Friday's Gen 4 foam paddles, the Aura and the stiffer Aura Pro, now come in two shapes: a hybrid and an elongated. Same cores, same faces, same 16mm builds; the only thing that changes is the outline. But that one change shifts how the paddle feels in your hand more than most people expect. If you already know you want a Friday Aura but you're stuck on the shape, this is the guide. (If you're still choosing between the soft Aura and the punchier Aura Pro, start with our Friday Aura & Aura Pro review first, then come back here for the shape call.)
The short answer: pick the hybrid if you want faster hands at the kitchen, an easier swing and a more forgiving, manoeuvrable paddle. Pick the elongated if you want extra reach and more leverage on drives and put-aways, and you don't mind a slightly more demanding swing. Both shapes are in stock at Pickld in the Aura (A$215) and Aura Pro (A$275).
What actually changes between the shapes
Both shapes share the same 16mm core, the same face and the same 5.5″ handle. What the outline changes is the footprint, and everything follows from that: the elongated runs 16.5″ long by 7.5″ wide, the hybrid 16.4″ by 7.8″. The elongated stretches the hitting surface toward the tip, putting more mass and leverage out where you reach for wide balls and drive from the baseline. Great for power and put-aways, slightly less forgiving on off-centre hits near the throat. The hybrid pulls the shape back toward a more balanced, blended outline: a wider, more central sweet spot, quicker hand speed at the net, and an easier paddle to whip around in fast kitchen exchanges. On the standard Aura that shows up in the numbers, with the hybrid a full 8 g lighter and 6 points lower on swing weight.
Neither is “better.” It's a trade between reach and leverage (elongated) and manoeuvrability and forgiveness (hybrid).
Friday Aura: the control pick, in both shapes
The standard Aura is Friday's soft, forgiving control paddle: an EPP full-foam Gen 4 core with loads of dwell and touch behind a T700 raw carbon CFC face that still bites for spin. In the hybrid shape (A$215) you get that plush feel in the most beginner-friendly, manoeuvrable package Friday makes, ideal if you live at the kitchen line and value placement and resets over raw power. The elongated Aura (A$215) keeps the same soft hands but adds reach and a touch more leverage for players who like to drive.
| Spec | Aura Hybrid | Aura Elongated |
|---|---|---|
| Core | EPP full-foam (Gen 4) | EPP full-foam (Gen 4) |
| Face | T700 raw carbon CFC | T700 raw carbon CFC |
| Shape | Hybrid | Elongated |
| Thickness | 16mm | 16mm |
| Length × width | 41.6 × 19.7 cm (16.4 × 7.8 in) | 41.9 × 19.1 cm (16.5 × 7.5 in) |
| Weight | 222 g (7.8 oz) | 230 g (8.1 oz) |
| Swing weight | 110 | 116 |
| Twist weight | 6.0 | 5.9 |
| Grip | 5.5 in · 4.125 in | 5.5 in · 4.125 in |
| Price | A$215 | A$215 |
Friday Aura Pro: the power pick, in both shapes
The Aura Pro is the stiffer, more aggressive tune: a dual-foam Gen 4 core behind a T700 raw carbon face with high surface roughness for serious spin and a crisper, more direct pop. The Aura Pro Hybrid (A$275) is the one to grab if you want that power bias but a wider, more forgiving head. Its twist weight of 6.35 is the highest in the Aura line, so it holds its line best on off-centre contact. The Aura Pro Elongated (A$275) is the most reach-and-leverage option in the line, built for baseline drivers who attack the line.
| Spec | Aura Pro Hybrid | Aura Pro Elongated |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Dual-foam (Gen 4) | Dual-foam (Gen 4) |
| Face | T700 raw carbon fibre | T700 raw carbon fibre |
| Shape | Hybrid | Elongated |
| Thickness | 16mm | 16mm |
| Length × width | 41.6 × 19.7 cm (16.4 × 7.8 in) | 41.9 × 19.1 cm (16.5 × 7.5 in) |
| Weight | 226 g (8.0 oz) | 227 g (8.0 oz) |
| Swing weight | 116 | 116 |
| Twist weight | 6.35 | 6.0 |
| Grip | 5.5 in · 4.25 in | 5.5 in · 4.25 in |
| Price | A$275 | A$275 |
How to choose
Work it as two quick decisions. First, control or power? If you play the soft game and want forgiveness, that's the Aura. If you swing hard and want spin and pop off a stiffer face, that's the Aura Pro. Second, hybrid or elongated? If you're a kitchen-line player who values quick hands, resets and a wide sweet spot, or you have smaller hands or are newer to the elongated feel, go hybrid. If you're a baseline driver who wants reach and leverage and you're comfortable with a longer paddle, go elongated.
Put simply: most improving kitchen-line players will be happiest on the Aura Hybrid; aggressive baseline players who want power and reach should look at the Aura Pro Elongated. The other two combinations cover everyone in between.
The catch
This guide is about shape and tune, not a from-scratch “is Friday right for me” decision. For that, read the full Aura review or our Friday foam-core lineup explainer. And if A$215 to A$275 is more than you want to spend on a foam-core paddle, the carbon-faced Friday Fever 102 at A$175 is well worth a look. Colours and stock move, so check the live product pages for what's available in your shape.
Shop the range
- Shop the Aura Hybrid (A$215) & Aura Elongated (A$215)
- Shop the Aura Pro Hybrid (A$275) & Aura Pro Elongated (A$275)
- Browse the full Friday Pickleball range
- Read the Friday Aura & Aura Pro review
- On a budget? The Friday Fever 102 review
