HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs Rally Flare Graphite
Both paddles measured on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA test. HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 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
- 74Power74
- 84Control76
- 72Spin72
- 86Forgiveness84
- 86Sweet spot84
- 80Stability68
- 82Maneuverability90
- 70Pop86
- 82Touch74
- 84Consistency74
- 66Swing weight46
- 74Twist weight66
- 48Launch angle68
- 70Plow through54
- 82Softness74
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs Rally Flare Graphite 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 | Rally Flare Graphite |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $160 | $50 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 79.8 — better | 75.7 |
| Weight(oz) | 7.8 | 7.5 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 11 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 105 | 100 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.4 — better | 5.8 |
| Shape | standard | standard |
| Face length(in) | 15.9 | 16 |
| Face width(in) | 8 | 7.8 |
| Handle length(in) | 5 | 5.3 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4 | 4.135 |
| Surface | Textured fiberglass composite | Carbon fiber with peel-ply texture |
| Core material | Polypropylene honeycomb | Polymer honeycomb |
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.
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
Measured on the same 15-trait test, the clearest separation is swing weight: HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 scores 66 against 46 for Rally Flare Graphite — a 20-point gap. They are effectively level on forgiveness, sweet spot, power, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Rally Flare Graphite is $110 cheaper at $50.
Swing weight
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 leads by 20 points (66 vs 46).
Launch angle
Rally Flare Graphite leads by 20 points (68 vs 48).
Pop
Rally Flare Graphite leads by 16 points (86 vs 70).
Plow through
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 leads by 16 points (70 vs 54).
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
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 is the clearer pick at this level — stability 80 vs 68, consistency 84 vs 74, twist weight 74 vs 66. Twist weight 6.4 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Stability
- Consistency
- Twist weight
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 is a narrow pick at this level — control 84 vs 76, touch 82 vs 74, consistency 84 vs 74. At 105 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Control
- Touch
- Consistency
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 is a narrow pick at this level — plow through 70 vs 54, touch 82 vs 74, control 84 vs 76. Swing weight 105 kg·cm² is what carries that through contact.
- Plow through
- Touch
- Control
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 is the clearer pick at this level — softness 82 vs 74, twist weight 74 vs 66, forgiveness 86 vs 84. Its 16 mm Polypropylene honeycomb core at 7.8 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Softness
- Twist weight
- Forgiveness
Which one should you buy?
Rally Flare Graphite
Take Rally Flare Graphite if you want launch angle (+20), pop (+16), maneuverability (+8). Its swing weight of 100 kg·cm² and 11 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Rally Flare Graphite review →HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16
Take HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 if you want swing weight (+20), plow through (+16), stability (+12). Its swing weight of 105 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 review →Rally Flare Graphite vs HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 FAQ
- Which is better, the Rally Flare Graphite or the HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (79.8 vs 75.7), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — swing weight — HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 leads by 20 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Rally Flare Graphite, at 100 kg·cm² swing weight against 105 for HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16. Lower swing weight is the single best predictor of hand speed in fast exchanges.
- Which paddle has more power, the Rally Flare Graphite or the HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16?
- Rally Flare Graphite measures 74 on power against 74 for HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16. That comes from a 11 mm Polymer honeycomb core swinging at 100 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 at 84 versus 76. 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?
- Rally Flare Graphite scores 72 for spin off its Carbon fiber with peel-ply texture face, against 72 for the Textured fiberglass composite face on HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16. In practice a 0-point gap is small enough that technique matters more.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16, with 6.4 twist weight against 5.8. 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?
- Rally Flare Graphite costs $50, $110 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?
- Rally Flare Graphite: 11 mm Polymer honeycomb core with a Carbon fiber with peel-ply texture face. HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16: 16 mm Polypropylene honeycomb core with a Textured fiberglass composite face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- Rally Flare Graphite, at 5.3 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. Rally Flare Graphite rewards a repeatable swing and can feel unstable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- Rally Flare Graphite at 7.5 oz against 7.8 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (100 vs 105) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Rally Flare Graphite to the HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 leads on swing weight by 20 points; everything else is within 20 points. At $50 vs $160, the money is better spent elsewhere unless that one trait is your weak spot.
This matchup is a touch vs pop decision
Browse every head-to-head that splits on the same trade-off:
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
- Flare Graphite vs Z5 Graphite
- Flare Graphite vs Ben Johns Signature Pro
- Flare Graphite vs SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0
- Flare Graphite vs Strike 4F
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 Rally Flare Graphite. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.