Franklin was once renowned as a leading paddle manufacturer, but in recent years, they have faded into the background. Despite high hopes for a comeback sparked by the release of the STK Carbon paddle in early 2023, it turned out to be a disappointment. The paddle fell short due to its poor spin capabilities and underwhelming performance on the court.
However, Franklin is starting on the right foot with their new FS Tour paddles. They have all the latest and greatest thermoforming and perimeter foam injection tech in them while also using a genuine raw carbon fiber grit. Overall, Franklin seems to have ticked all the right boxes with these paddles. Is Franklin back?
The FS Tour series consists of two shapes, the Dynasty (an elongated shape with a longer handle) and the Tempo (a standard shape with a shorter handle). Then each shape has a 16mm and a 14mm option. Additionally, the paddles are available in a variety of colors and come with some extras when you buy it like a paddle case and a paddle eraser. All packaged at an appealing price of $150.
After drilling and playing with all four variations for the past two weeks. Here are my thoughts on the performance of each version. I’ll start by talking about the tech and what Franklin did differently and then I’ll share my thoughts on each version. Finally, I’ll conclude by determining whether Franklin is back in business or if they will continue to remain on the fringes.
Table of Contents
Franklin FS Tour Technology
I’m including a section here on the way the FS Tour paddles are built because Franklin didn’t quite make a carbon copy of all the thermoformed paddles out there. They added their own flair, for better or for worse.
Franklin worked with their pro players, notably JW Johnson and Jorja Johnson, to get input on how to create paddles that would work for them out of the box and without modification. This means more weight. Pro players are known for caking on lead or tungsten weighted tape to their paddles much more than amateurs do. The 14mm paddles in FS Tour line weigh up to 8.5oz while the 16mm options weigh up to 8.9oz. Most other paddles on the market will weigh around 8 oz regardless of thickness and some brands like to go even lower. This is something no other major brand has done because the general consensus for amateur players is that lighter is better. Franklin is challenging this.
The biggest question I had going into this review is in regards to the added weight. Is it good or bad? I found that it was good for some of the paddles and not so great for others in the series. Read the individual descriptions on each paddle below for more information.
In addition to the added weight, Franklin changed up the type of grip they are using. The paddles have a raised portion and also feel very tacky. It’s tricky to describe so I took a close up picture of it to show what I’m talking about. I actually ended up really liking the grip and how it felt. You could fit your fingers between the grooves and it felt comfortable and in control.
What Are the Pros and Cons to Adding Weight?
Adding weight can greatly enhance a paddle’s performance. While individuals who are more sensitive to heavier weights may have some reservations, most players tend to experience more benefits than drawbacks when weight is added. However, excessive weight can reverse the desired effect and lead to performance drawbacks. It’s crucial to find the right amount of added weight that works best for you.
Increased weight offers a few advantages, mainly improved forgiveness and added power. Additionally, it enhances the paddle’s overall feel, leading to better control. However, adding weight increases the paddle’s physical heaviness and increases the swingweight which combine to decrease maneuverability. So it’s all about finding the right amount and location for you.
Performance Reviews by Paddle
FS Tour Tempo 16mm Review
- Weight: 8.6-8.9 oz
- Swingweight: 123 (high)
- Twistweight: 7.68 (high)
- Avg Spin Rate: 1897 RPMs (moderately high)
- Length: 15.9″
- Width: 8″
- Face: Raw T700 Carbon Fiber
- Grip Circumference: 4.3″
- Handle Length: 5″
- Core: 16mm Polypropylene Honeycomb
- Special Features: Thermoformed, perimeter foam injection
- Price: $150 (discounted if you sign up for their email list)
- Warranty: 90 days
The Tempo is their standard shape with a shorter 5″ handle. I’m considering this paddle a control paddle. My 16mm came in at 8.9oz. This is the heaviest standard paddle I’ve ever played. Its swingweight was 123 which is far above any other standard shaped paddle you’ll find. The one I got was on the heavier end of their spec range but it was still within range.
