Spartus P1 vs Spitfire: The $99 One Scores Higher
Last updated: September 2026
We rated the Spitfire above all three P1 shapes — at less than half the price.
Buy the Spartus Spitfire Elongated. It scores 8.8 against the P1 Standard's 8.6, P1 Hybrid's 8.5 and P1 Elongated's 8.3, it spins around 2,350 RPM — at or above every P1 — and it costs $98.99 with code PRH against $197.99 for any P1. The P1 line earns its price on two things only: shape choice, since the Spitfire is elongated-only, and stability, since the P1 Standard's 7.4 twist weight is the best number in either range. If you want a widebody or a hybrid, or you miss the middle of the face often, the P1 Standard is the paddle to buy. Everyone else is paying $99 extra for a lower-scoring paddle.
How we tested
Every paddle we cover goes through the same on-court protocol - individual play, head-to-head comparisons, and tournament use before anything gets written down. Every paddle below has a full review on the site; click through to see scores, specs, and the deal we found for each.
The rankings
Each category below links to the full review for that paddle.
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Shop Spitfire Elongated or P1 Standard with the live code
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The short answer, and it is an awkward one
Spartus sells the Spitfire at $109.99 and the P1 at $219.99. The P1 is the flagship — Gen 4 dual-density floating foam, T700 carbon with fiberglass, PermaGrit, three shapes. The Spitfire is the value paddle: one shape, dual-density EPP and EVA foam, a QuadFiber face with PermaGritNano.
We tested all four. The Spitfire scored highest. 8.8, against 8.6 for the P1 Standard, 8.5 for the P1 Hybrid and 8.3 for the P1 Elongated. It also posts the strongest spin number in the group at roughly 2,350 RPM. With code PRH it is $98.99 against $197.99 — half the price.
That does not make the P1 a bad paddle. It makes it a paddle you should buy for specific reasons rather than by default, and those reasons are below.
All four, side by side
- Spitfire Elongated — 8.8 overall · ~115 swing weight · ~6.2 twist weight · ~2,350 RPM · 8.5 power, 7.9 control, 9.5 spin, 8.7 forgiveness · $98.99 with PRH.
- P1 Standard (widebody) — 8.6 overall · 111–115 swing weight · 7.4 twist weight · ~2,200 RPM · 8.3 power, 8.5 control, 8.9 spin, 8.8 forgiveness · $197.99 with PRH.
- P1 Hybrid — 8.5 overall · 116–119 swing weight · ~6.9 twist weight · ~2,350 RPM · 8.4 power, 8.3 control, 9.1 spin, 8.5 forgiveness · $197.99 with PRH.
- P1 Elongated — 8.3 overall · 120–124 swing weight · 6.25 twist weight · ~2,358 RPM · 8.5 power, 8.0 control, 9.2 spin, 8.0 forgiveness · $197.99 with PRH.
- All four are 16mm and USAP approved. All four take code PRH for 10% off at Spartus.
Why the cheaper paddle wins on our card
Two reasons, and neither is a scoring quirk. The first is spin: the Spitfire's PermaGritNano face measures around 2,350 RPM and scores 9.5, the highest spin score in either range. The P1 Standard, the best-scoring P1, sits around 2,200 RPM and 8.9. The flagship's grit is more durable, but the value paddle's grit bites harder.
The second is weight. The Spitfire is about 7.7 oz against the P1's 8.1–8.5 oz, and swings at roughly 115 against the P1 Elongated's 120–124. Against its direct shape rival — P1 Elongated, the only like-for-like comparison here — the Spitfire is lighter, faster, spinnier, more forgiving (8.7 against 8.0) and half the price. That matchup is not close.
Against the P1 Standard it is closer, and the P1 wins the parts that matter to a certain player. Read on before you assume the cheap one is always right.
What the P1 actually buys you
Shape. The Spitfire is elongated only. If you play a widebody or a hybrid and have no intention of switching, the Spitfire is not an option at any price, and the P1 Standard or P1 Hybrid is where the range starts for you.
Stability. The P1 Standard's 7.4 twist weight is the highest number in either line by a wide margin — the Spitfire is ~6.2 — and it shows up as 8.8 forgiveness and 8.5 control, both better than the Spitfire's 8.7 and 7.9. If you block and counter a lot, or you simply miss the middle more often than you would like, that is a real upgrade and not a spec-sheet one.
Grit longevity. PermaGrit on the P1 is built to hold texture over months rather than weeks. The Spitfire's PermaGritNano bites harder out of the box, but we flag in our review that its longevity still needs extended play data. If you play four or five times a week, that distinction is worth money.
