Franklin found some new fans with the release of their C45 Hybrid paddle. Although their previous series was only favored by a select few, including myself, this new paddle and future series is garnering greater interest.
Currently, the series is only available as a hybrid shape. It is a gen 3 style paddle with a JOOLA-like propulsion core. It’s extremely light and meant to be customizable with weighted tape for desired performance. Later, I’ll discuss the weight setups the Franklin Pros use and their effects on performance. The results are fascinating, so don’t skip that part.
I’ll start by giving a short summary of the tech & specs, speak to how it plays, and then I’ll finish with the impacts of different weight setups their pros use.
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Table of Contents
Tech & Specs Breakdown
Tech
Franklin utilizes a Gen 3 style core featuring a propulsion core system rather than a floating core system. The x-ray above shows that the extra foam around the edges encompasses the top two-thirds of the paddle and doesn’t extend into the handle. Gen 3 paddles of this style are known for greater power and pop compared to a gen 3 floating core style. The surface is comprised of three carbon fiber sheets. The unique aspect of their design lies in its lightness, with an average weight of approximately 7.6 ounces and an average swing weight of around 106. This is advantageous if you prefer customizing your paddle with weighted tape, but disadvantageous if you don’t, which I’ll explain in my performance review below.
Specs
C45 Hybrid
- Approval Body: USAP PBCoR .43 Approved & UPA-A
- Static Weight: 7.7 oz avg
- Swingweight: 107 (very light)
- Twistweight: 5.65 (light)
- Spin RPMs: 1982 (high)
- Length x Width: 16.3″ x 7.6″ (hybrid)
- Face: Carbon
- Grip Circumference: 4.25″
- Handle Length: 5.7″
- Core: 14mm polypropylene
- Paddle Type: All-Court
- Price: $229.99 ($207 with PBEFFECT)
- Warranty: 1 year warranty – Learn more
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Performance Review
The paddle’s out-of-the-box performance was underwhelming before you added weighted tape.
Before Adding Weight
It presented as a weaker all-court option with a small sweet spot. Its lightweight design compromised stability, making it susceptible to being pushed around by the ball. The lack of stability and forgiveness wasn’t made up for by its moderate power and good hand speed. However, it had some redeeming qualities, including a unique deep, semi-plush feel for enhanced ball connection and impressive ability to shape the ball. These qualities made you think it had some potential for being good with some added weight.
After Adding Weight
Turns out, the paddle was transformed by adding weight to it. Adding as little as two grams to each corner brought more power out of the paddle and improved its forgiveness and plowthrough while still maintaining its good attributes like its maneuverability, spin, and feel. That was just one weight configuration. There were multiple that I tried that each changed how the paddle played. Adding weight seemed to change this paddle’s performance more so than others.
Because the paddle felt completely different with added weight, I decided to test how different weight configurations affected performance. Each setup changes the paddle’s characteristics and warrants its own analysis, which I’ll provide below.
Weight Set Ups & Effects
Franklin shared the various weight configurations their pro players use, allowing people to replicate them. I measured the power, pop, and static measurements for each setup so you can review the data and decide which configuration is best for you. I was amazed how much the paddle changed with each set up.
To gather this data I hit 10 serves for power and 10 punch volleys for pop and measured the average MPH with my Stalker Pro S3 radar gun. Then I took the static measurements using a Brifidi SW1 with pickleball adapters. Then to create the set ups I used a few different densities of my tungsten weighted tape that you can pick up here (code PBEFFECT). Don’t use lead tape, it’s toxic.
Here are the results and my commentary for each one. Spoiler, I liked a modified Parris Todd version for myself.
Jorja Johnson Set Up / Stock Performance
Jorja doesn’t add weight and plays with it stock. We’ll use her stats as our baseline measurements to compare the rest of the setups. At stock, as I mentioned in my above review, it’s very fast in the hand with medium to low power and pop and a small sweet spot. It’s good for players who don’t need a big sweet spot and thrive on speeding balls up at the net and going for hand battles.
| Metric | Jorja/Stock |
|---|---|
|
Static Weight |
7.7 oz |
|
Swingweight |
107 |
|
Twistweight |
5.65 |
|
Balance Point |
233 mm |
|
Power MPH (Percentile) |
55.2 (41%) |
|
Pop MPH (Percentile) |
35.6 (38%) |
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JW Johnson & Will Howells Set Up Performance
JW Johnson and Will Howells have a very similar set up so I’m lumped them together here. JW is known for adding a lot of weight to his paddles, but he didn’t add a ton to this one. Instead, he strategically placed 1 to 2 grams on each corner. I like this setup because you get a nice bump in twist weight and stability and some added plow through with the weight being higher on the head. But at the same time this setup doesn’t add too much weight, so it keeps the static weight down and the paddle’s natural maneuverability intact while still getting the bump in plowthrough it needs to add some power and pop.
