Airbender 16
GAMMA · Hybrid
- Power
- 7 out of 10
- Control
- 8 out of 10
- Spin
- 9 out of 10
- Sweet spot
- 8 out of 10
Franklin · $230
Franklin C45 Dynasty 16mm
Franklin's pro flagship — the paddle multiple top pros actually swing.
Check price at Pickleball CentralSimilar paddles
If you buy through our link we may get a small cut. The price is the same and scores never change.
Our take
45-degree T700 peel-ply carbon, pro adoption by multiple PPA players, and a build that competes at the highest level. Franklin jumped into premium territory and mostly earned it.
- Best forCompetitive all-court players who want one of the most visible pro paddles of 2025-26.
- The catchPrice jumped Franklin into premium territory, so value is no longer automatic. Franklin explicitly covers delam and edge guard issues under warranty.
Scores
Out of 10.
How it plays
- PowerGreat
- 8 out of 10
- ControlGreat
- 8 out of 10
- SpinGreat
- 8 out of 10
- Sweet spotGreat
- 8 out of 10
For you
- Pop-up safetySpicy
- 7 out of 10
- Arm comfortGreat
- 8 out of 10
- Beginner-safeSolid
- 5 out of 10
- ValueSneaky good
- 6 out of 10
Scores synthesized from independent reviews and community consensus as of mid-2026. We keep refining them as real Noobs (including us) log court time.
Specs
- ElongatedMore reach and power, smaller sweet spot
- 7.5–7.9 ozon the scales
- Swing weight 115the usual swing
- Twist weight 5.92smaller sweet spot
- 5.1" handleone-handed
- 16mm corethicker: softer and quieter
- Honeycomb coreThe usual build: crisp, and quieter when thick
- Carbon facemore spin, you make the power
- $230typical price
- USA Pickleball approvedfine for tournaments
Swing and twist weight measured by Pickleball Studio.
Good for
- IntermediateYou can rally and dink
- AdvancedLeagues or tournaments
- PowerHit harder
- All-RounderA bit of both
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