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Ronbus R2 Nova Review (Feel, Power, Spin, Control)

Picture of Loren Elara

Ronbus has expanded its control-focused Gen. 3 thermoformed Nova paddle line with the wide-bodied “standard” R2 shape. Ronbus has previously released the R1 Nova (hybrid) and R3 Nova (elongated shape).

Up until recently, the standard wide-bodied paddle shape had been overshadowed by the surge in popularity of some incredibly popular hybrid-shaped paddles released in 2023. But the standard shape is making a resurgence as of late, and the R2 Nova is joining Ronbus’s wide-bodied offerings alongside the original R2 paddle and the Pulsar FX R2.

R2 Nova Technical Specifications

  • Price: $180 ($160 with code DASHPB)
  • Shape: Wide-body (Standard)
  • Core thickness: 16mm
  • Length: 16″
  • Width: 8″
  • Handle length: 5.5in
  • Grip circumference: 4.125in
  • Core Type: Polypropylene Honeycomb
  • Face: Raw Toray T700 Carbon Fiber
  • Weight: 7.9oz +/- 0.2oz
  • Swingweight: 106
  • Twistweight: 6.59
  • Warranty: 6 Months against manufacturing defects

Quick Summary

The Nova line delivers as lightweight, control-oriented thermoformed paddle. I’ve been playing with the R3 Nova extensively since its release and have been pleased with the Nova line overall.

While being released independently of the original Novas, the R2 differs only in shape and surface texture. The R2 employs the same Gen 3 edge-grid tech with an improved paddle surface that’s so far only found on the recently released Pulsar FX line and the R2 Nova.

The R2 Nova slots in as a paddle with an ideal balance of a few main characteristics, including: a soft and plush touch, lightweight for excellent hand speed, shorter and wider for a bigger sweet spot and improved controllability, plus a high level of spin output.

The tradeoffs are a lack of power and plough through, along with a small amount of diminished reach and stability when compared to longer, heavier paddles.

If you’d like a soft, maneuverable paddle that could be classed as a “control monster,” then you’re in the right place

Feel

In hand, the Nova feels incredibly light and balanced. It’s a paddle that provides hand speed in spades, especially at stock weight. The 106 swing weight is palpably low, allowing you to whip it through the air with ease.

I enjoy the balanced feel of the shorter, wide-bodied shape combined with the elongated 5.5″ handle. I personally favor longer handles, as I frequently leverage two-handed shots and enjoy the added torque/whip from being able to grip lower on the paddle.

When making contact with the ball, the R2 Nova is soft and plush, as expected. Its large, wide-bodied sweet spot and plush feel make it feel like a control paddle through and through, yet with the added benefit of being able to deliver some extra power with the edge-grid tech.

Control

The R2 Nova has distinct strengths in the control game. Its wide body shape combined with modern tech like edge foam gives the R2 a huge sweet spot, giving confidence to your shots. The improved grit that Ronbus just started putting in newer paddles like the R2 Nova also gives more control over shaping the ball with the high-level spin potency.

The softer feel of the Nova will be a great if your game revolves around finesse and touch. The combination of lightweight maneuverability and a soft plushness hits a sweet spot for the right type of player. The ploughthrough isn’t really strong with this paddle due to it being so lightweight, but I felt easeful with dinks after a slight adjustment and even more comfortable once I added a bit of weight.

You may need to put more energy into your drops, dinks, and resets than you are accustomed to due to the R2 Nova being lightweight and plush. This is especially true if you are coming from another, more poppy thermoformed paddle. The paddle will be a bit poppier out of the box before breaking it in, which may help keep your shots punchy enough while you adjust to it’s softer feel as it softens more with time.

While the sweet spot is large, you may notice some stability issues on very off-center hits. Being so lightweight, the paddle can twist in your hand on hard shots near the edges. You can adjust to this mechanically or by adding some extra weight to the paddle.

All in all, this is one of the most finesse-friendly control paddles in the standard shape you can buy. It really shines with that plush feeling touch and massive sweet spot without entirely sacrificing power (which many comparable paddles do). Whether the soft game is already a strength of yours or something you’re hoping to improve, you can’t go wrong with the Nova for control.

Power

The R2 Nova isn’t going to be a powerhouse in the power game. Being thermoformed, it does have noticeably more power than Gen. 1 paddles. The Gen.3 edge-grid tech does do an excellent job of improving power without sacrificing responsiveness. But the Nova does have some traits working against its power output – namely, its shorter length, lightweight build, and plush feeling. At stock weight, the R2 Nova certainly lacks plough-through and pop.