This set up makes the paddle more of a true all court style paddle leaning power a touch. I would venture to guess this would be the most used set up by amateur players.
To get this set up I used my 1g per inch tungsten tape roll. You can pick some up here if you’re interested (code PBEFFECT).
| Metric | Stock | JW/Howells |
|---|---|---|
|
Static Weight |
7.7 oz |
8 oz |
|
Swingweight |
107 |
111 |
|
Twistweight |
5.65 |
6.34 |
|
Balance Point |
233 mm |
236 mm |
|
Power MPH (Percentile) |
55.2 (41%) |
55.6 (56%) |
|
Pop MPH (Percentile) |
35.6 (38%) |
36.2 (65%) |
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Parris Todd Set Up Performance
Parris took a very different approach from the others and put lighter, half-gram-per-inch weighted tape around the entire head and handle. Even though it seems like a lot of weight, it only bumps the static weight to 8.3 ounces. This setup gives it a big bump in swing weight to 117 and a good twist weight bump to 6.59. It feels pretty solid and stable with this setup, though it’s noticeably more sluggish compared to the JW setup. However, it’s not so sluggish that it isn’t manageable or anything.
This setup gave the paddle a big boost in power and pop that put it in the lower-level power category. I personally really liked this setup but I altered it a bit for personal use. I took the weight off the top just to bring the swing weight down a touch while also keeping the stability gains.
To achieve this set up I used my 0.5 gram per inch tungsten tape roll. You can pick some up here if you’re interested (code PBEFFECT).
| Metric | Stock | Todd |
|---|---|---|
|
Static Weight |
7.7 oz |
8.3 oz |
|
Swingweight |
107 |
117 |
|
Twistweight |
5.65 |
6.7 |
|
Balance Point |
233 mm |
236 mm |
|
Power MPH (Percentile) |
55.2 (41%) |
56.1 (81%) |
|
Pop MPH (Percentile) |
35.6 (38%) |
36.6 (80%) |
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Hayden Patriquin Set Up Performance
This was a fun one to see how the numbers and performance changed, but this setup isn’t practical for many players; it’s just too heavy. He puts weight on each corner until his paddle weighs 8.9 oz.
This gave it a massive bump in twist weight and swing weight. Then, the power jumped up significantly, and it became one of the top-end power paddles in my database at the 98th percentile. Interestingly, though, the pop dropped dramatically to the 9th percentile. This shows that adding weight to a certain point causes a decrease in pop.
To achieve this set up I used my heavier 1.5g per inch tungsten tape. You can pick some up here if you’re interested (code PBEFFECT).
| Metric | Stock | Patriquin |
|---|---|---|
|
Static Weight |
7.7 oz |
8.9 oz |
|
Swingweight |
107 |
129 |
|
Twistweight |
5.65 |
7.95 |
|
Balance Point |
233 mm |
240 mm |
|
Power MPH (Percentile) |
55.2 (41%) |
57.3 (98%) |
|
Pop MPH (Percentile) |
35.6 (38%) |
34.5 (9%) |
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Final Thoughts
I wasn’t too into this paddle until I started messing around with these weight set ups. Now I’m a fan and think it’s one of the more versatile paddles you can get in terms of customization. It was really fun to mess around with this until you found the right balance and performance that worked for you.
The paddle comes stock as a lower all-court paddle but can be weighted to be a more aggressive all-court or power paddle. Aside from the customization it offers a unique feel to it that I enjoyed and it shapes the ball well.
Braydon competes at the 5.0 level and plays in 5-10 tournaments a year. He plays/drills 3 to 4 times a week and would play more if time allowed it.
Paddle Terms Glossary
We’ve categorized paddles into three categories. Control, All-Court, and Power. Paddle categories are determined by Braydon after he hits or reviews the paddle.
- Control paddles offer a softer feel and better absorbs pace off the ball but doesn’t give you as much power.
- All-Court paddles give you a blend of power and control and does well at everything though it doesn’t excel at anything.
- Power paddles often have a firmer feel and will return more power but are harder to control.
A paddle’s weight represents the inherent mass of the paddle as measured on a scale. However, relying solely on this static weight measurement can be misleading when assessing the true perceived heaviness of the paddle. Even if two paddles both clock in at 8 oz, their actual heft in your hand can markedly differ due to variations in weight distribution within the paddle. This is why the static weight should be considered with the swingweight of the paddle. See the definition of swingweight below.
