Ball Review
Franklin X-40 Outdoor Pickleball Review
The official ball of USA Pickleball, the APP Tour and the US Open. If you only ever buy one outdoor ball, this is the safe answer — and here's exactly why, plus when it isn't.
The default outdoor ball for good reason — consistent flight, sensible balance of durability and liveliness, and the one everybody else's ball gets compared to.
- Best for
- Outdoor play, tournaments, and anyone who wants one answer
- Price context
- Standard outdoor ball pricing; cheaper per ball in bulk
Balls get far less attention than paddles and change how the game plays at least as much. The Franklin X-40 is a 40-hole outdoor pickleball and the official ball of USA Pickleball, the APP Tour and the US Open. That status is the shortest possible argument for buying it: if you ever intend to compete, this is what you will be competing with.
Why the official ball matters
Balls differ more than most players realize. Hole count, hole diameter, wall thickness and plastic formulation all change flight, bounce height, speed and how much spin the ball takes. A ball that flies two feet differently on a drive is a ball you will misjudge for the first three games.
That is why practicing with the tournament ball is worth something even if you never enter a tournament: it is the ball most clubs default to, the one visiting players expect, and the reference point every other ball is described against. Consistency of habit is worth more than a marginal spec advantage.
What 40 holes actually does
Outdoor balls are hard, with small, numerous holes— typically 40. Indoor balls are softer with fewer, larger holes— typically 26. That difference is not cosmetic; it is the whole design.
More, smaller holes make a ball less affected by wind and give it a faster, flatter flight. Outdoors, where a breeze can turn a good dink into a gift, that stability matters enormously. The harder plastic also survives concrete and asphalt, which would shred a soft indoor ball in a session.
How it plays
Flight.Predictable. The X-40 goes where you hit it and does the same thing twice, which sounds like a low bar until you play with a cheap ball that doesn't.
Bounce.Consistent from ball to ball within a pack — more consistent than several rivals, which matters because a dead ball in a set of three ruins a session.
Speed.Middle of the outdoor range. It is not the fastest ball available (the Dura Fast 40 is livelier) and it is not sluggish. That middle position is much of why it works as a standard — it doesn't favor bangers or dinkers.
Spin. Takes spin readily off a textured paddle face. If you play a spin-heavy game with something from our spin roundup, the X-40 responds properly.
Durability and cracking
Every hard outdoor ball eventually cracks, and the X-40 is no exception. What varies between balls is how long that takes and how they fail. The X-40 sits in a reasonable middle: more durable than the liveliest tournament balls, less bulletproof than the specifically crack-resistant options.
Cold is the main enemy.Plastic gets brittle below roughly 50°F, and a hard-struck ball in cold weather can split on a single shot. If you play through winter, keep balls in a warm car or a jacket pocket between games, and expect to go through more of them.
Retire cracked balls immediately. A cracked ball flies unpredictably and bounces dead, and playing with one is a good way to build a swing fault chasing a ball that was never going to behave. Buy in bulk and be ruthless.
X-40 vs Dura Fast 40 vs the rest
| Ball | Character | Durability | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin X-40 | Balanced, predictable | Good | The default choice |
| Dura Fast 40 | Faster, livelier | Lower — cracks sooner | Competitive play, faster games |
| Onix Fuse G2 | Balanced, durable | Very good | Value and longevity |
| Selkirk Pro S1 | 38-hole, crack-resistant | Excellent | Cold weather and heavy use |
The Dura Fast 40is the X-40's main rival and the ball a lot of competitive players prefer: faster off the paddle, livelier, and famous for cracking sooner. The Onix Fuse G2 is the durability-and-value pick, and the Selkirk Pro S1 uses 38 holes and a crack-resistant formulation for players tired of replacing balls. All of them are covered in our best pickleball balls roundup.
If you are choosing purely on cost per session, buy a 12-pack of a durable ballrather than 3-packs of a premium one — and keep a separate bulk set for ball machine work, which is hard on balls.
Who should buy something else
Indoor players.Buy an indoor ball. This is not a preference, it is a different product for a different surface — the Gamma Photon is the pick in our balls roundup.
Cold-climate winter players. A crack-resistant ball will save you money and annoyance between November and March.
Players managing elbow pain.Hard outdoor balls transmit more shock than soft indoor ones. If you have a choice of venue and you are managing symptoms, indoor play with an indoor ball is genuinely gentler — see best paddles for tennis elbow.
Verdict
The X-40 earns its status. It flies predictably, bounces consistently, sits sensibly in the middle of the speed range, and is the ball you will meet at almost any club or event in the country. There are faster balls, tougher balls and cheaper balls — but if you want one outdoor ball and no further thought, this is it. Just don't take it indoors, and read indoor vs outdoor balls before you buy a case of the wrong thing.
What we liked
- The tournament standard — practice with what you'll compete with
- Consistent, predictable flight and bounce out of the pack
- Balanced durability and liveliness for a hard outdoor ball
- Widely available in every pack size, including value bulk
What gave us pause
- Like all hard outdoor balls, it can crack in cold weather
- Softer indoor balls are a better choice on gym floors
- Harder on the arm than an indoor ball if you're managing elbow issues
Frequently asked questions
Is the Franklin X-40 the official pickleball?
Yes — it's the official ball of USA Pickleball, and also the official ball of the APP Tour and the US Open. That means if you enter a sanctioned event, this is very likely what you'll play with, which is a strong argument for practicing with it even if you never compete.
Franklin X-40 or Dura Fast 40 — which is better?
The X-40 is the more balanced, more durable and more predictable ball, which is why it's the default. The Dura Fast 40 is faster and livelier off the paddle, which many competitive players prefer, but it's well known for cracking sooner. If you want one ball for everything, take the X-40; if you like a quick game and don't mind replacing balls, the Dura.
Can you use the Franklin X-40 indoors?
You can, but you shouldn't if you have a choice. Outdoor balls are hard with 40 small holes, which makes them fast, loud and high-bouncing on a gym floor. Indoor balls are softer with fewer, larger holes for a slower, quieter game that suits polished wood. Using the wrong one changes how the game plays more than most paddle differences do.
Why do pickleballs crack, and how long should one last?
Hard outdoor plastic fatigues with repeated impact and becomes brittle in cold weather — below roughly 50°F a hard-struck ball can split on a single shot. Lifespan varies enormously with temperature, surface and how hard your group hits, so buy in bulk rather than counting sessions. Retire cracked balls immediately; they fly unpredictably and bounce dead.
How many holes does a Franklin X-40 have?
Forty, which is where the name comes from and is the standard for outdoor balls. More, smaller holes make the ball less affected by wind and give it a faster, flatter flight — both essential outdoors. Indoor balls typically use 26 larger holes for a softer, slower ball suited to still air and gym floors.
Sources
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