Honolulu vs 11SIX24: Which Brand to Buy (2026)
Last updated: September 2026
Two foam ranges, neither USAP at the top — and a $40 gap between the flagships.
Buy Honolulu if you want the better paddle and buy 11SIX24 if you want the better price. The Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue is the highest-scoring paddle we have tested at 9.5, and nothing 11SIX24 makes matches it — the gap is almost entirely power, 9.2 against 8.2 on the best Jelly Bean 2. But the 11SIX24 Pegasus Jelly Bean 2 scores 9.0, carries the highest twist weight in this comparison at 7.15, and costs $159.99 against $175, so for a doubles player who wins points at the kitchen rather than from the baseline it is the sharper buy. The 11SIX24 Ultre Power 2 is the one to take if you want the firmer MPP ball and the hardest spin number here (~2,381 RPM), at $199.99. One thing decides it for some people before any of that: the standard Honolulu J2CR is the only USAP-approved paddle in this comparison. Every other paddle here is UPA-A only.
How we tested
Every paddle we cover goes through the same on-court protocol - individual play, head-to-head comparisons, and tournament use before anything gets written down. Every paddle below has a full review on the site; click through to see scores, specs, and the deal we found for each.
The rankings
Each category below links to the full review for that paddle.
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The short answer
These two brands are closer than their price tags suggest, and they fail in opposite directions. Honolulu builds Gen 4.5 multi-density foam paddles with no weak axis — the J2CR Crystal Blue scores 9.1 or better on every single category we grade. 11SIX24 builds two distinct foam lines, one control-first and one power-first, and each one is excellent at its job and ordinary at the other.
So the honest framing is not "which brand is better". It is: do you want one paddle that does everything (Honolulu), or the best paddle for the specific thing you do, at a lower price (11SIX24)?
The four flagships, side by side
- Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue — Aero Hybrid Plus · 16mm · SW 110–114 · TW 7.0 · 9.5 overall (9.2 power, 9.2 control, 9.5 spin, 9.5 forgiveness) · UPA-A only · ~$175 with PRH.
- Honolulu J2CR (standard) — same shape and core, raw carbon face · ~2,288 RPM · 9.2 overall · USAP and UPA-A · ~$175 with PRH.
- 11SIX24 Pegasus Jelly Bean 2 — widebody · 16mm EMA foam · SW 111.8 · TW 7.15 · ~2,410 RPM · 9.0 overall (8.2 power, 9.15 control, 9.4 spin, 9.2 forgiveness) · UPA-A only · $159.99 with PRH.
- 11SIX24 Ultre Power 2 — flat-top hybrid · 16mm MPP foam · SW 115.15 · TW 6.7 · ~2,381 RPM · 8.8 overall (8.8 power, 8.3 control, 9.3 spin, 8.4 forgiveness) · UPA-A only · $199.99 with PRH.
- Every paddle here is 16mm foam with a carbon face and a 1-year or 12-month warranty. Code PRH works at both brands.
Where Honolulu wins: power, and nothing being weak
The J2CR Crystal Blue's card reads 9.2 power, 9.2 control, 9.5 spin, 9.1 pop, 9.5 forgiveness, 9.2 maneuverability. There is no number on it below 9.1, which is why it is the highest-rated paddle on the site and why it is the default recommendation for a player who only wants to buy once.
The gap against 11SIX24 is concentrated in one place: power. The best Jelly Bean 2 scores 8.2 there, a full point behind, because the EMA foam in that line is deliberately soft — it holds the ball rather than springing it back. The Ultre Power 2 closes most of that with firmer MPP foam at 8.8, but it is still 0.4 behind and it gives up 0.9 of control to get there.
The other Honolulu advantage is structural. Because the J2CR has no weak axis, it is the paddle that stays right when your game changes. A control-first paddle stops being the right buy the day you start driving.
Where 11SIX24 wins: stability, spin, and $15–$40
The Pegasus Jelly Bean 2 has the highest twist weight in this comparison at 7.15, ahead of the J2CR's 7.0. That is the single best predictor of how a paddle behaves when you do not hit the middle, and the Pegasus is the most forgiving face here on that measure despite costing $15 less.
It also measures the hardest spin: ~2,410 RPM on HexGrit, against ~2,288 on the standard J2CR's raw carbon. The Crystal Blue face closes that — it scores 9.5 spin to the Pegasus's 9.4 — but HexGrit is doing the same job for less money, and the Ultre's ~2,381 RPM sits in the same class.
And the price gap is real: $159.99 against $175 for the Pegasus, which is 9% less for a paddle scoring 0.5 lower. If your points are won at the kitchen with resets, dinks and rolls, you will not find the missing 0.5 — it is all in the power column.
The Ultre Power 2 is the 11SIX24 most people end up with
Within 11SIX24's power line, the Ultre is the shape that sells and the one we rate highest at 8.8. The reason is that it fixed the thing wrong with the Vapor: same hybrid footprint, but a flat top instead of a curved one, so off-center contact holds pace better. It also spins hardest in the Power 2 family at ~2,381 RPM.
It is the paddle to take from this comparison if you want a firmer ball. MPP foam hits harder and flatter than the Jelly Bean 2's EMA, and the 8.8 power score is the highest of the three 11SIX24 paddles we would put in front of anyone. The cost is touch: 8.3 control and 8.4 forgiveness are the weakest numbers here, and sloppy drops float on it.
