Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated vs Selkirk Vanguard Power Air
Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated takes the higher overall IQ score, but the right pick depends on which traits you value.
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Quick answer
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated wins this matchup for most players: it takes control, forgiveness and value on Paddle DNA against the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air, which costs $250.
Power
Too close to call
92 vs 92
Spin
Too close to call
88 vs 88
Control
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated
82 vs 78
Forgiveness
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated
76 vs 71
Hand speed
114 vs 118 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated
$180 at IQ 81.4 vs $250 at IQ 78.4
Overall pick: Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated · $180 · IQ 81.4
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 92Power92
- 82Control78
- 88Spin88
- 76Forgiveness71
- 79Sweet spot73
- 82Stability76
- 67Maneuverability79
- 86Pop93
- 80Touch74
- 83Consistency79
- 86Swing weight68
- 72Twist weight62
- 60Launch angle61
- 91Plow through84
- 84Softness58
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated vs Selkirk Vanguard Power Air specs
Every spec side by side. Highlighted values are the better of the two where one is objectively better.
| Spec | Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated | Selkirk Vanguard Power Air |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $180 — better | $250 |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 81.4 — better | 78.4 |
| Weight(oz) | 8.3 | 7.9 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 14 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 118 | 114 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.2 — better | 5.6 |
| Shape | elongated | elongated |
| Face length(in) | 16.5 | 16.4 |
| Face width(in) | 7.5 | 7.4 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4.25 | 4.25 |
| Surface | Carbon–fiberglass–carbon face | Quadcarbon face |
| Core material | Full foam dual-density core | X5 polypropylene |
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated verdict
A full-foam power paddle at roughly a hundred dollars under the comparable CRBN and JOOLA builds. The fiberglass middle layer is what produces the pop; the foam is what stops that pop turning brittle.
Selkirk Vanguard Power Air verdict
Explosive acceleration and crisp feedback for players who create their own control. The air-dynamic throat cuts drag noticeably on fast swings.
The verdict
Scored on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model, the clearest separation is softness: Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated scores 84 against 58 for Selkirk Vanguard Power Air — a 26-point gap. They are effectively level on launch angle, power, spin, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated is $70 cheaper at $180.
Softness
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated leads by 26 points (84 vs 58).
Swing weight
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated leads by 18 points (86 vs 68).
Maneuverability
Selkirk Vanguard Power Air leads by 12 points (79 vs 67).
Twist weight
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated leads by 10 points (72 vs 62).
Which one is right for your level?
Each call below re-weights the Paddle DNA traits that matter at that level, so the winner can differ from the overall pick.
Beginner
New to 3.0 — still building a consistent contact point
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated is the clearer pick at this level — twist weight 72 vs 62, sweet spot 79 vs 73, forgiveness 76 vs 71. Twist weight 6.2 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Twist weight
- Sweet spot
- Forgiveness
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (80.8 vs 80.4 on the weighted index). Take Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated and keep the $70.
- Touch
- Control
- Forgiveness
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (84.6 vs 83.5 on the weighted index). Take Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated and keep the $70.
- Plow through
- Touch
- Control
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated is the clearer pick at this level — softness 84 vs 58, twist weight 72 vs 62, forgiveness 76 vs 71. Its 16 mm Full foam dual-density core at 8.3 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Softness
- Twist weight
- Forgiveness
Which one should you buy?
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated
Take Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated if you want softness (+26), swing weight (+18), twist weight (+10). Its swing weight of 118 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated review →Selkirk Vanguard Power Air
Take Selkirk Vanguard Power Air if you want maneuverability (+12), pop (+7). Its swing weight of 114 kg·cm² and 14 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air review →Where to Buy
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated
Selkirk Vanguard Power Air
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated vs Selkirk Vanguard Power Air FAQ
- Which is better, the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated or the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (81.4 vs 78.4), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — softness — Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated leads by 26 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Selkirk Vanguard Power Air, at 114 kg·cm² swing weight against 118 for Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated. Lower swing weight is the single best predictor of hand speed in fast exchanges.
- Which paddle has more power, the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated or the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both score 92 for power.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated at 82 versus 78. Its 16 mm core holds the ball on the face slightly longer, which is what makes resets and dinks land shorter.
- Which paddle spins the ball more?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both score 88 for spin.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated, with the higher forgiveness score (76 vs 71). Its 6.2 twist weight against 5.6 is what drives it — higher twist weight means the face rotates less when you miss the middle.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated costs $180, $70 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on whether you actually use the traits it trades away — check the head-to-head DNA bars above before paying up.
- Do they use the same core and face?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated: 16 mm Full foam dual-density core with a Carbon–fiberglass–carbon face. Selkirk Vanguard Power Air: 14 mm X5 polypropylene core with a Quadcarbon face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both run a 5.5 in handle, long enough that neither forces you to choke the bottom hand onto the face bevel.
- Which one is better for beginners?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 76 and sweet spot 79 mean fewer mishits while your contact point is still inconsistent. Selkirk Vanguard Power Air rewards a repeatable swing and can feel less stable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- Selkirk Vanguard Power Air at 7.9 oz against 8.3 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (114 vs 118) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air to the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated leads on softness by 26 points; everything else is within 18 points. At $180 vs $250, the money is better spent elsewhere unless that one trait is your weak spot.
Related comparisons
The other matchups shoppers open in the same session as this one.
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- Loco 16mm Elongated vs Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm
- Loco 16mm Elongated vs Cannon XPP M1 Elongated 16mm
- Loco 16mm Elongated vs R4 Pulsar
- Loco 16mm Elongated vs Black Diamond Power 16
Also worth comparing
Head-to-heads that share DNA with this matchup — useful if you're still deciding between shapes, cores or price tiers.
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- Loco 16mm Elongated vs Hyperion CFS 16
- Loco 16mm Elongated vs Labs Project 006
- Vanguard Power Air vs CX14H Ultimate Power
- Vanguard Power Air vs Perseus Pro V 14
- Vanguard Power Air vs Warrior Edge 14
- Vanguard Power Air vs Bantam TKO-C 14
Top alternatives to both
Paddles that beat one of these two on a specific trait or on price.
Guides featuring these paddles
Still deciding? These buying guides put Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated and Selkirk Vanguard Power Air in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Elongated and Selkirk Vanguard Power Air. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.