What is the VANGUARD? 

The VANGUARD is the latest Selkirk Pickleball paddle. After over two years in research and development, our engineers developed a proprietary QuadCarbon technology with two layers of carbon fiber on each side, instead of just one. This unique approach delivers a performance paddle like no other that gives you ultimate consistency, accelerated ball velocity, an extra large sweet spot, maximum spin, and perfect feel. Simply put, the VANGUARD delivers the speed and consistency you need to take your Pickleball game to another level.

 

How does the VANGUARD Hybrid differ from the VANGUARD Power?

The VANGUARD Hybrid is recommended for most Pickleball players, from beginner to pro, and is available in midweight and lightweight designs. It features a QuadCarbon face and an X5 Honeycomb Thick Poly Core. The VANGUARD Power is recommended for 4.5+ Pickleball tournament players with an aggressive play style, and is only available in a midweight design. It features QuadCarbon+ Face with a double layer of premium Toray carbon fiber and an X6 Honeycomb Streamlined Poly Core.

 

When will the VANGUARD Power model be available? 

We estimate that the VANGUARD Power will be available for purchase sometime early 2021.

 

How is the VANGUARD paddle different from the AMPED paddle? 

The VANGUARD uses our new, innovative QuadCarbon technology that was developed by our engineers after two years of research and development, and features two layers of carbon fiber on each side, instead of just one. Designed to take your performance to another level by adding speed and consistency to your game, the VANGUARD features a larger sweet spot, and improved grip, and is available in our most popular shapes: S2, Epic, and Invikta.

 

I use an AMPED. Will I like the VANGUARD? 

Yes, we are confident that you will like the latest technology used in our VANGUARD paddle. It is very easy to upgrade from the AMPED to the VANGUARD Hybrid paddle and you should see an immediate improvement in speed and consistency, with very little adjustment time. 

 

Is the VANGUARD core different from the AMPED core? 

The VANGUARD Hybrid uses the same, proven X5 Honeycomb Thick Poly Core as the AMPED paddle. The VANGUARD Power uses our new X6 Honeycomb Streamlined Poly Core, which makes it our thinnest paddle yet.

 

How does the VANGUARD generate spin? 

The VANGUARD generates spin through the longer dwell time on the face. This longer dwell time allows your swing to control the ball more and also imparts more spin on the ball. Because the paddle is not at the maximum USAPA roughness limit, your paddle won’t react to your opponent’s spin as dramatically, so you will not be forced to overcompensate for your opponent’s spin. With the VANGUARD, you can diffuse your opponent’s spin and impart your own spin on the ball.

 

I’m a beginner to intermediate player. Is the VANGUARD for me? 

Yes, we recommend the VANGUARD Hybrid for beginner to pro players. The extra consistency and easy speed delivers what you need to take your game to another level.

 

What shapes are available in the VANGUARD series? 

Our three most popular shapes are available in the VANGUARD series: Epic, S2, and Invikta. The VANGUARD Maxima and Omni will also become available later this year.

 

Will the VANGUARD require time to get used to? 

Yes, all paddles will take 7 to 8 games to break in. That said, the VANGUARD does have a different feel and play compared to other paddles, due to its advanced QuadCarbon Technology, so it may take a little time to get used to.

 

Why does the VANGUARD’s face have minor markings in the graphics? 

For the VANGUARD to achieve another level of performance, we hand-selected a natural carbon fiber weave. With this high-performance QuadCarbon technology, you may notice a few minor markings in the graphics on the face, just as fingerprints have unique markings. These minor markings do not affect performance in any way. We did test other carbon fiber weaves that don’t have these minor face markings, but their level of performance proved inferior to our QuadCarbon technology. Since we know that top performance matters most to our community, we chose to use the technology with the highest level of performance.

 

Is the VANGUARD available with other grip options? 

Yes, in place of the 4.25” GeoGrip, you can select our 4” Thin Grip, our 4.25” Contour Grip, or our 4.5” Double GeoGrip.

 

Will the VANGUARD GeoGrip be sold separately? 

Yes, the VANGUARD GeoGrip will be available for sale separately in the fall of 2020.

 

Will there be more colors released in the future? 

Right now, we don’t have any plans to release new colors. That said, there’s always a possibility that could change in the future. If you would like to be kept updated on our new releases, please click here to join our newsletter list. (Link to Newsletter Opt-In)

 

Does the VANGUARD come with a warranty? 

Yes, the VANGUARD comes with the Selkirk limited lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects.

 

What is the VANGUARD return policy? 

When purchased directly on selkirk.com, the VANGUARD has a 30-day return policy. If you feel it hasn’t improved your game after 30 days, you may return the paddle for a full refund.

 

Why is the price higher than other paddles?

The VANGUARD is our highest-value paddle yet and the pricing reflects two years of research and development, higher-grade materials, and newly developed manufacturing processes, and state-of-the-art technology. We guarantee that the VANGUARD paddle will improve your performance and help you win more games than any of our other paddles, and we offer a 30-day return policy to back up our claim.

 

How should I clean my VANGUARD paddle? 

You can easily clean your paddle using any standard window cleaner, such as Windex, and a non-abrasive cloth.

 

Can I use my gift cards for my VANGUARD order? 

Yes, we welcome you to use your Selkirk gift card to purchase a VANGUARD paddle.

 

Can I demo a VANGUARD paddle before I purchase it? 

While we do not have a demo program, we do have a hassle free 30-day return policy when you purchase directly from selkirk.com. If you feel the paddle doesn’t improve your game in 30 days, you can send it back for a full refund.

If you are local to Hayden, Idaho, our pro-shop has a demo program, with a limit of one demo per customer.