Standard shaped paddles are naturally more forgiving and more maneuverable than elongated paddles. With all the extra weight added it felt extremely forgiving and stable and the natural maneuverability of standard shapes made the paddle not feel as heavy as the 123 swingweight suggested though it’s still a heavier paddle. I think the weight will be manageable for most but it is still heavy and if you’re sensitive to weight at all then you won’t like it.
The highlight of the paddle was its consistency and forgiveness. Plus, the added weight gave it a very pleasant, plush feel that was reminiscent of Gen 1 carbon fiber paddles. In addition to its nice feel, the paddle has a lower pop rating than the 14mm option meaning the ball doesn’t jump up off the face quickly making it more controllable and easier to keep the ball down on resets and dinks. However, it has a higher pop rating than most 16mm standard shaped paddles so it’s not without some countering ability.
On the offensive side the paddle had some decent power from the baseline on serves and drives. The heavy weight did its job there and the paddle carries through the ball well and puts some force behind it. It’s not a power paddle, though it’s on the higher end of power for the control category and is pushing the all-court category. When you combine its decent power and lower pop rating it gives you a nice combination of offensive and defensive capabilities.
My spin tests were coming in at an average of 1897 rpms which is a good result but nothing special. Anything around 1900 rpms gives you ample spin without complaints.
16mm paddles, particularly in a standard shape, are naturally more forgiving and less poppy so I think they went a little overkill on the amount of weight they added but the boost you get from the baseline in power was nice. I just would have appreciated a bit more maneuverability. Then again, you’d probably get that if you get one closer to 8.6 oz instead of the 8.9oz one that I got.
The bottom line: If you don’t mind the extra weight, there is a lot to like about this paddle. A nice combination of decent power and pop for a 16mm standard shaped paddle plus the forgiveness of the paddle is top tier.
FS Tour Tempo 14mm Review
- Weight: 8.2-8.5 oz
- Swingweight: 117 (moderately high)
- Twistweight: 7.23 (high)
- Avg Spin Rate: 1864 RPMs (moderately high)
- Length: 15.9″
- Width: 8″
- Face: Raw T700 Carbon Fiber
- Grip Circumference: 4.3″
- Handle Length: 5″
- Core: 14mm Polypropylene Honeycomb
- Special Features: Thermoformed, perimeter foam injection
- Price: $150 (discounted if you sign up for their email list)
- Warranty: 90 days
This is the 14mm in their standard Tempo shape. I’m considering this paddle an all-court paddle. Mine came in at 8.47oz. 14mm paddles typically come in under 8 oz because they are thinner and use less material to make and I always end up adding weight to them. A stock 14mm paddle under 8 ounces tends to get pushed around by the ball, isn’t the most forgiving, and you don’t get good plow through, though they are very fast and maneuverable. But the Tempo 14 didn’t play like that.
I was a fan of added weight on the 14mm option and think they got it right with this one. A little extra weight on 14mm paddles brings out the best in them. The weight and standard shape kept it forgiving, not quite as forgiving as the 16mm but probably the most forgiving 14mm I’ve played out of the box, and bumped up its power and pop potential. The paddle has a higher pop rating that gives you strong counters from the Kitchen and attacks from the mid-court that I wasn’t getting from the 16mm. It also had more power from the baseline that was measuring high for a standard shaped paddle which came in handy when putting the ball away and applying pressure from the baseline.
The extra pop on the paddle does bring its control rating down because it requires more skill to keep the ball from floating too high on resets and dinks. If you have a developed soft game and feel confident in your skill there then you’ll be able to control the paddle well but if you have a mediocre soft game then it’ll take some time to get used to as you learn to control the extra pop but I bet you could dial it in. If you have a weaker soft game then this paddle isn’t the best choice. Feel wise, like the 16mm, it is much softer than other 14mm paddles and that’s what extra weight will do for a paddle. But compared to the 16mm it had a firmer feel to it at impact.