The weight value listed in the database corresponds to the paddle’s weight that I used to gather the swingweight and twistweight measurement. It’s possible that if your paddle has a different static weight than then the swingweight and twistweight may be slightly different.
There are three primary shapes a paddle can have which consists of the length and width of the paddle. These three shapes are:
- Elongated: The dimensions for an elongated paddle are 16.5″ x 7.5″.
- Standard: A standard shaped paddle has dimensions of 16″ x 8″.
- Hybrid: A hybrid shaped paddle falls somewhere in between the standard and elongated shapes, with approximate dimensions of 16.25″ x 7.5″-7.7″.
Then there are two less common shapes you’ll see. These are:
- Extra-Elongated: This shape is 17″ x 7″
- Widebody: This any paddle shorter than 16″ long.
When considering the advantages and trade-offs of paddle shapes, it’s important to understand the characteristics of each shape.
- Elongated Paddle: An elongated paddle offers increased reach, spin, and power. However, this additional reach comes at the expense of forgiveness, particularly from side-to-side.
- Standard Paddle: In contrast, a standard-shaped paddle provides less reach and a little less power & spin but offers greater overall forgiveness. This means that while you may not have the same extended reach as an elongated paddle, you gain better control and stability.
- Hybrid Paddle: The hybrid shape serves as a middle ground between the elongated and standard shapes. It provides a balance between reach and forgiveness, offering players a versatile option that combines aspects of both shapes.
It’s interesting to note that advanced players often prefer elongated shapes. On the other hand, players at lower skill levels typically opt for the extra forgiveness offered by standard shaped paddles.
Ultimately, the choice of paddle shape depends on an individual’s playing style, preferences, and skill level. Whether your focus is on reach or forgiveness, understanding the unique benefits and trade-offs of each shape can assist you in selecting the paddle that best suits your game.
Swingweight is a measure of the paddle’s resistance to swinging about the end of the handle. The higher the swingweight number the heavier it will feel in your hands. A higher swingweight has more power but is harder to swing, lower swingweight is easier to swing but has less power. Sometimes a faster swing with a lower swingweight can make up for power lost in swingweight. The price paid for that is greater impact shock. Stock swingweights will vary between 100 – 140.
Twistweight is the resistance to rotating around the long axis through the middle of the paddle from butt to tip. The higher the twistweight the more resistance the paddle has to rotating on off center hits. This measurement is closely related to the amount of forgiveness or the size of the sweet spot of the paddle. A higher twistweight indicates a bigger sweet spot. Twistweight numbers range from 5 – 8.
Measuring the revolutions per minute (RPMs) off of a serve you get a number that shows the spin potential of a paddle. Using these RPM measurements I’ve created five buckets that a paddle will fall into indicating its overall spin potential. The five buckets are:
1900 or Higher = Very High
1700 – 1900 = High
1500 – 1700 = Medium
1300 – 1500 = Low
1300 or less = Very Low
You can tell a big difference in the amount of spin a paddle generates when you compare a Very High paddle to a low paddle. But the gains from Medium to High to Very High are marginal. We’ve found that having at least a medium rating is often enough if you’re looking for a good spin paddle. However, if you’re a big hitter then you will benefit more from a high spin paddle to help you keep the ball in play more often.
The power level of a paddle is shown in miles per hour (MPH) after taking ten measurements with a speed gun of hitting a serve as hard as I can. This measurement gives you an idea of how hard you can hit the ball when given the chance to take a full swing. So shots like serves, drives and overheads. The higher the MPH reading the more power you can generate with the paddle.
I also show the percentile ranking of the measurement to give you an idea of how it stacks up against the rest of the paddles in my database.
The pop level of a paddle is shown in miles per hour (MPH) after taking the average of ten speed gun measurements of hitting a punch volley as hard as I can. This measurement gives you an idea of how hard you can hit the ball on shorter swings and gives you an idea of how quickly a ball comes off the face when you apply less force on the ball. So shots volleys, dinks, counters, and resets are all affected by the pop measurement. The higher the pop measurement the stronger your counters will be but it takes more skill to keep the ball from floating or popping up on you when resetting a hard hit ball or when dinking.
I also show the percentile ranking of the measurement to give you an idea of how it stacks up against the rest of the paddles in my database.
The term “forgiveness” pertains to both the size of the sweet spot and the stability of the paddle. A paddle that is more forgiving offers a larger sweet spot, greater stability, and yields more power when hitting off-center shots. On the other hand, a less forgiving paddle has a smaller sweet spot and does not provide as much power when hitting off-center shots.
While there seems to be only benefits of more forgiving paddles, less forgiving paddles are often more maneuverable and is easier to generate more paddle speed.
