Tested by Matt Khoury
4.5 player · 2 yrs testing paddles · 630+ reviewed
Reviewed
APRIL 2025
Updated OCTOBER 2026
Franklin C45 Tempo 16mm Pickleball Paddle Review
MATT'S VERDICT
The Tempo 16mm is the slightly more forgiving sibling to the 14mm Tempo, but the same warning applies: it ships under-weighted. The thicker core adds dwell on contact and the response is less twitchy than the 14mm, but the swing weight is still way below where most players want it.
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Retail Price
$229.00
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All measurements
- Serve speed
- 59.8 mph
- Serve speed percentile
- 34.2%
- Serve speed z-score
- -0.029
- Punch volley speed
- 38.6 mph
- Punch volley speed percentile
- 39.9%
- Punch volley speed z-score
- 0.155
- Spin
- 2291 rpm
- Spin percentile
- 79.4%
- Spin z-score
- 0.581
- Swing weight
- 103.05
- Swing weight percentile
- 2.3%
- Swing weight z-score
- -2.072
- Twist weight
- 6.5
- Twist weight percentile
- 56.1%
- Twist weight z-score
- 0.089
- Static weight
- 7.75 oz
- Static weight percentile
- 9.6%
- Static weight z-score
- -1.243
- Balance point
- 23.3 cm
- Balance point percentile
- 5.4%
- Balance point z-score
- -1.620
- Firepower
- 37/100
- Control score
- 94/100
- Power rating
- 2/5
- Control rating
- 5/5
- Spin rating
- 4/5
- Pop rating
- 2/5
- Forgiveness rating
- 4/5
- Shot resetting rating
- 3/5
- Touch shots rating
- 3/5
- Feel rating
- 3/5
- Matt's star rating
- 4/5
- Balance offset from center
- +3.3 cm
- Core thickness
- 16 mm
- Shape
- Widebody
- Length
- 15.75 in
- Width
- 7.875 in
- Handle length
- 5.25 in
- Handle circumference
- 4.25 in
- Surface material
- T700 Carbon Fiber
- Core material
- Polypropylene + Foam Enhanced
- Surface texture
- Peel Ply (Coarse)
- Manufacturing process
- Thermoformed
- Classification
- Gen 3
- Approval body
- USAP & UPA-A
- Punch volley rank
- #293 of 522 measured paddles
- Market comparison
- 518 measured paddles across 9 metrics