The paddle still has a high swingweight for a standard shaped 14mm paddle at 117 but it felt fine to me and moved easier than the 16mm. I didn’t feel slow at the net and was able to adjust and find my paddle positions on counters and hand battles though it’s still on the heavier side and I didn’t feel lightning fast with it like I would with a lighter weight standard shape 14mm paddle like the Volair Mach 2 Forza or something.
And then spin wise my tests came in with an average of 1864 RPMs and didn’t play any different than the 16mm version. That is to say it felt like it was enough though it’s nothing to write home about.
The bottom line: It’s a player friendly 14mm option that is more forgiving than other 14mm paddles out of the box and has some offensive ability to it. Its thinner frame moves easier and feels lighter than the 16mm option though it isn’t a super fast paddle. I think they got the extra weight right with this one.
FS Tour Dynasty 16mm Review
- Weight: 8.5-8.8 oz
- Swingweight: 134 (very high)
- Twistweight: 7.22 (high)
- Avg Spin Rate: 1897 RPMs (moderately high)
- Length: 16.5″
- Width: 7.5″
- Face: Raw T700 Carbon Fiber
- Grip Circumference: 4.3″
- Handle Length: 5.6″
- Core: 16mm Polypropylene Honeycomb
- Special Features: Thermoformed, perimeter foam injection
- Price: $150 (discounted if you sign up for their email list)
- Warranty: 90 days
This is the 16mm in their elongated shape that’s paired with a longer 5.6” handle. This is the paddle their leading pro, JW Johnson, plays with and does really well with. They made this paddle so JW could play it out of the box without having to modify it. The question is, is the set up JW uses best for everyone else? I don’t think it is.
Professional players like JW love to add a lot of weight, way more weight than amateurs do. My paddle weighed 8.7oz and had a swingweight of 134. These are high numbers, it feels heavy and hunky. Like the other paddles in the series, the extra weight gives you added stability and power but not enough to justify the extra weight in this case.
Elongated shapes naturally have higher swingweights and carry through the ball better than standard shaped paddles. This means that elongated paddles don’t need as much weight to generate power and adding excessive weight has more negative effects than benefits for the everyday player.
With that being said, the paddle plays more forgivingly for an elongated paddle and produces good power but not huge power. It also gives you a little more pop than the Tempo 16 though the paddle still has a nice combo of good power and manageable pop while still keeping you dangerous on counters, assuming you can get a good paddle on it. To me, these benefits were more subtle and less noticeable compared to the benefits of the extra weight I noticed in the Tempo series. What I’m trying to say is that the benefits you get from the extra weight weren’t big enough to justify what you lose in hand speed and the difficulty of managing the extra weight on weaker shots like backhand volleys.
I don’t see too many scenarios where I would recommend this paddle. The only way to justify the big weight would be for it to have a huge sweet spot and the power was insane. But it didn’t give me that so it didn’t make much sense. I wish they took 3 ounces off and kept it around 8.3-8.5oz and the benefits of that little extra weight would have been similar to what 8.8 ounces gives you but with better maneuverability.
The Bottom Line: This paddle is extra heavy and is more difficult to manage though there are some benefits to its extra heavy design if you can handle it though I don’t imagine there being too many players like this.
FS Tour Dynasty 14mm Review
- Weight: 8-8.4 oz
- Swingweight: 124 (high)
- Twistweight: 6.56 (moderate)
- Avg Spin Rate: 1975 RPMs (high)
- Length: 16.5″
- Width: 7.5″
- Face: Raw T700 Carbon Fiber
- Grip Circumference: 4.3″
- Handle Length: 5.6″
- Core: 16mm Polypropylene Honeycomb
- Special Features: Thermoformed, perimeter foam injection
- Price: $150 (discounted if you sign up for their email list)
- Warranty: 90 days
This is the 14mm in their elongated shape. Like all the other paddles in the series the extra weight makes it play differently than paddles with a similar shape and thickness.
Like the Tempo 14mm version, I like the added weight to their 14mm version. 14mm paddles benefit from added weight more than 16mm paddles do in most cases. Mine came in at 8.3 oz and has a swingweight of 124. The paddle still feels head heavy when you hold it but it’s definitely lighter than the 16mm version and more manageable than the 16mm.
