Both the Selkirk Amped S2 and the Epic fall under Selkirk Sports' Amped Series. The S2 is designed for players looking for maximum power. With its larger paddle face and shorter handle, it's great for volley players and those who play doubles. The Epic has a smaller face and longer handle, meaning it is the better option for singles players who hit more groundstrokes.
Selkirk S2 vs Epic: A Comparison
Selkirk’s Amped series is described as their ‘preferred paddle for power players.’ Selkirk pickleball paddles in the Amped series generate maximum spin, a large sweet spot, and an aerodynamic design that allows for faster speed through the air.
Within the Amped Series there are a number of different paddle models. Two of the most popular are the Selkirk Amped S2 and the Selkirk Amped Epic. These Amped paddles offer variations on the same theme: paddles for pickleball players looking for a power paddle to dominate their next game.
Similarities
These two paddles are similar in some regards.
- They both have a top-to-bottom paddle length of 15.75″ and a paddle width of 8″.
- The standard grip circumference for both paddles is 4.25″.
- Both paddles cost $150 and come with a limited lifetime warranty.
- Both have four color options: red, black, blue, and purple.
Differences
Aside from these similarities, Selkirk Sport has created two paddles with subtle differences in design that lead to different performance dynamics.
- The Selkirk Amped S2 comes in two models: the lightweight paddle weighing in between 7.4 and 7.8 ounces, and the midweight paddle roughly 7.9 to 8.4 ounces. It has a medium handle (4.5″) meaning that the surface area of the paddle face is huge.
- The Selkirk Amped Epic is slightly lighter (lightweight model 7.2 – 7.7oz; midweight model 7.8 – 8.4oz) than the Amped, and offers a longer handle (5.25″). This means the face has a slightly smaller surface area than its sister paddle.
Selkirk S2 Overview
The Selkirk Amped S2 is designed for pickleball players who like a larger surface area and sweet spot and don’t mind a shorter handle length.
The S2’s paddle shape is larger than the Epic, despite having the same basic dimensions. It’s the type of paddle that might appeal to beginners and intermediate players: the shorter handle helps the paddle to feel like an extension of your hand, and the large sweet spot means you can strike the ball anywhere on the face and still get a good result.
Selkirk Epic Overview
The Selkirk Amped Epic is a more elongated paddle than the S2. With a long handle and smaller surface area on the face, this paddle feels more akin to tennis and squash rackets than many pickleball paddles.
The longer handle and smaller surface area reduce drag through the air. This will help you generate more paddle and ball speed, especially combined with the powerful polypropylene core.
Many people also find the increased handle length provides more control, as you have more room to manipulate the paddle around the ball for each shot.
Amped Series Technology
All the paddles in the Amped Series come with the same USA Pickleball-approved technology, meaning you should get excellent performance out of whichever pickleball paddle you choose.
Edgesentry technology is used in the edge guard, which Selkirk Sports claim is low profile, lightweight, and durable. This helps to create a ‘well-balanced and solid paddle’ with a large hitting area and consistent strike across the face.
The surface of both paddles is made with Selkirk’s patented FiberFlex fiberglass material. This is a type of fiberglass that creates maximum spin and offers better control across all types of shots.
The core material for paddles in the Amped Series is particularly interesting. Like many pro paddles, Selkirk offers a thick polymer core – however, they have patented their own version: the X5 Core. This polymer honeycomb core provides a larger sweet spot for more power in your point-winning shots.
As well as these, both paddles offer Selkirk’s Comfort Grip, vibration dampening, and torque suppression that increases accuracy on even the hardest drives.
Selkirk S2 vs Epic: Which is Right For You?
Both the Selkirk Amped S2 and the Selkirk Amped Epic are great paddles for power players who want to combine vicious ball speed with maximum forgiveness and a good amount of control. You’d be hard-pressed to go wrong with either, but subtle differences mean each paddle suits a slightly different type of player.
Pros and Cons of the S2
The S2, with its short handle and large surface area, trades off worse aerodynamics for a huge sweet spot. This means you won’t be able to generate as much paddle speed on your ground strokes, but you’ve got a ton of forgiveness to hit the ball anywhere on the paddle face and still generate a good result.
These factors make it a fantastic paddle for players who like to build their game around the kitchen line. The extra forgiveness and shorter handle make those quick reaction shots easier to return and control. For this reason, the S2 is a particularly great paddle for primarily doubles players.
Pros and Cons of the Epic
The Epic, meanwhile, offers slightly different dynamics. The longer handle makes it feel more like a tennis or squash racquet and allows for more power to be put into your groundstrokes.
The Epic is best for pickleball players who like to dominate from the baseline and build their game around their groundstrokes. The sweet spot is slightly smaller than on the S2, but since you’ll be playing shots from farther back, you have more time to make proper contact.
These characteristics make the Epic the better option for pickleballers who play primarily singles. It’s also a great option for tennis players who have moved over to pickleball, as it feels more like a tennis racquet.