What the P1 does not buy you is power or spin. Its best power score is 8.5 — the same as the Spitfire's — and its best spin score is 9.2, below the Spitfire's 9.5.
Both are head-heavy. Know that going in
This is the caveat that applies across the whole Spartus range and it is the most common reason players bounce off these paddles. The Spitfire's balance sits well toward the head despite its low static weight; the P1 Elongated swings at 120–124, which is heavy in anyone's book.
The consequence is the same one every head-heavy paddle has: you must prepare early. Blocks are a prep shot, not a last-second flick. If you have ever put a paddle down because it felt slow in hands battles, the P1 Standard at 111–115 is the only one of these four you should consider, and even it is not a fast paddle.
In exchange you get plow-through, which is why the Spitfire posts about a 61 mph serve at under $100 and why both lines drive well from the baseline.
Price with code PRH
The Spitfire lists at $109.99 and costs $98.99 with code PRH. Every P1 shape lists at $219.99 and costs $197.99 with the same code. That is 10% off across the range at Spartus, applied at checkout.
The gap is $99 — two Spitfires come to $197.98, a penny under one P1. Framed that way, the P1 needs to be solving a specific problem for you (you want a widebody, or you need the 7.4 twist weight, or you play enough that grit longevity is a running cost) rather than simply being the better paddle, because on our scoring it is not.
PRH is our standing partner code rather than a seasonal sale, so it does not carry an expiry. Full details on our Spartus discount code page.
Which should you buy?
- Most players, best value in the range — Spitfire Elongated, 8.8 overall, $98.99 with PRH.
- You want a widebody, or you miss the middle — P1 Standard, 7.4 twist weight, $197.99 with PRH.
- You want a hybrid — P1 Hybrid, $197.99 with PRH. There is no hybrid Spitfire.
- You play 4–5 times a week and replace paddles on grit — a P1. PermaGrit has the longer track record.
- You want elongated reach — Spitfire, not P1 Elongated. Same shape, higher score, half the price.
- Still deciding across the brand — which Spartus paddle should you buy.
Final verdict
The Spitfire Elongated is the paddle to order, and it is not a close call against the P1 Elongated it directly replaces — higher score, more spin, more forgiveness, lighter swing, half the price.
The P1 Standard is the one P1 worth its money, and only for the player it is built for: someone who wants a 16×8 widebody and values a 7.4 twist weight enough to pay $99 for it. The P1 Hybrid is the answer if you want that shape. The P1 Elongated is hard to recommend while the Spitfire exists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Spartus P1 or Spitfire — which should I buy?
The Spitfire Elongated for most players. It scores 8.8 against 8.6, 8.5 and 8.3 for the three P1 shapes, spins around 2,350 RPM, and costs $98.99 with code PRH against $197.99 for any P1. Buy a P1 only if you want a widebody or hybrid shape (the Spitfire is elongated only), if you need the P1 Standard's 7.4 twist weight, or if grit longevity matters because you play several times a week.
Is the Spartus Spitfire really better than the P1?
On our scoring, yes — 8.8 against the best P1's 8.6. The Spitfire spins more (9.5 spin score against 8.9 for the P1 Standard), weighs less (~7.7 oz against 8.1–8.5 oz) and is more forgiving than the P1 Elongated (8.7 against 8.0). The P1 wins on twist-weight stability, shape choice and grit longevity.
What is the price difference between the Spartus Spitfire and P1?
The Spitfire lists at $109.99 and the P1 at $219.99. With code PRH — 10% off at Spartus — that is $98.99 and $197.99, a $99 gap. You can buy two Spitfires for less than one P1.
Which Spartus paddle spins the most?
The Spitfire Elongated, at roughly 2,350 RPM and a 9.5 spin score on its PermaGritNano face. The P1 Elongated is close at roughly 2,358 RPM but scores 9.2, and the P1 Standard sits around 2,200 RPM at 8.9. The P1's PermaGrit is built to hold texture longer; the Spitfire's bites harder out of the box.
Does the Spartus Spitfire come in a widebody?
No. The Spitfire is elongated only. If you want a widebody Spartus, the P1 Standard is the option — Spartus prints STANDARD on the face, but it is a 16×8 widebody, and it carries the highest twist weight in either range at 7.4.
Are Spartus paddles USAP approved?
Yes. The Spitfire Elongated and all three P1 shapes are USAP approved. Check the current approval list for your exact variant before a sanctioned event.
Related guides
PRH PRH PRH Paste the code at checkout — then buy.
Brands on this page: Spartus. Codes are on each shop button and on /deals.
Other matchups worth reading
Comparisons featuring the same paddles as this one.