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Configuration Engineering
You can make an apples-to-apples comparison of one composite core to another and determine which ones is strongest. But, conceptually, there are dozens of different kinds of strength; in the real world, there are potentially as many types of strength as their are forces. The basis of all engineering is the management of trade-offs. To gain strength in one way, it costs more, or it weights more, or it's less aerodynamic and so forth. Serdar Z. Elgun of Farmingdale State College's mechanical engineering department points to three considerations, the "...amount, arrangement and type of fiber."
Amount
When comparing the strength of one composite material to another to determine which is the strongest, you must use the same amount and you must test them by applying the same force to the same configuration: core type must be the only variable. By most practical measures, carbon fiber is the strongest material used in composite cores because economically, it can produce greater strength than steel in very small quantities. Not in every way, though. Kevlar, for example, exhibits higher strength properties in some applications, such as bullet-proof vests. There again, it is difficult to isolate quantity from configuration and fiber type.
Fiber
Measured by comparing it's strength to its weight, Kevlar -- a synthetic fiber made by DuPont -- is still thought to be the strongest fiber utilized in composites. Measured by cost, however, variations of carbon fiber and other synthetics have more strength per dollar. Consider that carbon fiber, not Kevlar, is often the material of choice in the expensive world of Formula 1 road racing for cars that travel in excess of 200 mph and have little but a composite nose to absorb crash impact.
Configuration
The way fibers are configured in composite cores are where they get most of their strength characteristics. A Kevlar bullet-proof vest is a great example. Even a small, relatively low-velocity bullet can easily break Kevlar fibers. The energy in the bullet overwhelms the molecular structure of the fiber. If, however, they are woven in specific ways -- perhaps multiple layers of multiple types of weaves, in an adequate number of layers -- the energy can be redirected; the energy isn't stopped, but rapidly diffused. There is an endless possibility of configurations. A strong configuration of a lower-strength material may well be stronger than a weak configuration of Kevlar, for example.