Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 vs Selkirk Luxx Control Air
Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 takes the higher overall IQ score, but the right pick depends on which traits you value.
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Quick answer
Selkirk Luxx Control Air wins this matchup for most players: it takes control and value on Paddle DNA against the Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16, which costs $280.
Power
90 vs 71
Spin
Too close to call
86 vs 84
Control
94 vs 84
Forgiveness
Too close to call
87 vs 86
Hand speed
Too close to call
118 vs 119 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
$250 at IQ 85.1 vs $280 at IQ 85.2
Overall pick: Selkirk Luxx Control Air · $250 · IQ 85.1
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 90Power71
- 84Control94
- 86Spin84
- 86Forgiveness87
- 88Sweet spot88
- 90Stability89
- 72Maneuverability68
- 86Pop66
- 78Touch95
- 84Consistency90
- 80Swing weight78
- 88Twist weight88
- 58Launch angle48
- 90Plow through76
- 70Softness93
Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 vs Selkirk Luxx Control Air specs
Every spec side by side. Highlighted values are the better of the two where one is objectively better.
| Spec | Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 | Selkirk Luxx Control Air |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $280 | $250 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 85.2 — better | 85.1 |
| Weight(oz) | 8.4 | 8.4 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 20 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 118 | 119 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 7 — better | 6.6 |
| Shape | elongated | hybrid |
| Face length(in) | 16.5 | 16.4 |
| Face width(in) | 7.4 | 7.6 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.5 | 5.25 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4.25 | 4.25 |
| Surface | Raw carbon fiber | Florek carbon |
| Core material | Foam-injected polymer | X5 polypropylene |
Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 verdict
A Labs release built for plow-through. Twist weight 88 and stability 90 are among the highest pairings in the database — it simply does not twist on off-center hits.
Selkirk Luxx Control Air verdict
The plushest paddle in the test. A 20 mm core swallows pace on resets, and the twist weight keeps the face square when the ball finds the edge.
The verdict
Scored on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model, the clearest separation is softness: Selkirk Luxx Control Air scores 93 against 70 for Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 — a 23-point gap. They are effectively level on spin, swing weight, forgiveness, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Selkirk Luxx Control Air is $30 cheaper at $250.
Softness
Selkirk Luxx Control Air leads by 23 points (93 vs 70).
Pop
Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 leads by 20 points (86 vs 66).
Power
Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 leads by 19 points (90 vs 71).
Touch
Selkirk Luxx Control Air leads by 17 points (95 vs 78).
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
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (86.9 vs 88.7 on the weighted index). Take Selkirk Luxx Control Air and keep the $30.
- Consistency
- Control
- Forgiveness
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (82.5 vs 83.6 on the weighted index). Take Selkirk Luxx Control Air and keep the $30.
- Touch
- Control
- Consistency
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16
Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 is a narrow pick at this level — power 90 vs 71, plow through 90 vs 76, maneuverability 72 vs 68. Swing weight 118 kg·cm² is what carries that through contact.
- Power
- Plow through
- Maneuverability
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
Selkirk Luxx Control Air
Selkirk Luxx Control Air is the clearer pick at this level — softness 93 vs 70, forgiveness 87 vs 86. Its 20 mm X5 polypropylene core at 8.4 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Softness
- Forgiveness
Which one should you buy?
Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16
Take Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 if you want pop (+20), power (+19), plow through (+14). Its swing weight of 118 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 review →Selkirk Luxx Control Air
Take Selkirk Luxx Control Air if you want softness (+23), touch (+17), control (+10). Its swing weight of 119 kg·cm² and 20 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Selkirk Luxx Control Air review →Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 vs Selkirk Luxx Control Air FAQ
- Which is better, the Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 or the Selkirk Luxx Control Air?
- Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (85.2 vs 85.1), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — softness — Selkirk Luxx Control Air leads by 23 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16, at 118 kg·cm² swing weight against 119 for Selkirk Luxx Control Air. Lower swing weight is the single best predictor of hand speed in fast exchanges.
- Which paddle has more power, the Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 or the Selkirk Luxx Control Air?
- Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 scores 90 for power against 71 for Selkirk Luxx Control Air. That comes from a 16 mm Foam-injected polymer core swinging at 118 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Selkirk Luxx Control Air at 94 versus 84. Its 20 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 008 Project 16 scores 86 for spin off its Raw carbon fiber face, against 84 for the Florek carbon face on Selkirk Luxx Control Air. In practice a 2-point gap is small enough that technique matters more.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- Selkirk Luxx Control Air, with the higher forgiveness score (87 vs 86). Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 actually carries the higher twist weight (7 vs 6.6), but Selkirk Luxx Control Air makes it back on sweet spot (88) and overall face stability.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- Selkirk Luxx Control Air costs $250, $30 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?
- Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16: 16 mm Foam-injected polymer core with a Raw carbon fiber face. Selkirk Luxx Control Air: 20 mm X5 polypropylene core with a Florek carbon face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16, at 5.5 in of handle against 5.25 in. Anything under 5.25 in forces you to choke the bottom hand onto the face bevel, which Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 avoids.
- Which one is better for beginners?
- Selkirk Luxx Control Air is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 87 and sweet spot 88 mean fewer mishits while your contact point is still inconsistent. Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 rewards a repeatable swing and can feel less stable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both are listed at 8.4 oz, though swing weight differs (118 vs 119) and that is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Selkirk Luxx Control Air to the Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Selkirk Luxx Control Air leads on softness by 23 points; everything else is within 20 points. At $280 vs $250, the money is better spent elsewhere unless that one trait is your weak spot.
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- Luxx Control Air vs Vanguard 2.0 Invikta
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Guides featuring these paddles
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Read the full reviews: Selkirk Labs 008 Project 16 and Selkirk Luxx Control Air. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.