Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm
Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm takes the higher overall IQ score, but the right pick depends on which traits you value.
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Quick answer
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm wins this matchup for most players: it takes hand speed and value on Paddle DNA against the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16, which costs $275.
Power
Too close to call
88 vs 88
Spin
Too close to call
90 vs 88
Control
Too close to call
89 vs 86
Forgiveness
Too close to call
89 vs 86
Hand speed
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm
107 vs 116 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm
$109.99 at IQ 87.4 vs $275 at IQ 86.8
Overall pick: Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm · $109.99 · IQ 87.4
Paddle DNA head-to-head
Estimated scores: the Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm Paddle DNA is our estimate from published specs, not a sourced profile.
- 88Power88
- 89Control86
- 90Spin88
- 86Forgiveness89
- 88Sweet spot90
- 90Stability89
- 72Maneuverability86
- 83Pop88
- 86Touch85
- 88Consistency87
- 76Swing weight65
- 86Twist weight87
- 55Launch angle59
- 86Plow through81
- 80Softness80
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm 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 | Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $275 | $109.99 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 86.8 | 87.4 — better |
| Weight(oz) | 8 | 7.9 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 16 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 116 | 107 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.8 | 7.4 — better |
| Shape | elongated | widebody |
| Face length(in) | 16.5 | 16 |
| Face width(in) | 7.375 | 8 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.5 | 5.3 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4 | 4.125 |
| Surface | Toray T700 raw carbon with TXR grip texture | QuadFiber carbon layup with PermaGritNano |
| Core material | SSTCore carbon-fibre ribs with Smart Dampen foam | Generation 4 Turbo Foam (EPP) |
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.
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm verdict
The 16 × 8-inch Standard/Widebody offers a broader face and lower manufacturer-listed swingweight than the Elongated. Choose its geometry for compact handling and off-center coverage; choose Elongated for extra reach. Estimated Paddle DNA is not a measured power, control or spin result.
The verdict
Scored on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model, the clearest separation is maneuverability: Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm scores 86 against 72 for Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 — a 14-point gap. They are effectively level on control, forgiveness, spin, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm is $165.01 cheaper at $109.99.
Maneuverability
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm leads by 14 points (86 vs 72).
Swing weight
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 11 points (76 vs 65).
Pop
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm leads by 5 points (88 vs 83).
Plow through
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 leads by 5 points (86 vs 81).
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
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (87.6 vs 88.4 on the weighted index). Take Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm and keep the $165.01.
- Forgiveness
- Sweet spot
- Twist weight
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (85.2 vs 87 on the weighted index). Take Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm and keep the $165.01.
- Maneuverability
- Forgiveness
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (85.9 vs 85.8 on the weighted index). Take Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm and keep the $165.01.
- Plow through
- Spin
- Control
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (82.7 vs 83.7 on the weighted index). Take Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm and keep the $165.01.
- Forgiveness
- Twist weight
Which one should you buy?
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Take Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 if you want swing weight (+11), plow through (+5). Its swing weight of 116 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 review →Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm
Take Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm if you want maneuverability (+14), pop (+5), launch angle (+4). Its swing weight of 107 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm review →Where to Buy
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm FAQ
- Which is better, the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 or the Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm?
- Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (87.4 vs 86.8), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — maneuverability — Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm leads by 14 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm, at 107 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 Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both score 88 for power.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 at 89 versus 86. 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 QuadFiber carbon layup with PermaGritNano face on Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm. In practice a 2-point gap is small enough that technique matters more.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm, with the higher forgiveness score (89 vs 86). Its 7.4 twist weight against 6.8 is what drives it — higher twist weight means the face rotates less when you miss the middle.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm costs $109.99, $165.01 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. Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm: 16 mm Generation 4 Turbo Foam (EPP) core with a QuadFiber carbon layup with PermaGritNano face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16, at 5.5 in of handle against 5.3 in. Anything under 5.25 in forces you to choke the bottom hand onto the face bevel, which Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 avoids.
- Which one is better for beginners?
- Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 89 and sweet spot 90 mean fewer mishits while your contact point is still inconsistent. Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 rewards a repeatable swing and can feel less stable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm at 7.9 oz against 8 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (107 vs 116) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 to the Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm leads on maneuverability by 14 points; everything else is within 11 points. At $275 vs $109.99, 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
- Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm vs Spitfire Elongated 16mm
- 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.
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs CRBN-1X
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Infinity Ruby 16
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs Nova R1
- Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 vs CRBN-3X Power Series
- Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm vs J2CR
- Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm vs Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm
- Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm vs Loco 16mm Standard
- Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm vs Tenon
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 Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: Gearbox Pro Ultimate Elongated 16 and Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.