Holbrook Arma Paddle Review: Elite Power with a Catch
By John Kew / June 6, 2025
The Arma is Holbrook’s first foray into the power paddle realm, and the power level of these paddles puts them right up against the legal boundary, putting the Arma in the same category as other elite power paddles such as the PaddleTek Bantam series, JOOLA Pro IVs, and Ronbus Ripple. But there’s a caveat with this paddle that you’ll want to know about, so read on to find out.
First, a Quick Disclosure
Holbrook sent me these paddles for review. There was no payment involved, and they had zero input on this review. However, if you decide to buy one using my affiliate link, I do earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you—which helps support my work.
Specs & Technology
The Arma officially launches today on Pickleball Central, with Holbrook's website following four days later. There are two finishes:
- Metallic: $280
- Raw Carbon Fiber: $260
(You can knock 15% off either using my affiliate link.)
You’ll have three shapes to choose from:
- T (Elongated)
- S (Widebody)
- X (Shorter handle, elongated face)
What's Inside?
The Arma is a Gen-3 foam-injected, thermoformed paddle, and Holbrook went all-in on internal design:
- Perimeter Foam: Large foam walls boost dwell time and forgiveness.
- Dual-Density Polypropylene Core: High-density (8mm) at the top, low-density (10mm) at the bottom, engineered to widen the sweet spot.
- Internal Lead Weighting: Placed at the 4 and 8 o’clock positions for enhanced balance and added plow-through.
Holbrook even wrapped the foam inserts in carbon fiber to improve stiffness and durability—a thoughtful touch aimed at maximizing performance across a wider contact area.
X-ray images of Arma S (left) and Arma T (right)
Performance Metrics
For this review, we’ll focus on the Arma T Raw Carbon Fiber, which I believe will be the most popular configuration.
On the radar chart:
- Power & Pop: Both above the 90th percentile
- Spin: 2,114 RPM—solid for a power paddle
- Twist Weight: About average
- Swing Weight & Balance Point: Higher, typical of elongated shapes
In short, this paddle is built for firepower. But surprisingly, control is better than expected for a paddle this powerful.
My KewCOR score (coefficient of restitution) came back at 0.5319—nearly the legal limit. This puts the Arma squarely in the elite power tier, side-by-side with the Bantam ALW-C 12.7 and the Ronbus Ripple V2 R1.14.
You can check out these metrics and compare with other paddles on my Paddle Analytics Dashboard.
On-Court Feel
If you like hitting hard, you’ll love this paddle. Drives and serves come off hot, and the paddle still offers enough dwell time to keep things manageable during resets and softer touches. The raw carbon surface adds a bit of bite to your spin game, and the sweet spot is decently forgiving thanks to all the interior tech.
That said, this isn’t a control-first paddle. It’s a weapon. But compared to others in its class, like the Ronbus Ripple or Paddletek Bantam, the Arma does feel slightly easier to tame.
Shape Comparison
- T Shape: My personal favorite—elongated with good reach and solid feel.
- S Shape: Biggest sweet spot, but the shorter handle may not suit two-handed players.
- X Shape: Only available in metallic finish. Great for players who use one hand and want to maximize paddle face area.
Note: Even though these paddles include internal weighting, I found that adding 3–6 grams of tungsten tape (at the throat and low on the face) improves plow-through and sweet spot size—without compromising hand speed.
Durability Concerns
Here’s the caveat: I cut one of these open and noticed signs of core crushing—a condition where the internal polypropylene cells collapse under pressure during the thermoforming process. It wasn’t as bad as what I’ve seen in the JOOLA MOD-TA-15, but it’s there, and that raises questions about long-term durability.
Image of profile cut, revealing core crushing (denoted by arrows).
So, while the paddle performs great now, I can’t yet vouch for how it’ll hold up over time, especially under the stress of powerful hitters.
Final Verdict
The Holbrook Arma delivers elite-tier power with a respectably large sweet spot—an enticing combination for aggressive players who still want some control at the kitchen line. It competes directly with the biggest names in the power category and is the most affordable paddle in that tier after the 15% discount:
- Metallic: $238
- Raw Carbon: $221
Holbrook also backs the Arma with a 1-year warranty, double the industry standard, and I’ve heard good things about their customer service.
So if durability is at all a concern to you, I’d recommend passing on this one until it hits the mass market and we have a large sample of players to test its durability.
But, if my paddle was a one-off, and Holbrook tightens their durability QC, and these paddles prove to hold up in the durability department, they do play great, and I think they will appeal to people looking for maximum firepower without sacrificing too much control.
If durability proves not to be an issue long-term, the Arma could be one of the best-value paddles in the elite power class.