Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 vs Rally Flare Graphite
Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 takes the higher overall IQ score, but the right pick depends on which traits you value.
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Quick answer
Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 edges it on the overall Paddle IQ score (77 vs 75.7), but the two split the scored categories — pick on the one trait you care about most.
Power
85 vs 74
Spin
90 vs 72
Control
82 vs 76
Forgiveness
84 vs 70
Hand speed
100 vs 112 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
$50 at IQ 75.7 vs $80 at IQ 77
Overall pick: Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 · $80 · IQ 77
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 85Power74
- 82Control76
- 90Spin72
- 70Forgiveness84
- 68Sweet spot84
- 73Stability68
- 76Maneuverability90
- 79Pop86
- 85Touch74
- 75Consistency74
- 69Swing weight46
- 59Twist weight66
- 51Launch angle68
- 79Plow through54
- 82Softness74
Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 vs Rally Flare Graphite specs
Every spec side by side. Highlighted values are the better of the two where one is objectively better.
| Spec | Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 | Rally Flare Graphite |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $80 | $50 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 77 — better | 75.7 |
| Weight(oz) | 8.25 | 7.5 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 12.7 | 11 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 112 | 100 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 5.9 — better | 5.8 |
| Shape | elongated | standard |
| Face length(in) | 16.5 | 16 |
| Face width(in) | 7.5 | 7.8 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.75 | 5.3 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4.375 | 4.135 |
| Surface | Raw Toray T700 Carbon Fiber | Carbon fiber with peel-ply texture |
| Core material | Control Pro Black Polymer Core | Polymer honeycomb |
Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 verdict
A thin 12.7 mm elongated build with a soft Control Pro core — an unusual pairing that produces quick hands and a low launch instead of the usual thin-core pop.
Rally Flare Graphite verdict
A $50 carbon-faced paddle with a thin 11 mm core: poppy, light and easy to swing. It is a starter paddle, and the thin core shows the moment you try to reset a hard drive.
The verdict
Scored on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model, the clearest separation is plow through: Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 scores 79 against 54 for Rally Flare Graphite — a 25-point gap. They are effectively level on consistency, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Rally Flare Graphite is $30 cheaper at $50.
Plow through
Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 leads by 25 points (79 vs 54).
Swing weight
Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 leads by 23 points (69 vs 46).
Spin
Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 leads by 18 points (90 vs 72).
Launch angle
Rally Flare Graphite leads by 17 points (68 vs 51).
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
Rally Flare Graphite
Rally Flare Graphite is the clearer pick at this level — sweet spot 84 vs 68, forgiveness 84 vs 70, twist weight 66 vs 59. Twist weight 5.8 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Sweet spot
- Forgiveness
- Twist weight
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7
Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 is a narrow pick at this level — spin 90 vs 72, power 85 vs 74, touch 85 vs 74. At 112 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Spin
- Power
- Touch
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7
Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 is the clearer pick at this level — plow through 79 vs 54, spin 90 vs 72, power 85 vs 74. Swing weight 112 kg·cm² is what carries that through contact.
- Plow through
- Spin
- Power
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (74.5 vs 75.3 on the weighted index). Take Rally Flare Graphite and keep the $30.
- Forgiveness
- Twist weight
Which one should you buy?
Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7
Take Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 if you want plow through (+25), swing weight (+23), spin (+18). Its swing weight of 112 kg·cm² and 12.7 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 review →Rally Flare Graphite
Take Rally Flare Graphite if you want launch angle (+17), sweet spot (+16), forgiveness (+14). Its swing weight of 100 kg·cm² and 11 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Rally Flare Graphite review →Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 vs Rally Flare Graphite FAQ
- Which is better, the Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 or the Rally Flare Graphite?
- Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (77 vs 75.7), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — plow through — Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 leads by 25 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Rally Flare Graphite, at 100 kg·cm² swing weight against 112 for Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7. Lower swing weight is the single best predictor of hand speed in fast exchanges.
- Which paddle has more power, the Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 or the Rally Flare Graphite?
- Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 scores 85 for power against 74 for Rally Flare Graphite. That comes from a 12.7 mm Control Pro Black Polymer Core swinging at 112 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 at 82 versus 76. Its 12.7 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?
- Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 scores 90 for spin off its Raw Toray T700 Carbon Fiber face, against 72 for the Carbon fiber with peel-ply texture face on Rally Flare Graphite. In practice an 18-point gap is noticeable on third-shot drives.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- Rally Flare Graphite, with the higher forgiveness score (84 vs 70). Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 actually carries the higher twist weight (5.9 vs 5.8), but Rally Flare Graphite makes it back on sweet spot (84) and overall face stability.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- Rally Flare Graphite costs $50, $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?
- Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7: 12.7 mm Control Pro Black Polymer Core with a Raw Toray T700 Carbon Fiber face. Rally Flare Graphite: 11 mm Polymer honeycomb core with a Carbon fiber with peel-ply texture face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7, at 5.75 in of handle against 5.3 in. Anything under 5.25 in forces you to choke the bottom hand onto the face bevel, which Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 avoids.
- Which one is better for beginners?
- Rally Flare Graphite is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 84 and sweet spot 84 mean fewer mishits while your contact point is still inconsistent. Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 rewards a repeatable swing and can feel less stable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- Rally Flare Graphite at 7.5 oz against 8.25 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (100 vs 112) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Rally Flare Graphite to the Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Engage Pursuit Pro MX 12.7 leads on plow through by 25 points; everything else is within 23 points. At $80 vs $50, the money is better spent elsewhere unless that one trait is your weak spot.
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