Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta vs Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16
Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 takes the higher overall IQ score, but the right pick depends on which traits you value.
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Quick answer
Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 wins this matchup for most players: it takes power, forgiveness, hand speed and value on Paddle DNA against the Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta, which costs $200.
Power
84 vs 74
Spin
Too close to call
89 vs 86
Control
Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta
95 vs 90
Forgiveness
87 vs 80
Hand speed
107 vs 116 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
$99 at IQ 85.8 vs $200 at IQ 83.6
Overall pick: Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 · $99 · IQ 85.8
Paddle DNA head-to-head
- 74Power84
- 95Control90
- 86Spin89
- 80Forgiveness87
- 82Sweet spot87
- 84Stability84
- 72Maneuverability80
- 66Pop80
- 94Touch88
- 90Consistency88
- 74Swing weight68
- 78Twist weight82
- 44Launch angle55
- 82Plow through76
- 88Softness84
Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta vs Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 specs
Every spec side by side. Highlighted values are the better of the two where one is objectively better.
| Spec | Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta | Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $200 | $99 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 83.6 | 85.8 — better |
| Weight(oz) | 8 | 7.9 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 19.05 | 16 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 116 | 107 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.2 | 6.5 — better |
| Shape | elongated | hybrid |
| Face length(in) | 16.5 | 16.3 |
| Face width(in) | 7.375 | 7.6 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.25 | 5.3 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4.25 | 4.25 |
| Surface | Quadcarbon woven carbon fiber | Raw T700 carbon |
| Core material | X5 polypropylene honeycomb | Thermoformed polymer |
Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta verdict
The softest premium elongated paddle in the database. The thick Quadcarbon build absorbs pace so completely that resets from mid-court land in the kitchen almost by default.
Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 verdict
The $99 paddle that keeps embarrassing $200 ones. The V-Sol Pro will not out-drive the foam flagships, but on control, spin and consistency it is genuinely competitive.
The verdict
Scored on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model, the clearest separation is pop: Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 scores 80 against 66 for Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta — a 14-point gap. They are effectively level on spin, consistency, stability, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 is $101 cheaper at $99.
Pop
Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 leads by 14 points (80 vs 66).
Launch angle
Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 leads by 11 points (55 vs 44).
Power
Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 leads by 10 points (84 vs 74).
Maneuverability
Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 leads by 8 points (80 vs 72).
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
Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16
Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 is a narrow pick at this level — forgiveness 87 vs 80, sweet spot 87 vs 82, twist weight 82 vs 78. Twist weight 6.5 keeps the face steadier on off-centre contact.
- Forgiveness
- Sweet spot
- Twist weight
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16
Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 is a narrow pick at this level — maneuverability 80 vs 72, power 84 vs 74, forgiveness 87 vs 80. At 107 kg·cm² swing weight it stays quick enough for hands battles.
- Maneuverability
- Power
- Forgiveness
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (83.5 vs 84.6 on the weighted index). Take Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 and keep the $101.
- Power
- Maneuverability
- Spin
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (84 vs 84.5 on the weighted index). Take Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 and keep the $101.
- Forgiveness
- Twist weight
Which one should you buy?
Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta
Take Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta if you want touch (+6), swing weight (+6), plow through (+6). Its swing weight of 116 kg·cm² and 19.05 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta review →Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16
Take Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 if you want pop (+14), launch angle (+11), power (+10). Its swing weight of 107 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 review →Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta vs Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 FAQ
- Which is better, the Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta or the Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16?
- Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (85.8 vs 83.6), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — pop — Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 leads by 14 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16, at 107 kg·cm² swing weight against 116 for Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta. Lower swing weight is the single best predictor of hand speed in fast exchanges.
- Which paddle has more power, the Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta or the Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16?
- Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 scores 84 for power against 74 for Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta. That comes from a 16 mm Thermoformed polymer core swinging at 107 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta at 95 versus 90. Its 19.05 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?
- Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 scores 89 for spin off its Raw T700 carbon face, against 86 for the Quadcarbon woven carbon fiber face on Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta. In practice a 3-point gap is small enough that technique matters more.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16, with the higher forgiveness score (87 vs 80). Its 6.5 twist weight against 6.2 is what drives it — higher twist weight means the face rotates less when you miss the middle.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 costs $99, $101 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 Vanguard Control Air Invikta: 19.05 mm X5 polypropylene honeycomb core with a Quadcarbon woven carbon fiber face. Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16: 16 mm Thermoformed polymer core with a Raw T700 carbon face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16, at 5.3 in of handle against 5.25 in. Anything under 5.25 in forces you to choke the bottom hand onto the face bevel.
- Which one is better for beginners?
- Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 87 and sweet spot 87 mean fewer mishits while your contact point is still inconsistent. Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta rewards a repeatable swing and can feel less stable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 at 7.9 oz against 8 oz. Static weight matters for arm fatigue and elbow comfort; swing weight (107 vs 116) is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta to the Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 leads on pop by 14 points; everything else is within 11 points. At $200 vs $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.
- Vanguard Control Air Invikta vs AMPED Pro Air Invikta
- V-Sol Pro 16 vs Prism Flash
- V-Sol Pro 16 vs Double Black Diamond Control
- Vanguard Control Air Invikta vs Kinetic Pro Flight
- Vanguard Control Air Invikta vs Tempest Pro C 16
- Vanguard Control Air Invikta vs Pursuit MX 6.0
- Vanguard Control Air Invikta vs Quartz Control
- Vanguard Control Air Invikta vs Luxx Control Air
Also worth comparing
Head-to-heads that share DNA with this matchup — useful if you're still deciding between shapes, cores or price tiers.
- Vanguard Control Air Invikta vs LUXX Control Air Invikta
- Vanguard Control Air Invikta vs Tempest Pro C 16
- Vanguard Control Air Invikta vs Pursuit MX 6.0
- Vanguard Control Air Invikta vs Pursuit Pro EX 16
- V-Sol Pro 16 vs Ruby Hybrid 16
- V-Sol Pro 16 vs Bantam ALW-C 14
- V-Sol Pro 16 vs Scorpeus Pro IV 16
- V-Sol Pro 16 vs Series Two Project Flash
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 Vanguard Control Air Invikta and Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16 in context against the rest of the database.
Read the full reviews: Selkirk Vanguard Control Air Invikta and Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro 16. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.