paddle just wasn't pushing the ball as much as I expected."

The shot-by-shot breakdown:

"The profile I would categorize the Power2 as, is more pop and less power. So, for compact strokes like resets, counters, dinks, the ball comes off pretty quick, and then for full swings, it felt less than some other comparable options currently."

One specific weak spot Olson flagged consistently across 100 games:

"There was just this occasional inconsistency in thirds either missing lower than I expected, or quite a bit higher, and then for dinks having a similar issue. It wasn't so bad that I felt like I couldn't play with the paddle, I just found that I was missing more routine shots than I expected."

The lead-tape setup that tunes it

Olson lands on a more aggressive setup than usual for a hybrid this light:

"The final setup that I landed on and enjoyed was taking the 5 gram slyce slyders and placing them at 3 and 9, and then adding roughly a 5" strip of half gram tungsten at the head of the paddle. I rarely add weight to the head of paddles, but it just felt like it helped with the plow through on the Power2 and made the sweet spot feel a bit more comfortable up at the head."

The before/after specs after this setup: 111 swing weight → 119, 6.57 twist weight → 7.64.

For most rec players, Olson's recommendation is lighter:

"Most people out there, I think if you just put a bit of weight close to 3 and 9 or just above the bottom corners, it would be plenty to tune this up nicely."

Olson's bottom line

"In the recent flood of foam paddles and many companies barely do anything to set themselves apart, I think 11six24 has found a recipe that is worth considering more than a lot of the options that have come out in the last month or two."

"For myself, I would definitely place this paddle in my top 5 to consider as my main. I think the only thing that makes it not an immediate main, is just dialing in some of the softer stuff that I was talking about."

What players say

11six24's own product page lists a curated aggregate of 4.86/5 across 455 reviews at time of writing, one of the largest sample sizes in this category. Note the bias caveat: this is the brand's marketing surface and 11six24 can suppress negatives. 11six24 is direct-to-consumer only with no Amazon distribution, so an unbiased third-party sample is not yet available; treat the number as directional. The verbatim reviews surfaced on the brand page pull cleanly:

"Amazing Grit and power, all round performance. Kudos to 11six24."

"Amazing paddle. Great swing weight, great grit, great power, and control. All the features I was looking for in a paddle but was unable to find prior to switching to 11six24."

"Replaced my trusty Pegasus Power that died (disbonded). The Power 2 felt a little stiff new. Once it 'broke in,' that familiar feeling I enjoyed appeared. Love it."

"The Vapor Power 2 is just an awesome playing paddle. Does everything above average."

"Absolutely addicted to the spin I get with this paddle."

The owner-confirmed signal on grit and spin matches Olson's framing exactly. The only owner concern flagged with any consistency is paddle delamination, which Olson also called out in his cons list, but he noted the brand's customer service has been quick to replace affected units. The 455-review aggregate at 4.86/5 is the largest verifiable owner-satisfaction sample we've documented across our paddle reviews.

Where the Vapor Power2 fits

This is now the second paddle in 2026 to back a long-lasting-texture claim with quantitative data, joining the Spartus P1 Hybrid with Permagrit. The two are direct competitors on the durability axis, with notable differences:

• Texture longevity: Permagrit dropped ~0% surface roughness over 84 games; HexGrit dropped ~3.3% RPM over 100 games. Both materially better than raw carbon fiber. The protocols differ slightly so direct comparison needs care.
• Certification: Spartus P1 is USAP-approved. 11six24 Vapor Power2 is UPA-A only. The P1 wins for tournament players who need USAP.
• Feel: Spartus is denser and plush; 11six24 is closer to a hollow-stiff feel. The Loco is the most hollow-stiff of the three.
• Stock weight: Spartus is heavy out of box (117); 11six24 is light (111) and tunable. The Spartus is plug-and-play; the 11six24 rewards tinkering.
• Owner samples: 11six24 has 455 reviews at 4.86/5; Spartus has 75 at 4.9/5. Both extremely positive but the 11six24 sample is far larger.

Cross-shopping context: Spartus P1 Hybrid for the USAP-approved long-lasting-grit option, Bread & Butter Loco for the no-tinkering balanced power option, Ronbus Quanta for the cheapest tunable power option, and our best foam pickleball paddles 2026 guide for the full decision tree.

Who should buy it

Spin-shapers who play primarily at the kitchen line. Players who counter speed-ups well and want a paddle that's easy to drive into hands battles. Players whose tournament play is rec-only or mixed-rule (most local play, all PPA pro divisions, much of casual sanctioned play). Tinkerers who like the lighter starting swing weight as a customization canvas. Players upgrading from a Pegasus or older 11six24 and wanting a refresh.

Who should not buy it

USAP-only tournament players (strictly disqualifies you from sanctioned APP and most USAP-rule events). Players who want plug-and-play feel without weight tuning. Soft-game leaners who want plush feel (Spartus P1 is the better fit). Raw-power players (Loco, Boomstik will hit harder). Anyone who prioritizes Amazon ordering convenience.

About this review

This is an aggregated review built around Pickleball Studio's 8/10 verdict, with verbatim quotes from Chris Olson's full review plus owner reactions from 11six24's product page (4.86/5 across 455 reviews). The headline: HexGrit is the second long-lasting-texture technology in 2026 to actually back the marketing with measured spin-durability data, after Permagrit on the Spartus P1. We have not personally played this paddle.

Sources

• Chris Olson, Pickleball Studio: 11six24 Vapor Power2 Review (8/10)
• Pickleball Studio on YouTube
• 11six24 Vapor Power 2 product page (owner reviews)
• USA Pickleball approved equipment list (verify before sanctioned play)