This will be fine for players who love the tradeoffs – as hand speed and controllability are top-notch. If you do want more power out of your R2 Nova, consider adding more weight to the paddle or just shift your game by adding more of your own power with your swing mechanics. Remember, you can whip this paddle very fast. If you commit to a much harder swing to add a lot of your own power, the speed of this paddle will allow you to amp up your pop and power output, making you a menace at the kitchen line with lightning-fast speedups and counters that punish opponents.

Overall, I found that the speed of the paddle seemed to offset the lack of effortless power generation. My serves, drives, overheads, punch volleys, rolls, 2h backhands, and counters didn’t seem to suffer much at all after quick adjustments. I didn’t feel like I was delivering effortless bullets, but my putaways still delivered the punch needed to finish a point.

Pop

You’re not going to get the crisp feel from the Nova line that you will with most thermoformed paddles. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it depends on your style of play.  If you like a softer, more controllable touch, this paddle is going to deliver. If you crave a lively, incredibly responsive paddle that has a ton of pop, then you will feel let down.

I had a friend who struggled with blocks, counters, and punch volleys in his couple games with the R2 Nova I lent him. But he was also coming from a very poppy Gearbox. I had been playing most recently with an R1 Nova and Six Zero Ruby, so I had little challenge adjusting.

All in all, this paddle doesn’t fall flat in the pop department. It’s midtier and simply doesn’t explode with pop output. As mentioned earlier, the paddle is so fast and whippy that you can easily compensate for the lack of pop by delivering incredibly fast swings that put a lot of offensive pressure on your opponents.

Spin

In my tests I got spin RPMs averaging 2101, which is upper-tier. I’ve had no issue shaping the ball with top spin and slice with the R2.

I certainly enjoy the new surface grit that Ronbus applied most recently with the Pulsar FX series and now the R2 Nova. Ronbus has always done well with their peel-ply surface for spin output, and the improvements are nice to see.

You won’t get insane spin that you might with some of the most gritty paddles available at the moment, like the Gen. 3 Joolas and the Six Zero Rubys that I’ve played with. But you still get a paddle that can deliver spin very well on all shot types.

Hand speed

As mentioned a number of times already, the R2 Nova is a very fast paddle. My hand speed felt off the charts with this paddle, as expected.  It ill improve anyones hand speed and countering abilities and capacity to hold their own in a firefight.

The paddle is so lightweight and the shorter length makes it nimble in a way that few paddles can compete with. I felt extremely fast and dominant at the kitchen even after adding lead tape at 3-6 and 9-6 on the paddle. It’s my favorite paddle in recent memory to whip 2h backhand counters with at the kitchen.

Durability

Ronbus makes some of the most reliable paddles on the market. I’ve played with dozens of these paddles and played around hundreds of them in other’s hands, and I’ve never had nor heard any consistent issues with the brand.

Ronbus was one of the first brands to really get a handle on thermoforming issues like delamination, disbonding, and core crush. And they have since been highly respected for their workmanship and ingenuity in paddle longevity.

Value

At $180 (or $160 with code DASHPB) the Nova series provides great value. It’s not the cheapest offering for a premium paddle, but it’s far from the most expensive offerings and certainly delivers just as much performance as any $200+ paddle on the market. I’ve consistently recommended Ronbus paddles and have yet to hear from a disappointed customer who regretted their purchase.

Should you buy the R2 Nova?

If you’re in the market for a wide-body paddle shape, then the Nova R2 is an easy recommendation. It has excellent control, a great sweet spot, upper-tier spin, and elite maneuverability.

Ultimately the low swing weight, plush controllability, and paddle shape should be what sells this for you. If that’s the type of paddle performance you’re after, then I’ll give it my full recommendation.

Where does the R2 Nova land in my paddle lineup?

While I enjoy the R2 Nova for what it offers, I personally do not use the R2/wide-bodied shape in competition purely due to my limited wingspan (I am on the shorter side). As such, I prefer using elongated paddles, like the R3 Nova, for the added reach in competitive environments.

I do play with wide-bodied paddles for fun and experimentation, though, and the R2 Nova has dethroned the Apollo and Forza Mach 2 as my go-to standard-shaped paddle.

 

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