HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs ONIX Evoke Premier
Both paddles measured on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA test. ONIX Evoke Premier takes the higher overall IQ score, but the right pick depends on which traits you value.
Add a third paddle to this comparison →
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 74Power83
- 84Control84
- 72Spin78
- 86Forgiveness84
- 86Sweet spot85
- 80Stability83
- 82Maneuverability76
- 70Pop82
- 82Touch80
- 84Consistency82
- 66Swing weight68
- 74Twist weight80
- 48Launch angle60
- 70Plow through78
- 82Softness78
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs ONIX Evoke Premier specs
Every measured spec side by side. Highlighted values are the better of the two where one is objectively better.
| Spec | HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 | ONIX Evoke Premier |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $160 — better | $180 |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 79.8 | 81.7 — better |
| Weight(oz) | 7.8 | 8.2 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 16 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 105 | 113 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.4 | 6.4 |
| Shape | standard | standard |
| Face length(in) | 15.9 | 15.9 |
| Face width(in) | 8 | 8 |
| Handle length(in) | 5 | 5 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4 | 4.25 |
| Surface | Textured fiberglass composite | Textured carbon |
| Core material | Polypropylene honeycomb | Precision polymer |
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 verdict
A conservative, durable standard-shape paddle. Spin 72 is well behind raw carbon, but forgiveness 86 and a 105 swing weight make it one of the easier paddles here to play well immediately.
ONIX Evoke Premier verdict
An underrated standard-shape all-rounder. It rewards players who make clean contact in the middle of the face and does nothing badly.
The verdict
Measured on the same 15-trait test, the clearest separation is pop: ONIX Evoke Premier scores 82 against 70 for HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 — a 12-point gap. They are effectively level on stability, forgiveness, touch, so those traits should not decide the purchase. HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 is $20 cheaper at $160.
Pop
ONIX Evoke Premier leads by 12 points (82 vs 70).
Launch angle
ONIX Evoke Premier leads by 12 points (60 vs 48).
Power
ONIX Evoke Premier leads by 9 points (83 vs 74).
Plow through
ONIX Evoke Premier leads by 8 points (78 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
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (82.8 vs 83.2 on the weighted index). Take HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 and keep the $20.
- Twist weight
- Stability
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (80.3 vs 80.7 on the weighted index). Take HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 and keep the $20.
- Power
- Spin
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
ONIX Evoke Premier
ONIX Evoke Premier is a narrow pick at this level — power 83 vs 74, plow through 78 vs 70, spin 78 vs 72. Swing weight 113 kg·cm² is what carries that through contact.
- Power
- Plow through
- Spin
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (81.6 vs 80 on the weighted index). Take HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 and keep the $20.
- Softness
- Forgiveness
Which one should you buy?
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16
Take HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 if you want maneuverability (+6), softness (+4). Its swing weight of 105 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 review →ONIX Evoke Premier
Take ONIX Evoke Premier if you want pop (+12), launch angle (+12), power (+9). Its swing weight of 113 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the ONIX Evoke Premier review →HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs ONIX Evoke Premier FAQ
- Which is better, the HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 or the ONIX Evoke Premier?
- ONIX Evoke Premier carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (81.7 vs 79.8), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — pop — ONIX Evoke Premier leads by 12 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16, at 105 kg·cm² swing weight against 113 for ONIX Evoke Premier. Lower swing weight is the single best predictor of hand speed in fast exchanges.
- Which paddle has more power, the HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 or the ONIX Evoke Premier?
- ONIX Evoke Premier measures 83 on power against 74 for HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16. That comes from a 16 mm Precision polymer core swinging at 113 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 at 84 versus 84. 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?
- ONIX Evoke Premier scores 78 for spin off its Textured carbon face, against 72 for the Textured fiberglass composite face on HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16. In practice a 6-point gap is noticeable on third-shot drives.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16, with 6.4 twist weight against 6.4. Higher twist weight means the face rotates less when you miss the middle, and HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 carries the higher forgiveness score (86) as a result.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 costs $160, $20 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?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16: 16 mm Polypropylene honeycomb core with a Textured fiberglass composite face. ONIX Evoke Premier: 16 mm Precision polymer core with a Textured carbon face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16, at 5 in of handle against 5 in. Anything under 5.25 in forces you to choke the bottom hand onto the face bevel.
- Which one is better for beginners?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 86 and sweet spot 86 mean fewer mishits while your contact point is still inconsistent. ONIX Evoke Premier rewards a repeatable swing and can feel unstable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 at 7.8 oz against 8.2 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (105 vs 113) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 to the ONIX Evoke Premier?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. ONIX Evoke Premier leads on pop by 12 points; everything else is within 12 points. At $160 vs $180, the money is better spent elsewhere unless that one trait is your weak spot.
Also worth comparing
Head-to-heads that share DNA with this matchup — useful if you're still deciding between shapes, cores or price tiers.
- Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs Obsidian 16
- Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs R1 Pulsar
- Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs Blaze Pro 16
- Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs Signature Carbon STR
- Evoke Premier vs V7 Hybrid
- Evoke Premier vs Ruby
- Evoke Premier vs Blaze Pro 16
- Evoke Premier vs SLK Halo XL Control
Top alternatives to both
Paddles that beat one of these two on a specific trait or on price.
Read the full reviews: HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 and ONIX Evoke Premier. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.