REVIEWS
IN THE KNOW : EQUIPMENT
SELKIRK INVIKTA VANGUARD POWER AIR PADDLE REVIEW
by JACK BANDEL
Look / Cosmetics : 4.5 / 5 Familiar Selkirk “ S ” logo across the front . Comes in three colors — pink , white and red . My test paddle was the pink one , which is more of a magenta . These paddles are edgeless (“ Aero-DuraEdge ”), which means there is no edge guard to malfunction on you . Same familiar Invikta shape ( 16.5 " x 7.4 ") with a 5.25 " handle . You immediately notice the opening in the throat (“ Air Dynamic Throat ”), which allows the paddle to flow through the air better . Textured surface (“ ProSpin + NextGen Texture ”) and a comfy padded grip round out this technology-packed paddle . The face is a blend of fiberglass and carbon fiber , and the core is a familiar honeycomb polymer . Price : $ 250
Serves / Returns / Groundstrokes : 4.5 / 5 As an avid Invikta fan , I was excited to see what Selkirk offers here . Right off the bat , the textured surface on this paddle is giving me way more spin than any other Invikta to date . Combined with the healthy power level , you can really have fun swinging hard with this paddle . Driving low slices were my favorite return to hit , and serves also had some nice dipping action in them . Same with groundstrokes — this is going to be a great paddle for those players who also play singles . So much fun hitting from the baseline that you might forget you need to get to the kitchen line ! Let ’ s see what it does at the net .
Touch / Feel / Spin : 4 / 5 Spin , spin , spin ! While the touch and feel are adequate , the spin you can get with this paddle is the main attraction . This isn ’ t the best choice for a “ finesse ” type of player who places priorities on softness and touch . The touch and feel are exactly what you would expect from a fiberglass power-oriented paddle . Also , the feel on impact is rather unique . There ’ s almost a springy feel , which at first had my dinks popping up a little too high , but once I adjusted it was no problem . If you like to spin / cut your dinks , you will also enjoy this paddle in the way the surface grabs the ball . Also , there ’ s quite a bit of pop to put high dinks away with ease .
Sound / Sweet Spot / Playability : 4 / 5 The sweet spot seems to have improved over the “ Project ” version of this paddle . Seems more consistent and slightly larger than it was . There also seems to be a little less power , but this is still a power / spin-oriented paddle . In the right hands , this can be a deadly weapon . The sound is pleasant and slightly muted so no worries there . The playability is about average due to the shape and the sweet spot . I wouldn ’ t give this to a beginner , but anyone advanced level ( 4.0 and above ) will be able to use this paddle without any issues and will benefit most from the features it offers .
Summary : 4.25 / 5 If you are an Invikta fan , as I am , I can honestly say to go get this paddle now . It ’ s got the latest and greatest technology and if you are a power / spin player , you can ’ t do much better here . This paddle would be great for former tennis players who are good at ripping topspin groundstrokes and also for players who want something for singles as well as doubles . It ’ s easy to see why Tyson McGuffin uses this paddle , as it seems tailormade for that type of game .
For more info , go to the Pickleball Paddle Reviews group page on Facebook . Paddle Manufacturers : Contact Jack Bandel at jackbandel @ gmail . com if you ’ d like your products to be reviewed .
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