Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm vs Paddletek Tempest Wave V3
Both paddles are scored using the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model. Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm takes the higher overall IQ score, but the right pick depends on which traits you value.
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Quick answer
Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm edges it on the overall Paddle IQ score (85.9 vs 82.9), but the two split the scored categories — pick on the one trait you care about most.
Power
Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm
92 vs 72
Spin
Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm
90 vs 80
Control
92 vs 85
Forgiveness
Too close to call
86 vs 86
Hand speed
Too close to call
110 vs 112 kg·cm² swing weight
Value
$150 at IQ 82.9 vs $169 at IQ 85.9
Overall pick: Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm · $169 · IQ 85.9
Paddle DNA head-to-head
Estimated scores: the Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm Paddle DNA is our estimate from published specs, not a sourced profile.
- 92Power72
- 85Control92
- 90Spin80
- 86Forgiveness86
- 88Sweet spot87
- 84Stability82
- 80Maneuverability81
- 90Pop68
- 83Touch91
- 85Consistency89
- 72Swing weight56
- 82Twist weight76
- 60Launch angle58
- 83Plow through66
- 78Softness88
Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm vs Paddletek Tempest Wave V3 specs
Every spec side by side. Highlighted values are the better of the two where one is objectively better.
| Spec | Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm | Paddletek Tempest Wave V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Street price(USD) | $169 | $150 — better |
| IQ score(/ 100) | 85.9 — better | 82.9 |
| Weight(oz) | 7.9 | 7.9 |
| Core thickness(mm) | 16 | 16 |
| Swing weight(kg·cm²)Lower swings faster | 112 | 110 |
| Twist weight(kg·cm²)Higher is more stable | 6.4 — better | 6.1 |
| Shape | hybrid | standard |
| Face length(in) | 16.375 | 16 |
| Face width(in) | 7.625 | 7.9 |
| Handle length(in) | 5.5 | 5.25 |
| Grip circumference(in) | 4.25 | 4.25 |
| Surface | T700 raw carbon fiber face | Textured carbon |
| Core material | Gen 4 full-foam EPP core with EVA foam perimeter | Tempest control core |
Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm verdict
Friday's Gen 4 full-foam Aura Pro in the hybrid shape pairs a power-focused response with a quick published 112 swing weight. The published 6.4 twist weight is moderate, so it gives up some stability on paper to heavier all-court hybrids.
Paddletek Tempest Wave V3 verdict
The reference control paddle for players who do not want the weight of a 20 mm build. Touch scores trail only the Luxx.
The verdict
Scored on the same 15-trait Paddle DNA model, the clearest separation is pop: Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm scores 90 against 68 for Paddletek Tempest Wave V3 — a 22-point gap. They are effectively level on stability, launch angle, sweet spot, so those traits should not decide the purchase. Paddletek Tempest Wave V3 is $19 cheaper at $150.
Pop
Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm leads by 22 points (90 vs 68).
Power
Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm leads by 20 points (92 vs 72).
Plow through
Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm leads by 17 points (83 vs 66).
Swing weight
Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm leads by 16 points (72 vs 56).
Which one is right for your level?
Each call below re-weights the Paddle DNA traits that matter at that level, so the winner can differ from the overall pick.
Beginner
New to 3.0 — still building a consistent contact point
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (85.3 vs 85 on the weighted index). Take Paddletek Tempest Wave V3 and keep the $19.
- Twist weight
- Stability
- Sweet spot
Intermediate
3.0–3.9 — playing organised rec and early tournaments
Too close to call on the traits that matter here (85.8 vs 84.2 on the weighted index). Take Paddletek Tempest Wave V3 and keep the $19.
- Power
- Spin
Advanced / tournament
4.0+ — repeatable swing, fast hands battles
Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm
Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm is the clearer pick at this level — power 92 vs 72, plow through 83 vs 66, spin 90 vs 80. Swing weight 112 kg·cm² is what carries that through contact.
- Power
- Plow through
- Spin
Arm-sensitive players
Anyone managing tennis elbow or shoulder load
Paddletek Tempest Wave V3
Paddletek Tempest Wave V3 is a narrow pick at this level — softness 88 vs 78. Its 16 mm Tempest control core at 7.9 oz is the softer, lower-shock build of the two.
- Softness
Which one should you buy?
Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm
Take Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm if you want pop (+22), power (+20), plow through (+17). Its swing weight of 112 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm review →Paddletek Tempest Wave V3
Take Paddletek Tempest Wave V3 if you want softness (+10), touch (+8), control (+7). Its swing weight of 110 kg·cm² and 16 mm core are what produce that profile.
Read the Paddletek Tempest Wave V3 review →Where to Buy
Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm
Paddletek Tempest Wave V3
Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm vs Paddletek Tempest Wave V3 FAQ
- Which is better, the Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm or the Paddletek Tempest Wave V3?
- Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm carries the higher overall Paddle IQ score (85.9 vs 82.9), but IQ is a weighted average. On the trait that separates them most — pop — Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm leads by 22 points.
- Which one is faster at the kitchen line?
- Paddletek Tempest Wave V3, at 110 kg·cm² swing weight against 112 for Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm. Lower swing weight is the single best predictor of hand speed in fast exchanges.
- Which paddle has more power, the Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm or the Paddletek Tempest Wave V3?
- Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm scores 92 for power against 72 for Paddletek Tempest Wave V3. That comes from a 16 mm Gen 4 full-foam EPP core with EVA foam perimeter core swinging at 112 kg·cm² — mass behind the ball, not face material.
- Which one gives more control and touch?
- Paddletek Tempest Wave V3 at 92 versus 85. Its 16 mm core holds the ball on the face slightly longer, which is what makes resets and dinks land shorter.
- Which paddle spins the ball more?
- Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm scores 90 for spin off its T700 raw carbon fiber face, against 80 for the Textured carbon face on Paddletek Tempest Wave V3. In practice a 10-point gap is noticeable on third-shot drives.
- Which is more forgiving on off-center hits?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both score 86 on forgiveness despite twist weights of 6.4 and 6.1.
- Is the price difference worth it?
- Paddletek Tempest Wave V3 costs $150, $19 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on whether you actually use the traits it trades away — check the head-to-head DNA bars above before paying up.
- Do they use the same core and face?
- Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm: 16 mm Gen 4 full-foam EPP core with EVA foam perimeter core with a T700 raw carbon fiber face. Paddletek Tempest Wave V3: 16 mm Tempest control core with a Textured carbon face.
- Which is better for a two-handed backhand?
- Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm, at 5.5 in of handle against 5.25 in. Anything under 5.25 in forces you to choke the bottom hand onto the face bevel, which Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm avoids.
- Which one is better for beginners?
- Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm is the safer first paddle here: forgiveness 86 and sweet spot 88 mean fewer mishits while your contact point is still inconsistent. Paddletek Tempest Wave V3 rewards a repeatable swing and can feel less stable before that.
- Which is lighter in the hand?
- Too close to call — neither has an advantage here. Both are listed at 7.9 oz, though swing weight differs (112 vs 110) and that is what you feel mid-rally.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Paddletek Tempest Wave V3 to the Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm?
- Only if you need what it actually adds. Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm leads on pop by 22 points; everything else is within 20 points. At $169 vs $150, the money is better spent elsewhere unless that one trait is your weak spot.
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Read the full reviews: Friday Pickleball Aura Pro Hybrid 16mm and Paddletek Tempest Wave V3. Or build a different comparison, browse the full database or find paddles within 5% of your current one.