HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs VERSIX Strike 4F
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 and forgiveness on Paddle DNA against the VERSIX Strike 4F, which costs $15.
Power
74 vs 66
Spin
72 vs 52
Control
84 vs 72
Forgiveness
86 vs 80
Hand speed
96 vs 105 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
$15 at IQ 69.7 vs $160 at IQ 79.8
Overall pick: HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 · $160 · IQ 79.8
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 74Power66
- 84Control72
- 72Spin52
- 86Forgiveness80
- 86Sweet spot78
- 80Stability62
- 82Maneuverability94
- 70Pop84
- 82Touch70
- 84Consistency70
- 66Swing weight40
- 74Twist weight60
- 48Launch angle72
- 70Plow through48
- 82Softness72
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs VERSIX Strike 4F 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 | VERSIX Strike 4F |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $160 | $15 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 79.8 — better | 69.7 |
| Weight(oz) | 7.8 | 7.3 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 10 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 105 | 96 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.4 — better | 5.4 |
| Shape | standard | standard |
| Face length(in) | 15.9 | 15.4 |
| Face width(in) | 8 | 7.75 |
| Handle length(in) | 5 | 5.1 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4 | 4.125 |
| Surface | Textured fiberglass composite | Glass fiber composite |
| Core material | Polypropylene honeycomb | Polypropylene 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.
VERSIX Strike 4F verdict
At $15 this is a loaner-bin paddle done properly: light, poppy and durable enough for a season of open play. Nobody should keep playing with it once they can consistently dink.
The verdict
Scored on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model, the clearest separation is swing weight: HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 scores 66 against 40 for VERSIX Strike 4F — a 26-point gap. VERSIX Strike 4F is $145 cheaper at $15.
Swing weight
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 leads by 26 points (66 vs 40).
Launch angle
VERSIX Strike 4F leads by 24 points (72 vs 48).
Plow through
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 leads by 22 points (70 vs 48).
Spin
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 leads by 20 points (72 vs 52).
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 62, twist weight 74 vs 60, consistency 84 vs 70. Twist weight 6.4 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Stability
- Twist weight
- 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 52, control 84 vs 72, touch 82 vs 70. At 105 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Spin
- Control
- Touch
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 52, plow through 70 vs 48, touch 82 vs 70. Swing weight 105 kg·cm² is what carries that through contact.
- Spin
- Plow through
- Touch
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 72, twist weight 74 vs 60, forgiveness 86 vs 80. 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?
HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16
Take HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 if you want swing weight (+26), plow through (+22), spin (+20). Its swing weight of 105 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 review →VERSIX Strike 4F
Take VERSIX Strike 4F if you want launch angle (+24), pop (+14), maneuverability (+12). Its swing weight of 96 kg·cm² and 10 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the VERSIX Strike 4F review →HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs VERSIX Strike 4F FAQ
- Which is better, the HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 or the VERSIX Strike 4F?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (79.8 vs 69.7), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — swing weight — HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 leads by 26 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- VERSIX Strike 4F, at 96 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 HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 or the VERSIX Strike 4F?
- HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 scores 74 for power against 66 for VERSIX Strike 4F. 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 72. 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 52 for the Glass fiber composite face on VERSIX Strike 4F. In practice a 20-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 80). Its 6.4 twist weight against 5.4 is what drives it — higher twist weight means the face rotates less when you miss the middle.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- VERSIX Strike 4F costs $15, $145 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. VERSIX Strike 4F: 10 mm Polypropylene honeycomb core with a Glass fiber composite face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- VERSIX Strike 4F, at 5.1 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. VERSIX Strike 4F rewards a repeatable swing and can feel less stable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- VERSIX Strike 4F at 7.3 oz against 7.8 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (96 vs 105) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the VERSIX Strike 4F 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 26 points; everything else is within 24 points. At $160 vs $15, 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.
- Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs Obsidian 16
- Radical Tour Ultra 16 vs Blaze Pro 16
- Strike 4F vs V7 Hybrid
- 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 VERSIX Strike 4F in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: HEAD Radical Tour Ultra 16 and VERSIX Strike 4F. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.