Defense is not easy with this racket so it should not be used by players without a lot of experience, if you seek power then you will get it with this racket but you will need the ball well as the sweet spot is not the biggest.
Real Player Reviews of Padel Rackets
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Defense is not the easiest with this racket as you can feel its head heavy. Once I'm at the net though it really shines and you can get that extra power the foam gives you. Also my arm isn't hurting after like it was on harder diamonds.
I used a budget round racket that i got from decathlon and the first week the difference in firmness was a lot more than i expected so my lobs were going a lot shorter than i wanted, but now i'm used to it the ball pretty much goes exactly where i'm pointing it. I'm the right side player, which suits me.
Too firm for me. Quick to move around, yes, but I want a softer contact than this. The Air name had me expecting an easier racket.
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Soft enough to get the ball moving when I'm defending, and the long handle is a big plusfiddling with screws before a match. Wouldn't pick it for smashing everything. For blocking, lobbing and waiting for a ball I can actually attack, it works for me
Crisp is the word. I like feeling the contact this clearly on a volley. Wouldn't choose this 12K if I wanted a soft racket.
The balance is very high, so in fast exchanges at the net when they aim at my feet I'm late more than I was with the teardrop. My overheads kept landing long for most of July since the ball jumps off the face even on a short swing, it took a while to calm my arm down. The sweet spot is small too, hit anywhere near the frame and you feel it buzz up into the wrist. Yes there is a lot of free power when you hit it well, but it ask for a lot in return. Get it only if you are advance level left side player who smash a lot.
Playing it since spring on the left, about three times a week, Playtomic level around 4. I came from a softer round racket so the first weeks took some adjusting. What I like: at the net it's very stable, a hard ball at my body doesn't twist the face, and the rough texture lets the víbora and the bandeja really bite. Smashes have proper pace when I commit to the swing. What took work: from the back glass the racket hands you almost nothing on its own. A defensive lob I hit late lands short unless I swing all the way through. Mine weighed 371 g on the kitchen scale, heavier than the listed 365, and late in a long match my shoulder starts to complain. It has held up well, just a few scuffs on the frame from the walls. If you mostly defend, look at the LS version instead. If you like to win points at the net, it's a very good racket.
Two months into playing a Babolat Technical Viper 2025 two or three times a week, a hard spinny vibora produced a pop and a large crack across the face. The shop's technician believed it was a manufacturing defect and is contacting Babolat.
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“I smashed a few balls and then hit a very hard spinny vibora and heard a pop and saw a huge crack running from the place I hit the ball to the middle of the racket.”
Owns the 2026 AT10 Genius 18K, which weighed 390 grams with two grips and a protector, and says it really damaged their elbow. Has moved to a Cork Supreme Control, which they find much better.
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“I've still got the 2026, but not sure how much use it'll get with how heavy it sits. Really damaged my elbow.”
The control is excellent. Chiquitas and lobs land where I aim them, and the 12K face gives a nice bit of feel on soft volleys. Balance is a touch head-heavy for a teardrop but it never feels sluggish at the net. Sweet spot is normal
When I'm set under the ball the smash is a weapon, the problem is anything fast at the body. At 370 g with that much weight up in the head I'm late on reflex volleys, and digging balls out of the back corner is hard work. I'm keeping it for friendlies and going back to something lighter for competitive games
Ridiculously light and fast at the net, volleys feel great. But it is stiff and dry and off-centre hits get punished hard. Fine if you hit clean, not if you're tired.
Switched from an old Adidas that was pretty hard on my wrist. About 3 months with the 18K now, playing twice a week, and my arm has thanked me. It's soft, the ball sort of sits on the foam a bit longer so lobs and chiquitas land where I aim them. Volleys feel crisp and it's quick enough at the net. Power is just ok, don't expect big smashes unless you swing properly. I'd call it a control racket that forgives a bit when I'm late. Got a few scratches already so get a protector. Would recommend if you're intermediate and want comfort over raw pop.
Switched to the Vertex 05 from a round control racket and the first two weeks were rough. The head-heavy balance is very noticeable and my bandejas kept sailing long until I shortened my swing. Once it clicked though, the power on smashes is the best I've had. Flat smashes from the left side actually go out by 3 now, which never happened before. Downsides: the sweet spot is small and up high, so off-centre volleys feel dead and you feel it in the elbow by the third set. Slow at the net in fast exchanges too. Face is still holding up fine after about 8 months, 2-3 times a week. Great if you play left and like to finish points overhead. If you're a defensive right-side player or have any arm issues, I'd look at something more forgiving.
bought it because the shop guy said its a control racket. it kind of is, but its very firm and dry and my elbow started complaining after about 3 weeks of playing twice a week. light in the hand and quick at the net, which i liked. sweet spot is small so my bad days are really bad. not terrible, wouldnt buy it again
Used the Triton+ Power 2026 as a diamond power-control racket: stiff and dry with a smaller sweet spot but forgiving for its shape, little rebound, and very good for smashing, though it demands focus and early preparation.
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“Triton+ Power 2026 is quite stiff and dry, it’s drier than the HRD+ 2026. The sweet spot is smaller than the Raptor but quite forgiving for a diamond racket, and expect minimal rebound/trampoline.”
Right-side low-intermediate player who used the Raptor+ 2026 for about a year; finds it very forgiving with a big sweet spot and plenty of rebound, strong from the back, and comfortable, though at the net the ball output needs a swing adjustment.
