THE PADDLE REGISTER · 2026 · CURRENT
Franklin C45 Aurelius
The signing of the year gets a signature paddle. Extremely fast, spinny and controlled, short on free power. Built for 4.0+ hands players. The 12.7mm is Waters' own spec.
- List price
- $229.99
- Launched
- Jan 16 preorder · ships Mar 1, 2026date known to the day
- Build
- Honeycomb + foam (Gen 3)
- Thickness
- 12.7 / 14 / 16mm
- Shapes
- Custom Aurelius shape
- Pro
- Anna Leigh Waters
- Made in
- China
photos and colorways at franklinsports.com ↗ its row on the 2026 calendar
Certification note. UPA-A approved Feb 6. USAP approval followed on Mar 5.
Status checked Sep 21, 2026. Lists change; confirm on the USAP and UPA-A lists before a tournament.
TIMELINE
- Jan 8, 2026 TEASED Franklin announced its long-term deal with Anna Leigh Waters, showing the unreleased C45 Aurelius. pickleballrookie.com ↗
- Jan 16, 2026 PREORDER Aurelius pre-orders opened in 12.7mm, 14mm and 16mm. pickleballrookie.com ↗
- Feb 6, 2026 APPROVAL The Aurelius received UPA-A certification, clearing it for pro play; USA Pickleball certification was still outstanding. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
- Mar 1, 2026 SHIPPED Pre-orders were scheduled to begin shipping. thedinkpickleball.com ↗
- Mar 5, 2026 APPROVAL Aurelius passed USA Pickleball approval; the 14mm and 16mm models were also added to the UPA-A list the same day. pickletip.com ↗
HOW IT IS BUILT
Double-thermoformed unibody, T700 carbon laid at 45 degrees, PowerFlex polypropylene core with an inner foam layer.
- 1PowerFlex polymer honeycomb core with an inner foam layer
- 2double-thermoformed unibody frame
- Face
- T700 carbon fiber peel-ply texture laid at 45 degrees
- Colorways
- Aurelius (single signature colorway)
Construction per pickleballcentral.com ↗
Anna Leigh Waters' signature shape; she plays the 12.7mm. It is a Gen 3 polymer-core thermoformed paddle, not a full-foam build. Pickleball Studio measured the 12.7mm at 7.28 oz / SW 92.3 and found it needs added weight to play well. MSRP $229.99.
VARIANTS · PUBLISHED AND MEASURED NUMBERS
| Variant | Shape | Length × width | Handle | Core | Weight | Swingweight | Twistweight | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C45 Aurelius 12.7mm | standard | 15.7 × 7.9 in | 5.1 in | 12.7 mm | 7.2-7.7 oz | 92.3 | 5.41 | pickleballstudio.com ↗ |
| C45 Aurelius 14mm | standard | 15.7 × 7.9 in | 5.1 in | 14 mm | 7.5-8.0 oz | — | — | thedinkpickleball.com ↗ |
| C45 Aurelius 16mm | standard | 15.7 × 7.9 in | 5.1 in | 16 mm | 7.6-8.0 oz | — | — | thedinkpickleball.com ↗ |
Swingweight and twistweight are each lab's own measurement of its own sample. Unit-to-unit variance is normal.
MEASURED BY THE LABS
The register does not re-measure paddles or copy a lab's numbers wholesale. Power, pop and spin belong to the people with the radar guns; go read them.
FIELD REPORTS · AFTER YOU BUY IT
Reviewers measure a paddle new. Nobody measures it at hour sixty.
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Keep a bag on Rally: log the hours you put on this paddle, when the grit fades, and when it goes dead. It stays on your device until you press "send a wear report", and the report carries no name.
Open the bag on Rally ↗ Compare with…CHANGES TO THIS RECORD
- Sep 21, 2026CORRECTEDUSA Pickleball status corrected from pending to approved; the Aurelius passed on Mar 5. pickletip.com ↗
Every change to the register, with an RSS feed.
NEARBY IN THE REGISTER
the whole register · everything from Franklin · the 2026 calendar · CC0
