Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Selkirk Vanguard Power Air
Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 takes the higher overall IQ score, but the right pick depends on which traits you value.
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Quick answer
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 wins this matchup for most players: it takes control, forgiveness and value on Paddle DNA against the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air, which costs $250.
Power
92 vs 88
Spin
Too close to call
90 vs 88
Control
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
89 vs 78
Forgiveness
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
86 vs 71
Hand speed
Too close to call
114 vs 116 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
$275 at IQ 86.8 vs $250 at IQ 78.4
Overall pick: Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 · $275 · IQ 86.8
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 88Power92
- 89Control78
- 90Spin88
- 86Forgiveness71
- 88Sweet spot73
- 90Stability76
- 72Maneuverability79
- 83Pop93
- 86Touch74
- 88Consistency79
- 76Swing weight68
- 86Twist weight62
- 55Launch angle61
- 86Plow through84
- 80Softness58
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 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 | Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 | Selkirk Vanguard Power Air |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $275 | $250 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 86.8 — better | 78.4 |
| Weight(oz) | 8 | 7.9 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 14 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 116 | 114 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.8 — better | 5.6 |
| Shape | elongated | elongated |
| Face length(in) | 16.5 | 16.4 |
| Face width(in) | 7.375 | 7.4 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4 | 4.25 |
| Surface | Toray T700 raw carbon with TXR grip texture | Quadcarbon face |
| Core material | SSTCore carbon-fibre ribs with Smart Dampen foam | X5 polypropylene |
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 verdict
Gearbox's rib-suspended SSTCore feels unlike any honeycomb paddle: firmer through contact, quieter on resets, and unusually consistent shot to shot. You pay $275 for that engineering.
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 twist weight: Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 scores 86 against 62 for Selkirk Vanguard Power Air — a 24-point gap. They are effectively level on spin, plow through, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Selkirk Vanguard Power Air is $25 cheaper at $250.
Twist weight
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 24 points (86 vs 62).
Softness
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 22 points (80 vs 58).
Forgiveness
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 15 points (86 vs 71).
Sweet spot
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 15 points (88 vs 73).
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
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 is the clearer pick at this level — twist weight 86 vs 62, forgiveness 86 vs 71, sweet spot 88 vs 73. Twist weight 6.8 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Twist weight
- Forgiveness
- Sweet spot
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 is a narrow pick at this level — forgiveness 86 vs 71, control 89 vs 78, touch 86 vs 74. At 116 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Forgiveness
- Control
- Touch
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 is a narrow pick at this level — touch 86 vs 74, control 89 vs 78, spin 90 vs 88. Swing weight 116 kg·cm² is what carries that through contact.
- Touch
- Control
- Spin
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 is the clearer pick at this level — softness 80 vs 58, twist weight 86 vs 62, forgiveness 86 vs 71. Its 16 mm SSTCore carbon-fibre ribs with Smart Dampen foam core at 8 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Softness
- Twist weight
- Forgiveness
Which one should you buy?
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Take Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 if you want twist weight (+24), softness (+22), forgiveness (+15). Its swing weight of 116 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 review →Selkirk Vanguard Power Air
Take Selkirk Vanguard Power Air if you want pop (+10), maneuverability (+7), launch angle (+6). Its swing weight of 114 kg·cm² and 14 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air review →Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Selkirk Vanguard Power Air FAQ
- Which is better, the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 or the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (86.8 vs 78.4), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — twist weight — Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 24 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Selkirk Vanguard Power Air, at 114 kg·cm² swing weight against 116 for Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16. Lower swing weight is the single best predictor of hand speed in fast exchanges.
- Which paddle has more power, the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 or the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air?
- Selkirk Vanguard Power Air scores 92 for power against 88 for Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16. 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?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 at 89 versus 78. 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?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 scores 90 for spin off its Toray T700 raw carbon with TXR grip texture face, against 88 for the Quadcarbon face on Selkirk Vanguard Power Air. In practice a 2-point gap is small enough that technique matters more.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16, with the higher forgiveness score (86 vs 71). Its 6.8 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, $25 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?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16: 16 mm SSTCore carbon-fibre ribs with Smart Dampen foam core with a Toray T700 raw carbon with TXR grip texture 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?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 86 and sweet spot 88 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 116) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air to the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads on twist weight by 24 points; everything else is within 22 points. At $275 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.
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Pro Power Elongated
- Vanguard Power Air vs Luxx Control Air
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs TruFoam Genesis 2
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs TruFoam Genesis X
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Scorpeus Pro IV 16
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Agassi Pro 16
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs CRBN-5 TruFoam Hybrid
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs OMNI 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.
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- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Nova R1
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs CRBN-3X Power Series
- 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 Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 and Selkirk Vanguard Power Air in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 and Selkirk Vanguard Power Air. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.