%20Logo%20for%20apparel%20(16).png)
%20Logo%20for%20apparel%20(16).png)
%20(1).png)
Our C-605 is officially official.
- SALT Pickleball
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Several weeks ago, we mailed nine paddles across the country and asked you to trust the process. (more on that, in case you missed it.) The testing process ran its course, and the results are in.
The C-605 is officially USA Pickleball approved. It's legal for sanctioned play, and it's on the USA Pickleball approved equipment list - the same list every paddle from every brand has to earn its way onto.
That's the headline. But the part we actually want to talk about are the actual metrics behind the test results, because the numbers say the quiet part out loud.
What "approved" actually means
USA Pickleball is the non-profit national governing body for the sport. They keep a list of every paddle that's legal for sanctioned play - north of 2,500 of them - and if your paddle isn't on it, it doesn't matter how good it is. Off the list, off the court.
To get in USAP's paddle database, your paddle goes to an independent lab (the same lab for every brand) and gets measured against a published standard. Surface roughness. Size. Face deflection. And, since late 2024, power - measured by a test called PBCoR.
The C-605 was tested against the current standard and passed every line. No deviations, no asterisks, no "approved with conditions." A clean pass.
The metric we're proud of: PBCoR
PBCoR is the power test. It fires a ball at the paddle and measures how much energy comes back - how much "pop" the face gives you. USA Pickleball capped it at 0.43, and they tightened that cap in late 2025 to pull some of the hottest paddles back in line. (The Dink wrote a good piece on why.) It basically means that, when a ball strikes a paddle, no more than 43% of the input energy can be measured upon output. This has been the portion of USAP paddle-testing that's been keeping paddle makers up at night. The test is equal parts difficult to recreate & difficult to gauge. This part of the testing process has single-handedly been failing paddles left & right since its inception. Big brands, too. Joola, Gearbox, ProKennex - massive and well-funded brands that dwarf SALT have all had paddles fail the PBCoR test.
Thankfully, our new model made the cut. So where did it land? Our C-605 tested a max PBCoR of 0.41. Comfortably under USA Pickleball's legal limit of 0.43 - which is exactly where a control paddle is supposed to live. If you listen closely, you can still hear my overly dramatic sigh of relief.
We told you in the first post that this is a control paddle - that it controls power instead of chasing it. That was the pitch. The PBCoR number is the receipt. It isn't a paddle that needs the rule book to save it from itself. It sits under the ceiling because that's where a control paddle is supposed to live, and it plays and feels like a composed control paddle.
The other number we like: the dwell
There's a separate test for face deflection - how much the face gives when you load it. The limit is 0.005 of an inch. The C-605 measured right at it.
That's not a flaw. That's the dwell time. The give in the face is what lets the ball sit a beat longer than you expect - the soft, cushioned feel on drops, resets, and blocks that we built the whole paddle around. Maximum touch, paired with power that stays under the USAP cap. Soft in the hands, while also having pop on demand. That's the C-605 in two measurements.
For the record, the rest passed comfortably too: surface texture grippy but legal, size in spec. Consistent build, top to bottom.
C-605: the test sheet
Power (PBCoR): 0.41 against a limit of 0.43 - pass, under the cap.
Face deflection (dwell): 0.005" against a limit of 0.005" - pass, maximum legal touch.
Surface friction (spin): 0.117 against a limit of 0.1875 - pass, grippy and legal.
Surface roughness: all averages and maximums within limits - pass.
Size (length + width): 23.8" against a limit of 24.0" - pass.
Tested by an independent USA Pickleball-contracted lab against the current Equipment Standards Manual. No deviations.
So what changes now
The C-605 is now tournament-legal. If you've been holding off because it wasn't on the list yet - it's on the list. Play it in a sanctioned event and nobody's pulling it out of your hand.
If you bought during the presale: thank you, genuinely. Your stamping event is the next thing on our calendar. Every presale paddle gets the official USAP stamp printed on the face at a live upcoming stamping event once we lock the date. Can't make it? We'll sort it out, and get you stamped regardless.
FAQ
Is the SALT C-605 USA Pickleball approved?
Yes. The C-605 16mm passed USA Pickleball certification testing and is approved for sanctioned tournament play. It appears on the official USA Pickleball approved equipment list.
What was the C-605's PBCoR score?
0.41, against a maximum allowed limit of 0.43. PBCoR is USA Pickleball's power test; a lower number means less pop off the face. The C-605 is built for control, so landing under the cap is by design, not by accident.
What is PBCoR?
Paddle/Ball Coefficient of Restitution - a test USA Pickleball introduced in late 2024 to measure how much energy a paddle returns to the ball. It's how they cap power and limit the "trampoline effect." Details are in USA Pickleball's PBCoR testing documentation.
Can I use the C-605 in tournaments now?
Yes. Approval means it's legal for USA Pickleball-sanctioned play. Always check that your specific paddle appears on the current approved list if you want to be certain before an event.
Do presale buyers still get the stamping event?
Yes. Every presale C-605 gets the official USAP stamp applied at a live event once the date is set. If you can't attend, we'll arrange another way to get your paddle stamped.
