Tenon R4.16

I really like the new Tenon paddle. I was concerned about not seeing my preferred PB paddle reviewer information on the paddle. However, after drilling with it for two 4 hours sessions and playing gender doubles. I was happy with it stock. No additional weight, only a second grip tape for my hand comfort. If it had some color or highlight design and a little less money it would have received 5 stars.

These comments are based on about 10-12 hrs. of play across 5 sessions. For context, the paddles mentioned as comparisons are:

Ripple Beta (marked but delisted) R1.14 custom weighted to 243 grams
Ripple V2 R1.14 weighted up to xxx grams including 28 gram back weight w/ Slyce cap
Quanta (orig release) R4.16 custom weighted up to 248 grams
Quanta (updated release) R4.16 custom weighted up to 250 grams
ReFoam R4.16 custom weighted up to 250 grams

I am not sure if this is exactly what Ronbus was going for but if a Quanta and a ReFoam had a child, raised by uncle Ripple, this would be the result. That was my initial thought when I first stepped on the court to get some warm-up dinks going as I had just received the paddle in the mail the same day, and set it up to my preferred total weight including overwrap. I didn’t even have a chance to bounce a ball on it at home, nor at the courts as I was summoned upon arrival. The second thought I had after the initial wow … was this thing is soft, like almost gooshy soft but in a good way and I think this translates into perceived dwell time.

Spin seems to be pretty good but I also think it’s partly a product of a little less overall power but enough to shape the ball flight as desired, especially on non-full swing shots like side spin dinks, rolls, drips, and sneaky top spin lobs. If compared to a R4 ReFoam, the spin potential seems to similar but more easily accessible on the Tenen due to the much softer and more dense feel. This was something that I really enjoyed about the original beta Ripple, in that it was VERY spin friendly (super accessible).

The response of the face is similarly linear in that if you give a little more, you get a little more which in my book is easier to reset when playing the big bangers and nullify their power preference to force them into their less preferred strategy. This is an area that while doable with a R4 Quanta, you have to pay attention to how much grip pressure you have as the Quanta face response is more exponential, and therefore a little harder to control in the heat of the moment.

Feel wise, the Tenon is closer to the feedback experience of the Quanta line in that it has that different muted foam core feel and somewhat deeper sound whereas the ReFoam, while still a foam core paddle, seems to feel and sound similar to the polypropylene generations. Sweet spot and stability seems generous, and I had no issues but again, my paddles are weighted so milage may vary depending desired static and swing weight.

Power wise, the Tenon has enough on the full swing to finish points but you aren’t going to hit winners at will from the back unless you catch someone sleeping and enough pop to firmly redirect balls to tough locations on counters. Interestingly, I found that I now have options on the counters to use some intended off-speed hits that sometimes demoralize an opponent more than just a clean winner.

Speaking for myself, I intend to keep both the Quanta R4 and Tenon R4 in the bag and use as needed depending on the general competition, and conditions. Mixed doubles in heavier / cooler / windy conditions will probably be better played with the Quanta but the Tenon will probably serve me better when playing men’s doubles in hotter conditions, especially when finesse is required. I really think these are complimentary paddles depending on what a player is looking for. Want first strike, aggressive power play, get a Quanta. Want more finesse and all court feel with plenty of shot making options, try the new Tenon.

Have Fun out there and see you on the courts -
JQ

A great upper all-court paddle that splits the difference between the Six Zero Coral and Luzz Glider. Good power, moderated pop, and dense/responsive feel with good softness. It'll give off the impression of lower firepower but my numbers definitely place it as an upper all-court paddle. Sweet spot is large, and the handle is generous.

However, it's not perfect. The SW:TW ratio leaves a little to be desired for a hybrid. My paddle came in at just under 8oz stock and had a swing weight of 112.7 with a twist weight of just 6.16 (though, it DOES play a bit better than the raw TW would suggest). Top-end spin generation is below-average by today's standards. Not only that, but access to spin doesn't come easily. While the new Nanobond surface does hold up well (roughly Tier 2), it is as smooth as can be - so much so that you can feel the ball slipping around on the paddle face on full swings. I thought that it was a "me issue", but several players have demoed the paddle and reported similar findings. In addition, none of my other paddles have the slipping issue.

Overall, this paddle is phenomenal at the kitchen and has a lot of potential. It would be an absolute winner if Dong could improve on its stability and coefficient of friction / access to spin.

Adding to my review above, about the only thing left to find out is how durable the grit is. The performance & feel is there, we’ll see how long the “nanobond” grit lasts.

For reference here are 3 photos, my Vapor Power 2 with 30-40 hours of play, my older Quanta with a lot (don’t know how much) of play, & the new Tenon with about 3 hours of play time. All photos taken with a Celestron Micro View on my Mac Pro

Really like the face surface and grip. Added a little weight which gives me a little more power in addition to the added spin. Soft touch as well. Great paddle for the price.

So far so good. Bought this to replace my Quanta which has the edge guard coming loose. I like the texture on the surface of the Tenon and it has plenty of pop but yet good control

I am really enjoying this paddle. I have several Ronbus paddles and this is my favorite. My short/dinking game improved immediately. I like the plush, control feel of short shots. I also find I'm able to return hard shots with more control. That said, the Tenon has enough power/pop for shots that I want to return with power. I also like the spin. At first I wasn't sure about this because the surface doesn't feel as rough, but I find that I'm getting plenty of spin. The top part of the paddle feels a little hallow if I hit a ball near the edge. Knowing that I adjust, especially on soft shots so I don't under hit them. This may be more pronounced with my hybrid-shaped paddle.

