The Selkirk Amped is one of the paddles that defined the premium end of pickleball: a fiberglass face, a thick honeycomb core, and a shape for every style of player.
It anchors our best pickleball paddles guide as the advanced players’ pick, and it earns a full review of its own.
This review works from Selkirk’s documented design for the line. Pickleballcard does not lab-test paddles, so there are no invented measurements here — and where Selkirk publishes no figure, the review says so.
Key Takeaways
- FiberFlex fiberglass face over Selkirk’s X5 polypropylene honeycomb core — a cushion-first, control-leaning build.
- Five shapes share the same construction: Epic, S2, Invikta, Maxima and Omni, from traditional to elongated.
- Selkirk no longer publishes a numeric spec sheet for this model, so its data box below is honest about that.
- Selkirk states all Selkirk and SLK paddles are USAPA-approved for tournament play.
- Best for advanced players who value touch, a large sweet spot and a soft response over raw carbon grit.
The Short Answer
The Amped is the control player’s flagship from the fiberglass era: the face flexes and cushions, the thick X5 core steadies the response, and the sweet spot is the selling point.
Choose it for feel and consistency. Choose a raw-carbon paddle instead if maximum grit and a firm, modern power build are what you are after.
Specifications (Manufacturer-Published)
| Face material | Not published by Selkirk |
| Core | Not published by Selkirk |
| Thickness | Not published by Selkirk |
| Average weight | Not published by Selkirk |
| Grip length | Not published by Selkirk |
| Grip circumference | Not published by Selkirk |
| Shape / length × width | Not published by Selkirk |
| USA Pickleball approved | Yes — Selkirk states all Selkirk and SLK paddles are USAPA-approved (brand collection page, checked November 2026) |
Selkirk built this line before brands published full numeric tables as a matter of course, and its current site carries the newer AMPED generations instead.
What Selkirk has always published for the Amped is its technology: FiberFlex, X5, EdgeSentry and its Comfort Grip. Those are the facts this review is built on.
Buy If
- You want a large sweet spot with torque suppression for consistency — the combination our main guide rates most reliable.
- You like a cushioned feel: the fiberglass face and X5 polypropylene core are built for ball cushioning.
- You play a touch game — dinks, drops and resets — and want the paddle to soften pace for you.
Pass If
- You want a raw carbon face for maximum grit — this is a fiberglass-face paddle.
- You need the manufacturer’s current spec sheet before buying — Selkirk no longer publishes one for this model.
- You want the newest construction — Selkirk’s current AMPED generations are the AMPED Control and AMPED Pro Air lines.
The Design, Piece By Piece
FiberFlex Fiberglass Face
The Amped’s face is Selkirk’s FiberFlex: a fiberglass surface, where most modern rivals use carbon.
Fiberglass flexes more on contact, which pockets the ball a fraction longer — the mechanical basis of this paddle’s cushioned feel and its control-first reputation.
The trade is grit: a textured carbon face bites harder for spin, which is why spin-first players usually land on carbon instead.
X5 Core And EdgeSentry Guard
Under the face sits the X5, Selkirk’s polypropylene honeycomb core, introduced as a thicker core than the market standard of its day.
Thick cores absorb pace and quiet vibration, and they widen the zone of the face that responds consistently — the sweet-spot story again.
The EdgeSentry guard is Selkirk’s low-profile edge protection, designed to protect the rim without adding the bulk older guards carried.
Five Shapes, One Construction
The Amped line shares its face and core across five shapes, so the choice is about geometry, not build.
The Epic is the traditional all-round shape. The S2 pairs the widest body with the shortest handle, maximizing face area for net players.
The Invikta stretches the shape for reach and singles-style groundstrokes, the Maxima runs narrower and longer still, and the Omni shortens the handle for a finger-on-the-face grip.
Because Selkirk publishes no per-shape figures for this line today, choose by the shape descriptions above and your current paddle’s geometry — not by retailer-listed numbers.
Who It Suits
Advanced players with a developed soft game get the most from the Amped: it rewards placement, patience and clean contact.
Doubles players who live at the kitchen line will value the sweet spot on blocks and counters, where off-center hits are the norm.
It also suits players who find carbon faces harsh — the fiberglass-and-thick-core combination is among the softest responses in our main guide.
Who Should Skip It
Power-first players should look at the modern end of our power paddles guide, where firmer builds return more pace.
Specification-led buyers will be frustrated here: with no current manufacturer table, there is nothing official to compare cell by cell.
And players who simply want Selkirk’s current flagship thinking should start with the brand’s newer AMPED generations rather than this classic.
Approval Status
Selkirk states on its own collection pages that all Selkirk and SLK paddles are USAPA-approved, and the Amped was built for tournament play from the start.
As with any paddle, confirm your exact model and shape on USA Pickleball’s current approved list before a sanctioned event, because lists are updated over time.
How It Compares
Against the JOOLA Ben Johns Hyperion CFS 16, reviewed in full here, the Amped is the soft, fiberglass counterpoint to the Hyperion’s grippy carbon and heavier elongated build.
Against the Diadem Warrior in our control paddles guide, the Amped trades the Warrior’s edgeless foam-injected design for a guarded, five-shape range.
Neither comparison is a defeat: the Amped’s identity — feel first, shapes for everyone — is simply a different answer to the same question.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Selkirk Amped still a good paddle?
Yes, for the player it was designed for: its fiberglass face and thick X5 core still deliver one of the softest, most consistent responses in our guides. It is a classic rather than a current flagship, and this review treats it as exactly that.
Why does Selkirk not publish the Amped’s specifications?
Selkirk’s current site focuses on its newer lines, and no numeric spec sheet for this model is published there today. Rather than fill the gaps with retailer figures, our data box marks each unpublished field honestly and builds the review on Selkirk’s documented technology instead.
Is the Selkirk Amped approved for tournaments?
Selkirk states that all Selkirk and SLK paddles are USAPA-approved. Before a sanctioned event, check your exact shape on USA Pickleball’s current approved paddle list, since approvals are maintained over time and models are listed individually.
Which Amped shape should I choose?
Start from your game: Epic for an all-round traditional shape, S2 for maximum face and net play, Invikta for reach, Maxima for the longest and narrowest profile, Omni for a short-handle grip. The construction is the same across all five.
FiberFlex fiberglass or carbon — which face is better?
Neither is simply better. Fiberglass flexes and cushions, favouring touch and a softer response; carbon is firmer and usually textured for grit and spin. The Amped is the fiberglass expression of that choice, and our main guide covers strong options on both sides.
Conclusion
The Amped’s reputation was earned in the years when it was the premium answer, and its design logic — cushion the ball, widen the sweet spot, offer every shape — still reads clearly today.
Buy it knowing what it is: a fiberglass classic with an honest gap where a modern spec sheet would sit, and one of the most comfortable advanced paddles our guides cover.
Shoaib is the publisher of Pickleball Card. He oversees the site’s guides to pickleball rules, ratings, strategy and gear, all researched from primary sources — the USA Pickleball Rulebook, DUPR and manufacturer documentation — and updated as the game changes.