Franklin
Franklin C45 Dynasty 16mm
Exact variant covered
- Exact model
- C45 Dynasty 16mm
- Revision
- USAP 'C45 Dynasty 16MM' (2025-04-17); signature editions (Hayden Patriquin, Megan Fudge) listed separately
Evidence is attached only when a source names this variant; ambiguous mentions are held back.
At a glance
Who it suits
Creators point it at competitive players who can use the elongated reach and at two-handed backhand players, who get the most from the 5.6-inch handle.[1]
One video creator recommends the 16mm for players who like the C45 feel but want something more plush and less aggressive.[7]
Where creators agree
- Control2 of 3 creators
- Power3 of 3 creators
- Core crush2 of 2 creators
- Handle and grip2 of 2 creators
- Spin2 of 2 creators
Where they split
- Pop2 positive, 1 negative
- Sweet spot1 positive, 2 negative
- Hand speed1 positive, 1 negative
What the evidence says
Several reviewers describe the 16mm core as soft and easy to control, with transition resets that stay low instead of popping up into the strike zone.[1, 7] Full-swing drives still carry weight, and 1 of 8 consumer items analyzed describes power that can be controlled effectively.[1, 6] Spin gets praise from creators on topspin drives, and one owner rates the grit above the Gen 2 Dynasty surface.[1, 3, 6] Sources split on pop. One video creator says the 16mm has less pop and plays less aggressive, while another felt it snap back with real pop on put-aways.[1, 7] The elongated shape is behind the biggest disagreements: one creator found the sweet spot wide and the paddle quick at the kitchen line, while others report a slightly smaller sweet spot, twisting on off-center hits and a head-heavy feel that slows fast hand battles.[1, 2, 3] On build quality, one creator saw no core crushing or delamination, but another found the metallic edge guard scuffs easily.[1, 3]
More on player fit
Another creator calls it a lightweight upgrade for beginners and intermediates and a good base for lead tape.[3] One creator says players who live in fast kitchen firefights, or who want a widebody's stability on off-center reaches, are better served by a shorter, wider paddle.[1]
Trait by trait
Each bar counts creator voices on that trait by their current stance: positive, neutral or mixed, negative. A longer bar means more creators spoke to it. Open a row for their words.
Control2 positive · 1 neutral or mixed of 3 voices
Dylan (bestpicklepad.com) strongly positive
“Transition resets came off soft and controlled instead of popping up into the strike zone.”
Drew McCartt (Pickleball Union) neutral
“control on dinks, drops, and cross-court placement was good, but could be better.”
Pickleball Pursuit strongly positive
“to be easier to control.”
Pop2 positive · 1 negative of 3 voices
Dylan (bestpicklepad.com) positive
“it feels softer through impact than a flat, harsh carbon face, yet still snaps back with real pop on put-aways.”
Drew McCartt (Pickleball Union) strongly positive
“some differences stood out: noticeably more pop, more power, and a lighter swing weight.”
Pickleball Pursuit negative
“with less pop, making it a less aggressive”
Power3 positive of 3 voices
Dylan (bestpicklepad.com) strongly positive
“Full-swing drives carry genuine weight.”
Drew McCartt (Pickleball Union) strongly positive
“some differences stood out: noticeably more pop, more power, and a lighter swing weight.”
Pickleball Pursuit positive
“power, maybe slightly better on dry serves”
Sweet spot1 positive · 2 negative of 3 voices
Johnkew Pickleball negative
“Slightly smaller sweet spot—unexpected for a thicker paddle.”
Dylan (bestpicklepad.com) negative
“On wide defensive reaches near the edges, the narrower profile twists more than a widebody would on off-center strikes.”
Drew McCartt (Pickleball Union) strongly positive
“The sweet spot felt wide and forgiving.”
Core crush2 positive of 2 voices
Dylan (bestpicklepad.com) positive
“I experienced no core crushing, delamination, dead spots, or edge guard separation.”
Drew McCartt (Pickleball Union) positive
“the one-year warranty and added core durability give buyers real confidence.”
Hand speed1 positive · 1 negative of 2 voices
Dylan (bestpicklepad.com) negative
“you’ll need significantly more wrist strength at the kitchen line to keep up in fast firefights compared to a shorter widebody paddle.”
Drew McCartt (Pickleball Union) strongly positive
“Its lightweight build and low twist weight made it quick at the kitchen line—perfect for fast volleys and smooth backhand-forehand transitions.”
Handle and grip2 positive of 2 voices
Dylan (bestpicklepad.com) strongly positive
“The 5.6-inch handle is a massive strength.”
Drew McCartt (Pickleball Union) strongly positive
“a long, tacky, perforated grip that feels great in hand”
Spin2 positive of 2 voices
Dylan (bestpicklepad.com) positive
“The raw T700 carbon face gripped the ball well on topspin drives and allowed me to shape dipping shots that dropped safely inside the baseline.”
Drew McCartt (Pickleball Union) strongly positive
“Topspin and slice shots felt even better, with more shape and control than I expected from a thinner core.”
Touch2 positive of 2 voices
Dylan (bestpicklepad.com) strongly positive
“The 16mm core gave soft resets more dwell than I expected from a power-focused build.”
