The Franklin Aurora padel racket is Franklin Sports’ diamond-shaped model: 365 g, a fiberglass face over a soft foam core, a carbon fiber frame and a textured Max Grit surface. It costs a fraction of what most diamonds cost, which makes it one of the few ways to try a power shape without spending flagship money.
Franklin is best known in the US for pickleball paddles and youth sports gear, and its padel range is aimed at players who found the game through those sports. This review covers the Aurora’s build, specs and likely on-court feel, and who should pick it. If you are new to padel, read the honest warning in the section on who it is not for.
See also our best budget padel rackets guide, or browse all our padel gear reviews.
Franklin Aurora at a glance
Why it wins: A 365 g diamond racket with a fiberglass face and carbon frame at a budget price, for players who want a power shape without a flagship bill. (~$50)
- Diamond shape, 365 g, 38 mm beam
- Fiberglass face over a black EVA foam core
- Carbon fiber frame
- Max Grit textured surface and 68 holes
Main features of the Franklin Aurora
The Aurora packs the usual power-racket ingredients into a low-cost frame:
- Diamond head shape, with the weight and sweet spot toward the top for power on overheads
- Fiberglass face, which is softer and more forgiving than carbon and keeps the price down
- Carbon fiber frame for stiffness through the head
- Black EVA foam core to absorb impact
- Max Grit surface texture to add spin
- 68 holes, which Franklin says cut drag through the air
Specification of the Franklin Aurora
Here are the full specs of the Franklin Aurora:
- Shape: Diamond
- Weight: 365 g
- Balance: Not published by Franklin
- Beam thickness: 38 mm
- Core: Black EVA foam
- Face: Fiberglass
- Frame: Carbon fiber
- Holes: 68
- Surface: Max Grit texture
- Player level: Franklin says intermediate to advanced
- Type of play: Power
Our review of the Franklin Aurora
The Aurora is a budget attempt at a power racket, and the specification shows where the money was saved and where it was not. The carbon frame gives the head some stiffness, while the fiberglass face keeps the strike softer than a carbon-faced diamond. That softness is a useful trait at this price, because it forgives a slightly late swing more than a hard face does.
Franklin does not publish a balance point. Diamonds usually sit head-heavy, so expect the weight to feel toward the top of the frame, which helps overheads and taxes the wrist on fast volleys. At 365 g it is mid-weight for the shape.
Expect budget-level consistency rather than premium consistency. Foam density, face finish and weight tolerance are not documented, and faces on low-cost rackets tend to wear faster than on flagship models. For an occasional player that hardly matters. For someone playing several times a week, it is the first thing to check after a few months.
Pros
- Diamond shape at a very low price
- Soft fiberglass face is comfortable
- Carbon frame adds stiffness
- Textured face helps spin
Cons
- Diamond is harder to control than a round shape
- No published balance figure
- Long-term durability is unproven
- Availability on the listing changes often
Who is the Franklin Aurora for?
The Aurora suits a player who has moved past the very first sessions and wants to test a diamond shape cheaply: someone coming from tennis or pickleball who likes to hit hard, or a club player who wants a spare racket that behaves differently from their main one. It is also a sensible pick for a second racket to keep in the bag for casual games.
Who the Franklin Aurora is not for
Complete beginners should start with a round racket. A diamond has a smaller, higher sweet spot and punishes mishits more, which slows early progress. Our beginner padel racket guide lists rounder, more forgiving frames, and padel racket shapes explained shows why the shape matters. Players who want a proven pro-level diamond should look at the advanced racket picks instead.
What to know before you buy the Franklin Aurora
Fiberglass or carbon?
The listing title calls the Aurora a carbon fiber racket, while Franklin’s own product copy describes a fiberglass face on a carbon fiber frame. The safe reading is a carbon frame with a fiberglass hitting surface. That is a comfortable, budget-friendly build, but it will not feel as crisp as a carbon-faced racket.
Where it sits in the Franklin range
Franklin sells three similar 365 g diamonds. The Aurora is the one marketed to more advanced players. The Franklin Glide is listed at a higher price and is currently in stock, while the Endeavor is listed as unavailable at the time of writing. All three share the diamond shape, a foam core and a 365 g weight, so the choice mostly comes down to price and what is available.
Availability and price
The Aurora listing sometimes shows no featured seller and offers from third parties instead. Price and stock move, so check the current offer before you plan around it. If it is unavailable, a round budget racket from our starter picks is a better buy than a random diamond.
How the Franklin Aurora plays
On overheads and smashes the diamond shape does the work. The sweet spot sits high, so you can swing freely and let the frame add pace.
On volleys and defense it is less forgiving than a round racket, and the top-heavy feel can make quick exchanges at the net tiring. On spin shots such as the bandeja the textured surface helps, though you should not expect flagship-level bite.
Franklin Aurora vs the alternatives
If you want the same shape with more refinement, the Adidas Metalbone 3.4 and the Babolat Air Viper cost several times as much. If you want a forgiving first racket instead, the Babolat Contact and the Head Zephyr are rounder and easier to learn with. For a complete package, see our padel starter sets.
Is the Franklin Aurora worth it?
At around $50 it is worth it as a low-risk way to try a diamond or as a spare racket. It is not the best choice as a first and only racket, and it will not replace a premium frame if you play seriously. The price is the reason to buy it, so if the listing is well above that, look elsewhere.
Conclusion
The Franklin Aurora padel racket is a budget diamond with a soft fiberglass face and a carbon frame. It offers power-shape performance at a price that makes experimenting cheap. It gives up control, published specs and long-term durability to get there.
Buy it if you want to try a diamond or need a spare racket, and skip it if you are still learning the basics. For more options at every price, see our best padel rackets roundup.
Frequently asked questions about the Franklin Aurora
Not as a first racket. The diamond shape has a small, high sweet spot and is less forgiving than a round shape. Beginners usually improve faster on a round racket, and our beginner guide explains the options.
Franklin Sports, a US sporting goods company known for pickleball paddles and youth sports equipment. It sells padel rackets aimed at players in the US market, but it is a much newer name in padel than specialist brands such as Bullpadel or NOX.
Both, in different places. Franklin describes a fiberglass face on a carbon fiber frame with a black EVA foam core, although the listing title says carbon fiber. Treat it as a fiberglass-faced racket.
It weighs 365 g and has a beam thickness of 38 mm. Franklin does not publish a balance point, but diamond rackets usually feel head-heavy.
All three are 365 g diamonds with foam cores. The Aurora is the model Franklin positions for intermediate and advanced players, with a fiberglass face and carbon frame. The Endeavor and Glide are listed as fiberglass rackets, and their price and availability differ from the Aurora’s.
It is listed at around $50 when a seller has stock. The listing sometimes has no featured seller, so the price you pay depends on who is offering it at the time.
Yes. Franklin markets it for indoor and outdoor courts. As with any padel racket, a rough or wet outdoor court will wear the surface faster than an indoor one.
It can be if you want more power and are comfortable with a diamond shape. If your starter racket already feels easy, a step up to a better round or teardrop racket may help more. Our starter set guide shows what those sets include.
Kevin Anderson is a Content Writer for SimplePadel. He joined the company during summer 2022. For SimplePadel, he spealizes in testing rackets and writes a lot of our padel racket reviews.
Kevin loves to own the net position and considers himself an attacking-minded player. He often claims that he has the reach of a monkey – thanks to his 6’5″ stature. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking and following the USPA closely.