Selkirk Pickleball Paddles: Which One Should You Buy in 2026?
Quick Answer
The best Selkirk pickleball paddle for most club players is the LUXX Control Air Invikta 20mm, because its thick core forgives off-center dinks and resets. Pick the Vanguard Power Air if you win points from the baseline, and the SLK Control XL if you want a genuine Selkirk under $150.
- Best for: soft-game players (LUXX), drivers and bangers (Vanguard), budget buyers (SLK Control XL)
- Weight and shape: LUXX Invikta 7.9 to 8.3 oz with a 20 mm core; Vanguard Invikta 7.7 to 8.1 oz with a 13 mm core
- Price at Padelnox: $129 for the SLK Control XL, $219 for every LUXX, Vanguard and LABS model
Key Takeaways
- Core thickness is the real decision: Selkirk's 19 to 20 mm LUXX cores feel calm and quiet, while the 13 mm Vanguard hits back harder.
- Invikta means elongated: almost everything we stock is the Invikta shape, which trades a little sweet spot width for reach and leverage.
- InfiniGrit is the spin upgrade: the InfiniGrit LUXX adds a gritty surface and a published swingweight of 113 average.
- LABS is the experimental line: Project 007 pairs a 14 mm core with an InfiniGrit face for players who want power with bite.
- Colors change nothing on court: the Red, Blue and Jack Sock Signature LUXX paddles share one spec sheet.
Quick Links
- The Selkirk range explained
- What I have seen on court
- How to choose your Selkirk paddle
- Selkirk line-up compared
- Where to buy
- Frequently asked questions
The Selkirk Pickleball Paddle Range Explained
I came to pickleball through my padel students. Around half of the adults I coach in the US also play pickleball on weekday mornings, and they kept bringing Selkirk paddles to my padel sessions to ask what I thought. So I started borrowing them, then buying them, and now I coach a small crossover group on both courts.
Selkirk is a US pickleball brand, and its current range splits cleanly by what the paddle is trying to do. Here is how I explain it to students.
LUXX Control Air: the soft-game family
The LUXX Control Air is Selkirk's control paddle. The Invikta 20mm versions use an X7 Thickset honeycomb core, a Florek carbon fiber face and an edgeless Aero-DuraEdge rim. That thick core is the whole story. It soaks up pace, keeps the ball on the face a fraction longer and makes a hard drive coming at your belly much easier to block. You can read my full review of the Selkirk LUXX Control Air for the session notes.
Inside the family you get three flavors. The standard Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta 20mm in Red ($219), the same paddle in Blue and in the Jack Sock Signature colorway, and the InfiniGrit Invikta 19mm, which swaps in a gritty surface for extra spin. There is also the LUXX Control Air Epic in Red, a shape Selkirk positions as a middle ground between long and wide.
Vanguard Power Air: the attacking family
The Vanguard Power Air Invikta uses a 13 mm polymer honeycomb core and a fiberglass and carbon fiber hybrid face. Thinner core plus a livelier face means more pop on drives and counters. We carry it in Grey, Red/White, Red/Black and Rose/Navy, and all four share the same 7.7 to 8.1 oz weight range.
LABS Project 007 and SLK
Selkirk LABS is the brand's research line. Project 007 is an Invikta with a 14 mm polypropylene core, a Florek carbon face and InfiniGrit texture. At the other end, the SLK Control XL is Selkirk's more affordable sub-brand paddle: an extended control shape with a forgiving response, and the only Selkirk we sell under $150.
People also search for Selkirk lines such as the Boomstik, the older Omni or the 7s. We do not list those right now, so I will not pretend to review them here. Everything on this page is something I have hit with and something you can order today.
What I Have Seen on Court With Selkirk Paddles
This is not one paddle over six weeks. It is roughly five months of watching Selkirk paddles in my students' hands, plus my own sessions with each model we stock. Same balls each session, same practice partner for the drills, and I kept notes after every block.
Weeks 1 and 2: the LUXX surprise
The first thing I noticed with the LUXX Control Air Invikta was the sound. It is quiet, almost a thud, and that told me a lot before I checked a single spec. On dinks the ball dies nicely in the kitchen. My crossover students, who are used to the solid feel of a padel foam core, adapted faster to the LUXX than to anything else. One of them, a 3.5 player who resets badly under pressure, cut her pop-ups in half within two sessions. That is the thick core doing its job.
The balance point sits a little higher than you expect from a control paddle, because the Invikta is long. After 90 minutes my forearm felt fine. No buzz on mishits, which matters for the older players in my group.
Weeks 3 and 4: switching to the Vanguard
Then I moved to the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air Invikta 13mm in Grey ($219). Completely different paddle. Drives come off the face faster and flatter, and speed-ups at the kitchen line actually hurt the opponent. The trade-off showed up on third-shot drops. I floated a few long early on because the face gives back more energy than the LUXX. By the end of week four I had adjusted, but a newer player might not.
Week 5: InfiniGrit and LABS
The LUXX Control Air InfiniGrit Invikta 19mm in Blue ($219) was the one I kept reaching for at the end. It feels close to the 20mm LUXX, a touch firmer, and topspin rolls from the kitchen dipped noticeably more. The Selkirk LABS Project 007 Invikta 14mm ($219) is for the strongest player in my group. It hits harder than the LUXX and grips the ball like the InfiniGrit, but you need clean technique to keep it in the court.
