CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage vs Selkirk Vanguard Power Air
Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage takes the higher overall IQ score, but the right pick depends on which traits you value.
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Quick answer
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage wins this matchup for most players: it takes spin, control, forgiveness and hand speed on Paddle DNA against the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air, which costs $250.
Power
92 vs 87
Spin
92 vs 88
Control
87 vs 78
Forgiveness
82 vs 71
Hand speed
102 vs 114 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
$250 at IQ 78.4 vs $280 at IQ 82.6
Overall pick: CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage · $280 · IQ 82.6
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 87Power92
- 87Control78
- 92Spin88
- 82Forgiveness71
- 82Sweet spot73
- 75Stability76
- 93Maneuverability79
- 81Pop93
- 88Touch74
- 81Consistency79
- 53Swing weight68
- 65Twist weight62
- 53Launch angle61
- 63Plow through84
- 79Softness58
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage 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 | CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage | Selkirk Vanguard Power Air |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $280 | $250 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 82.6 — better | 78.4 |
| Weight(oz) | 8 | 7.9 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 14 | 14 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 102 | 114 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.1 — better | 5.6 |
| Shape | hybrid | elongated |
| Face length(in) | 16.2 | 16.4 |
| Face width(in) | 7.8 | 7.4 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4.125 | 4.25 |
| Surface | Raw T700 Carbon Fiber Face | Quadcarbon face |
| Core material | TruFoam™ Floating Core | X5 polypropylene |
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage verdict
The Barrage is CRBN's power interpretation of the TruFoam platform: a 14 mm hybrid whose full-foam core keeps the ball on the face longer than any thermoformed build at this power level.
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 plow through: Selkirk Vanguard Power Air scores 84 against 63 for CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage — a 21-point gap. They are effectively level on twist weight, consistency, stability, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Selkirk Vanguard Power Air is $30 cheaper at $250.
Plow through
Selkirk Vanguard Power Air leads by 21 points (84 vs 63).
Softness
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage leads by 21 points (79 vs 58).
Swing weight
Selkirk Vanguard Power Air leads by 15 points (68 vs 53).
Maneuverability
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage leads by 14 points (93 vs 79).
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
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage is the clearer pick at this level — forgiveness 82 vs 71, sweet spot 82 vs 73, control 87 vs 78. Twist weight 6.1 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Forgiveness
- Sweet spot
- Control
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage is the clearer pick at this level — maneuverability 93 vs 79, touch 88 vs 74, control 87 vs 78. At 102 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Maneuverability
- Touch
- Control
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (85 vs 83.5 on the weighted index). Take Selkirk Vanguard Power Air and keep the $30.
- Touch
- Maneuverability
- Control
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage is the clearer pick at this level — softness 79 vs 58, forgiveness 82 vs 71, twist weight 65 vs 62. Its 14 mm TruFoam™ Floating Core at 8 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Softness
- Forgiveness
- Twist weight
Which one should you buy?
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage
Take CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage if you want softness (+21), maneuverability (+14), touch (+14). Its swing weight of 102 kg·cm² and 14 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage review →Selkirk Vanguard Power Air
Take Selkirk Vanguard Power Air if you want plow through (+21), swing weight (+15), pop (+12). 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
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage
Selkirk Vanguard Power Air
CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage vs Selkirk Vanguard Power Air FAQ
- Which is better, the CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage or the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air?
- CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (82.6 vs 78.4), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — plow through — Selkirk Vanguard Power Air leads by 21 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage, at 102 kg·cm² swing weight against 114 for Selkirk Vanguard Power Air. Lower swing weight is the single best predictor of hand speed in fast exchanges.
- Which paddle has more power, the CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage or the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air?
- Selkirk Vanguard Power Air scores 92 for power against 87 for CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage. That comes from a 14 mm X5 polypropylene core swinging at 114 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage at 87 versus 78. Its 14 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?
- CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage scores 92 for spin off its Raw T700 Carbon Fiber Face, against 88 for the Quadcarbon face on Selkirk Vanguard Power Air. In practice a 4-point gap is small enough that technique matters more.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage, with the higher forgiveness score (82 vs 71). Its 6.1 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?
- Selkirk Vanguard Power Air costs $250, $30 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?
- CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage: 14 mm TruFoam™ Floating Core with a Raw T700 Carbon Fiber 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?
- CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 82 and sweet spot 82 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 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (114 vs 102) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air to the CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Selkirk Vanguard Power Air leads on plow through by 21 points; everything else is within 21 points. At $280 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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- CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage vs J6CR
- Vanguard Power Air vs Luxx Control Air
- CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage vs TruFoam Genesis 3
- CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage vs Mod TA-15 3S 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.
- CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage vs Coral Hybrid 16
- CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage vs Pursuit Pro1 6.0 Hybrid
- CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage vs Coral Pro Hybrid UPA-A
- CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage vs Labs Project 007 Epic 14
- 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 CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage and Selkirk Vanguard Power Air in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: CRBN⁴ TruFoam Barrage and Selkirk Vanguard Power Air. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.