The Gen 4 Revolution: Why Carbon’s True Foam Is a Must-Try

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Pickleball paddles have changed a lot over the last 10 years. Some of those changes are good, some not so good. Today, we're talking about the first Gen 4 paddle in pickleball—the Carbon True Foam Gen 4—and the three key things that stand out. There’s also a special discount code if you want to purchase one.
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Last year, we saw Gen 3 paddles, plus more Kevlar and titanium options. The biggest issue with foam has been meeting deflection standards: it must be stiff enough to last but not too springy. Carbon’s new True Foam Gen 4 uses a patent-pending foam core designed to resist crushing for improved durability. Many people report little to no break-in period—maybe a small power boost over time, but overall it performs right out of the box.

The second highlight is power. I went from a Gearbox Pro to a Gen 2 Kevlar paddle and found my arm was hurting after three hours of play. Higher dwell time paddles, like this Gen 4, allow you to hit strong shots without extra effort. It’s not quite as powerful as some Gen 3 paddles, but definitely stronger than most Gen 2s. The face feels slightly muted, meaning off-center hits won’t jar your arm too much.

Third, it retains great control despite the added power. You can even choose between three shapes for the balance you want. The foam in this paddle remains a dense 14 mm core—16 mm would be too heavy—so Carbon uses strategic holes in the foam for weight control. It should stay legal according to current and upcoming core tests, as confirmed by the company.

Overall, I think it’s going to be one of 2025’s top paddles. You’ll see more brands trying full-foam cores, but Carbon is ahead of the curve. It sells for about $280, which makes sense given the research and development involved. If you’d like to try it, use our Pickleball Pirates code for a discount.

Thanks to Carbon for sending us paddles to review, and thanks to everyone who uses our code—it helps us bring more content and reviews like this. If Carbon isn’t right for you, we have discount codes for other manufacturers as well. Thanks for watching, and happy hitting in 2025!

00:00 Introduction & Paddle Changes
00:26 Introducing Carbon True Foam Gen 4
00:49 Background on Gen 3 & R&D
01:04 The Foam Problem
01:53 Break-In Period
02:23 Power & Arm-Friendliness
03:56 The Third Key Feature: Control
04:28 Summary of Unique Features
04:45 Will These Paddles Stay Legal?
05:01 14 mm Core Explanation
05:34 Overall Opinion & Paddle Price
06:00 Conclusion & Discount Codes
06:20 Final Remarks & Sign-Off