Selkirk Labs Project 008 – Tour Shape Pickleball Paddle Review

FamousbyFriday

Hey guys, it’s Kip. I’ve got two new paddles to review, the new Selkerk 008s. These are the tour shapes in both 13 mm and 16 mm. If you think back to the Project 006, it had a tour shape, but it was very round and very harsh. They’ve kind of taken some of that away and given some more surface back to hit with, and I think it should perform really well. I liked the 006 a lot—it’s a great paddle, but the surface space kind of limited you to where you could go. This is going to, I think, be a little more functional for most players. So very excited to get these out. They are a little bit different.

Pure Foam Core and Gen 2 Thermoforming

They come in the new Selkerk pure foam core. Now, other paddles have tried this—think back to the Rhombus Ripple or the Flick F1 with the Carbon True Foam. All good paddles; I like some more than others, but Selkerk’s come up with the pure foam core and it should play pretty well because they’ve done something just a little bit different. These paddles are Gen 2 thermoformed, so they’ve got an extra layer of foam just like we all come to know and love around the surface. It should drag that sweet spot out and make these a little more structurally sound and hopefully really accurate, because with foam cores you usually lose a little accuracy. I really think the Gen 2 thermoforming will give some accuracy. We will go over real world testing later in the article.

Specifications and Setup

It does have a T700 raw carbon fiber face, which should have good dwell time and spin. Both paddles are 16.45 inches long and 7.5 inches wide with a 6-inch long grip and a 4¼-inch circumference. I’ve already weighted these, and they come in at 7.9 ounces. I bumped both of them up to 8.2, a little more happy place for me, but didn’t change the balance point. These paddles are 116.6 swing weight, so you can be a lot more accurate with that swing weight when you’re using foam cores. The twist weight is 5.76, which should play really well. I’ve upped both of those with weights, but that’s what they come in at, so that’s what I’m going to stick with.

On-Court Testing: 16 mm Version

I was very excited to get out to the court and hit these paddles. Even in the wind, the ball is either on a line or getting there. That’s a really good sign. When I tried to spin the ball, it did more whistling than spinning, but to be fair the wind was blowing hard, so it’s not exactly fair because it really has great spin. Overall, I’m liking this paddle.

Kip Lacey using the Selkirk Labs Project 008 Tour Shape.

Now, for the 13 mm version. If I hit right in the middle of the face, that’s going to be gold.

Performance Breakdown

I was surprised by these paddles; this is my fourth foam core review and I thought they would perform a certain way, but they surprised me quite a bit. I think it goes back to the Gen 2 thermoforming. Both paddles have Gen 2 thermoforming which gives more structure and control—and it did.

Power, Control, and Spin

Starting with power: the 13 mm averaged service speed of 48 to 50 miles per hour, hitting the upper end of average. That’s good. The 16 mm was 47 miles per hour, a little lower than expected. Control was excellent on both; you could go after your shots with confidence. Spinwise, both are excellent spin paddles—they really grab the ball. Feedback and feel are beautiful, as with all foam cores: a plus ride, and you don’t lose much performance outside the sweet spot because it’s so large, especially on the 16 mm.

Versatility and Customization

For defense to offense, you can dig the ball back and reset very well, then transition to the net smoothly. They are easily maneuverable through the hitting zone and the ball shoots off the paddle really well. I customized mine to 7.9 ounces, but you could add weight at the tip for more power without changing the balance too much. I like these paddles a lot—especially the 16 mm, even though it doesn’t have the power of the 13 mm, it has more upside for accuracy, control, consistency, and spin.

Value and Final Thoughts

Project paddles have been $333 US before, but these are both $288 US, which is more reasonable and aligns with most foam core paddle prices, aside from the Flick F1 which is cheaper. I’m anxious to hear if you’ve tried these paddles and if you’d put the 16 mm in your bag. Maybe move the weight up a bit for more power, but accuracy and spin are gold.

Alright guys, as always leave me a comment. Let me know if you’ve played with any Project paddles and which 008 version you like best—the 13 mm or the 16 mm. Which fits your game better? It’s spring—get out and play the game we love. I’ll be back with more.

For in-depth video reviews, check out my Youtube Channel.

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