{
  "id": "friday-aura",
  "url": "https://pointcast.xyz/paddles/friday-aura",
  "brand": "Friday",
  "model": "Aura and Aura Pro",
  "year": 2026,
  "launch": {
    "date": "2026-03-06",
    "precision": "day",
    "label": "Mar 6"
  },
  "lifecycle": "current",
  "listPriceUsd": 169,
  "listPriceLabel": "$129 · $169",
  "build": "foam",
  "buildLabel": "Full foam (Gen 4)",
  "thickness": "",
  "shapes": "Elongated · Hybrid · Widebody",
  "pro": "Rachel Rohrabacher · Kyle Koszuta (brand signings)",
  "summary": "The paddle that moved Friday from budget two-packs to a real performance brand. Pickleheads scores the Pro 9+ across the board.",
  "construction": "Aura: full foam with rubber inserts and cartilage-style foam in the throat. Aura Pro: double-thermoformed floating EPP core, EVA surround, ElasTECH perimeter weighting ring.",
  "core": {
    "layers": [
      "Aura: quad-foam Gen 4 core with 'artificial cartilage foam' at the throat",
      "Aura Pro: floating EPP foam core ('dual-foam')",
      "ElasTECH rubber layer between core and perimeter foam (patent-pending internal perimeter weighting)",
      "EVA perimeter foam",
      "Aura Pro: blow-molded hollow carbon fiber frame, double-thermoformed"
    ],
    "face": "T700 raw carbon fiber (Aura: T700 raw carbon CFC layup)",
    "edge": "edge guard over thermoformed frame (Aura Pro frame is blow-molded carbon)",
    "source": "https://fridaypickle.com/products/aura-pro-paddle"
  },
  "variants": [
    {
      "name": "Aura Elongated 16mm",
      "shape": "elongated",
      "lengthIn": 16.5,
      "widthIn": 7.5,
      "handleIn": 5.5,
      "thicknessMm": 16,
      "weightOz": "8.1 avg (+/-0.18)",
      "sw": 116,
      "tw": 6.05,
      "specSource": "https://fridaypickle.com/products/aura-paddle"
    },
    {
      "name": "Aura Hybrid 16mm",
      "shape": "hybrid",
      "lengthIn": null,
      "widthIn": null,
      "handleIn": null,
      "thicknessMm": 16,
      "weightOz": null,
      "sw": null,
      "tw": null,
      "specSource": "https://fridaypickle.com/products/aura-paddle"
    },
    {
      "name": "Aura Widebody 16mm",
      "shape": "widebody",
      "lengthIn": null,
      "widthIn": null,
      "handleIn": null,
      "thicknessMm": 16,
      "weightOz": null,
      "sw": null,
      "tw": null,
      "specSource": "https://fridaypickle.com/products/aura-paddle"
    },
    {
      "name": "Aura Pro Elongated 16mm",
      "shape": "elongated",
      "lengthIn": 16.5,
      "widthIn": 7.5,
      "handleIn": 5.5,
      "thicknessMm": 16,
      "weightOz": "8.0 avg (+/-0.18)",
      "sw": 116,
      "tw": 6.15,
      "specSource": "https://fridaypickle.com/products/aura-pro-paddle"
    },
    {
      "name": "Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm",
      "shape": "hybrid",
      "lengthIn": null,
      "widthIn": null,
      "handleIn": 5.5,
      "thicknessMm": 16,
      "weightOz": "8.0 measured",
      "sw": 116,
      "tw": 6.43,
      "specSource": "https://pickleballeffect.com/equipment-reviews/aura-pro-review/"
    },
    {
      "name": "Aura Pro Widebody 16mm",
      "shape": "widebody",
      "lengthIn": null,
      "widthIn": null,
      "handleIn": 5.5,
      "thicknessMm": 16,
      "weightOz": "7.85 measured",
      "sw": 108,
      "tw": 6.86,
      "specSource": "https://pickleballeffect.com/equipment-reviews/aura-pro-review/"
    }
  ],
  "status": {
    "usap": "yes",
    "usapSource": "https://pickleballeffect.com/equipment-reviews/aura-pro-review/",
    "upaa": "unknown",
    "upaaSource": null,
    "quiet": false,
    "patent": "named-joola-settled",
    "investigation": null,
    "lifecycle": "current"
  },
  "certNote": "USAP approval is confirmed for the Aura Pro; the base Aura's is not stated anywhere we checked.",
  "timeline": [
    {
      "date": "2026-03-06",
      "precision": "day",
      "kind": "launch",
      "text": "Friday launched the Aura (three shapes, $129) and Aura Pro Elongated ($169) at noon Eastern.",
      "source": "https://mattspickleball.substack.com/p/two-big-launches-today-plus-februarys"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-04-01",
      "precision": "month",
      "kind": "variant",
      "text": "Aura Pro Hybrid and Widebody followed in April 2026.",
      "source": "https://thekitchenpickle.com/blogs/gear/friday-aura-aura-pro-pickleball-paddle-review/"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-09-21",
      "precision": "day",
      "kind": "price",
      "text": "Friday's site shows the Aura at $99 (summer sale, from $129) and select Aura Pro colorways at $149; metallic Aura Pro kits $189 final sale (observed on this date).",
      "source": "https://fridaypickle.com/products/aura-paddle"
    }
  ],
  "labs": [
    {
      "lab": "The Kitchen",
      "kind": "review",
      "url": "https://thekitchenpickle.com/blogs/gear/friday-aura-aura-pro-pickleball-paddle-review/"
    },
    {
      "lab": "Pickleball Effect",
      "kind": "review",
      "url": "https://pickleballeffect.com/equipment-reviews/aura-pro-review/"
    },
    {
      "lab": "John Kew",
      "kind": "review",
      "url": "https://www.johnkewpickleball.com/friday-aura-pro-elongated-review"
    },
    {
      "lab": "Pickleheads",
      "kind": "review",
      "url": "https://www.pickleheads.com/pickleball-gear/friday-aura-pro-review"
    },
    {
      "lab": "Matt's Pickleball",
      "kind": "review",
      "url": "https://www.mattspickleball.com/blog/friday-pickle-aura-aura-pro-review-same-foundation-different-personalities"
    }
  ],
  "colorways": [
    "Lunar",
    "Terra",
    "Eclipse",
    "Solaris (Aura)",
    "Metallic Orange Creamsicle Kit",
    "Metallic Cobalt TPS Kit",
    "Metallic Lunar Kit",
    "Metallic Vice Kit",
    "Metallic Terra Kit",
    "Metallic Eclipse Kit",
    "Pink Blackout P4P Kit"
  ],
  "madeIn": "China",
  "warranty": "6-month manufacturer warranty plus 99-day returns",
  "notes": "USAP approval (PBCoR .43) was confirmed for the Aura Pro; the base Aura's certification was not stated in the sources checked. John Kew measured the Aura Pro Elongated at SW 115.1 / TW 6.1, 2,275 RPM, KewCOR 0.419. The Kitchen measured the base Aura Elongated at SW 118 / TW 5.7.",
  "productUrl": "https://fridaypickle.com/products/aura-pro-paddle",
  "sources": [
    "https://thekitchenpickle.com/blogs/gear/friday-aura-aura-pro-pickleball-paddle-review/",
    "https://www.pickleheads.com/pickleball-gear/friday-aura-pro-review"
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "image": "https://pointcast.xyz/images/og/paddles/friday-aura.png"
}