As raw carbon paddles flooded the market in 2022, Selkirk was one of the few brands that didn’t release one. Until now. Their SLK Halo series are their versions of raw carbon fiber paddles. They are offering the paddles in an elongated (XL) and standard (Max) shape with two thicknesses which I talk more about below.
SLK is Selkirk’s budget friendly or mid-market brand. Despite it being their budget friendly brand, there’s lots of interest in the Halo series because their newly signed top female pro, Parris Todd, plays with the Halo XL Control.
As far as specs go, the Halo paddles don’t look much different than other raw carbon paddles out there. Except, they are retailing the paddles for $140 which is $30-$80 less than what their main competitors are selling their raw carbon paddles for.
The big question I have about the Halo series is whether or not they perform as well as their competitors’ raw carbon paddles, but for a cheaper price. That’s the question I’ll be exploring and answering.
For this review, I played with the Halo XL 16mm Control and 13mm Power. After playing and drilling with the paddles for over two weeks, here’s my review of their performance.
Table of Contents
Performance Summary
Halo XL Control Quick Stats
$140
Here’s our pros and cons list. Note that a pro for one player may be a con for another. For example, some people might like the thicker grip size I counted as a con but I listed what I believe to be the general pros and cons.
| Pros |
|---|
|
Absorbs pace well and offers excellent control |
|
Good spin rating (1400-1450 RPMs) for a paddle under $150 |
|
Extended handle for extra maneuverability and two handed shots |
|
Soft, plush feel that is easy to connect with |
|
Comparable to other raw carbon paddles that cost $30+ more |
| Cons |
|---|
|
Noticeably cheaper materials compared to Selkirk's premium paddles |
|
The extra long handle will be too long for some people |
|
It's high control rating and mute feel doesn't give you much power to work with |
|
Handle is thicker than the standard 4.25" |
|
No color or weight options |
Halo XL Power Quick Stats
$140
Here’s our pros and cons list. Note that a pro for one player may be a con for another. For example, some people might like the thinner grip size though I counted it as a con, but I listed what I believe to be the general pros and cons.
| Pros |
|---|
|
Offers a balance of power and control |
|
Good control for a paddle with a bit of pop |
|
Good spin rating (1400-1450 RPMs) for a paddle under $150 |
|
Extended handle for extra maneuverability and two handed shots |
|
Comparable to other raw carbon paddles that cost $30+ more |
| Cons |
|---|
|
Noticeably cheaper materials compared to Selkirk's premium paddles |
|
The extra long handle will be too long for some people |
|
Not as forgiving as the control model |
|
Handle is thinner than the standard 4.25" |
|
No color or weight options |
The SLK Halo XL 16mm falls into the control category while the 13 mm falls into the all-court category. The 16mm absorbs pace well and has a plush, mute feel to it similar to an Electrum Model E. The 13mm had a stiffer feel in comparison to the 16mm though it felt more plush compared to 13mm paddles I’ve played with from many other brands. It had more pop than the 16mm but it wasn’t enough to put it in the power category.
The 16mm performed well whenever you needed to control the ball and be precise with your targets. Drops, resets, and dinks all came naturally with it. When compared to other 16mm raw carbon paddles it’s one of the softer ones. The 13mm wasn’t bad on the control side either, though it was a little poppier and took more time to adjust. I thought it was easier to control compared to other thinner core paddles I’ve played with.
When it came to attacking, the 16mm didn’t offer much power for counters and put-aways but its longer handle and good spin allowed you to be precise with rolls & flicks at the net and drives would stay lower. The 13mm offered more when it came to attacking, particularly with counters and hand battles though it felt a little more head heavy to me while the 16mm seemed better balanced though they were nearly the exact same weight.
Their 5.75” handle lengths were a bit excessive, I wish they were somewhere between 5.25-5.5”. Once you go above 5.5” the paddle head feels a lot smaller. However, you don’t see as many long handled paddles in this price range for some reason so I’m sure there will be some people happy about it.
When it came to spin, my spin test clocked in between 1400-1450 RPMs. That’s not a bad number, but it’s not as high as other raw carbon fiber paddles.
Bottom line: The Halo XL paddles play similar to other raw carbon paddles but with a little less power and spin. If you’re okay with that, then save yourself $30+ and pick this one up instead of other raw carbon paddles.
Is this the right paddle for you?
If you think a Halo paddle is right for you, you can pick one up from Selkirk's online store.
Shop SelkirkDesign & Technology
| Technical Specifications for XL Shape | |
|---|---|
|
Weight |
7.6 - 8.2 oz |
|
Length x Width |
16.4" x 7.4" |
|
Thickness |
16 mm (Control), 13 mm (Power) |
|
Facing Material |
Raw Carbon Fiber |
|
Handle Length |
5.75" |
|
Handle Circumference |
4.35" (Control), 4" (Power) |
All the specs on these are pretty standard other than the handle length and circumference.
