Parris Todd: 'I wanted to make a paddle that was tailored for the women in pickleball'
Last Edited
Oct 15 2025
Category
Gear
When Parris Todd partnered with Franklin Pickleball to create her signature paddle this year, she knew she wanted something that would be elegant and geared toward women’s players, filling a void in a market dominated by more masculine-looking black, white and red color schemes.
But she also wanted something that would fit well with her game, a true hybrid combining power, control, pop, maneuverability and good looks.
After months of testing and going through several variations, the final product – the Franklin Parris Todd C45° signature paddle – was released late this summer, and has been met with tons of positive reviews. It comes in two colors: lilac and pink/blue.
“My idea was to do something different with the paddle as far as design goes, and I really wanted to bring something to the market that was more tailored toward the girls and the women in pickleball,” she said.
While Todd feels like she accomplished that, it’s certainly not just a paddle for women’s players – Todd has heard from plenty of men’s players who have liked playing with it as well, and the very low swingweight out of the box allows players of all strengths and skill levels to customize it with additional weight to fit their needs.
“The fact that guys like it as well and guys do use it is really cool to see,” she said.
Read next: Adding weight to your pickleball paddle -- the complete guide
Photo credit: Franklin Sports
Pop stands out compared to other Franklin C45 models
Todd has traditionally played with a thinner paddle over the years, which generally means more pop on short strokes in hands battles at the kitchen line. When she first signed with Franklin, she was playing with the 12mm FS Tour Featherweight Dynasty, but in designing her signature paddle, she wanted something slightly thicker for added control.
They ultimately settled on a 13.25mm core, which is still thinner than the existing 14mm and 16mm C45 models.
“I felt like I got the most control and also power from it,” she said of the final version. “And since it was a little thinner than Franklin’s other models, I was also able to get the pop that I was really looking for in a paddle.”
The shape was another critical aspect for Todd -- the team produced a near-perfect cross between the original C45 hybrid and the C45 Dynasty, something that Todd felt was key in maintaining great maneuverability (which is what the C45 hybrid is known for) and also expanding the sweet spot compared to that model.
From left: Franklin C45 hybrid, Franklin Parris Todd C45, Franklin C45 Dynasty
“I felt like at the net my hands were really quick, but then when I was at the baseline, I could really generate spin and power with my ground strokes because of the shape,” she said. “So it was like the perfect balance of everything for me.”
Read next: Expert review of the Franklin C45 series pickleball paddles
Aside from the thickness and shape, the core and surface technology are the same as the existing C45 paddles. Some background on how the C45 paddles are constructed:
Double thermoformed: Franklin says adding a second step in the thermoforming process enhances the structural integrity of the paddle and helps reduce vibration compared to previous thermoformed paddles.
45° carbon surface: The T700 carbon fiber is applied as a peel ply texture at a 45° angle. Franklin says laying it at a 45° angle provides a true, consistent texture throughout the entire paddle face, maximizing spin potential.
Read next: The top 10 pickleball paddles on the market today
PowerFlex core: “Flex” is a hot word right now in the paddle market. Franklin has incorporated foam layers in the core to allow the paddle to flex more upon impact, which increases power and pop while also giving paddles a more forgiving feel. Franklin says its PowerFlex core also provides the paddle with more structural integrity.
“This is like the perfect in-between of every paddle I’ve ever used, to be honest,” Todd said of her signature paddle. “I really do feel like this shape specifically is really good for control and precision … and I also rely a lot on my hand speed and ground strokes, so with it being able to move through the air really fast, I feel like there’s not a better shape or a better thickness to accomplish that.”
Todd, Patriquin get celebrity treatment during Asia visit
Todd and Hayden Patriquin, another Franklin pro who also released his own signature version of the C45 Dynasty 16mm paddle a few weeks ago, recently traveled to Malaysia and Vietnam for a series of exhibition events, signings and meet-and-greet events with fans.
“We didn’t know what to expect going over there,” Todd said. “We had heard pickleball was really growing over there and the fans were really into it, but it was way more than we both expected. We felt like we were real celebrities, and it was really fun to be a part of.”
Moving forward, Todd and the Franklin team hope to make more of a push in the Asian markets, where the sport is seeing explosive growth and clearly has a passionate fanbase hungry for pro pickleball.
“This was a great opportunity for us to go over there to meet all of the Malaysian and Vietnamese fans and show them that we’re here to stay and we want to start coming over to Asia more,” Todd said. “We realize how many people are playing over in Asia now and how fast the sport is growing, so we wanted to get plugged into that environment and start to really get involved in the market over there.”
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