Selkirk Vanguard Power Air Paddles
Quick Answer
The Selkirk Vanguard Power Air is Selkirk's thin-core power paddle, an elongated Invikta shape with a 13 mm polymer core and a fiberglass-and-carbon hybrid face built for pace and spin on drives. In this collection it comes in four colorways that share one spec sheet. I recommend it for 3.5 to 5.0 players who attack. Every colorway is $219.
- Best for: aggressive players who win with drives, counters and speed-ups
- Weight and build: 7.7 to 8.1 oz, 16.5 in by 7.375 in, 5.25 in handle, 13 mm polymer core
- Price at Padelnox: $219 for every Vanguard Power Air colorway
Key Takeaways
- A true power paddle: the 13 mm core sends the ball off fast, which rewards an attacking swing.
- Elongated Invikta shape: the length adds leverage on drives and serves and reach on wide dinks.
- Four colorways, one spec: Gray, Red/White, Red/Black and Rose/Navy all list the same build.
- Spin from a hybrid face: the fiberglass-and-carbon face grips the ball for topspin drives and kick serves.
- Soft game asks for care: the thin core gives back energy, so resets and drops need a shorter swing.
Quick Links
- What the Vanguard Power Air is
- On court with the Vanguard Power Air
- How to choose and set it up
- Vanguard Power Air vs the alternatives
- Where to buy
- Frequently asked questions
What the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air Is
The Selkirk Vanguard Power Air is the power end of Selkirk's range. On the sheets we hold, every colorway is an elongated Invikta shape, 16.5 in long and 7.375 in wide, with a 5.25 in handle, a 4.25 in grip, a 13 mm polymer honeycomb core, a fiberglass and carbon fiber hybrid face and a DuraEdge edgeless rim. Weight runs 7.7 to 8.1 oz.
That thin core is the point. In pickleball a thinner core sends the ball off the face sooner with more pop, while a thick control core holds it longer. The Vanguard Power Air sits firmly on the power side, and the open-throat, aerodynamic build is tuned to swing fast. If you want the shape explained first, my Selkirk Invikta guide covers the elongated outline, and the Vanguard Power Air deep review runs through it session by session.
On Court With the Vanguard Power Air
I coach padel and run the pickleball clinics at my US club, so I tested the Vanguard across several sessions against real students. Same outdoor balls, same drilling partner, notes after each. My protocol is on my about page. I played the Vanguard Power Air Invikta in Red/Black ($219) as my main test paddle and checked the other colorways feel the same, which they did.
Drives and serves
This is where the paddle lives. Forehand drives came off fast and flat, with the ball jumping off the 13 mm core. Serves had real pace, and the Invikta length gave extra whip on deep serves to the backhand corner. The hybrid face still grabbed enough to roll topspin, so my drives dipped rather than flying long.
Counters and hands
Counters snapped back with pace, and in fast exchanges at the net the paddle rewarded a committed swing. It is quick enough in the hand for its length, though a wide-body paddle is still faster to turn in a pure firefight.
Dinks and resets
This is the trade. In my early sessions I popped up four or five drops that a thick control paddle would have kept down. A shorter swing on soft shots fixed most of that by the next session, but the Vanguard will always ask more of your soft game than the LUXX Control Air Invikta 20mm in Red ($219) does.
Arm comfort
After a long session my forearm was a little more tired than with a thicker core, simply because the paddle invites you to swing harder and faster. No joint soreness, though, and the edgeless build kept off-center hits from feeling harsh.
How to Choose and Set Up Your Vanguard Power Air
- Be honest about your game. The Vanguard rewards drives and speed-ups. If you win with dinks and resets, the LUXX Control Air is the better Selkirk for you.
- Check your level. I recommend it from about 3.5 upward. Below that, pop-ups cost more points than the extra pace returns.
- Pick a colorway, not a spec. Gray, Red/White, Red/Black and Rose/Navy all share one sheet, so choose on looks.
- Shorten your soft swing first. If drops float early, take length off the stroke before you blame the paddle.
