Engage Encore Pro EX vs Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0
Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. Engage Encore Pro EX takes the higher overall IQ score, but the right pick depends on which traits you value.
Add a third paddle to this comparison →
Quick answer
Engage Encore Pro EX edges it on the overall Paddle IQ score (80.9 vs 78.4), but the two split the scored categories — pick on the one trait you care about most.
Power
76 vs 70
Spin
Too close to call
74 vs 74
Control
88 vs 82
Forgiveness
89 vs 84
Hand speed
Too close to call
105 vs 106 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
$80 at IQ 78.4 vs $130 at IQ 80.9
Overall pick: Engage Encore Pro EX · $130 · IQ 80.9
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 70Power76
- 88Control82
- 74Spin74
- 89Forgiveness84
- 90Sweet spot85
- 80Stability77
- 84Maneuverability82
- 66Pop79
- 86Touch76
- 85Consistency80
- 50Swing weight52
- 74Twist weight70
- 68Launch angle64
- 60Plow through64
- 90Softness82
Engage Encore Pro EX vs Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 specs
Every spec side by side. Highlighted values are the better of the two where one is objectively better.
| Spec | Engage Encore Pro EX | Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $130 | $80 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 80.9 — better | 78.4 |
| Weight(oz) | 7.8 | 7.8 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 16 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 105 | 106 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 5.9 | 5.9 |
| Shape | standard | hybrid |
| Face length(in) | 15.9 | 16 |
| Face width(in) | 8 | 7.9 |
| Handle length(in) | 5 | 5 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4.25 | 4.25 |
| Surface | Fiberglass composite | Fiberglass composite |
| Core material | Control core | Rev-Core polymer |
Engage Encore Pro EX verdict
A soft, light, extremely forgiving paddle that has quietly become the default recommendation for players over 60.
Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 verdict
A genuinely balanced sub-$100 paddle. Nothing about it is elite, but nothing is a liability either, which is rare at this price.
The verdict
Scored on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model, the clearest separation is pop: Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 scores 79 against 66 for Engage Encore Pro EX — a 13-point gap. They are effectively level on stability, maneuverability, swing weight, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 is $50 cheaper at $80.
Pop
Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 leads by 13 points (79 vs 66).
Touch
Engage Encore Pro EX leads by 10 points (86 vs 76).
Softness
Engage Encore Pro EX leads by 8 points (90 vs 82).
Power
Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 leads by 6 points (76 vs 70).
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
Engage Encore Pro EX
Engage Encore Pro EX is a narrow pick at this level — forgiveness 89 vs 84, sweet spot 90 vs 85, consistency 85 vs 80. Twist weight 5.9 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Forgiveness
- Sweet spot
- Consistency
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
Engage Encore Pro EX
Engage Encore Pro EX is a narrow pick at this level — touch 86 vs 76, control 88 vs 82, forgiveness 89 vs 84. At 105 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Touch
- Control
- Forgiveness
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (75.8 vs 75.1 on the weighted index). Take Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 and keep the $50.
- Touch
- Control
- Maneuverability
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
Engage Encore Pro EX
Engage Encore Pro EX is the clearer pick at this level — softness 90 vs 82, forgiveness 89 vs 84, twist weight 74 vs 70. Its 16 mm Control core at 7.8 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Softness
- Forgiveness
- Twist weight
Which one should you buy?
Engage Encore Pro EX
Take Engage Encore Pro EX if you want touch (+10), softness (+8), control (+6). Its swing weight of 105 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Engage Encore Pro EX review →Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0
Take Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 if you want pop (+13), power (+6), plow through (+4). Its swing weight of 106 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 review →Engage Encore Pro EX vs Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 FAQ
- Which is better, the Engage Encore Pro EX or the Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0?
- Engage Encore Pro EX carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (80.9 vs 78.4), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — pop — Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 leads by 13 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Engage Encore Pro EX, at 105 kg·cm² swing weight against 106 for Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0. Lower swing weight is the single best predictor of hand speed in fast exchanges.
- Which paddle has more power, the Engage Encore Pro EX or the Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0?
- Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 scores 76 for power against 70 for Engage Encore Pro EX. That comes from a 16 mm Rev-Core polymer core swinging at 106 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Engage Encore Pro EX at 88 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?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both score 74 for spin off the same Fiberglass composite face.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- Engage Encore Pro EX, with the higher forgiveness score (89 vs 84). Twist weight is identical at 5.9, so the gap comes from sweet-spot size and face stability rather than resistance to twisting.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 costs $80, $50 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?
- Engage Encore Pro EX: 16 mm Control core with a Fiberglass composite face. Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0: 16 mm Rev-Core polymer core with a Fiberglass composite face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both run a 5 in handle, short enough that either forces the bottom hand up onto the face bevel.
- Which one is better for beginners?
- Engage Encore Pro EX is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 89 and sweet spot 90 mean fewer mishits while your contact point is still inconsistent. Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 rewards a repeatable swing and can feel less stable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both are listed at 7.8 oz, though swing weight differs (105 vs 106) and that is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 to the Engage Encore Pro EX?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 leads on pop by 13 points; everything else is within 10 points. At $130 vs $80, 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.
Also worth comparing
Head-to-heads that share DNA with this matchup — useful if you're still deciding between shapes, cores or price tiers.
- Encore Pro EX vs Essentials 16
- Encore Pro EX vs Kinetic Pro Flight
- Encore Pro EX vs Prism Flash
- Encore Pro EX vs Tempest Wave V3
- SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 vs Signature Carbon STR
- SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 vs Prism Flash
- SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 vs Essentials 16
- SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 vs Radical Tour Ultra 16
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 Engage Encore Pro EX and Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0 in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: Engage Encore Pro EX and Selkirk SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.