GEAR REVIEWS
FRANKLIN PARRIS TODD C45 ° PADDLE
Look / Cosmetics: 4 / 5 Black carbon paddle face with colorful matching edge guard and handle, which comes in pink / blue or lavender. This Franklin Parris Todd Signature paddle comes in an elongated 16.3 " x 7.5 " shape, with a longish 5.7 " handle and a 13.25mm thickness. The weight range is 7.6 – 7.9 oz., and my test paddle was 7.8 oz. The doublethermoformed unibody frame reduces vibration and provides stability and durability.
Serves / Returns / Groundstrokes: 4 / 5 Lots of pop, with control, seems to be the theme lately with a lot of paddles and this is another in line with that theme. It was quickly evident when returning serves with pace and topspin. The thin, powerful face gives lots of ball speed, and the gritty surface provided the spin to bring the ball down into the court. This paddle is super-light through the air, so you can easily generate lots of swing speed. If you haven’ t used light, thin paddles before, expect some adjustment time.
SELKIRK BOOMSTIK PADDLE
Look / Cosmetics: 4 / 5 Black carbon paddle face with white edge guard and familiar Selkirk logo in red. I tested the widebody shape( 16 " x 8 ") with a 16mm thickness and a long 5.8 " handle length. Also comes in an elongated 16.5 " x 7.5 " shape. Notably new is the“ MOI Tuning System,” which adds two weighted bars at 3 and 9 o’ clock. And the“ InfiniGrit” textured surface claims three times the level of durability.
Serves / Returns / Groundstrokes: 5 / 5“ Boom” is right! The loud sound and the pop off the paddle face will immediately grab your attention. There will be an overall adjustment to this unique paddle and how to handle the level of pop and power. Compact, smooth strokes are needed, as well as spin, to keep drives in the court. Serves and returns rocket off this paddle at a level I haven’ t seen before. by JACK BANDEL Touch / Feel / Spin: 4 / 5 The unibody construction makes for a slightly stiff feel, but that does help with placement. Soft, but crisp feel on dinks without feeling mushy. Spin was about average but does require decent swing speed to utilize topspin on harder shots. The ultra-light weight makes this paddle extremely maneuverable at the net, which aids in defense in the kitchen. If you like quick hand-speed battles, that is a real strong suit here.
Sound / Sweet Spot / Playability: 3.5 / 5 I found the sweet spot smaller than I would have liked, but after adding some weight around the perimeter it opened up nicely. Also, the light swing weight means the paddle won’ t perform well on mishits and can be prone to some twisting. Accomplished players should be fine, but beginners may need more help from their paddles with stability. This is a fun paddle to pick up and play with if the specs suit your ability and style.
Summary: 3.8 / 5 If you like a super-light-swinging paddle and want to win those quick hand-speed battles like Parris Todd, this hybrid shape would be a great choice for you. Also works as a great platform for adding weight up to your preferred specs. The colorful paddle is unique and might be the right fit for you.
Current Price: $ 229 To purchase, visit franklinsports. com / parris-todd-c45-series( use code: PBMAG).
Touch / Feel / Spin: 4 / 5 This paddle has a unique, muted feel. A little stiff( in a good way) with no noticeable dwell time. The ball just shoots off the face superquickly. Once you get used to the feel, you may prefer it to springy paddles. Lots of spin and ball shaping, but slow spin was harder for me. Dinks were very predictable due to the huge sweet spot, but this isn’ t a soft-feeling paddle if that’ s your preference.
Sound / Sweet Spot / Playability: 5 / 5 This is one of the largest, most forgiving sweet spots I have ever played with. Just get your paddle on the ball and it’ s going back. The sound is also one of the loudest I’ ve ever heard and this could intimidate your opponents, but your neighbors might not be pleased. The huge sweet spot makes this paddle appeal to both beginners and tournament players.
Summary: 4.5 / 5 One of my highest-scoring paddles ever! It may well be worth the price tag. Give this unique paddle more adjustment time than usual and you will be rewarded with a powerful weapon that has very few flaws. If you are a defensive, finesse-type player, skip this one— but everyone else should at the very least give this a demo, and lower the boom on your opponents!
Current Price: $ 333($ 33 rebate with review) To purchase, visit selkirk. com / collections / selkirk-labs-pickleballpaddles( use code: PBMAG).
For more info, go to the Pickleball Paddle Reviews group page on Facebook. Paddle Manufacturers: Contact Jack Bandel at jackbandel @ gmail. com if you’ d like your products to be reviewed.
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