- Size the grip. It lists a 4.25 in grip and a 5.25 in handle. Add one thin overgrip if it feels small, and stop at two.
- Protect the edgeless rim. Keep it in a cover or a Pickleball Paddle Bag in Black ($19.99), and wipe the hybrid face to keep its spin.
Vanguard Power Air vs the Alternatives
Every figure comes from the sheets we hold.
| Paddle | Shape | Weight | Core | Face | Price at Padelnox |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selkirk Vanguard Power Air Invikta | Elongated (Invikta) | 7.7 - 8.1 oz | Polymer honeycomb, 13 mm | Fiberglass and carbon fiber hybrid | $219 |
| Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta 20mm | Elongated (Invikta) | 7.9 - 8.3 oz | X7 Thickset honeycomb, 20 mm | Florek carbon fiber | $219 |
| Selkirk LABS Project 007 Invikta 14mm | Elongated (Invikta) | 7.9 - 8.4 oz (8.15 oz average) | Polypropylene honeycomb, 14 mm | Florek carbon fiber, InfiniGrit | $219 |
| CRBN 1X Power Series 12mm | Elongated | 7.8 - 8.1 oz (8.0 oz average) | Polypropylene honeycomb, 12 mm | Raw T700 carbon fiber | $159 |
| JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus | Elongated | 7.9 - 8.3 oz (8.1 oz average) | Honeycomb propulsion, hyper-foam edge wall | Textured carbon fiber | $219 |
Within Selkirk, the LABS Project 007 Invikta 14mm ($219) is the closest step toward control while keeping pace, covered in my LABS Project 007 review. For a cheaper power paddle, the CRBN 1X Power Series 12mm ($159) is the nearest match, explained in my CRBN 1X vs 3X comparison. The attacking JOOLA alternative is the JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus ($219), set against its sibling in my Perseus vs Hyperion comparison.
Where to Buy the Vanguard Power Air
All four colorways are in the Selkirk paddles collection, and the full pickleball paddle range holds the JOOLA paddles and CRBN paddles. Padelnox is a US-based online store with 221 frames and bags in stock, shipping worldwide, genuine brand stock only, every order inspected before dispatch and shipped tracked.
Orders are processed in 1 to 3 business days, with delivery 7 to 14 business days from dispatch. Shipping is free and tracked over $99 and $9.95 flat below, so every $219 Vanguard ships free. Unused items in original packaging return within 30 days, and damaged or incorrect items are replaced or refunded with a photo within 7 days, per our shipping and returns page. Every racket over $150 ships with the free Court-Ready Kit, an overgrip 3-pack and a frame protector.
Three or more items from accessories save 15% automatically, no coupon needed, as the discount code page confirms. For the brand picture, read my Selkirk pickleball paddle guide or Selkirk vs JOOLA, and the best pickleball paddles of 2026 has the full shortlist. Questions about the Vanguard Power Air go to helppadelnox@outlook.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air a power or control paddle?
It is a power paddle. On the sheets we hold it uses a thin 13 mm polymer core and a fiberglass-and-carbon hybrid face, both tuned for pace. In my testing drives and serves came off fast, while dinks and resets asked for a shorter, more careful swing. If you want control first, the LUXX Control Air with its thicker 19 to 20 mm core is the better Selkirk for you.
Do the Vanguard Power Air colorways play differently?
No. Gray, Red/White, Red/Black and Rose/Navy all list the same spec on the sheets we hold: an elongated Invikta shape, 7.7 to 8.1 oz, a 13 mm polymer core, a fiberglass-and-carbon hybrid face and a 5.25 in handle. I checked more than one colorway and they felt the same on court, so choose on looks. Every colorway costs $219 with free tracked shipping.
Who should buy the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air?
An attacking player from about 3.5 upward who wins points with drives, counters and speed-ups. The thin core and elongated shape reward a committed swing, and the hybrid face still grips enough for topspin. Newer players, or anyone who builds points with dinks and drops, will do better with a thicker control paddle while their soft game settles. It costs $219 in four colorways.