Friday Original Pickleball Paddle Review

Friday makes one paddle. They sell it direct-to-consumer at less than half what comparable JOOLA or Selkirk paddles cost. The marketing leans heavily on “we make one good paddle, not ten okay ones.” This is exactly the kind of pitch that sounds like marketing fluff until you actually test the thing.

We did. Three testers, 30+ hours of court time, full rebound rig measurements. Here’s everything.

The headline numbers

The Friday Original posted 1,840 RPM on our spin test. For context: the $250 Selkirk Luxx Control Air Invikta hit 1,870. The $279 JOOLA Perseus Pro IV hit 1,980. Friday is within 5% of the top-shelf paddles for less than a third of the price.

Exit velocity came in at 49 mph. That’s lower than dedicated power paddles (the JOOLA Magnus 3 hit 56), but it’s right in the band of all-around 13mm paddles in this category.

The math here is what makes this paddle interesting. You’re paying $90 for ~90% of the performance. Whether the missing 10% matters depends on your level.

What’s good

The spin is real. Raw carbon fiber face with proper hot-pressed grit — not the laminated cardboard that sub-$80 paddles try to pass off as carbon. After 30 hours of play, the face still gripped the ball noticeably better than a fresh budget composite. Friday’s not lying about the face material.

The build feels premium. Edge guard is tight, no rattles, no flex. We did our standard drop tests from waist height onto a hard court (with replacement units, not the same one) and the face held up. Friday’s warranty terms are also honest: 6 months, full replacement, no questions about play wear.

The DTC pricing makes sense. Retail paddles spend $50-80 of their MSRP on retailer margin. Friday sells direct, so you’re paying closer to manufacturing cost plus reasonable profit. That’s how a $90 paddle can use the same components as a $200 one.

The 30-day trial is real. We tested this — returned a unit on day 28 with no friction. Some premium brands make their trials hard to redeem. Friday makes it easy. That’s a real consumer protection at this price point.

What’s not good

The sweet spot is smaller than 16mm options. This is the cost of the 13mm core. Off-center hits don’t have the cushion you get from a thicker paddle. For a 3.0 player who’s still bobbling contact, that 13mm pop becomes a 13mm punishment.

We measured the sweet spot at 51% of face area, compared to the Selkirk SLK Evo Control Max’s 64%. That’s a meaningful difference. If you’re new to pickleball, this is the paddle’s biggest weakness.

The handle is firm. Friday’s grip is thinner and harder than the squishier Tourna or Yonex overgrips most players add. We strongly recommend slapping a fresh overgrip on as soon as it arrives. Without one, the handle telegraphs vibration to your wrist on off-center hits.

Color options are limited. Black or white. That’s it. If aesthetics matter to you, that’s a non-starter.

No demo program. Friday’s bet is that the 30-day return policy is good enough. It mostly is, but you’re paying $90 + shipping to test it. Selkirk’s demo program lets you try multiple paddles for $20.

How it plays

Spin

Tested feel matched the data: this paddle generates serious topspin. Our 4.0 tester, who plays a heavy spin game, said it was the closest a sub-$100 paddle has come to matching their daily Selkirk Power Air. Dinks bit. Drives kicked.

Power

Mid-range power. The 13mm core pops, but Friday hasn’t tried to make this a power paddle. You won’t smash with this the way you’d smash with a Magnus 3. You also won’t accidentally over-cook controlled shots.

Control

This is where the smaller sweet spot shows up. Drops worked, but landing them precisely in the kitchen took more focus than with a 16mm paddle. Our 3.0 tester struggled with this — kept flying drops long.

Comfort

Out of the box: average. With an added overgrip: very good. The 7.8 oz weight is fatigue-friendly for 90+ minute sessions.

Who should buy it

Buy the Friday Original if you are:

• An intermediate player (3.0-4.0) who wants real performance for under $100
• Someone whose game leans on spin rather than power
• A second-paddle buyer who needs a solid backup that doesn’t break the bank
• A tennis crossover player whose technique is good but who doesn’t want to commit $250 to a new sport yet

Skip the Friday Original if you are:

• A true beginner (under 3.0) — the smaller sweet spot will frustrate you. Get a 16mm paddle. Our pick for beginners is the Selkirk SLK Evo Control Max.
• Someone with tennis elbow — the firmer handle and 13mm core transmit more vibration. Get the Diadem Warrior Edge instead.
• A power player who wants to drive every ball — the JOOLA Magnus 3 has more plow-through.

Compared to similar paddles

Long-term wear (30, 60, 90 days)

At 30 days: face grit still measured 92% of new. Edge guard intact.

At 60 days: spin RPM measured 1,790 (down ~3% from new). Players couldn’t feel the difference.

At 90 days: 1,720 RPM. Starting to fade. This matches what you’d expect from a paddle in this price range. Premium paddles tend to hold spin longer (Six Zero Double Black Diamond was still at 92% at 90 days). For $89, you’re getting roughly 12-18 months of competitive play before the face becomes the limiting factor.

Buy it where?

Friday only sells direct from their own site. Amazon listings are resellers and not always cheaper. We recommend buying from Friday’s site to get the actual 30-day return policy and warranty.

Verdict

The Friday Original is the best $89 spent in pickleball right now. It’s not the best paddle on the market — but at this price, that’s not the standard to hold it to. The question is whether $89 buys you something genuinely worth playing, and the answer is yes, especially if you’re a 3.5+ player whose game tilts toward spin and finesse.

For most rec players, this is enough paddle to play with for a year, and you’ll save $100-160 vs the premium alternatives. Use the savings on a coaching session.

Read next: our complete paddle buyer’s guide or the best pickleball paddles of 2026.