Proton Project Peacock Review: Durable Foam-Core Spin & Control

Proton Project Peacock Review: Proton Foam-Core Series Three Line (13mm & 15mm, Elongated & Square)

Picture this: You walk into a four-court facility at peak rush hour. Every drive is coming in hot, players are crashing the kitchen, and rallies are unraveling in a blur of speed-ups. You pull the new Proton Project Peacock out of your bag – the Series Three foam-core evolution that promises more dwell time, plush feel, and a bigger sweet spot than the Flamingo – and within minutes you can tell the ball is sitting on the face longer, shaping more aggressively, yet launching with a surprisingly clean pop.

In a hands battle, the muted sound is the first thing you notice. Instead of the hard “gen-four crack,” you get a softer “thunk,” a cushioned signal that the paddle is letting you absorb and redirect. Whether that’s good or bad depends entirely on your expectations. But if you want carbon-bite + dwell + muted control, Project Peacock fills a performance gap almost no other elongated foam paddle has touched yet.

Peacock is a foam-core, raw-carbon, spin-first paddle with plush dwell time, high stability, durability-first construction, and two shapes (elongated & square) across 13mm and 15mm builds.

Glossary

• Proton Project Peacock: A Series Three foam-core pickleball paddle available in 13mm/15mm thickness and elongated/square shapes.
• Proton Project Flamingo: A previous Series Three elongated raw-carbon paddle known for extreme spin and pop.
• Atomic Foam Core: Proton’s high-density foam designed to increase responsiveness, dwell, and long-term durability.
• Raw Carbon Fiber Face: A roughness-enhanced surface tuned for maximum spin retention.
• Gen 3 / Gen 4 Paddle Classes: Common community shorthand for polymer-core (Gen 3) vs foam-core/advanced material (Gen 4) construction behavior.
• Flick Paddle: A known foam-core paddle often referenced for strong pop and inconsistent touch.
• Joola Magnus-Class Shapes: Short-handed, long-faced elongated designs offering extended reach and high spin potential.
• USAP Approval: The official certification required for tournament play.

Is the Proton Project Peacock USAP Approved?

Yes. Four variants of the Proton Project Peacock (13mm and 15mm in elongated and square) were officially approved in early November 2025.

What You’ll Learn in This Full Series Three Breakdown

Overview: Where Project Peacock Fits in Proton’s Line

Peacock is Proton’s plushest-feeling Series Three paddle, delivering more dwell time and stability than Flamingo with a muted acoustic signature and high spin retention.

Peacock sits between Gen 3 and Gen 4 paddle behavior – softer than other foam builds, but more stable and consistent than traditional polymer cores.

The Proton Project Peacock enters the market less than a year after Proton’s breakout hit, the Project Flamingo. But it isn’t a “Flamingo Lite” or a reskin. The Peacock is built on a new 100% foam core with Proton’s proprietary Atomic Foam architecture, designed specifically to improve:

• face stability
• touch consistency
• spin retention
• resistance to internal breakdown

Third-party testing referenced by multiple reviewers states that the foam core is more resistant to long-term wear than traditional honeycomb polymer cores, making core crushing and delamination far less likely.

Two shapes: elongated (16.5” x 7.5”) and square/widebody (15.75” x 8.25”). Two thicknesses: 13mm (livelier, faster) and 15mm (plusher, higher dwell).

In all four builds, you get the Series Three raw-carbon face with “roughness enhanced” texture designed for maximum spin potential.

PickleTip Insight: Foam-core durability has become one of the most asked-about topics in high-level circles. Peacock’s engineered density and lack of a fiberglass layer positions it to avoid many of the failure modes seen in early foam-core releases from other brands.

Official USAP Approval Listings

All four Project Peacock variants are USAP approved as of November 2025.

Each shape and thickness passed USAP testing with separate MD numbers and foam-core declarations.

Specs: All Four Official Peacock Models

Peacock comes in two shapes and two thicknesses, offering four meaningful performance profiles across 13mm and 15mm foam-core builds.

The entire Series Three Peacock line uses the same raw-carbon face, but thickness changes dwell, power, and control behavior.

13mm Elongated (S3PE13)

• Length: 16.5 in
• Width: 7.5 in
• Average Weight: 7.6 oz
• Handle: 5.375 in
• Core: 13mm Atomic Foam
• Face: Roughness-enhanced raw carbon

13mm Square / Widebody (S3PS13)

• Length: 15.75 in
• Width: 8.25 in
• Average Weight: 7.6 oz
• Handle: 5.25 in
• Core: 13mm Atomic Foam
• Face: Rough raw carbon

15mm Elongated (S3PE15)

• Length: 16.5 in
• Width: 7.5 in
• Average Weight: 8.0 oz
• Handle: 5.375 in
• Core: 15mm Atomic Foam
• Face: Rough raw carbon

15mm Square / Widebody (S3PS15)

• Length: 15.75 in
• Width: 8.25 in
• Average Weight: 7.7 oz
• Handle: 5.25 in
• Core: 15mm Atomic Foam
• Face: Rough raw carbon

Expert First Look: What We Noticed Immediately

Reviewers consistently highlight Peacock’s plush feel, increased dwell time, high stability, improved shaping ability, and softer acoustics compared to Flamingo.

Most testers describe the Peacock as softer and more controllable than Flamingo or other foam-core paddles while maintaining high spin and reliable power.