The handle is very long, a little too long for most people. Then the grip sizes are not Selkirk’s usual 4.25″ which is the standard size. The thicker Control paddle has a thicker handle and the thinner Power paddle has a thin handle. I wish they kept the typical 4.25″ they do on their premium line of paddles.
It’s strange to me that they went with such a long handle. Since they aren’t giving us handle length options like they do with their premium paddles you’d think they would use a length like 5.25″ that would appeal to more people. But, that’s not what we get. Some people will like the extra long handle of the XL but it’s a bit extreme for me and makes the head feel smaller.
I also noticed smaller things like the grip tape not going all the way to the top of the handle. This is a picture of the one I had and you can see the tape comes up short. If you put two hands on there then you can feel the plastic of the edge guard more than you should with your second hand, so that’s annoying.
The edge guard on the Halo is also noticeably more bulky compared the edge guards Selkirk uses in their premium line of paddles like their Vanguard 2.0s. They obviously did some things to keep the costs lower to sell this paddle for only $140.
Comparison to Other Raw Carbon Paddles
As I mentioned in the introduction, the big question I had about the Halos was how they compared to other raw carbon paddles that cost $30+ more.
The SLK Halo XL paddles play very similar to other raw carbon paddles from their competitors like CRBN, Joola, Electrum, and others, except for a couple of things. They offered a little less power and spin. For example, I compared the CRBN 1 16mm directly to the Halo XL 16mm in a spin test. On paper, these paddles look almost identical. For the Halo I was getting around 1400-1450 RPMs, while I was getting around 1600-1650 RPMs for the CRBN 1 16 mm.
1400-1450 isn’t bad and is higher than what you’ll find in paddles at similar price points, but it’s nothing to write home about either. In short, if you’re on a budget and don’t want to spend over $150, then this is an excellent option. However, if you want maximum spin and little more power, then there are other raw carbon fiber paddles out there that will give you just a little more for an additional $30-$40.
Here’s a chart showing how I would rank the Halo XL 16mm to a few other raw carbon paddles from other popular brands. They are all honestly pretty close but there is a slight difference in performance. 1 is the best and 4 is last.
SLK Halo XL Control Comparison Chart
As for the Halo XL 13mm, it compares well to the Electrum Model E 13mm, Joola Hyperion CFS 14, and the CRBN 1 13mm. Of this bunch, I’d rank the Halo in third place, ahead of the CRBN 1 13. It’s good, but if money wasn’t a factor, I’d pick the Jolla Hyperion CFS 14 or the Electrum Model E 13 over it.
SLK Halo XL Power Comparison Chart
Other Player Comments
Picking Between the XL and Max Shapes
You don’t get as many customization options with the Halo series as you do with Selkirk’s premium paddles. You don’t get weight, color, or as many shape choices. But you do get a couple of shape options.
The shape of a paddle has an impact on how it performs so here’s a quick synopsis of your options and how they play so you can pick the best shape for you.
| Shape Comparison | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Shape |
Length x Width |
Handle Length |
|
XL |
16.4" x 7.4" (Elongated) |
5.75" |
|
Max |
16" x 7.85" (Classic) |
4.85" |
XL
This is their elongated shape with an extra long handle. The sweet spot sits higher on the face and is a little smaller compared to their Max shape, especially from side to side. This shape is often preferred by more advanced players since it gives you more options to be offensive with the extra reach. This shape is also preferred by players with a tennis background because it feels more familiar than a standard shape that is shorter and wider.
Max
The Max is your classic shape that’s 16″ long. This puts the sweet spot close to the middle of the paddle and gives you a bigger sweet spot in general. Because the paddle and handle are shorter you’re going to get a little less power, but it will feel a bit faster in your hands. This shape is the preferred shape by people learning the game or don’t have as much racket experience because it’s more player friendly than elongated shapes.
The Max has a listed handle length of 4.85″ which is on the shorter side but it feels longer than that in real life because of the steep taper of the neck.
My Recommendation
The Halo series plays very well and very similar to other raw carbon paddles but for a cheaper price. However, I do think there are other raw carbon paddles out there like CRBN that will give you just a little more spin and power if you’re willing to pay a bit more for it. But honestly, they are pretty close and I think most people would be happy with the performance of the Halos.
It is odd that the handle lengths are so long on the XL and so short on the Max. I wish they used more standard handle lengths, so that’s something you’ll have to get past with these.
Is this the right paddle for you?
If you think a Halo paddle is right for you, you can pick one up from Selkirk's online store.
Shop SelkirkBraydon competes at the 5.0 level and plays in 5-10 tournaments a year. He plays/drills 3 to 4 times a week and would play more if time allowed it.
