ProKennex Black Ace LG vs Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16
Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 takes the higher overall IQ score, but the right pick depends on which traits you value.
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Quick answer
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 wins this matchup for most players: it takes spin, control and hand speed on Paddle DNA against the ProKennex Black Ace LG, which costs $200.
Power
Too close to call
74 vs 71
Spin
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16
90 vs 82
Control
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16
94 vs 88
Forgiveness
88 vs 82
Hand speed
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16
98 vs 109 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
$200 at IQ 83.1 vs $333 at IQ 84.1
Overall pick: Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 · $333 · IQ 84.1
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 74Power71
- 88Control94
- 82Spin90
- 88Forgiveness82
- 86Sweet spot81
- 82Stability84
- 78Maneuverability97
- 70Pop70
- 90Touch92
- 88Consistency87
- 70Swing weight47
- 78Twist weight77
- 48Launch angle46
- 76Plow through59
- 92Softness90
ProKennex Black Ace LG vs Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 specs
Every spec side by side. Highlighted values are the better of the two where one is objectively better.
| Spec | ProKennex Black Ace LG | Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $200 — better | $333 |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 83.1 | 84.1 — better |
| Weight(oz) | 8 | 8.2 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 16 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 109 | 98 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.4 | 6.5 — better |
| Shape | elongated | standard |
| Face length(in) | 16.3 | 15.95 |
| Face width(in) | 7.5 | 8 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.5 | 5.6 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4.25 | 4.25 |
| Surface | Textured carbon | Multistrata T700 Carbon |
| Core material | Kinetic core with damping chambers | BoomCore™ |
ProKennex Black Ace LG verdict
The most arm-friendly build in the database. Softness 92 comes from ProKennex's Kinetic damping, and it is the one paddle we recommend without hesitation for players managing tendon pain.
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 verdict
The widebody Boomstik keeps BoomCore's power but spreads it across a 15.95 x 8.0 in face, which is the most forgiving version of Selkirk's flagship platform.
The verdict
Scored on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model, the clearest separation is swing weight: ProKennex Black Ace LG scores 70 against 47 for Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 — a 23-point gap. They are effectively level on power, stability, touch, so those traits should not decide the purchase. ProKennex Black Ace LG is $133 cheaper at $200.
Swing weight
ProKennex Black Ace LG leads by 23 points (70 vs 47).
Maneuverability
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 leads by 19 points (97 vs 78).
Plow through
ProKennex Black Ace LG leads by 17 points (76 vs 59).
Spin
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 leads by 8 points (90 vs 82).
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
ProKennex Black Ace LG
ProKennex Black Ace LG is a narrow pick at this level — forgiveness 88 vs 82, sweet spot 86 vs 81, twist weight 78 vs 77. Twist weight 6.4 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Forgiveness
- Sweet spot
- Twist weight
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 is a narrow pick at this level — maneuverability 97 vs 78, spin 90 vs 82, control 94 vs 88. At 98 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Maneuverability
- Spin
- Control
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (80.9 vs 82.6 on the weighted index). Take ProKennex Black Ace LG and keep the $133.
- Maneuverability
- Spin
- Control
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
ProKennex Black Ace LG
ProKennex Black Ace LG is a narrow pick at this level — forgiveness 88 vs 82, softness 92 vs 90, twist weight 78 vs 77. Its 16 mm Kinetic core with damping chambers core at 8 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Forgiveness
- Softness
- Twist weight
Which one should you buy?
ProKennex Black Ace LG
Take ProKennex Black Ace LG if you want swing weight (+23), plow through (+17), forgiveness (+6). Its swing weight of 109 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the ProKennex Black Ace LG review →Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16
Take Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 if you want maneuverability (+19), spin (+8), control (+6). Its swing weight of 98 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 review →ProKennex Black Ace LG vs Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 FAQ
- Which is better, the ProKennex Black Ace LG or the Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16?
- Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (84.1 vs 83.1), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — swing weight — ProKennex Black Ace LG leads by 23 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16, at 98 kg·cm² swing weight against 109 for ProKennex Black Ace LG. Lower swing weight is the single best predictor of hand speed in fast exchanges.
- Which paddle has more power, the ProKennex Black Ace LG or the Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16?
- ProKennex Black Ace LG scores 74 for power against 71 for Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16. That comes from a 16 mm Kinetic core with damping chambers core swinging at 109 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 at 94 versus 88. 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?
- Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 scores 90 for spin off its Multistrata T700 Carbon face, against 82 for the Textured carbon face on ProKennex Black Ace LG. In practice an 8-point gap is noticeable on third-shot drives.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- ProKennex Black Ace LG, with the higher forgiveness score (88 vs 82). Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 actually carries the higher twist weight (6.5 vs 6.4), but ProKennex Black Ace LG makes it back on sweet spot (86) and overall face stability.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- ProKennex Black Ace LG costs $200, $133 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?
- ProKennex Black Ace LG: 16 mm Kinetic core with damping chambers core with a Textured carbon face. Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16: 16 mm BoomCore™ core with a Multistrata T700 Carbon face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16, at 5.6 in of handle against 5.5 in. Anything under 5.25 in forces you to choke the bottom hand onto the face bevel, which Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 avoids.
- Which one is better for beginners?
- ProKennex Black Ace LG is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 88 and sweet spot 86 mean fewer mishits while your contact point is still inconsistent. Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 rewards a repeatable swing and can feel less stable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- ProKennex Black Ace LG at 8 oz against 8.2 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (109 vs 98) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the ProKennex Black Ace LG to the Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. ProKennex Black Ace LG leads on swing weight by 23 points; everything else is within 19 points. At $200 vs $333, the money is better spent elsewhere unless that one trait is your weak spot.
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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 ProKennex Black Ace LG and Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: ProKennex Black Ace LG and Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.