Pickleball Pursuit positive
“The 16 mm will be softer feeling, have equivalent”
Value2 positive of 2 voices
Dylan (bestpicklepad.com) positive
“The build quality and aggressive drive performance justify the cost for competitive players who can fully utilize the elongated reach.”
Drew McCartt (Pickleball Union) positive
“$229.99 is in line with other Gen 3 and Gen 4 paddles, many of which run $40–$60 more.”
Weight and balance1 positive · 1 neutral or mixed of 2 voices
Dylan (bestpicklepad.com) neutral
“The elongated head pushes the balance toward the tip, resulting in a head-heavy feel with heavy plow-through on drives.”
Drew McCartt (Pickleball Union) positive
“With its low stock weight, it’s a great platform for adding lead tape where you need it most”
Delamination1 positive of 1 voice
Dylan (bestpicklepad.com) positive
“I experienced no core crushing, delamination, dead spots, or edge guard separation.”
Durability1 positive of 1 voice
Dylan (bestpicklepad.com) positive
“In my on-court testing, the unibody frame held up perfectly.”
Edge guard1 negative of 1 voice
Drew McCartt (Pickleball Union) negative
“the flashy metallic edge guard looks great but scuffs pretty easily—even though I’m not someone who regularly scrapes or bangs paddles during play.”
Stability1 negative of 1 voice
Dylan (bestpicklepad.com) negative
“However, on off-center contact near the top edge, the elongated shape twists.”
Follow-up videos extend a creator's timeline; they never count as a new voice.
Owner feedback
8 items analyzed from 1 source, published Aug 27, 2025 to Aug 27, 2025. Counts are mentions among the items analyzed, not a share of all owners.
Praise
1 of 8 1 of 8 analyzed mention power positively[6]
Show owner quotes
“Excellent overall paddle with power that can be controlled effectively”
Concerns
None among the items analyzed.
Creators
4 independent creator voices. Disclosure chips come from each video or article's own description.
- Dylan (bestpicklepad.com)
14 stances on this paddle
Positive on control, pop, power, core crush
Negative on sweet spot, hand speed, stability
Affiliate linkSponsored“Transition resets came off soft and controlled instead of popping up into the strike zone.”
Oct 29, 2026SourceAffiliate linkSponsored - Drew McCartt (Pickleball Union)
11 stances on this paddle
Positive on pop, power, sweet spot, core crush
Negative on edge guard
Affiliate link“some differences stood out: noticeably more pop, more power, and a lighter swing weight.”
Aug 8, 2025SourceAffiliate link - Pickleball Pursuit
4 stances on this paddle
Positive on control, power, touch
Negative on pop
Discount code“to be easier to control.”
Jun 9, 2025 at 3:22SourceDiscount code - Johnkew Pickleball
1 stance on this paddle
Positive on nothing yet
Negative on sweet spot
Affiliate linkDiscount codeFree unitSponsored“Slightly smaller sweet spot—unexpected for a thicker paddle.”
undatedSourceAffiliate linkDiscount codeFree unitSponsored
Pro associations
No dated pro association with this exact paddle yet.
Specs
| Spec | Value | Status | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core thickness | 16 mm | Verified | 4 5 |
| UPA-A approved list | yes (model # 59232, 59252, 59232C1, added 2025-08-26) | Verified | 4 |
| USAP approved list | yes (listed 2025-04-17 as 'C45 Dynasty 16MM') | Verified | 5 |
Verified means the brand figure and an independent measurement or governing-body list agree. Brand reported means only the brand states it.
Close comparisons
Evidence gaps
- 38 mention(s) could not be matched to this exact variant and are held for review.
Sources 7
Titles are the publishers' own.
- Franklin C45 Dynasty Review: Elongated Power and Reach, Tested creator article by Dylan (bestpicklepad.com), Oct 29, 2026. Retrieved Nov 2, 2026. Analyzed: full article text.
- Franklin C45 Paddle Review: Dynasty & Tempo Shapes creator article by Johnkew Pickleball, undated. Retrieved Nov 2, 2026. Analyzed: full article text.
- Franklin C45° Dynasty Paddles (14 And 16mm) Review creator article by Drew McCartt (Pickleball Union), Aug 8, 2025. Retrieved Nov 2, 2026. Analyzed: full article text.
- UPA-A Certified Paddles List governing body, undated. Retrieved Nov 1, 2026. Analyzed: full list page as served (certified list).
- USA Pickleball approved paddle list, model search 'C45' governing body, undated. Retrieved Nov 2, 2026. Analyzed: full search result page.
- Top-level comment on 'Franklin C45 Dynasty 16 mm Pickleball Paddle Review' consumer comment, Aug 27, 2025. Retrieved Nov 2, 2026. Analyzed: single comment, full text; drawn from 73 top-level comments retrieved on this line's review videos on 2026-11-02, 8 keyword-screened, 8 read in full; owner experience only.
- C45 Dynasty Review Best Elongated Paddle creator video by Pickleball Pursuit, Jun 9, 2025. Retrieved Nov 2, 2026. Analyzed: full transcript (machine transcription by Gemini video understanding, timed [mm:ss] segments); quotes verified against this transcript.
Changelog 1
- page: none to published
Latest evidence: Oct 29, 2026. Page last rebuilt: Nov 2, 2026. Sources analyzed: 7 of 10 available.