Canadian Exclusive: Paddle Review — Selkirk Sports’ Lab Project 007 techno paddle wows with court supremacy

Selkirk LABS Project 007 Pickleball Paddle 14 mm Invikta

Midweight: 7.9 - 8.4 oz.

Grip Length: 5.25”

Grip Circumference: 4.25”

THEY SAY:

Designed for players who prefer a balanced paddle with enhanced durability, addressing the issue of worn-out spin surfaces found in raw carbon paddles. Engineered with 14 mm Titanium Mesh System and Florek Carbon Fibre Face provides a larger sweet spot for increased consistency and stability. Greater control while delivering powerful performance.

Game Play Performance Scores

Spin Control 5/5

Power 5/5

Stability 5/5

Comfort 5/5

Off Centre Sweet Spot Hits 4/5

Overall Control 5/5

Sensation 5/5

Summary: Requires a steady hand; not as forgiving as Invikta or Luxx on off-centre hits, probably because of thinner core dimension. Very stable. $330 USD/ CDN TBD

DOUG B. SAYS:

First play - Lab Project 007

Any paddle with a name as cool as the Lab Project 007 better be able to live up to its image as the sexiest paddle yet to be released by Selkirk Sports.

Featuring the latest techno including InfiniGrit and Titanium weave underlay, I was half expecting Odd Job’s steel-rimmed Bowler hat, from that great James Bond movie - Goldfinger - to be included in its presentation case.

The clip where Blofield’s chauffeur demonstrates the bowler’s lethality, by decapitatating a marble statue in front of his golf club, is an especially memorable scene. And a fitting metaphor for Selkirk’s 007 because it is a lethal pickleball weapon on the court.

How good? Possibly the perfect paddle - certainly a best ever to come out of Selkirk’s skunkworks. You can feel its electricity when you open the luxurious black aluminum case it comes in.

Normally, I’m not taking in by marketing hyperbole. But with this techno paddle’s reveal, I can only say, Hell yeah! Feeling driven to add - “The name is Bond. James Bond.”

Sorry, for getting a bit carried away; still in a bit of a daze after playing with the 007.

My point of reference are half a dozen of Selkirk’s high end paddles, and it’s my new favorite because it does everything well.

The high MSRP in the U.S.  ($330) is getting some negative feedback from American reviewers, but it does reflect the high cost of high tech materials, including R&D. Expensive, but the grit is designed to outlast current raw carbon skins by 3X so it should last through many seasons of pickleball. The introductory pricing is not out of line for other high end paddles in the Selkirk Sports lineup, and should be reduced after initial launch. Although hot demand for paddle has resulted in wait list.

With over-the-top game play scores like this, this may be the best paddle, available for public use, on the market. Let’s look at the last score on the list and let me explain why its perfect sensation score matters.

The closest paddle I can think of, approaching anything like the 007 is the TM Invikta Vanguard Power Air. It has similar dimensions, weight and size. It’s a crazy fast paddle, and is excellent for spin control and power. But, it sucks at sensation. Uncompromisingly hard, a harsh hitter bordering on brittle. I described it, irreverently, as brilliant but sounding and feeling like an extinct mastodon hitting a tree with its tusks. Possibly illegal in some municipalities for noise violations.

Still, I loved the way it felt in my grip, like a weapon for a court warrior. Pure intimidation.

The 007 gives me everything I love about the Vanguard Air without its harsh hitting sensation.

Providing an enjoyable and refined hit sensation as comfortable as the Luxx.

Dinks - Done; Drop shots - Ditto. Volleys- On. Those tough to control top spin speed ups near the NVL - Yes. Serves with control and power - Consistently. And soul destroying top spin forehands and slice backhands from the baseline. Breathtaking.

Full Disclosure: As an International Advocate for Selkirk Sports, I do receive demo paddles for review, or in the case of the 007 a discount off the MSRP. But I do use my hard earned Canadian bucks to purchase this premium product.

InfiniGrit Surface is three times as durable as raw carbon surge with spin potential of up to 2000 RPMs.

Two paddle shapes: Invikta (as tested); with longer handle and longest paddle shape. Epic - long handle and standard paddle shape.

The 007 is available in the 10 mm and 14 mm core thickness (larger sweet spot for more stability and consistency).

After one game in particular, against a stronger 4.5 team, my play was notably improved and impressive, to the point it drew an unsolicited, Wow! from the other side. We all know know rare, and hard to come by a Wow! is from our partners, let alone the other team.

So yeah, the 007 impressed the track pants off me.

I recently had to downsize the contents of my enormous Selkirk bag. Not because I’ve run out of room. Heck, I still have enough space to add a small tent and backpack through Thailand with the bag.

But the bag was getting so heavy with the extra paddles, I could hardly lift it into the back seat of my RX. And if it fell over onto the dog seat holding my dear dog Lucie, she wouldn’t forgive me for a week. Out came the 8-9 paddles, leaving ample room for the 007, the Vanguard, and Halo - which people love to borrow to test.

It won’t have any problems getting lots of icetime in the winter months ahead with daily games, lessons and practice.

I end the review with the immortal words of Q, armorer to Bond, in a recent classic to the series, Skyfall.

“Were you expecting an exploding pen? We don’t really go in for that any more.”

A paddle, not pen; shaken, not stirred.