Key Findings

• Plush feel stands out: Noticeably softer and more responsive than typical foam-core paddles.
• High dwell time: Easier roll-volley shaping and controlled aggressive attacks.
• Less pop than Flamingo in hands battles: But better for control-oriented counters.
• Power still strong on putaways: Within top 25% of the market.
• Better spin consistency: Rough carbon face + longer ball hold (dwell).

Key Findings from Prototype Testers

• More pop than Flamingo in several testers’ notes.
• More head-heavy than Flamingo, contributing to pop and stability.
• Most consistent foam paddle tested: fewer face-inconsistency events than Flick or Loco.
• Muted, quiet sound: noticeably softer acoustics than Gen 4 power paddles.
• Comparable to J2NF in control and shape ability.
• Durability outlook is extremely high: testers expect reduced corruption or delamination vs polymer cores.

PickleTip Insight: Every early tester focused on how “connected” the paddle feels at contact. That combination of muted impact + feedback is rare in foam builds, indicating Proton’s core density tuning is doing meaningful work.

Performance Breakdown: Power, Spin, Dwell, Control, Acoustics

The Proton Project Peacock prioritizes dwell, spin, and stability while offering controllable power that scales cleanly with mechanics.

The paddle plays softer and more controlled than most foam cores but still produces top-tier spin and reliable pop when driven.

Power

Player reports place Peacock’s power between the Loco and classic Gen 3 polymer builds. It has more pop than Flamingo in full swings, but not enough to overwhelm control. Testers consistently noted that:

• Peacock outpowered Agassi on full drives
• Loco still leads in raw pop
• Flamingo hits a bit harder in reactive hand battles

Coach Sid insight: “Full swings unload beautifully – controlled blast, not uncontrolled fire.”

Spin

The raw-carbon face with enhanced roughness delivers heavy roll, reliable topspin, and stable shaping from the baseline. I must emphasize that Flamingo may have slightly more initial grit, but Peacock generates equal or better spin due to longer dwell time.

Dwell & Control

This is Peacock’s top trait. High-density foam + raw carbon creates:

• superior ball hold in dinks
• smooth roll-volleys
• controlled third-shot drops
• gentler launch off the face

Conditional rule: When dwell time increases and swing weight stays moderate, control becomes the dominant play characteristic.

Acoustics

Muted, quiet, cushioned – ideal for noise-restricted communities. Sounds more Gen 2/3 than Gen 4.

Stability

Twist weight numbers (6.6 reported in prototypes) place Peacock at the top of the elongated stability class, improving block control and counter-attacks.

Construction, Materials & Durability

Proton’s Atomic Foam core is designed to outperform honeycomb polymer in longevity, structural integrity, and resistance to delamination.

Foam removes the seam-failure and internal-corruption issues that polymer cores suffer, giving Peacock a long-term durability edge.

Core Engineering

• 100% proprietary high-density foam
• internal cutouts (undisclosed design) for tuned feedback
• inherently resistant to core breakdown
• no fiberglass layer – avoids face inconsistencies reported in some competitor paddles

Face & Frame

• roughness-enhanced raw carbon fiber
• resin application designed for long-term grit stability
• stiff, uniform face response
• muted impact feel

Durability Outlook

Independent testers repeatedly stated that this is the most durable Proton elongated yet. Paddle corruption, delamination, and seam flex – common issues in recent carbon paddles – are far less likely in Peacock’s one-piece foam architecture.

Coach Sid insight: “This is becoming the norm for elongated foam paddles – where durability is a genuine selling point, not marketing fluff.”

How Peacock Compares to Flamingo, Flick, Loco, Agassi & Magnus-Class Shapes

Peacock plays softer than Flamingo, more stable than Flick, more controlled than Loco, and more modern-feeling than Agassi/Magnus builds.

Community consensus is that Peacock fills the middle lane between Gen 3 control and Gen 4 power.

vs Proton Project Flamingo

• Peacock feels plusher
• Flamingo has slightly more reactive pop in hand battles
• Peacock has higher dwell
• Peacock is more head-heavy (in prototypes)
• Peacock has a slightly larger sweet spot
• Flamingo grit may be slightly rougher at launch

vs The Flick

• Peacock is more consistent across the face
• Flick has more explosive pop
• Peacock is more controlled in drops & dinks

vs Loco Hybrid

• Loco: more crisp, more powerful
• Peacock: more muted, more dwell, more control
• Loco feels closer to Gen 4 power paddles

vs Agassi / Magnus-Class Shapes

• Peacock has a longer face than Agassi
• Peacock feels more stable than Magnus
• Peacock’s rough carbon offers more spin than Agassi

Who Should Choose Each Peacock Variant

Each thickness and shape offers a different blend of power, control, reach, and forgiveness.

Choosing between the four Peacock models depends on your swing mechanics, preferred shape, and control vs. power needs.

13mm Elongated

• Best for players who want the fastest hand speed
• Livelier pop than 15mm
• Ideal for drive-heavy attackers

15mm Elongated

• Most dwell time of all models
• Superior for dinks and roll attacks
• Best for control-first counter punchers

13mm Square

• Wider sweet spot
• More forgiveness on mishits
• Great for rising intermediates

15mm Square

• The most forgiving and easiest-to-control variant
• Large hitting surface + plush core
• Great for rec players seeking stability

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to Try the Proton Project Peacock?

Find an local ambassador with a demo. Try this paddle for five sessions and track how many counter-attacks you win at the kitchen using slower, more controlled hands – you’ll feel the dwell difference immediately. Proton Series Three Pickleball Paddle – Project Flamingo $280.00