Selkirk Vanguard Power Air Review: Ten Sessions With Selkirk's Power Paddle
Quick Answer
The Selkirk Vanguard Power Air is worth $219 if you win points with drives, speed-ups and fast hands at the kitchen line. Its 13 mm polymer core and hybrid face add real pop, and the elongated Invikta shape adds leverage. If your game is built on dinks and resets, the LUXX Control Air is the safer choice.
- Best for: 3.5 to 4.5+ attacking players, former tennis players and anyone who wants free pace on drives and serves
- Weight and shape: 7.7 to 8.1 oz, elongated Invikta, 16.5 in by 7.375 in, 5.25 in handle, 4.25 in grip, 13 mm core
- Price at Padelnox: $219 in all four colorways
Key Takeaways
- Thin core, fast ball: the 13 mm polymer honeycomb core is the main reason the Vanguard hits harder than the 20 mm LUXX.
- Hybrid face for pop: a fiberglass and carbon fiber hybrid face gives the ball a livelier launch than the all-carbon LUXX or LABS faces.
- Four colorways, one paddle: Grey, Red/White, Red/Black and Rose/Navy share the same spec sheet and play the same.
- Resets take practice: soft shots demand a shorter swing, so newer players pop up more drops at first.
- Lightest Invikta we stock: at 7.7 to 8.1 oz it swings quickly in hands battles and on serves.
Quick Links
- Ten sessions with the Vanguard Power Air
- Vanguard Power Air versions explained
- Who should buy it and how to set it up
- Vanguard Power Air vs alternatives
- Where to buy
- Frequently asked questions
Ten Sessions With the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air
Most of my week is padel coaching, but at my US club I also run the pickleball clinics, and the players who ask me about the Vanguard are always the same type: strong forehands, quick hands, frustrated that their paddle feels dead. So I made the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air Invikta 13mm in Grey ($219) my only paddle for ten sessions. Same outdoor balls, same drilling partner for the first half of each session, open play for the second half, and a notebook in my bag.
Sessions 1 and 2: the first drives
The first serve told me what kind of paddle this is. The ball left the face lower and faster than I expected, and the length of the Invikta shape gave me a whip on the follow-through that a wide paddle does not. Drives from the baseline arrived at my partner's feet with real pace. The sound is louder and crisper than the LUXX, closer to a firm padel racket with a hard core than a soft one.
Sessions 3 and 4: third-shot drops and resets
This is where the Vanguard asks for something back. My first twenty third-shot drops in session 3 were a mess: too many floated into the middle of the kitchen or sat up at net height. The thin core simply returns more energy. I shortened the backswing, opened the face a little and kept my wrist quiet, and by session 4 the drops were landing. Resets from the transition zone stayed the hardest shot all ten sessions. If you already reset well, you will adapt. If you do not, this paddle exposes it.
Sessions 5 and 6: hands battles at the kitchen line
Here the Vanguard Power Air is excellent. At 7.7 to 8.1 oz it is the lightest Invikta we stock, and it turns over quickly for counters. Speed-ups off a high dink hurt, and when I won the first exchange the ball was usually gone. The one weakness I noticed was on off-center blocks toward the tip: the long, narrow face is less forgiving there than a wider shape, and a few blocks flew long.
Sessions 7 and 8: spin on serves and rolls
I focused on spin for two sessions. The hybrid face grabs the ball well enough for topspin drives and a kicking serve, but it does not bite like the InfiniGrit surface on the LABS Project 007 or the gritty LUXX. Rolls from the kitchen dipped, just less sharply. For most club players that is plenty.
Sessions 9 and 10: arm comfort and the verdict
After a 90-minute open-play session my forearm was a little more tired than with the LUXX. Nothing sharp, no buzz on mishits, just the cost of swinging faster and hitting harder. Players with a sore elbow should keep that in mind. The verdict: the Vanguard Power Air is a proper attacking paddle. It rewards good technique with free pace and punishes a sloppy soft game. For the tennis converts in my clinic, it was love at first drive.
Selkirk Vanguard Power Air Versions Explained
We stock four colorways, and on the spec sheets we hold they are identical: elongated Invikta shape, 16.5 in long, 7.375 in wide, 5.25 in handle, 4.25 in grip circumference, 7.7 to 8.1 oz, fiberglass and carbon fiber hybrid face, 13 mm polymer honeycomb core and a DuraEdge edgeless rim.
- Grey, listed as the Invikta 13mm ($219): the most understated look, and the one I tested above.
- Red/White ($219): bright, easy to spot in a bag full of black paddles.
- Red/Black ($219): the most popular look with my students.
- Rose/Navy ($219): same paddle, softer color palette.
