Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard vs Wilson Blaze Pro 16
Both paddles measured on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA test. 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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Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 86Power78
- 87Control82
- 86Spin78
- 88Forgiveness84
- 89Sweet spot84
- 87Stability80
- 77Maneuverability78
- 82Pop76
- 85Touch78
- 86Consistency84
- 76Swing weight70
- 86Twist weight76
- 62Launch angle52
- 80Plow through76
- 86Softness74
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard vs Wilson Blaze Pro 16 specs
Every measured spec side by side. Highlighted values are the better of the two where one is objectively better.
| Spec | Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard | Wilson Blaze Pro 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $180 | $170 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 85.7 — better | 80.2 |
| Weight(oz) | 8.1 | 8 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 16 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 111 | 110 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.8 — better | 6.5 |
| Shape | standard | elongated |
| Face length(in) | 16 | 16.3 |
| Face width(in) | 7.9 | 7.5 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.25 | 5.375 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4.25 | 4.25 |
| Surface | Carbon–fiberglass–carbon face | Raw carbon fiber |
| Core material | Full foam dual-density core | Polypropylene honeycomb |
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.
Wilson Blaze Pro 16 verdict
Wilson's most competitive pickleball paddle to date. Nothing in the DNA profile is exceptional, but nothing is a weakness either — it is the definition of a balanced all-court build.
The verdict
Measured on the same 15-trait test, the clearest separation is softness: Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard scores 86 against 74 for Wilson Blaze Pro 16 — a 12-point gap. They are effectively level on consistency, maneuverability, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Price is close enough ($180 vs $170) that it should not break the tie.
Softness
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard leads by 12 points (86 vs 74).
Twist weight
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard leads by 10 points (86 vs 76).
Launch angle
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard leads by 10 points (62 vs 52).
Power
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard leads by 8 points (86 vs 78).
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 the clearer pick at this level — twist weight 86 vs 76, sweet spot 89 vs 84, stability 87 vs 80. Twist weight 6.8 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Twist weight
- Sweet spot
- Stability
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 — spin 86 vs 78, power 86 vs 78, touch 85 vs 78. At 111 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Spin
- Power
- Touch
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard is the clearer pick at this level — power 86 vs 78, spin 86 vs 78, touch 85 vs 78. Swing weight 111 kg·cm² is what carries that through contact.
- Power
- Spin
- Touch
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 74, twist weight 86 vs 76, forgiveness 88 vs 84. Its 16 mm Full foam dual-density core core at 8.1 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Softness
- Twist weight
- Forgiveness
Which one should you buy?
Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard
Take Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard if you want softness (+12), twist weight (+10), launch angle (+10). Its swing weight of 111 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard review →Wilson Blaze Pro 16
Take Wilson Blaze Pro 16 if you prefer a elongated face and a 5.375 in handle — it gives up nothing measurable to Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard.
Read the Wilson Blaze Pro 16 review →Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard vs Wilson Blaze Pro 16 FAQ
- Which is better, the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard or the Wilson Blaze Pro 16?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (85.7 vs 80.2), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — softness — Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard leads by 12 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Wilson Blaze Pro 16, at 110 kg·cm² swing weight against 111 for Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard. 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 Wilson Blaze Pro 16?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard measures 86 on power against 78 for Wilson Blaze Pro 16. That comes from a 16 mm Full foam dual-density core core swinging at 111 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard at 87 versus 82. 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?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard scores 86 for spin off its Carbon–fiberglass–carbon face face, against 78 for the Raw carbon fiber face on Wilson Blaze Pro 16. In practice a 8-point gap is noticeable on third-shot drives.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard, with 6.8 twist weight against 6.5. Higher twist weight means the face rotates less when you miss the middle, and Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard carries the higher forgiveness score (88) as a result.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- They are within $10 of each other, so price should not decide this matchup.
- Do they use the same core and face?
- Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard: 16 mm Full foam dual-density core core with a Carbon–fiberglass–carbon face face. Wilson Blaze Pro 16: 16 mm Polypropylene honeycomb core with a Raw carbon fiber face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- Wilson Blaze Pro 16, at 5.375 in of handle against 5.25 in. Anything under 5.25 in forces you to choke the bottom hand onto the face bevel.
- 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. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard rewards a repeatable swing and can feel unstable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- Wilson Blaze Pro 16 at 8 oz against 8.1 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (110 vs 111) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Wilson Blaze Pro 16 to the Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard leads on softness by 12 points; everything else is within 10 points. At $180 vs $170, the money is better spent elsewhere unless that one trait is your weak spot.
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
- Blaze Pro 16 vs Evoke Premier
- Blaze Pro 16 vs SLK Halo XL Control
- Blaze Pro 16 vs V7 Hybrid
- Blaze Pro 16 vs Edge 18K V2
Top alternatives to both
Paddles that beat one of these two on a specific trait or on price.
Read the full reviews: Bread & Butter Loco 16mm Standard and Wilson Blaze Pro 16. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.