Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 vs Selkirk Luxx Control Air
Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. Selkirk Luxx Control Air 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 edges it on the overall Paddle IQ score (85.1 vs 84.1), but the two split the scored categories — pick on the one trait you care about most.
Power
Too close to call
71 vs 71
Spin
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16
90 vs 84
Control
Too close to call
94 vs 94
Forgiveness
87 vs 82
Hand speed
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16
98 vs 119 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
$250 at IQ 85.1 vs $333 at IQ 84.1
Overall pick: Selkirk Luxx Control Air · $250 · IQ 85.1
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 71Power71
- 94Control94
- 90Spin84
- 82Forgiveness87
- 81Sweet spot88
- 84Stability89
- 97Maneuverability68
- 70Pop66
- 92Touch95
- 87Consistency90
- 47Swing weight78
- 77Twist weight88
- 46Launch angle48
- 59Plow through76
- 90Softness93
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 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 Project Boomstik Widebody 16 | Selkirk Luxx Control Air |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $333 | $250 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 84.1 | 85.1 — better |
| Weight(oz) | 8.2 | 8.4 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 20 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 98 | 119 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.5 | 6.6 — better |
| Shape | standard | hybrid |
| Face length(in) | 15.95 | 16.4 |
| Face width(in) | 8 | 7.6 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.6 | 5.25 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4.25 | 4.25 |
| Surface | Multistrata T700 Carbon | Florek carbon |
| Core material | BoomCore™ | X5 polypropylene |
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.
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 swing weight: Selkirk Luxx Control Air scores 78 against 47 for Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 — a 31-point gap. They are effectively level on touch, consistency, softness, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Selkirk Luxx Control Air is $83 cheaper at $250.
Swing weight
Selkirk Luxx Control Air leads by 31 points (78 vs 47).
Maneuverability
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 leads by 29 points (97 vs 68).
Plow through
Selkirk Luxx Control Air leads by 17 points (76 vs 59).
Twist weight
Selkirk Luxx Control Air leads by 11 points (88 vs 77).
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
Selkirk Luxx Control Air
Selkirk Luxx Control Air is the clearer pick at this level — twist weight 88 vs 77, sweet spot 88 vs 81, forgiveness 87 vs 82. Twist weight 6.6 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Twist weight
- Sweet spot
- Forgiveness
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 68, spin 90 vs 84. At 98 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Maneuverability
- Spin
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (82.6 vs 81 on the weighted index). Take Selkirk Luxx Control Air and keep the $83.
- Maneuverability
- Spin
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 — twist weight 88 vs 77, softness 93 vs 90, forgiveness 87 vs 82. Its 20 mm X5 polypropylene core at 8.4 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Twist weight
- Softness
- Forgiveness
Which one should you buy?
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16
Take Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 if you want maneuverability (+29), spin (+6), pop (+4). 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 →Selkirk Luxx Control Air
Take Selkirk Luxx Control Air if you want swing weight (+31), plow through (+17), twist weight (+11). 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 Project Boomstik Widebody 16 vs Selkirk Luxx Control Air FAQ
- Which is better, the Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 or the Selkirk Luxx Control Air?
- Selkirk Luxx Control Air carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (85.1 vs 84.1), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — swing weight — Selkirk Luxx Control Air leads by 31 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16, at 98 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 Project Boomstik Widebody 16 or the Selkirk Luxx Control Air?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both score 71 for power.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both score 94 for control.
- Which paddle spins the ball more?
- Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 scores 90 for spin off its Multistrata T700 Carbon face, against 84 for the Florek carbon face on Selkirk Luxx Control Air. In practice a 6-point gap is noticeable on third-shot drives.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- Selkirk Luxx Control Air, with the higher forgiveness score (87 vs 82). Its 6.6 twist weight against 6.5 is what drives it — higher twist weight means the face rotates less when you miss the middle.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- Selkirk Luxx Control Air costs $250, $83 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 Project Boomstik Widebody 16: 16 mm BoomCore™ core with a Multistrata T700 Carbon 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 Project Boomstik Widebody 16, at 5.6 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 Project Boomstik Widebody 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 Project Boomstik Widebody 16 rewards a repeatable swing and can feel less stable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 at 8.2 oz against 8.4 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (98 vs 119) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 to the Selkirk Luxx Control Air?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Selkirk Luxx Control Air leads on swing weight by 31 points; everything else is within 29 points. At $333 vs $250, the money is better spent elsewhere unless that one trait is your weak spot.
This matchup is a stability vs maneuverability decision
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Guides featuring these paddles
Still deciding? These buying guides put Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 and Selkirk Luxx Control Air in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 and Selkirk Luxx Control Air. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.