Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 vs Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta
Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta 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 Invikta wins this matchup for most players: it takes power and value on Paddle DNA against the Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16, which costs $333.
Power
Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta
80 vs 71
Spin
Too close to call
90 vs 88
Control
Too close to call
94 vs 92
Forgiveness
Too close to call
84 vs 82
Hand speed
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16
98 vs 114 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta
$250 at IQ 85.6 vs $333 at IQ 84.1
Overall pick: Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta · $250 · IQ 85.6
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 71Power80
- 94Control92
- 90Spin88
- 82Forgiveness84
- 81Sweet spot84
- 84Stability88
- 97Maneuverability74
- 70Pop76
- 92Touch92
- 87Consistency90
- 47Swing weight74
- 77Twist weight82
- 46Launch angle46
- 59Plow through84
- 90Softness86
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 vs Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta 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 Invikta |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $333 | $250 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 84.1 | 85.6 — better |
| Weight(oz) | 8.2 | 8.2 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 16 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 98 | 114 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Shape | standard | elongated |
| Face length(in) | 15.95 | 16.5 |
| Face width(in) | 8 | 7.375 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.6 | 5.5 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4.25 | 4.25 |
| Surface | Multistrata T700 Carbon | Florek carbon fiber |
| Core material | BoomCore™ | X5 polypropylene honeycomb |
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 Invikta verdict
The Invikta shape of Selkirk's control flagship. Control 92 and touch 92 with elongated reach — the trade is a 114 swing weight that punishes late hands.
The verdict
Scored on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model, the clearest separation is swing weight: Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta scores 74 against 47 for Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 — a 27-point gap. They are effectively level on sweet spot, consistency, control, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta is $83 cheaper at $250.
Swing weight
Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta leads by 27 points (74 vs 47).
Plow through
Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta leads by 25 points (84 vs 59).
Maneuverability
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 leads by 23 points (97 vs 74).
Power
Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta leads by 9 points (80 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
Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta
Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta is a narrow pick at this level — twist weight 82 vs 77, sweet spot 84 vs 81, stability 88 vs 84. Twist weight 6.5 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Twist weight
- Sweet spot
- Stability
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 74, control 94 vs 92, spin 90 vs 88. At 98 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Maneuverability
- Control
- Spin
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta
Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta is a narrow pick at this level — plow through 84 vs 59, power 80 vs 71. Swing weight 114 kg·cm² is what carries that through contact.
- Plow through
- Power
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (85.5 vs 84.7 on the weighted index). Take Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta and keep the $83.
- Softness
Which one should you buy?
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16
Take Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 if you want maneuverability (+23), softness (+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 Invikta
Take Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta if you want swing weight (+27), plow through (+25), power (+9). Its swing weight of 114 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta review →Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 vs Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta FAQ
- Which is better, the Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 or the Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta?
- Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (85.6 vs 84.1), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — swing weight — Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta leads by 27 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16, at 98 kg·cm² swing weight against 114 for Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta. 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 Invikta?
- Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta scores 80 for power against 71 for Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16. That comes from a 16 mm X5 polypropylene honeycomb core swinging at 114 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 92. 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 88 for the Florek carbon fiber face on Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta. 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 Invikta, with the higher forgiveness score (84 vs 82). Twist weight is identical at 6.5, so the gap comes from sweet-spot size and face stability rather than resistance to twisting.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta 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 Invikta: 16 mm X5 polypropylene honeycomb core with a Florek carbon fiber 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?
- Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 84 and sweet spot 84 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?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both are listed at 8.2 oz, though swing weight differs (98 vs 114) and that is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 to the Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta leads on swing weight by 27 points; everything else is within 25 points. At $333 vs $250, 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.
- Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 vs Labs Project Boomstik Elongated 16
- Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 vs Coral Pro
- Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 vs Luxx Control Air
- Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 vs GX2 Integra XL
- Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 vs Quartz Control
- Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 vs Vanguard Control Air Invikta
- Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 vs 2X TruFoam Genesis
- LUXX Control Air Invikta vs Radius CGS 16
Also worth comparing
Head-to-heads that share DNA with this matchup — useful if you're still deciding between shapes, cores or price tiers.
- Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 vs Labs Project 007 Epic 14
- Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 vs Scorpeus 14
- Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 vs Kinetic Pro Flight
- Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 vs Pursuit Pro1 6.0 Hybrid
- LUXX Control Air Invikta vs Pursuit Pro EX 16
- LUXX Control Air Invikta vs Vanguard 2.0 Invikta
- LUXX Control Air Invikta vs 2X TruFoam Genesis
- LUXX Control Air Invikta vs Perseus CFS 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 Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 and Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Widebody 16 and Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.