The Franklin FS Tour FEATHERWEIGHT Paddle Offers a Refreshing Change of Pace
The latest pickleball paddle release from Franklin Sports is the FS Tour FEATHERWEIGHT Paddle.
It's touted as a first-of-its-kind and is part of the popular FS Tour Paddle Series.
From Ryan Fritschy, Senior Director, Product & Brand Strategy at Franklin Sports:
“As an extension of the FS Tour™ line, the Featherweight series is engineered to deliver exceptional power and control in an ultra-light form.
It retains all the key features of the 14mm and 16mm versions while significantly reducing swing weight for improved maneuverability. Undoubtedly, the Featherweight series stands as one of the most powerful USAP-approved paddles available at this combined weight and thickness.”
These are the same paddles used by JW Johnson (currently ranked No. 3 in men's doubles on the PPA Tour), who credits the FEATHERWEIGHT paddle for his recent victories at the US Open Championships and on the PPA Tour.
My experience with the FS Tour FEATHERWEIGHT Paddle
When I first picked up this paddle, it was shocking how light it was. Obviously, you expect something called 'featherweight' to be easy to pick up, but it was by far the lightest pickleball paddle I've ever held.
It also felt really good in my hand. The balance and grip were good, and I was excited to see what I could do with it.
Great control
Without a doubt, this paddle leans on the control side. At the kitchen while dinking (especially out wide), it felt like I could hit my target every time.
In fact, there were a few times I thought the ball would go out of bounds, but somehow, it stayed in and kept the rally going.
On longer shots and drives, it seemed the ball would also dip and stay inside the lines.
With speedups, I felt very confident in hitting my intended location.
No concerns with overhitting
One of the downsides of switching paddles too often is that you spend the first couple sessions trying to figure out the paddle and typically, this means you miss a lot of shots or overhit the ball a bunch.
What was nice about the FEATHERWEIGHT paddle was that the adjustment period seemed shorter than most. I could take full swings at the ball without being concerned about overhitting or the ball flying out of bounds.
And it only took a few hits to hone in on my blocks and resets.
The only issue I had initially was putting away counterattacks. There isn't a whole lot of pop with these paddles unless you hit directly on the sweet spot (something I struggle with sometimes), so I found myself having longer hands battles than usual.
This isn't necessarily bad because they are fun to be in.
However, it was notable how many balls came back to me that a more powerful paddle might have been able to put away.
Who this paddle is for
As stated above, this paddle is light. But, during my first couple of games with it, I wondered if it was too light.
There were two times when I whiffed on a ball at the kitchen completely because, somehow, I swung the paddle through the zone before the ball got there.
You read that correctly.
The paddle was so light that I swung way too early and completely missed it.
It was embarrassing for sure. But it's also a testament to how fast these paddles can help your hands become.
It didn't take me too long to figure out the speed, and I was fine after those early whiffs. I never felt behind in a hands battle, and that's huge if you play a game with a lot of bangers or people who speed the ball up a lot.
If you don't come from a tennis background or prefer a lighter paddle that gives the user greater precision on shots and rolls, then this will be a great paddle for you.
Similarly, if you've dealt with any soreness in your elbow, shoulders, or wrist from heavier paddles, then this could also be a great paddle option.
"The best part of the Franklin FS Tour Featherweight paddle for me is the extended 5.6" handle. I used a two-handed backhand, and my large hands fit comfortably together on it," said my colleague here at The Dink, Frank Yoo.
FS Tour FEATHERWEIGHT Paddle Specifications
There are two versions of the FS Tour FEATHERWEIGHT: the Dynasty, which is elongated, and the Tempo, which is standard-shaped.
DYNASTY
- Lightweight premium paddle
- 12 mm thick enhanced polymer core with a weight of 7.3-7.6 ounces
- Pro tour paddle officially authorized by USA Pickleball for tournament and competitive play
- Carbon fiber surface made with a T700 raw carbon fiber surface
- One-piece construction
- Textured grip with an elongated 5.6-inch-long handle (handle circumference is 4.3 inches)
TEMPO
- Lightweight premium paddle
- 12 mm thick enhanced polymer core with a weight of 7.3-7.6 ounces
- The Tempo is the traditional shape paddle in the FS Tour Series and is USA Pickleball certified for tournament and competitive play
- Carbon fiber surface made with a T700 raw carbon fiber surface
- One-piece construction
- Textured grip with a 5-inch long handle (handle circumference is 4.3 inches)
Final Thoughts of FS Tour FEATHERWEIGHT
Overall, I really liked this paddle for its control and how fast it made my hands feel at the kitchen.
My counterattacks had never been so easy to execute.
The Dink Media Team
After the first several games, I added some lead tape (a strip from the neck to about the middle on both sides), which helped with the paddle's lightness without making it lose the advantage it gave me.
This paddle costs $150, easily making it one of the best values on the market. There are paddles that are almost twice as expensive and less enjoyable to play with.
