Paddle of the Week Ep. 10 – Selkirk LUXX 2.0, Project 008, and Franklin C45 Dynasty Reviewed

Episode 10: A Quiet Evolution in Control

This week’s testing wasn’t flashy—and that’s exactly what made it interesting. Instead of big launches chasing loud power, what emerged was a theme of refinement. Subtle design improvements, quieter feel, and deeper composure on court. Paddles that don’t beg for attention, but reward attention to detail.

The Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invicta 2.0 felt like a reset button for the LUXX line—same outer design, but with an inner voice that’s quieter, more deliberate, and better tuned to modern control play. The Project 008 foam-core paddles showed up with radically different internals, but a familiar Selkirk exterior. And Franklin’s new C45 Dynasty paddles brought two new thermoformed builds into the Gen 3 conversation—both sharp, fast, and finally starting to feel like a complete lineup.

These weren’t paddles that revealed themselves in the first five minutes. They needed time. And once they got it, they started to make sense.

Selkirk LUXX Control Air 2.0 – Quieter, Calmer, Better

At first glance, the LUXX 2.0 doesn’t shout about what’s changed. But spend time with it, and the differences start to accumulate—just like they do when a player matures. Gone is the higher-pitched ring and slightly unsettled feel of the original. In its place is something softer, more measured. Not dull—just grown up.

The paddle now uses a revised hole pattern, reverting to Selkirk’s earlier 19mm design. It tightens the feedback loop and dampens both sound and shock. You feel it most during resets and blocks. Everything sits lower, calmer. The ball doesn’t bounce off the face as much as it gets guided. For players who win by managing tempo rather than creating chaos, this paddle is an asset.

There’s not much pop to bail you out. That’s intentional. You earn your speed. And if your game is built on precision, stability, and the ability to stay in points until you see your opening, the LUXX 2.0 offers a dependable, quiet kind of confidence.

Selkirk Labs Project 008 – A New Path Forward for Foam

Selkirk’s Project 008 series isn’t a remix. It’s a pivot. These paddles are built from a single block of high-density EVA foam—no honeycomb, no cutouts, no traditional core. Just solid construction layered under a raw carbon face.

Testing the Maxima and Invikta side by side made the design philosophy clear. Same DNA, different executions. The Maxima is quick, plush, easy to move—perfect for fast resets, counters, and rolling the ball with spin off quick takebacks. The Invikta, by contrast, carries itself with more structure. It prefers pressure. It meets incoming pace with firmness and gives you more stability on deeper drives and hard resets.

The most striking trait was how quiet both paddles played. Not just in sound—but in presence. There’s no vibration, no hollow resonance, no flutter on contact. That stillness translates into confidence, especially in high-speed exchanges where feel makes the difference between a winner and a reset into the net.

Spin came easy. The raw carbon grabs the ball and releases without delay. You don’t need wild technique to generate rotation—just timing. Both paddles played softer than CRBN’s TruFoam Genesis 2 and more forgiving than Diadem’s BluCore. The Maxima especially stood out for its maneuverability—lighter swing weight, easier hand speed, and a touch more dwell on resets.

If Selkirk continues this line, a 10mm Maxima could be a serious hand-speed weapon—one with enough pop to disrupt and enough control to stay in long. For now, the 16mm builds bring a surprising balance of softness and structure—and they’ve quickly become some of the most dialed-in foam paddles I’ve tested to date.

Franklin C45 Dynasty 14mm & 16mm – Gen 3 With a Sharper Edge

Franklin’s earlier C45 Hybrid introduced the brand’s take on Gen 3, but the new Dynasty Elongated 14mm and 16mm paddles finally give that concept a shape—and a purpose. These are not rehashes of the FS Tour series. They’re quicker, more connected, and built with a sharper sense of identity.

The 14mm version plays crisp and fast. It’s snappy, immediate, and rewards quick hands and offensive instincts. The 16mm feels more restrained, but still has pop. It absorbs pace better, offers slightly more dwell, and smooths out mis-hits during transition play.

Both share Franklin’s dual-layer perimeter foam system—EVA inside, polyurethane outside—giving them a stable frame that resists breakdown. They also bring the spin. Not just on paper, but in play. The surface texture held up across multiple hours, and I didn’t notice the early signs of wear that sometimes plague T700 builds.

The elongated shape added leverage and range without slowing me down. If anything, the added reach made counters and speed-ups feel more confident. The 14mm is your first-strike paddle. The 16mm gives you room to breathe and respond. Either could work, depending on how you build points.

But what stood out most was this: the Dynasty paddles didn’t feel like prototypes. They felt finished. Refined. And for a company that’s often associated with entry-level gear, this was a clear message—they’re here to compete in the Gen 3 game, and they’re not cutting corners.

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No Paddle of the Week—But a Front-Runner Emerges

For the second week in a row, no single paddle earned the title. But one came close.

The Project 008 Invikta kept pulling me back. Its muted touch, stable feel, and quiet confidence didn’t announce themselves right away—but over time, they started to matter. It’s a paddle I keep wanting to test—not because I’m unsure, but because I’m not finished unlocking it yet. And that’s saying something.

The others—the LUXX 2.0, the C45 Dynasty builds—they all performed. They just didn’t quite hit that “this is it” threshold. Not yet. But they’re staying in the rotation. More time, more data, more decisions to come.

If you’re looking for a paddle that fits your game—not just a popular one—head to mattspickleball.com and use the Paddle Finder. It’s designed to help you search by feel, weight, shape, spin, and more—using real test data, not marketing.

And if you’re unsure, reach out. I’ll help you narrow it down.

Until next time, stay sharp—and stay tuned.

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