HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs Rally Meister Wood
Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 takes the higher overall IQ score, but the right pick depends on which traits you value.
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Quick answer
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 wins this matchup for most players: it takes power, spin, control, forgiveness and hand speed on Paddle DNA against the Rally Meister Wood, which costs $11.
Power
74 vs 60
Spin
72 vs 20
Control
84 vs 40
Forgiveness
86 vs 45
Hand speed
105 vs 120 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
$11 at IQ 44.2 vs $160 at IQ 79.8
Overall pick: HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 · $160 · IQ 79.8
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 74Power60
- 84Control40
- 72Spin20
- 86Forgiveness45
- 86Sweet spot40
- 80Stability70
- 82Maneuverability30
- 70Pop50
- 82Touch30
- 84Consistency45
- 66Swing weight95
- 74Twist weight50
- 48Launch angle60
- 70Plow through70
- 82Softness10
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs Rally Meister Wood specs
Every spec side by side. Highlighted values are the better of the two where one is objectively better.
| Spec | HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 | Rally Meister Wood |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $160 | $11 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 79.8 — better | 44.2 |
| Weight(oz) | 7.8 | 10 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 7 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 105 | 120 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.4 — better | 5 |
| Shape | standard | standard |
| Face length(in) | 15.9 | 15.5 |
| Face width(in) | 8 | 7 |
| Handle length(in) | 5 | 5.25 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4 | 4.25 |
| Surface | Textured fiberglass composite | Screen print over satin varnish |
| Core material | Polypropylene honeycomb | Seven-ply maple wood |
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 Meister Wood verdict
A seven-ply maple paddle that exists for one reason: equipping a group for under $15 a head. It is heavy, harsh and spinless, and it is still the best wood paddle sold.
The verdict
Scored on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model, the clearest separation is softness: HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 scores 82 against 10 for Rally Meister Wood — a 72-point gap. They are effectively level on plow through, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Rally Meister Wood is $149 cheaper at $11.
Softness
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 leads by 72 points (82 vs 10).
Spin
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 leads by 52 points (72 vs 20).
Maneuverability
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 leads by 52 points (82 vs 30).
Touch
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 leads by 52 points (82 vs 30).
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 — sweet spot 86 vs 40, forgiveness 86 vs 45, consistency 84 vs 45. Twist weight 6.4 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Sweet spot
- Forgiveness
- Consistency
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 is the clearer pick at this level — spin 72 vs 20, maneuverability 82 vs 30, control 84 vs 40. At 105 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Spin
- Maneuverability
- Control
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 is the clearer pick at this level — spin 72 vs 20, touch 82 vs 30, maneuverability 82 vs 30. Swing weight 105 kg·cm² is what carries that through contact.
- Spin
- Touch
- Maneuverability
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 10, forgiveness 86 vs 45, twist weight 74 vs 50. Its 16 mm Polypropylene honeycomb core at 7.8 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Softness
- Forgiveness
- Twist weight
Which one should you buy?
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16
Take HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 if you want softness (+72), spin (+52), maneuverability (+52). 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 Meister Wood
Take Rally Meister Wood if you want swing weight (+29), launch angle (+12). Its swing weight of 120 kg·cm² and 7 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Rally Meister Wood review →HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs Rally Meister Wood FAQ
- Which is better, the HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 or the Rally Meister Wood?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (79.8 vs 44.2), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — softness — HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 leads by 72 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16, at 105 kg·cm² swing weight against 120 for Rally Meister Wood. 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 Rally Meister Wood?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 scores 74 for power against 60 for Rally Meister Wood. That comes from a 16 mm Polypropylene honeycomb core swinging at 105 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 at 84 versus 40. 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?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 scores 72 for spin off its Textured fiberglass composite face, against 20 for the Screen print over satin varnish face on Rally Meister Wood. In practice a 52-point gap is noticeable on third-shot drives.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16, with the higher forgiveness score (86 vs 45). Its 6.4 twist weight against 5 is what drives it — higher twist weight means the face rotates less when you miss the middle.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- Rally Meister Wood costs $11, $149 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. Rally Meister Wood: 7 mm Seven-ply maple wood core with a Screen print over satin varnish face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- Rally Meister Wood, at 5.25 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 Meister Wood rewards a repeatable swing and can feel less stable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 at 7.8 oz against 10 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (105 vs 120) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Rally Meister Wood to the HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 leads on softness by 72 points; everything else is within 52 points. At $160 vs $11, 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.
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- Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs Blaze Pro 16
- Meister Wood vs Flare Graphite
- Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs Encore Pro EX
- Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs SLK Evo Hybrid 2.0
- Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs Signature Carbon STR
- Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs Tempest Wave Pro
- Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs Evoke Premier
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 Atlas 16
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 HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 and Rally Meister Wood in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 and Rally Meister Wood. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.