Week 6 onward: what students actually buy
After everyone had tried the demo bag, most of my intermediate players picked the LUXX. The two former tennis players picked the Vanguard. The student on a tight budget took the Selkirk SLK Control XL ($129) and was happy with it. It is less refined than the LUXX, but the extended shape gives reach at the kitchen and it is very forgiving.
How to Choose Your Selkirk Pickleball Paddle
This is the checklist I use in lessons. It works in this order because the early questions rule out the most paddles.
- Decide where you win points. If your best shots are dinks, drops and resets, start with the LUXX Control Air. If you win with drives and hand speed, start with the Vanguard Power Air.
- Pick a core thickness. 19 to 20 mm is calm and forgiving. 13 to 14 mm is lively. If you are unsure, go thicker. Control is easier to learn than to fake.
- Check the weight range against your arm. The LUXX runs 7.9 to 8.3 oz and the Vanguard 7.7 to 8.1 oz. If you have any elbow history, the extra mass of the LUXX is actually kinder because it absorbs more of the impact.
- Choose surface. If you already hit topspin and want more of it, the InfiniGrit LUXX or the LABS 007 is worth it. If you are still learning to swing through the ball, the standard face is fine.
- Set up the grip. Every Invikta we stock lists a 4.25 in grip circumference. Players with bigger hands can build it up with one overgrip. For lefties or players who choke up, the 5.35 in LUXX handle leaves room for a two-handed backhand.
- Protect the paddle. Edgeless designs look clean but take knocks when you scrape the court. A padded bag like the Pickleball Paddle Bag in Black ($19.99) stops the face from getting scuffed in transit.
If you are still split between brands, read my Selkirk vs JOOLA comparison, the wider best pickleball paddle guide for 2026, or my notes on CRBN raw carbon paddles.
Selkirk Pickleball Paddle Line-Up Compared
All specs below come from the manufacturer sheets we hold for each product. Where Selkirk does not publish a figure for a paddle, I have left a dash rather than guess.
| Model | Shape | Weight | Core | Face | Price at Padelnox |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LUXX Control Air Invikta 20mm | Elongated (Invikta) | 7.9 - 8.3 oz | X7 Thickset honeycomb, 20 mm | Florek carbon fiber | $219 |
| LUXX Control Air InfiniGrit Invikta 19mm | Elongated (Invikta) | 7.9 - 8.3 oz | X7 Thickset honeycomb, 19 mm | Florek carbon fiber, InfiniGrit | $219 |
| Vanguard Power Air Invikta 13mm | Elongated (Invikta) | 7.7 - 8.1 oz | Polymer honeycomb, 13 mm | Fiberglass and carbon fiber hybrid | $219 |
| LABS Project 007 Invikta 14mm | Elongated (Invikta) | 7.9 - 8.4 oz | Polypropylene honeycomb, 14 mm | Florek carbon fiber, InfiniGrit | $219 |
| LUXX Control Air Epic | - | - | - | - | $219 |
| SLK Control XL | - | - | - | - | $129 |
The honest reading of that table: three of the four spec'd paddles are the same shape and nearly the same weight. What changes is the core and the face. That is why I tell students to choose a Selkirk pickleball paddle by feel category first and color last.
Where to Buy Selkirk Pickleball Paddles
Every paddle in our Selkirk paddles collection is genuine brand stock, never replicas. Padelnox is a US-based online store with 221 frames and bags in stock across padel, pickleball, beach tennis and tennis. Every order is inspected before dispatch and shipped tracked, with orders processed in 1 to 3 business days.
Shipping is free and tracked on orders over $99, and a flat $9.95 under that. Unused items in original packaging can be returned within 30 days, and the full terms are on our shipping and returns page. Every racket over $150 ships with a free overgrip 3-pack and frame protector. Accessories drop 15% automatically when you buy three or more, and there is no code to hunt for. The Padelnox discount code page explains exactly what is applied at checkout.
If you want to see the other brands side by side, browse the full pickleball paddles collection, the JOOLA range or my JOOLA pickleball paddle guide. If you play both sports, the padel vs pickleball guide explains why a padel racket and a pickleball paddle feel so different. Grips and bags live in accessories. Questions about sizing or a specific Selkirk paddle? Email helppadelnox@outlook.com and I will usually see it myself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Selkirk pickleball paddle is best for beginners?
For most beginners I recommend the LUXX Control Air Invikta 20mm. The thick X7 core absorbs pace, which makes dinks, drops and blocks far more forgiving while you learn to control your swing. If $219 is more than you want to spend on a first paddle, the SLK Control XL at $129 gives you the same control-first idea in a simpler build. Avoid the Vanguard until your soft game is consistent.
Is the Selkirk LUXX Control Air better than the Vanguard Power Air?
Neither is better overall. They do opposite jobs. The LUXX Control Air uses a 20 mm core and feels calm, quiet and precise at the kitchen line. The Vanguard Power Air uses a 13 mm core and a hybrid face, so it gives more pop on drives and counters. Choose the LUXX if you win points with patience, and the Vanguard if you win them with pace.
Do the different LUXX colors play differently?
No. The LUXX Control Air Invikta 20mm in Red, Blue and the Jack Sock Signature colorway share one manufacturer spec sheet: 7.9 to 8.3 oz, 16.4 in long, 7.5 in wide, a 5.35 in handle and a 20 mm X7 core. Any feel difference you notice between two copies comes from normal weight tolerance within that range, not the paint. Pick the color you like looking at.