Great feel and power combo! I would prefer a little more face to a hybrid shape but that’s just me.

I'm really enjoying it and looking forward seeing how long the grit lasts. At first, I weighted it at 3 and 9 it like my older Rhombus paddles. But soon realized that the paddle already had a generous sweet spot and what others have described as sneaky power. So the extra weight will stay off.

This place is really similarly to my ronbus Quanta R4.16. Out of the box, it is basically interchangeable with my other R4. The spin is maybe a little bit better? It’s also a little bit poppier at the kitchen. The feel and sound are not all that different. I think that as it breaks in, it will probably use up a bit and get more powerful.

Haven't been able to fully test in gameplay due to elbow strain. The few hits I was able to get in appears to offer some decent power w/o much effort. Felt soft and cushy on contact. Played it stock. Would be better to offer more accurate findings when elbow gets better. But so far, no complaints.

This paddle has satisfying feel, great stability, durable grit, enough put away power on big swings, and enough pop to finish hands battles. This paddle fits my game perfectly and definitely is one I would recommend.
Power 4/5
Pop 4/5
Control 4.5/5
Spin 4.5/5

Very good paddle overall

I’ve been running the Ronbus Quanta R2 for a while now. It’s been my go-to, but let's be honest—the R2's widebody shape always felt a bit like swinging a pizza peel. So, when the new Ronbus Tenon R4 dropped, I had to give it a test drive.

Right out of the gate: the feel on the Tenon R4 is incredible. The ball dwell time on the face gives me so much confidence and comfort, and it has noticeably more grit than my old Quanta. The hybrid shape is a huge step up in maneuverability over the widebody R2, making the transition super easy. If anything, it actually improved my game slightly.

That said, it isn't perfect. First off, it’s ugly—just black with a disappointing black grid pattern. More importantly, the swingweight is noticeably higher. I’m known for having very fast hands at the kitchen, but the Tenon R4 is head-heavy. It slowed my hands down just enough to make me miss some firefight shots I never miss, and it caused a little wrist fatigue. Not enough to stop me from playing, but you’ll feel it.

Lastly, there’s the price. The Quanta R2 is a steal at $119.99, while the Tenon R4 jumps up to $169.99. I guess the markup is just Ronbus maximizing margins, or maybe that new NanoBond gritty surface and mortise-and-tenon core really are just that much more expensive to manufacture. Either way, it’s a super fun paddle if you can handle the weight!

Love the look. This paddle has a great balance of power,pop and spin. The Power is very controllable. The pop isn't out of control. The spin is a lot better than what has been reported. Even though those numbers are good. I believe this paddle has sneaky power. If you liked the quanta you're going to love this one. Another winner!! Thanks Ronbus, continue to innovate.

Kinda everything I liked about the Quanta with better feel & control. Plenty of power, but the strong points are control & feel. Nice soft dense feel. For me, spin is excellent, equal to any paddle I’ve tried

Tenon is a Great control paddle. But doesn't have the power of my Ripple or the ability to generate as much spin. Because I must hit harder to return balls to the opponent;s baseline, I will continue using my Ripple.

This paddle is great. It resets like a wide body. It still has the power and spin I need.

Prior to the Tenon R4, I was playing with the original Quanta R4. I had a total of 10 grams weight added at the 3 and 9 to improve stability. I like the Quanta except it is very poppy. When seeing the announcement for the Tenon but not getting much details about how it plays, I was hesitant about purchasing it. However, there was something there that made me think that it may help with the pop. I have played with it for maybe six hours now. I didn't take any time to get used to it as I was coming directly from the Quanta R4. I have left it stock except for an overwrap on the handle. I am glad to report that this has reduced the pop for me and I feel more in control at the NVZ. I do not have anything quantitative as far as spin and power goes. However, there is still plenty of spin for me. The power may have backed off just a bit but has not affected my play. I feel the Tenon R4 is a step above the Quanta R4 for the stability and control.

I love the Quanta, but this paddle is even better. Great control, power when you need it. Really enjoying playing with it.

Quick shipping and great paddle as always from ronbus!

This is a great all court paddle. I feel like I have more control over ball placement than I do with my Quanta. Pop is less than the Quanta as well so my first few dinks didn't make it over the net, but the adjustment was minimal. Highly recommend!

Quanta is the left photo, Vapor Power 2 in the middle, Tenon on the right

Wow, first to review, that’s a first:)

I’ve played Ronbus starting with the R1, then Pulsar, Ripple, & Quanta. Wanted to see what the buzz was about with the latest gen “gritty” paddles, so got a Vapor Power 2 & really grew to like it a lot.

Got the early release email & ordered the R4 Tenon, mainly because I was interested to see Dong’s take on durable grit. Got it yesterday & at first glance was honestly a little disappointed. Looks pretty much like a typical high quality raw cf face, with some silvery looking highlight in the peel ply.

Played this morning with it & loved it from the first game. Great spin, at least as good or better than the Vapor Power 2, but a denser, softer feel. Definitely not a power paddle, but great touch, spin & control. Still has ample power, but excels at resets, topspin drops, blocks/hand battles.

Curious that there are still no reviews out. Well done Ronbus, surprise drop & a great paddle