What "Power Air" and "Invikta" mean
Power is Selkirk telling you the job: pop and pace on drives and put-aways. Air refers to the open-throat, aerodynamic build, which is where the extra pop and spin on drives comes from. Invikta is the shape, Selkirk's elongated outline, which the brand also uses on the LUXX Control Air and LABS Project 007. My Selkirk Invikta shape guide compares all three lines on that outline.
Vanguard Power Air vs LUXX Control Air
These two are opposites built on the same shape. The LUXX Control Air uses a 20 mm X7 Thickset core and a Florek carbon face for touch. The Vanguard uses a 13 mm core and a hybrid face for pace. Same $219, completely different paddles. The LABS Project 007 sits between them with a 14 mm core and an InfiniGrit face.
Who Should Buy the Vanguard Power Air, and How to Set It Up
Buy it if you are a confident 3.5 or higher player who drives more than you drop, if you came to pickleball from tennis, or if your current paddle feels flat. Wait if you are still learning to reset, or if you have an elbow that complains after long sessions.
- Be honest about your soft game. If more than a third of your errors are pop-ups, start with a thicker core. The Vanguard will add to that list before it shrinks.
- Check the handle. At 5.25 in it is the shortest handle of the Invikta paddles we stock. It works for most two-handed backhands, but very big hands may prefer the 5.35 in LUXX.
- Fit the grip. The listed circumference is 4.25 in. One thin overgrip is fine for larger hands. More than two layers dulls the feel you are paying for.
- Shorten your soft swing. For the first few weeks, practice drops and resets with a compact, low-to-high motion and a quiet wrist.
- Leave the weight alone at first. The light build is part of the appeal. If blocks twist toward the tip after a month, add a small strip of lead tape at 3 and 9 o'clock.
- Look after the edge. The DuraEdge rim is edgeless, so it marks when you scrape low balls. Keep it in a cover or a bag.
Selkirk Vanguard Power Air vs the Alternatives
| 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 |
The real value rival is the CRBN 1X Power Series 12mm ($159): an even thinner core with a raw carbon face, for $60 less. I break down that family in my CRBN 1X vs 3X comparison, and the wider CRBN paddles collection has both. The JOOLA Perseus is the spin-first attacking option, covered in my JOOLA Perseus review and the rest of the JOOLA paddles. For a brand-level view, read Selkirk vs JOOLA.
Where to Buy the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air
All four Vanguard Power Air colorways are listed in our Selkirk paddles collection. Padelnox is a US-based online store with 221 frames and bags in stock, and we ship worldwide. It is genuine Selkirk stock, never a replica, and every order is inspected before dispatch. Orders are processed in 1 to 3 business days, then delivered tracked, usually 7 to 14 business days from dispatch.
At $219 the Vanguard qualifies for free tracked shipping (the threshold is $99, with $9.95 flat below it) and for the Court-Ready Kit, our free overgrip 3-pack and frame protector on every racket over $150. If it is unused and in its original packaging, you can return it within 30 days. A damaged or incorrect item reported with a photo within 7 days is replaced or refunded. Read the details on our shipping and returns page. Accessories bought three or more at a time are 15% off automatically, so grab spare grips from accessories and a carry bag from bags together. The discount code page lists every standing offer.
Comparing more widely? Browse every pickleball paddle, read the Selkirk pickleball paddle guide, or see my best pickleball paddle picks for 2026. Padel players should start with padel vs pickleball, and if you searched for a pickleball racket, that page explains the naming. Questions about the Vanguard: helppadelnox@outlook.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air good for beginners?
Usually not as a first paddle. The 13 mm core and hybrid face return a lot of energy, so dinks, drops and resets fly long until your technique is compact. Athletic beginners from tennis can handle it, and some love it. Most newer players learn faster with a thicker control core like the LUXX Control Air Invikta 20mm, then move to the Vanguard once their soft game is reliable.
What is the difference between the Vanguard Power Air and the LUXX Control Air?
Both use Selkirk's elongated Invikta shape and both cost $219, but they play in opposite ways. The Vanguard has a 13 mm polymer honeycomb core and a fiberglass and carbon hybrid face for pace. The LUXX has a 20 mm X7 Thickset core and a Florek carbon face for touch. Choose the Vanguard if you attack, the LUXX if you win with patience.
Are the Vanguard Power Air colorways different paddles?
No. The Grey, Red/White, Red/Black and Rose/Navy versions we stock share one spec sheet: 7.7 to 8.1 oz, 16.5 in by 7.375 in, 5.25 in handle, 4.25 in grip, 13 mm polymer honeycomb core and a hybrid face. Only the Grey title names the 13mm core, but all four list it. Pick the color you like, because on court they play the same.