Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard vs Proton Series One Project Black
Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard 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 Standard wins this matchup for most players: it takes forgiveness, hand speed and value on Paddle DNA against the Proton Series One Project Black, which costs $200.
Power
Too close to call
86 vs 86
Spin
Proton Series One Project Black
90 vs 86
Control
Too close to call
87 vs 86
Forgiveness
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard
88 vs 80
Hand speed
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard
111 vs 117 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard
$180 at IQ 85.7 vs $200 at IQ 83.8
Overall pick: Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard · $180 · IQ 85.7
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 86Power86
- 87Control86
- 86Spin90
- 88Forgiveness80
- 89Sweet spot82
- 87Stability86
- 77Maneuverability72
- 82Pop82
- 85Touch82
- 86Consistency84
- 76Swing weight76
- 86Twist weight86
- 62Launch angle54
- 80Plow through86
- 86Softness68
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard vs Proton Series One Project Black specs
Every spec side by side. Highlighted values are the better of the two where one is objectively better.
| Spec | Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard | Proton Series One Project Black |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $180 — better | $200 |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 85.7 — better | 83.8 |
| Weight(oz) | 8.1 | 8.3 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 16 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 111 | 117 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.8 | 7 — better |
| Shape | standard | elongated |
| Face length(in) | 16 | 16.5 |
| Face width(in) | 7.9 | 7.5 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.25 | 5.5 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4.25 | 4.25 |
| Surface | Carbon–fiberglass–carbon face | Raw carbon fiber |
| Core material | Full foam dual-density core | Thermoformed unibody with foam walls |
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard verdict
The forgiving Loco. Widening the face lifts sweet spot and twist weight and drops the swing weight below the other two shapes, at the cost of some reach and drive.
Proton Series One Project Black verdict
A thermoformed unibody built around stability. The foam walls push twist weight to the top of our scored range, which is why off-center drives still land deep.
The verdict
Scored on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model, the clearest separation is softness: Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard scores 86 against 68 for Proton Series One Project Black — an 18-point gap. They are effectively level on touch, consistency, control, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard is $20 cheaper at $180.
Softness
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard leads by 18 points (86 vs 68).
Forgiveness
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard leads by 8 points (88 vs 80).
Launch angle
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard leads by 8 points (62 vs 54).
Sweet spot
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard leads by 7 points (89 vs 82).
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 Standard
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard is a narrow pick at this level — forgiveness 88 vs 80, sweet spot 89 vs 82, consistency 86 vs 84. Twist weight 6.8 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Forgiveness
- Sweet spot
- Consistency
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard is a narrow pick at this level — forgiveness 88 vs 80, maneuverability 77 vs 72, touch 85 vs 82. At 111 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Forgiveness
- Maneuverability
- Touch
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (83.8 vs 84.4 on the weighted index). Take Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard and keep the $20.
- Plow through
- Spin
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard is the clearer pick at this level — softness 86 vs 68, forgiveness 88 vs 80. Its 16 mm Full foam dual-density core at 8.1 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Softness
- Forgiveness
Which one should you buy?
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard
Take Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard if you want softness (+18), forgiveness (+8), launch angle (+8). Its swing weight of 111 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard review →Proton Series One Project Black
Take Proton Series One Project Black if you want plow through (+6), spin (+4). Its swing weight of 117 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Proton Series One Project Black review →Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard vs Proton Series One Project Black FAQ
- Which is better, the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard or the Proton Series One Project Black?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (85.7 vs 83.8), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — softness — Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard leads by 18 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard, at 111 kg·cm² swing weight against 117 for Proton Series One Project Black. Lower swing weight is the single best predictor of hand speed in fast exchanges.
- Which paddle has more power, the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard or the Proton Series One Project Black?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both score 86 for power.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard at 87 versus 86. 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?
- Proton Series One Project Black scores 90 for spin off its Raw carbon fiber face, against 86 for the Carbon–fiberglass–carbon face on Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard. In practice a 4-point gap is small enough that technique matters more.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard, with the higher forgiveness score (88 vs 80). Proton Series One Project Black actually carries the higher twist weight (7 vs 6.8), but Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard makes it back on sweet spot (89) and overall face stability.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard costs $180, $20 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 Standard: 16 mm Full foam dual-density core with a Carbon–fiberglass–carbon face. Proton Series One Project Black: 16 mm Thermoformed unibody with foam walls core with a Raw carbon fiber face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- Proton Series One Project Black, at 5.5 in of handle against 5.25 in. Anything under 5.25 in forces you to choke the bottom hand onto the face bevel, which Proton Series One Project Black avoids.
- Which one is better for beginners?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 88 and sweet spot 89 mean fewer mishits while your contact point is still inconsistent. Proton Series One Project Black rewards a repeatable swing and can feel less stable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard at 8.1 oz against 8.3 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (111 vs 117) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Proton Series One Project Black to the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard leads on softness by 18 points; everything else is within 8 points. At $180 vs $200, 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.
- Loco 16mm Standard vs Double Black Diamond Control V2
- Series One Project Black vs Series Four (Project Roadrunner)
- Loco 16mm Standard vs Mach 1 Forza 16
- Loco 16mm Standard vs Extreme Tour 16
- Loco 16mm Standard vs Ruby
- Loco 16mm Standard vs Nova R1
- Loco 16mm Standard vs Model E Max V3
- Loco 16mm Standard vs Loco 16mm Hybrid
Also worth comparing
Head-to-heads that share DNA with this matchup — useful if you're still deciding between shapes, cores or price tiers.
- Loco 16mm Standard vs Mach 1 Forza 16
- Loco 16mm Standard vs Nova R1
- Loco 16mm Standard vs Tenon
- Loco 16mm Standard vs Oni 16
- Series One Project Black vs Agassi Pro 16
- Series One Project Black vs Mach 2 Forza 16
- Series One Project Black vs Ruby
- Series One Project Black vs R4 Pulsar
Top alternatives to both
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Guides featuring these paddles
Still deciding? These buying guides put Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard and Proton Series One Project Black in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard and Proton Series One Project Black. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.