I’m categorizing this one as a power paddle. It gives you good power and pop and carries through the ball well. Sometimes with 14mm paddles you can feel the paddle give way a little to the ball but that isn’t the case here, the ball just gets in the way of the paddle and that’s that.
It has decent forgiveness but it’s definitely a more advanced player paddle. The average sized sweet spot and bigger power and pop make it difficult to reign in if you aren’t a higher skilled player. But if you are a higher skilled player then you’ll love the offense this paddle brings. If you want some good power and pop but need something more forgiving then I’d recommend the Tempo 14 version over the Dynasty 14. But if you want bigger power and pop as well as a longer reach, then the Dynasty 14 is the way to go.
The extra weight also softens up the feel so that it doesn’t feel as stiff as your typical 14mm paddles do. I thought it had a pleasant, dense feel to it that I liked which is another benefit to added weight.
If you’re not afraid of a little extra weight then I think this is a great option for 14mm elongated paddles. The extra weight adds a bit more offense and improves the forgiveness which I think are both good things for it.
The bottom line: I liked this one compared to the many other 14mm elongated paddles out there. It gives you a softer feel and a little better sweet spot for paddles in the category. Though it’s still heavier and if easy paddle speed is something you value then I’d point you in a different direction.
Extra Goodies That Come With the Paddle
It seems like more brands are starting to throw in some extras with your paddle purchase and Franklin is following suit. It’s a nice trend. Franklin took it a step further though. You get a really nice paddle case and a paddle eraser.
The paddle case has a leather look and feel to it and covers your entire paddle. It’s definitely a step up from the neoprene head cover most brands do.
If you haven’t used a paddle eraser before, they’re used to clean the ball dust off the paddle face that the grit picks up after a few games. Plus, their eraser has a clever string and carabiner attached to it so you can hang it from your bag for easy access. Paddle erasers have become a mainstay and I like their clever design.
And this all comes with the palatable price of $150. It’s a very attractive price point and the extra goodies make it look even better.
Is Franklin Back in Business?
The question at hand is whether these paddles put Franklin back on the map. I think it does in some ways. These are the best paddles Franklin has ever made and they perform well, provided you can manage the additional weight. Moreover, their pricing is attractive, and they have incorporated the latest technology without resorting to gimmicks, which is a departure from their previous approach. However, the added weight will likely deter a decent amount of players, particularly on their 16mm models. As such, these paddles won’t be suitable for everyone, though they have the potential to cater to a specific niche in the paddle market and I will recommend them when it makes sense for the player I’m fitting a paddle to.
I believe many players will appreciate the additional weight on the 14mm paddles, although the elongated version may still be too head-heavy for some players. Overall, on the 14mm paddles, Franklin achieved a good balance, harnessing the benefits of the extra weight without making them overly heavy. I can’t say the same about the 16mm versions. The 16mm paddles were given excessive weight in my opinion, limiting the pool of players who can effectively handle the added weight. 16mm paddles do not require as much additional weight as 14mm paddles to maximize their performance. Furthermore, advanced players who can handle the extra weight usually prefer to add weight themselves, allowing them to control its placement and amount according to their preferences, rather than being limited to the predetermined weight provided by the paddle.
16mm paddles are more widely used than 14mm paddles so with their 16mm paddles being very heavy I think will keep this series from hitting the main stream though you will start to see Franklin a lot more this year.
The idea of adding some extra weight and marketing it as a pro weighted paddle is a good one, but if it were up to me I would have done it differently. I would offer the paddles with a lighter option and also provide these pro weighted options. Or, offer only the light options and include a weight customization kit with customization instructions, allowing users to customize the paddle themselves or mimic the weighting used by their pros. This approach caters to a wider range of players and enables players to weight their paddles with the amount and location that’s best for them rather than forcing a specific amount of weight on paddles that may or may not be good for them.
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Shop FranklinBraydon 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.