At $199.99 it is also the most expensive paddle in this comparison — $25 more than the Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue that outscores it by 0.7. Buy it for the MPP feel, not because it is the premium option.
The certification question settles it for some people
Three of the four paddles here are UPA-A only. The J2CR Crystal Blue's surface texture exceeds USAP's current testing limits, and both 11SIX24 lines are listed UPA-A in our notes.
The standard Honolulu J2CR — same Aero Hybrid Plus shape, same Gen 4.5 core, raw carbon face instead of Crystal Blue — is USAP and UPA-A approved and scores 9.2. If you enter USAP-sanctioned events, that is the paddle, and this comparison is over before the rest of it starts.
Check the current governing-body list for your exact variant before any sanctioned event either way. Approvals move.
Price, and using code PRH at both brands
Honolulu — $195 list, about $175 with PRH (10% off) at 808pickle.com, the same on the standard J2CR and both Crystal Blue versions. Details on our Honolulu discount code page.
11SIX24 — Jelly Bean 2 is $169.99 → $159.99 with PRH; Power 2 is $209.99 → $199.99 with PRH. That is $10 off either line at 11six24.com. Details on our 11SIX24 discount code page.
Same code at both brands, neither tied to a single paddle, and neither is a seasonal sale — so there is no expiry to beat. Apply it at checkout and confirm the discount line before you pay.
Which should you buy?
- One paddle that does everything — Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue, 9.5 overall, ~$175 with PRH.
- USAP-sanctioned play — standard Honolulu J2CR, 9.2 overall. The only USAP paddle here.
- Doubles, kitchen play, best value — 11SIX24 Pegasus Jelly Bean 2, 9.0 overall, $159.99 with PRH.
- A firmer ball and the hardest spin — 11SIX24 Ultre Power 2, 8.8 overall, $199.99 with PRH.
- You miss the middle a lot — Pegasus Jelly Bean 2, on its 7.15 twist weight.
- You drive and put balls away — Honolulu, on the 9.2 power the 11SIX24 control line cannot reach.
Final verdict
Honolulu makes the better paddle and 11SIX24 makes the better-value one, and the honest split is by playing style rather than by budget. If you generate pace and finish points, the 9.2 power on the J2CR Crystal Blue is worth the $15 and there is no 11SIX24 substitute for it.
If you win points at the kitchen, the Pegasus Jelly Bean 2 gives you more stability than the Honolulu does, more spin than the standard J2CR does, and leaves $15 in your pocket. And if you want the firm MPP ball specifically, the Ultre Power 2 is the paddle — just do not buy it on the assumption that the $199.99 makes it the best paddle on this page, because it does not.
Still narrowing within a brand? Our Honolulu guide, Power 2 shape comparison and Jelly Bean 2 shape comparison take it from here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Honolulu or 11SIX24 — which brand is better?
Honolulu makes the higher-scoring paddle: the J2CR Crystal Blue is 9.5 overall, the best we have tested, against 9.0 for the best 11SIX24 (the Pegasus Jelly Bean 2). The gap is almost entirely power — 9.2 against 8.2. 11SIX24 wins on price ($159.99 against $175) and on twist weight (7.15 against 7.0), so for kitchen-first doubles players it is the sharper buy.
Is the Honolulu J2CR or the 11SIX24 Pegasus Jelly Bean 2 more forgiving?
The Pegasus Jelly Bean 2, on the spec that predicts it: its 7.15 twist weight is the highest in this comparison, ahead of the J2CR's 7.0. Our forgiveness scores read the other way — 9.5 for the J2CR against 9.2 — because the J2CR holds up better across the whole court, not just on off-center contact at the kitchen.
Which 11SIX24 paddle should I buy?
The Pegasus Jelly Bean 2 (9.0) if you want control, spin and the best value at $159.99. The Ultre Power 2 (8.8) if you want the firmer MPP ball and the hardest spin in the range at ~2,381 RPM, at $199.99 — it is the shape most Power 2 buyers end up with, because its flat top holds pace on off-center contact better than the curved-top Vapor.
Are Honolulu and 11SIX24 paddles USAP approved?
Only one paddle in this comparison is: the standard Honolulu J2CR with the raw carbon face, which is USAP and UPA-A approved. The J2CR Crystal Blue, the Pegasus Jelly Bean 2 and the Ultre Power 2 are all UPA-A only in our notes. Check the current approval list for your exact variant before a sanctioned event.
What is the discount code for Honolulu and 11SIX24?
PRH works at both. At Honolulu it is 10% off, taking $195 to about $175. At 11SIX24 it is $10 off, taking the Jelly Bean 2 from $169.99 to $159.99 and the Power 2 from $209.99 to $199.99. Enter it at checkout and confirm the discount line before paying.
Which spins more, Honolulu or 11SIX24?
11SIX24 measures higher on raw RPM: ~2,410 on the Pegasus Jelly Bean 2 and ~2,381 on the Ultre Power 2, against ~2,288 on the standard Honolulu J2CR. The J2CR Crystal Blue closes the gap with its Blue Crystal surface and scores 9.5 for spin to the Pegasus's 9.4, and it is built to hold that texture longer than raw carbon.
Related guides
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Brands on this page: Honolulu, 11SIX24. Codes are on each shop button and on /deals.