Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14 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 spin, control, forgiveness, hand speed and value on Paddle DNA against the Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14, which costs $180.
Power
Too close to call
91 vs 88
Spin
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm
88 vs 83
Control
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm
86 vs 79
Forgiveness
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm
89 vs 72
Hand speed
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm
107 vs 115 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm
$109.99 at IQ 87.4 vs $180 at IQ 78.6
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.
- 91Power88
- 79Control86
- 83Spin88
- 72Forgiveness89
- 74Sweet spot90
- 80Stability89
- 73Maneuverability86
- 92Pop88
- 72Touch85
- 78Consistency87
- 74Swing weight65
- 71Twist weight87
- 54Launch angle59
- 88Plow through81
- 56Softness80
Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14 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 | Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14 | Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $180 | $109.99 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 78.6 | 87.4 — better |
| Weight(oz) | 8.2 | 7.9 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 14 | 16 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 115 | 107 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6 | 7.4 — better |
| Shape | standard | widebody |
| Face length(in) | 16 | 16 |
| Face width(in) | 7.9 | 8 |
| Handle length(in) | 5 | 5.3 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4.25 | 4.125 |
| Surface | Carbon fiber | QuadFiber carbon layup with PermaGritNano |
| Core material | Bantam power core | Generation 4 Turbo Foam (EPP) |
Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14 verdict
A pure pop paddle. Counters come off the face faster than almost anything in the database, and the trade-off is a firm, chatty feel on soft shots.
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 softness: Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm scores 80 against 56 for Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14 — a 24-point gap. They are effectively level on power, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm is $70.01 cheaper at $109.99.
Softness
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm leads by 24 points (80 vs 56).
Forgiveness
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm leads by 17 points (89 vs 72).
Sweet spot
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm leads by 16 points (90 vs 74).
Twist weight
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm leads by 16 points (87 vs 71).
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
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm is the clearer pick at this level — forgiveness 89 vs 72, sweet spot 90 vs 74, twist weight 87 vs 71. Twist weight 7.4 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Forgiveness
- Sweet spot
- Twist weight
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm is the clearer pick at this level — maneuverability 86 vs 73, forgiveness 89 vs 72, touch 85 vs 72. At 107 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Maneuverability
- Forgiveness
- Touch
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm is a narrow pick at this level — touch 85 vs 72, maneuverability 86 vs 73, spin 88 vs 83. Swing weight 107 kg·cm² is what carries that through contact.
- Touch
- Maneuverability
- Spin
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm is the clearer pick at this level — softness 80 vs 56, forgiveness 89 vs 72, twist weight 87 vs 71. Its 16 mm Generation 4 Turbo Foam (EPP) core at 7.9 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Softness
- Forgiveness
- Twist weight
Which one should you buy?
Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14
Take Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14 if you want swing weight (+9), plow through (+7), pop (+4). Its swing weight of 115 kg·cm² and 14 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14 review →Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm
Take Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm if you want softness (+24), forgiveness (+17), sweet spot (+16). 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
Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14
Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm
Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14 vs Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm FAQ
- Which is better, the Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14 or the Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm?
- Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (87.4 vs 78.6), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — softness — Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm leads by 24 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm, at 107 kg·cm² swing weight against 115 for Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14. Lower swing weight is the single best predictor of hand speed in fast exchanges.
- Which paddle has more power, the Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14 or the Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm?
- Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14 scores 91 for power against 88 for Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm. That comes from a 14 mm Bantam power core swinging at 115 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm at 86 versus 79. 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?
- Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm scores 88 for spin off its QuadFiber carbon layup with PermaGritNano face, against 83 for the Carbon fiber face on Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14. In practice a 5-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 72). Its 7.4 twist weight against 6 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, $70.01 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?
- Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14: 14 mm Bantam power core with a Carbon fiber 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?
- Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm, 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?
- 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. Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14 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 8.2 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (107 vs 115) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14 to the Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm leads on softness by 24 points; everything else is within 17 points. At $180 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.
- Bantam TKO-C 14 vs Tempest Wave V3
- Bantam TKO-C 14 vs Bantam ALW-C 14
- Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm vs Spitfire Elongated 16mm
- Bantam TKO-C 14 vs Perseus POWER FX 16mm
- Bantam TKO-C 14 vs Black Diamond Power 16
- Bantam TKO-C 14 vs Warrior Edge 14
- Bantam TKO-C 14 vs Power Pro X 14
- Bantam TKO-C 14 vs Cannon XPP M1 Elongated 16mm
Also worth comparing
Head-to-heads that share DNA with this matchup — useful if you're still deciding between shapes, cores or price tiers.
- Bantam TKO-C 14 vs CX14H Ultimate Power
- Bantam TKO-C 14 vs Power Pro X 14
- Bantam TKO-C 14 vs Vanguard Power Air
- Bantam TKO-C 14 vs CRBN-1X 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 Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14 and Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: Paddletek Bantam TKO-C 14 and Spartus Spitfire Standard/Widebody 16mm. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.