Ronbus R3 Pulsar Pickleball Paddle Review

I’m excited to provide an in-depth review of the Ronbus R3 Pulsar thermoformed paddle, as it’s been one of my favorites lately. I extensively playtested the R3 Pulsar over several months to fully analyze its characteristics and performance across various metrics, so you don’t have to.

Below I’ll cover the R3 Pulsar’s key attributes and a lot of pros and cons.

R3 Pulsar Quick Summary

The R3 Pulsar deserves its place among the top thermoformed paddles of 2023. The Pulsar impressively blends control, power, and spin in a way that benefits beginner-intermediate to pro players. Ronbus designed the R3 Pulsar for accessible performance while still offering advanced playability. The design allows for seamless progression without forcing players to overpower shots or sacrifice too much feel.

The plush feel provides a gradual power increase versus non-thermo paddles. Advanced players may want something with more inherent pop and firepower, but for smooth power and controllability, the R3 Pulsar is an excellent option. The R3 Pulsar breaks the mold of one-dimensional power paddles. It mixes extra pop, drive, and spin with muted touch and control that suits power-leaning all-court players.

The R3 quickly became one of my staple paddles thanks to its unique blend of control, power, feel, and spin. I highly recommend giving it a shot if you’re seeking a balanced and forgiving thermo paddle.

Power

The R3 Pulsar offers very solid baseline power that exceeds any non-thermoformed paddle I’ve tried. It packs plenty of plow-through power on drives and swing volleys thanks to its stiff and poppy thermoformed construction.

Pros:

• More powerful than the R1 Pulsar and control-focused gen. 1 paddles
• Much easier to generate power vs non-thermoformed paddles
• Provides stability and plow-through on big drives, counters, and overheads
• Increased power without sacrificing much control

Cons:

• Not as powerful as other popular power-focused thermoform paddles like the Legacy Pro, Six Zero Black Diamond, or Bread & Butter Filth.
• Requires a bigger swing to achieve the maximum power over other thermos
• Lacks the free speed and effortless power of composite paddles

Verdict: With its unibody thermoformed design, the R3 Pulsar offers a noticeable power boost over non-thermo paddles while still maintaining great control. But it doesn’t have the same level of built-in power as some other top thermoformed paddles.

Control

The R3 Pulsar provides top-notch control for a thermoformed paddle thanks to its plush and forgiving face. I found it very easy to control power and spin with precision.

Pros:

• Excellent control for a thermoformed paddle
• Massive sweet spot is very forgiving on mishits
• Easy to manipulate power and spin
• Maintains touch and feel on soft shots
• Lacks a stiff “pingy” feel

Cons:

• Not as buttery smooth as a true control paddle
• Thermoformed design is inherently stiffer than non-thermo paddles

Verdict: With its soft face and huge sweet spot, the R3 Pulsar offers impressive touch and control for a thermo paddle. It’s one of the most easily controlled thermos available, up there with the R1 Nova, R3 Nova, and Double Black Diamond.

Spin Potential

The friction-focused textured face of the R3 Pulsar gives the paddle top-tier spin potential. It’s easy to rip heavy spinny shots with this paddle. The spin does fall off a bit on finesse shots though, or at least it did for me after playing with it for a couple months.

Pros:

• Massive spin potential on power shots and serves
• Heavy topspin drives force errors or sit-ups
• Gets great spin in baseline rallies

Cons:

• Loses some spin finesse on touch shots up close
• Other paddles add more spin at the NVZ

Verdict: Thanks to its grippy face, the R3 Pulsar is a premier spinning paddle from the baseline. It loses a bit of bite up close, but still very solid overall.

Feel

With its uniquely plush and muted feel, the R3 Pulsar will appeal to players looking for a soft touch-friendly thermo paddle. But some may want more crispness.

Pros:

• Soft and plush feel at contact
• Muted and buttery responsiveness
• Flexible and comfortable feel

Cons:

• Not as crisp and lively as other thermo paddles
• Lacks vibrant feedback on touch shots

Verdict: The R3 Pulsar has an atypically soft and muted feel for a thermo paddle. Many players will love the plush touch-friendly response, though some may desire more crispness.

Pop

Thanks to its unibody design, the R3 Pulsar provides very solid pop for quick volleys and reactions. But it doesn’t match the extreme pop of some paddles.

Pros:

• Nice pop for quick volleys and reaction shots
• Can punch shots with good pace and accuracy

Cons:

• Less poppy than other thermoformed paddles
• Lacks the explosive pop of composite paddles

Verdict: With its thermoformed construction, the R3 Pulsar delivers solid pop for exchanges at the net. But it doesn’t have the insane pop of some composites.

Maneuverability

The R3 Pulsar’s elongated shape and 16mm thickness won’t feel as fast as smaller paddles. But it still swings lighter than expected and provides nice reach.

Pros:

• Lightweight feel makes it maneuverable given its size
• Longer grip adds reach and leverage

Cons:

• Slightly slower swing speed than other shapes
• Not as nimble as smaller or teardrop paddles

Verdict: While not the quickest or lightest paddle, the R3 Pulsar still feels easy to swing and its elongated grip provides welcome extra reach.

Durability

Early signs indicate that Ronbus has solved many of the durability pitfalls facing other thermo paddles with the R3 Pulsar. But only time will tell just how durable it is long-term.

Pros:

• Ronbus optimized manufacturing to prevent durability issues
• No signs yet of delamination, denting, or dead spots
• Uses premium materials throughout

Cons:

• Long-term durability still unproven over 6 months of play

Verdict: The R3 Pulsar looks very durable so far thanks to Ronbus’s unique manufacturing. But the true test of time will reveal just how it holds up long-term.

Value

The R3 Pulsar provides loads of performance for the money compared to other thermo and composite paddles. It’s a great value for a premium paddle.

Pros:

• Affordable price for a top thermoformed paddle
• Outperforms many $200+ composite paddles
• Excellent quality and performance per dollar

Cons:

• Still expensive for players on a tight budget
• Other basic carbon paddles available for less

Verdict: Considering its quality and performance, the R3 Pulsar is very reasonably priced, especially compared to similar composite and thermo paddles.

Who Should Buy the Ronbus R3 Pulsar?

The R3 Pulsar is a great choice for all-around players seeking an easy-playing elongated thermo paddle. Its plush feel, control, and spin make it friendly for beginners, while the power boost helps advancing players add potency.

It’s particularly ideal for players moving up from soft control paddles who want more free power and spin without sacrificing too much control and feel. The muted touch-friendly face eases the transition from non-thermo paddles.

For players looking to add stable plow-through power and heavy spin to their game, the R3 Pulsar delivers impressively. It’s become a favorite for those seeking a premium paddle upgrade without overpowering shots.

The R3 may not be ideal for elite players who rely on extreme power and pop. It also may not please hardcore touch players needing maximum finesse and precision. But for most skill levels, it strikes an excellent balance of power, control, and spin.

You might also be interested in the Ronbus R1 Pulsar

• The R1 is lighter, shorter, and more maneuverable
• The R3 provides more power and stability from the baseline
• Both offer fantastic control and spin