The Friday Aura Pro now comes in three shapes, and picking the wrong one is the easiest way to spend $275 on a paddle that fights your game. Friday added a brand-new Widebody to the Aura Pro line this year, so the choice is no longer just long or standard: it is Widebody, Hybrid or Elongated. All three run the same Gen 4 foam core, the same T700 raw carbon face and the same $275 price, so the only thing that separates them is the shape, and the shape changes how the paddle plays more than most people expect. Here is how to pick the right one.
The quick answer
- Widebody: the most forgiving and the easiest power. If you play mostly at the kitchen line, mishit a bit, or just want the biggest sweet spot, start here. It is the newest shape and the most beginner-to-intermediate friendly of the three.
- Hybrid: the all-rounder. A touch more reach and pop than the Widebody, still plenty of stability. If you cannot decide, the Hybrid is the safe pick.
- Elongated: reach and drive. If you play from the baseline, hit hard off both wings, or like to attack out of the air, the extra length rewards you, as long as your hands are quick enough to handle a smaller sweet spot.
Want the full picture on the paddle itself before you get into shapes? Our Friday Aura and Aura Pro review covers how it plays against the rest of the foam-core field. This guide is the shape decision. You can see every shape in the Friday Pickleball collection.
What the Aura Pro actually is
The Aura Pro is Friday's stiffer, more aggressive take on their Gen 4 foam platform. Where the standard Aura plays soft and forgiving, the Pro plays fast and direct. Three things drive that:
- Dual-foam Gen 4 core: softer than a thermoformed carbon paddle, but with a firm throat insert that gives you a direct, connected response on drives rather than a mushy one.
- T700 raw carbon face: genuinely gritty, so it bites the ball for spin instead of relying on a painted texture that wears off.
- ElasTECH rubber perimeter: a rubber system around the edge that adds stability and reduces how much the paddle twists on off-centre hits.
If terms like Gen 4, foam core and thermoformed are a blur, our plain-English paddle jargon guide is worth two minutes first. All three Aura Pro shapes are 16mm, USAP approved, and land at $275.
Friday Aura Pro Widebody: the new shape
The Aura Pro Widebody is the newest addition and, for a lot of club players, the most sensible. It drops the Gen 4 platform into the widest shape in the range: a full 8-inch face at 16.0 inches long. That geometry gives it the biggest sweet spot and the most forgiveness of the three, plus the easiest, most stable power on off-centre hits.
| Shape | Widebody |
| Length x width | 40.64cm (16.0") x 20.32cm (8.0") |
| Weight | 224g (7.9oz) |
| Handle | 13.97cm (5.5"), 4.25" grip |
| Best for | Power and spin with maximum forgiveness |
Who it suits: net-focused players, doubles players who live at the kitchen line, and anyone stepping up from a starter paddle who does not want to be punished for a mishit. The wide face makes blocks and resets more stable, and the shorter length keeps it quick in hand for fast exchanges. If your game is more about placement and hands than baseline power, the Widebody is the pick.
Friday Aura Pro Hybrid: the all-rounder
The Aura Pro Hybrid sits in the middle. It carries more length than the Widebody for a bit more reach and pop, while keeping enough width to stay stable and manageable. Friday spec it with a swing weight of 116 and a twist weight of 6.15, which in plain terms means it drives with intent but does not feel like a chore to swing.
| Shape | Hybrid |
| Length | 41.91cm (16.5") |
| Weight | 226.8g (8.0oz) |
| Swing weight | 116 |
| Best for | Players who want reach and pop without giving up control |
Who it suits: the largest group. If you play a bit of everything, dinks and drops one point, drives and putaways the next, the Hybrid does not force you to specialise. It is also the shape we point undecided buyers to, because it gives up the least at either end of the court.
Friday Aura Pro Elongated: reach and drive
The Aura Pro Elongated is the specialist. Friday describe it as suiting players who drive hard from the baseline or attack out of the air, and the longer shape backs that up: more reach, more leverage on drives, and more plough-through when you catch one clean. The trade-off is a smaller, more forward sweet spot, so it asks for cleaner contact than the Widebody does.
| Shape | Elongated |
| Length | 41.91cm (16.5") |
| Swing weight | 116 |
| Weight | About 227g (8.0oz) |
| Best for | Aggressive baseline and singles play, quick-handed attackers |
Who it suits: singles players, bangers, and anyone who already plays with an elongated paddle and knows they want the reach. If you tend to shank the odd ball or your hands are still developing at the net, the Widebody or Hybrid will treat you more kindly.
The three shapes side by side
| Shape | Length | Width | Weight | Leans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Widebody (new) | 16.0" | 8.0" | 224g | Forgiveness + stable power |
| Hybrid | 16.5" | 7.5" | 226.8g | Balanced all-court |
| Elongated | 16.5" | 7.5" | ~227g | Reach + baseline drive |
All three: 16mm Gen 4 dual-foam core, T700 raw carbon face, ElasTECH perimeter, USAP approved, $275.
Aura Pro or standard Aura: is the $60 worth it?
Friday also make the standard Aura in the same shapes for $215, including a standard Aura Widebody. The difference is the face and the feel: the standard Aura uses a carbon-fibreglass (CFC) face and plays softer and more control-led, while the Pro runs the grittier raw carbon and plays firmer and more aggressive. If you are a control player or newer to foam-core paddles, the standard Aura is genuinely enough and saves you $60. If you want the extra spin bite and a more direct, powerful response, the Pro earns the step up.
How to choose, in one line each
- You want the most forgiving paddle and easy power: Aura Pro Widebody.
- You want one paddle that does everything well: Aura Pro Hybrid.
- You drive from the baseline and want reach: Aura Pro Elongated.
- You are on a tighter budget or play control-first: the standard Aura in the shape that suits you.
Every Aura Pro shape is in stock now with free Australian shipping over $150, fast domestic delivery, and a 30-day return on factory-fresh paddles. Not sure which way to go? Reply to any Pickld email or drop us a message and tell us how you play, and we will point you at the right one.
Pickld carries the brands featured here, Friday included. Our picks are based on product specs and how the paddles actually play, not affiliate incentives. Honest comparison only.
Ben
