Tenon R1.16

Preface: I am a former competitive tennis player and current pickleball instructor. I have 30 years experience in sporting goods product development. The R1 has been my favorite shape in the Ronbus offering. After playing with the R1-Tenon for a couple weeks (when my wife wasn't using it - She loves it) I have to give it a solid 5 stars. I rate that on my impressions of the paddle's performance in the areas of power, swing balance, head weight, Spin control, pop ( low impact rebound), and overall "Feel".

I frequently play against former collegiate tennis players armed with BoomSticks and they love to drive hard from the baseline. The Tenon needs to be able to handle those drives with a strong counter or reset with stability. Paddle balance and "Plow-through" really has an effect here. I added 6 grams of narrow (1/4" width) lead tape starting 2" from the butt of the grip, up to the throat, covered by overgrip. With this modification I found the balance point moved closer to center and the overall paddle stability enhanced. When defending a very hard drive at the net, any instability in the paddle becomes a liability. I did not add weight to the edges, as I found the paddle twist and swing weights to be spot on.

From the baseline, I found the paddle to deliver very good pace with full or compact ground strokes. If you use a paddle that has the ability to generate pace on the ball, you can ease up on your swing and let the paddle do the work. Hard to do when you just want to blast the ball. but the tenon allowed me to settle down and swing with a balance of power and control - placing faster shots out of the reach of opponents. I would say this paddle leans closer to the "Power" category but does not sacrifice control.

Hitting soft drops, dinks and mid court placement shots always takes some time to master when using a new paddle. The Tenon made that transition a bit faster as its foam core performs close to the Quanta in this area. I love my Quantas (except for the face wear). I have quite a few paddles in my bag and when I switch to the Tenon after using a very power oriented paddle, the consistency of my game improves. Plus, I can still blast drives when needed.

Spin was a surprise. When I received the Tenon I was concerned that it was too smooth. That idea was disproved in the first warm up as I found the spin to be very good and controllable. I've tried super gritty paddles like the Honolulu and these grap the ball so much I often hit top spin drives into the net. There is such a thing as too much grit. One thing that I did notice is the type of ball you are playing with and the temperature can alter the spin performance of any paddle. With the Franklin x40 the Tenon grabbed the ball easily. With the Lifetime ball on a 50 degree day, the spin took a little more work. on an 80 degree day the Tenon's spin was excellent.

Reviewers use the term "Pop" but I think of this paddle attribute as "Low impact rebound". Some paddles are very soft and require more swing effort. Some paddles have very high rebound and can easily take a soft dink out of bounds. The Tenon has very good /controllable rebound. That means I can reduce my swing or punch power at the net and still deliver a surprising amount of pace to the ball. 70% swing power + 90% placement accuracy wins points consistently and the Tenon delivers in this technique.

So when you choose a new paddle it really comes down to the combination of all of the above, and that's "Feel". Can you feel the ball? Can you place the ball? Can you put pace on the ball and keep it in? With the Tenon I'm finding it's a yes to all those questions.

“Hey Ronbus team, keep making great equipment and reasonable prices.”

The tenon continues to amaze me. Such a unique paddle.

The Tenon is a bit of a step up from the Quanta in the power category. It has a consistent feel of more power with added touch and spin when you need it. It is very consistent in overall play. Its a multipurpose paddle with added power!

I haven't been able to use the Tenon as much as I normally would as I have been injured. Thus far the paddle played well but curious with its durability.

The Tenon R1.16 is a great paddle. After adding an ounce of lead tape all around the head, it hits hard but with spin and control. I have been playing with the original Ronbus R1.16 for years with the same setup and have had good success with its combination of power and control. I tried the Ripple and couldn't control it. The ball went all over the place. I tried the Quanta, which had serious pop, but the control was inconsistent. For me, you have married what I enjoyed with the original R1.16 with the pop of the new generation paddles in the Tenon. Thank you! I will be buying another for backup.

love it, quick adopt from quanta 4.16, and left C2CR as a spare

Felt a little too head heavy stock but easily mitigated with tunning tape. Hands felt fast at the kitchen line. Overall a great all court paddle that easily has put away power when needed.

Paddle plays well but I don’t like the weight difference from the handle to the head

I really am enjoying the new paddle. Great control and power.

I have tried just about every foam-core paddle out there—Selkirk, CRBN, 11SIX24, Joola, SENS, Franklin, Diadem, Six Zero, and more—and I honestly haven’t liked any of them.
I received the Ronbus Tenon last week, and I haven’t put it down since. It has the best combination of power, control, and feel that I’ve found in a foam paddle. It feels connected, predictable, and confidence-inspiring on every shot.
For anyone who has been disappointed with other foam paddles like I was, the Ronbus Tenon is absolutely worth a look. It’s a fantastic paddle.

Excellent paddle , power and control, great feel !! must buy paddle ,

It is an old school feeling paddle that has really nice feel. It is a soft paddle that has nice dwell time on the dinks. I found that I did not pop up the ball nearly as much as some of the newer paddles that are getting so much hype right now. It has plenty of power that allows you to hid strong drives and finish a point. I love the feel and length of the handle for my two handed backhand. It's an excellent paddle with a blend of Nova and the original Ripple for anyone who has used a Ronbus before. It is now my number 1 paddle in my bag.

Another Winner. This paddle gives you a great allcourt experience with great control and the right amount of power. It's nice to be able to create different shots without worrying of hitting it to hard. Now just hoping the grit last longer.