Franklin’s naming takes some untangling, so let us untangle it up front: the paddle our best pickleball paddles hub lists as the Franklin Sports Pro is the paddle Franklin publishes specifications for under its Centre line.
That is why it also appears, as the Franklin Centre Carbon Fiber, in our power guide. One paddle, two labels — and this review uses Franklin’s published figures throughout.
The specifications below are Franklin’s own published Centre-line figures, verified against the brand’s listing. Pickleballcard does not lab-test paddles.
Key Takeaways
- A carbon fiber face carrying Franklin’s MaxGrit texture — the brand’s spin surface — over a 13mm Polypropylene Max Core.
- Elongated Centre shape: a published 16.5 by 7.75 inches, with the large sweet spot our hub credits it for.
- Published weight range of 7.6 to 8.1 ounces — Franklin publishes the range rather than a single average.
- Franklin publishes no approval statement for the model on its current listing, so tournament players get the check-list guidance below.
- Best for control-and-spin players who want an elongated carbon paddle from a mainstream brand.
The Short Answer
As the hub frames it, this is a control pick with a spin surface: MaxGrit texture for bite, a rigid carbon-and-polypropylene build, and a sweet spot that forgives.
It is the thinking player’s Franklin — less about raw pace, more about placing the ball where the rally is won.
Specifications (Manufacturer-Published)
| Face material | Carbon Fiber |
| Core | Polypropylene Max Core |
| Thickness | 13 mm |
| Average weight | 7.6–8.1 oz (range published by Franklin; no single average published) |
| Grip length | 5 in |
| Grip circumference | 4.25 in |
| Shape / length × width | Elongated — 16.5 × 7.75 in |
| USA Pickleball approved | Not published by Franklin |
Buy If
- You want spin from the surface — our hub credits the MaxGrit texture with maximizing the ball’s action while minimizing vibration.
- You play a control game from an elongated shape: 16.5 inches of reach with a sweet spot the guide calls the largest in its class.
- You want carbon construction from a mainstream sports brand, with a published 90-day warranty noted in our guide.
Pass If
- You need a published approval statement in hand before buying for sanctioned play — Franklin’s current listing does not state one.
- You want a thick, soft control core — at 13mm this build plays rigid and responsive rather than plush.
- You dislike elongated profiles — this is a 16.5-inch paddle, with the narrower face that comes with the territory.
The Design, Piece By Piece
MaxGrit Carbon Face
Franklin’s MaxGrit is a textured surface technology applied to the carbon face — the brand’s answer to the spin question.
Our hub describes its purpose plainly: maximize the ball’s spin action on the surface while minimizing the vibration that travels back to the hand.
On a carbon face, that combination aims at the modern game — drives with dip, serves with shape, resets that stay controlled.
Polypropylene Max Core, 13mm
Under the face sits Franklin’s Polypropylene Max Core at a published 13mm — the thinner, firmer end of the core spectrum.
The hub’s summary calls the result a rigid, strong, long-lasting base. A 13mm build trades plush dwell for response and feedback, which suits the control-and-spin brief.
The Elongated Centre Shape
At 16.5 by 7.75 inches, the Centre profile is a true elongated: reach at the kitchen, leverage on drives, and a 5-inch handle.
Elongated shapes usually tax the sweet spot; the guide’s assessment runs the other way here, crediting this paddle with a notably large one.
Who It Suits
Control-and-spin players are the audience — players who win rallies by placement and shape rather than by overwhelming pace.
It also suits elongated-shape players who want a published, mainstream-brand spec sheet behind the paddle rather than a boutique mystery.
Who Should Skip It
Power-first players should start in our power guide, where this same paddle’s Centre identity keeps faster company and the dedicated power builds live.
And players who want the plushest thick-core feel should look at the 16mm-and-up builds in our control guide — 13mm plays firmer by design.
Approval Status
Franklin’s current listing publishes no USA Pickleball approval statement for this model, and our data box reflects that honestly.
Before a sanctioned event, confirm the exact model — under the Centre name — on USA Pickleball’s current approved paddle list. The check takes a minute and settles the question.
How It Compares
Against the Paddletek Bantam EX-L, reviewed here: both are elongated classics, but the Bantam is the power family’s polycarbonate build while the Franklin answers with carbon and texture.
Against the ONIX Z5, the famous graphite starter: the Franklin is longer, texturized, and a generation more modern in intent — control with spin rather than all-round simplicity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Franklin Sports Pro the same paddle as the Franklin Centre?
On the evidence of Franklin’s own published specifications, yes — the hub’s data box records that Franklin publishes this paddle’s specifications as the Centre Carbon Fiber (Centre Series): same MaxGrit carbon face, 13mm Max Core, and elongated 16.5 by 7.75 inch shape.
That is why our power guide lists it under the Centre name.
What is Franklin’s MaxGrit surface?
MaxGrit is Franklin’s textured surface technology, applied here to a carbon fiber face. Franklin positions it to increase the ball’s spin action on contact while reducing vibration — the spin-and-control combination this paddle is built around.
Is the Franklin Sports Pro approved for tournaments?
Franklin’s current listing publishes no approval statement for the model. Before a sanctioned event, check the paddle — listed under the Centre name — on USA Pickleball’s current approved list, which is the authority and is maintained over time.
Is a 13mm core good for control?
It is the firmer route to control: a 13mm core gives response and feedback rather than the soft dwell of 16mm builds. On this paddle, control comes from placement, the large sweet spot, and the MaxGrit surface — a valid recipe, simply a different feel.
How heavy is the Franklin Sports Pro?
Franklin publishes a range rather than a single average: 7.6 to 8.1 ounces. That spans the middleweight class — light enough for quick hands at the net, substantial enough for drives from the baseline.
Conclusion
Under either name, this is a coherent paddle: MaxGrit carbon for spin, a rigid 13mm core for response, and an elongated shape with a forgiving heart.
Documented with Franklin’s own published figures — and its naming explained rather than hidden — it earns its hub place.
Shoaib is the publisher of Pickleball Card. He oversees the site’s guides to pickleball rules, ratings, strategy and gear, all researched from primary sources — the USA Pickleball Rulebook, DUPR and manufacturer documentation — and updated as the game changes.