The 30-second version
- The Franklin Aurelius 12.7mm is genuinely ultra-light — 7.28 oz static weight and a 92.3 swing weight, well under the 100 mark that defines the category.
- It pairs a short 5.1-inch handle with a slim 4.0-inch grip, a combination that is genuinely hard to find anywhere else.
- The catch: stock, it has a small sweet spot and gets pushed around by hard drives. Independent testing rated it 6 out of 10 as it ships.
- Lead tape fixes most of it — 24 g at 3 and 9 o’clock took the swing weight to roughly 104, and it was still light.
- MSRP $229.99. A niche paddle, not a mass-market one — but the niche it serves is badly underserved.
Every few months a paddle shows up that I cannot recommend to most people but genuinely want one specific group to know about. The Franklin Aurelius 12.7mm is that paddle for 2026. If you have been hunting for something truly light with a thin grip and a short handle, and coming up empty, this one is worth your attention.
What are the Franklin Aurelius 12.7mm specs?
Here is what it is, on paper:
- Static weight: 7.28 oz (low)
- Swing weight: 92.3 (very fast — under 100 is ultra-light territory)
- Twist weight: 5.41 (below average)
- Balance point: 225 mm (below average, so a head-light feel)
- Measured spin: 2,031 RPM (above average)
- Shape: widebody • Handle: 5.1 in • Grip: 4.0 in
- Core: 12.7 mm polymer honeycomb • Face: raw carbon fiber • Gen 3, 2026
- MSRP: $229.99
It was designed as Anna Leigh Waters’ signature paddle, though she has more recently been seen playing the C45 Hybrid and the Dynasty. Full specs live on our Franklin Aurelius 12.7mm paddle page.
What does ultra-light actually mean here?
Static weight is what you feel picking a paddle up. Swing weight is what you feel swinging it, and it is the number that actually matters for hand speed at the kitchen line.
Most modern power paddles land somewhere in the 110 to 125 range. At 92.3, the Franklin Aurelius 12.7mm is in a different conversation entirely. In practice that means quick hands in firefights, less strain on the elbow and shoulder, and a paddle almost anyone can swing regardless of age or strength.
One note for anyone tracking equipment rules: its 2,031 RPM measured spin sits just under the 2,100 RPM cap USA Pickleball has been phasing in, so this is not a paddle living on the edge of the limit.
What is the catch with the Franklin Aurelius 12.7mm?
Light comes with a bill, and here it arrives quickly. In independent testing by Pickleball Studio (Chris Olson, April 2026), the paddle scored 6 out of 10, and the reasons are the classic ultra-light trade-offs:
- Small sweet spot. Off-center contact feels unforgiving and returns very little energy to the ball. Clean ball strikers will mind this less than the rest of us.
- Not enough plow-through. Hard incoming drives physically push the paddle around, which makes it feel unstable and makes power harder to generate.
- Surprisingly low launch angle. The reviewer found drives and resets coming off the face lower than expected, needing a conscious effort to aim higher.
- Gen 3 core durability. As with most Gen 3 designs, core crush over time is a realistic expectation rather than a surprise.
Straight out of the box with no added weight, serves, drives and overheads simply did not come off as fast as a 12.7 mm Gen 3 paddle would lead you to expect.
Does adding weight fix it?
Largely, yes, and this is the most useful part of the story. Two setups were tested:
- 36 g wrapped around the head: swing weight jumped from 92 to 118. That solved the sweet spot, power and stability complaints completely — but at that point you have built a heavy paddle, which defeats the purpose of buying this one.
- 24 g at 3 and 9 o’clock: swing weight landed around 104, still light, with most of the sweet-spot improvement retained. This was judged the best balance, though drives were not as heavy as with the 36 g setup.
The takeaway: do not play this paddle stock at 92. If you buy one, budget for lead tape and plan on a session of tuning. If that sounds like a chore rather than a hobby, this is not your paddle.
Who should actually consider it?
This is a narrow but real group, and I meet them constantly in New England rec play, particularly in the 55-plus morning crowd that fills courts from Leominster to the Cape:
- Players with elbow, shoulder or wrist issues who need the lightest thing they can find that still performs.
- Players with small hands. A true 4.0-inch grip is rare, and grip circumference is not something you want to be compensating for in the wrong direction. Our grips and overgrips guide covers how to adjust either way.
- Players who want a short 5.1-inch handle — essentially the opposite of the two-handed-backhand crowd.
- Tinkerers who enjoy customizing a paddle to their own spec rather than accepting a factory setup.
If you are in that first group, our best pickleball paddles for seniors roundup has more options worth comparing side by side.
How does it compare to the 14mm and 16mm?
All three Aurelius models are light. The 12.7 mm is the outlier:
- 12.7mm — 92.3 swing weight, 7.28 oz, 4.0-inch grip, all-court. The genuinely ultra-light one.
- 14mm — 97.5 swing weight, 7.68 oz, 4.125-inch grip, all-court. Still light, noticeably more stable.
- 16mm — 98.5 swing weight, 7.6 oz, 4.125-inch grip, control category, 2,052 RPM spin.
Honestly, most players reading this will be happier on the 14 mm or the 16 mm. The 12.7 mm earns its place only if a low swing weight and a thin grip are hard requirements rather than preferences.
Not sure where you land? Run our Paddle Finder, or compare specs across 700+ paddles in the database. Current discount codes for the brands I work with live on the gear page — Franklin is not one of them, so buy this one wherever you find the best price.
Frequently asked questions about the Franklin Aurelius 12.7mm
How much does the Franklin Aurelius 12.7mm weigh?
It has a static weight of 7.28 oz, at the low end of the modern paddle range. More importantly, its swing weight is 92.3 — well below the 100 threshold that defines the ultra-light category, and far below the 110 to 125 typical of power paddles.
Is the Franklin Aurelius 12.7mm good for beginners?
Not especially. The small sweet spot punishes off-center contact, which is exactly what beginners produce most often. A 14 mm or 16 mm paddle with more twist weight is more forgiving while you are still developing consistent contact.
Do I need to add lead tape to the Franklin Aurelius 12.7mm?
Most players should. Testing found that roughly 24 g at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions raised the swing weight to about 104 while keeping the paddle light, and resolved most of the sweet spot and stability complaints. Played completely stock at 92, the drawbacks are significant.
How much does the Franklin Aurelius cost?
MSRP is $229.99, and that price is the same across the 12.7 mm, 14 mm and 16 mm versions.
Does the Franklin Aurelius 12.7mm meet USA Pickleball’s spin limit?
Its measured spin is 2,031 RPM, which sits below the 2,100 RPM ceiling USA Pickleball has been phasing in. It is above average for spin but not pushing against the cap.
Specs and performance measurements above are credited to Pickleball Studio’s independent testing. Regan Family Pickleball does not sell paddles — we compare them.