I was so excited that Friday released a new Gen 4 pickleball paddle that I quickly purchased the Friday Aura Pro, but then I had this question:
What if I would have liked the Friday Aura more than the Friday Aura Pro?
I went back and forth and decided to purchase the second paddle as it would be a win if I could share the details with you, so you can make the most informed purchase decision.
Firstly, I’ll talk about the Friday Aura first impressions, the playability of both paddles, the cost considerations after using the $10 off code bepickleballer and which one I would personally choose.
First Impressions
Firstly, I liked the feel and design of each paddle. I got the black version of the Friday Aura Pro, and it has this nice little graphic at the top right that appears like a constellation.
I felt that I needed to spice things up a bit with my Aura, so I opted for the green version. For both the Friday Aura and Friday Aura pro, I opted for the elongated paddle because I wanted to compare like options, but it comes in a hybrid and wide body shape which I appreciate.
In terms of the side profile, I thought the paddle was a bit plain. Some brands are coming out with multi-color sides, and much thinner edge guards. Friday opted for a plain edge guard without the brand name. I would rather a paddle play perfectly though than focus on small details.
In terms of grit, I would say that the Friday Aura Pro and Aura had slightly above average grit. I would argue that the new RPM Q2 and V2 and the Vapor Power 2 has better grip, but it felt decent overall.
Here’s a close up view of the paddle’s grit.
Finally, in terms of just feel before hitting the ball, both paddles feel very similar.
That said, when I started hitting with these paddles, I immediately realized there were differences, so let’s chat about that next.
Friday Aura Pro vs Aura Playability
When I played with both paddles side by side, I noticed immediately that the Aura Pro had more power. You could easily get more depth with your serves, and the paddle felt explosive. The paddle has a noticeable pop, but it’s not like the huge pop of something like the RPM Q2, BNB Loco, etc.
In addition, you could feel the pace on the returns, and while the paddle was less forgiving than the Aura, I didn’t feel that there was lack of control like the Joola Pro IV Perseus.
You could definitely feel the power thought on the attacking speed ups, and this paddle is perfect for aggressive serves resulting in weak returns followed by a running power through hit.
In terms of control, I would definitely say that the Aura was the more controlled of the paddles. It played softer with considerably more dwell time. You could definitely shape balls at the kitchen when dinking, and I was able to have very effective drops in the kitchen.
Both the Friday Aura Pro and Aura have really impressive spin. The face grips the ball, and you’re able to put an insane top spin and slice with this paddle that you can see when you first pick this paddle up.
Here’s how I would rank these paddles:
- Power: Aura Pro
- Spin: Same (Perhaps slight edge to Aura)
- Control: Aura
So, Aura Pro is your power paddle and Aura is your balanced control paddle, but how are these paddles priced?
Cost Considerations
I find that some brands charge a similar price for different styles of their new paddles. For example, when Honolulu launched the J2NF and J2FC+, the paddles had the same price point.
In addition, both the RPM Q2 and V2 are different generation paddles, but command the same price.
The Friday Aura Pro is the power paddle in the line up, and it does have that additional technology, and is priced at $169 before discount code and $159 after the $10 discount code.
On the other hand, the Friday Aura paddle is more a control option, but it’s slightly lower cost. The Aura is $129 before discount code and $119 after the discount code.
$10 Off Discount Code: BePickleballer
Which Paddle Would I Choose?
Personally, I really enjoyed both the Aura Pro and the Aura pickleball paddle, and I believe both paddles are a step up from the Challenger and Fever which were also good paddles.
Each brought different things to the table. For example, the Aura Pro felt a bit dense and I could see how my serves were more powerful and went longer. In addition, I didn’t feel that I lost control like some of my other power paddles such as the Loco or the Joola Pro IV or the Luzz Tornazo. So, in my opinion, the Aura Pro is a well balanced power paddle.
The Aura had what I thought was noticeable less power, but I didn’t feel that it had no power like some of my other paddles. I thought the paddle’s power was balanced, but I did notice that the control was really good. I could see that playing skinny singles on really good drops that allowed me to move quickly to the kitchen for hand battles.
Given the price, I would probably opt for the Aura over the Aura Pro unless you really want to optimize for that additional power.
Both paddles are great options though, and I am glad that I purchased both.
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