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“Raptor+ 2026 is a really forgiving racket, it provides great sweet spot and rebound/trampoline effect.”
Nice racket when I stop trying to smash everything. I like the control from the back and there's a decent amount of room for a slightly messy contact. But when I want to finish a point, I have to do more of the work than I'd like. Probably better suited to someone more patient than me lol.
Calls the Metalbone CTRL 3.4 the best racket they've played to date, though it finally cracked after 18 months.
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“Haven’t tried the others, but the Metalbone CTRL 3.4 is the best racket I’ve played with to date. It finally cracked after 18 months”
Loved the Metalbone CTRL 2026 after 90 minutes, a big upgrade that gave enough power, but struggled with overheads and digging balls near the glass, and returned it over a faulty weight-adjustment screw.
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“I absolutely loved the Adidas. I played with it for about 90 minutes, and toward the end, things really started clicking. It felt like a big upgrade from my previous rackets, and it gave me enough power for my game.”
Owns the Metalbone 3.4 and an Oxdog Ultimate Pro: the Adidas is a bit more unpredictable when blocking but gives more free power for heavy hitters.
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“the main difference i feel with them is that the Adidas is a bit more unpredictable when blocking and returning fast balls but it gives you more free power so it rewards a heavy hand.”
Bought the last Ultimate Tour X in stock from the Oxdog website a couple of months ago and absolutely loves it.
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“A couple months ago I got myself an Ultimate Tour X (the last one in stock from the Oxdog website! sorry, it's been out of stock ever since lol), and I absolutely love it.”
Tested the 2025 Metalbone HRD+ 3.4 and really liked its feel; wants an offensive racket with a firm touch.
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“I tried the HRD+ 2025 and really liked its feel.”
Tested the 2026 Vertex 05 and found it too soft and too all-round for an offensive, firm-feel preference.
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“I also tested a Bullpadel Vertex 05 2026 which felt too soft and too all-round for my taste.”
Used the 2026 Metalbone CTRL for a few months and hates its trampoline effect.
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“I was using metalbone ctrl 2026 for the past few months but i hate its trampoline effect”
Great racket for control, it does sometime feel like it lack power
Found the AT10 Pro Cup Soft 2026 gave slightly more power than their Head Radical Elite but felt average at everything and not powerful enough to attack, though control on lobs and defence was better than a powerful AT10 Genius.
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“Then I switched to the **NOX AT10 Pro Cup Soft 2026**. Slightly more power, but honestly, it still feels pretty average at everything and doesn't give me enough power when attacking.”
Switched from a Metalbone CTRL to the Pure Tour X and loves it: it feels like the Metalbone but without the bouncy trampoline effect, with better volleys at the net.
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“switched to the Oxdog pure tour x and absolutely love it feels just like the metalbone but without the bouncy/trampoline”
Just got the Counter Viper 2026 and does not like the feel so far: it seems too heavy and not powerful enough for them.
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“I got a babolat counter viper 2026 but I don't really like the feeling at all at the moment, it seems too heavy and not enough powerful at all.”
An advanced left-side player who loves their Siux Electra Pro 2026 and prefers it by far over the Vertex 04 Power they had before, though after 8 months the foam feels like it is deteriorating.
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“I use the Siux Electra pro 2026 and I love it. Used to have a Vertex 04 power. I prefer the Siux by far.”
Currently loving the Oxdog Ultimate Pro Smash 2026.
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“I'm using the Ultimate Pro Smash (2026) and loving it.”
A low-intermediate right-side player tested the Metalbone CTRL 2026 and hated its trampoline effect.
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“I’ve tested the adidas metalbone ctrl 2026 but hated the trampoline effect.”
Really nice one, easy to handle and comfortable, it have quite a lot of easy power as the racket is very reactive so it can take some time to get use to it and feel in total control.
FIrst the weight of the air viper I got without the string was 363 gram, so quite a bit more then the 355 that it's suppose to come with, with 1 overgrip we already have a racket that is about 370 gram so not really light as intended. I bought It after trying a friend air viper for a few shots and liked the crisp touch, but playing it in game felt much more demanding, speclay coming from the nox at10 18k which is super a comfortable racket, the viper with the higher balance and longer handle felt harder to move and to play well with. Sure I got some extra power in shots compare to the nox, but the price I paid in my overall game was not worth it. I gave it 3/5 and not less because I can see the appeal it can have for other players.
After trying almost every top brand they now play the 2025 Oxdog Ultimate Pro+ and call it one of the best rackets they have ever had.
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“Playing at the moment with 2025 Ultimate Pro Plus and its one best rackets I've ever had.”
Came from Vertex 04 and Vertex 03 Comfort looking for a softer feel; bought the Xplo Comfort 2026 and loves it, exceeding expectations.
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“@OtroNivelPadelHey friend! I wanted to tell you that I bought the Xplo CMF 2026 and I love it! It met and exceeded my expectations!! Thanks so much for this video!!”
A player who got the Vertex 05 Hybrid 2026 this week says it's great and perfect for them.
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“Bullpadel vertex 05 hybride 2026 is great”
Three months with the Air Vertuo: very forgiving and great for tennis elbow and long rallies, but it lacks power.
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“I used the air vertuo for around 3 months. It is a very forgiving racket and lacks power. Good for a beginner. GREAT for teniss elbow and longer rallies.”
After 1.5 years with the Air Viper 2025: more power than the AT10 18K 2026, but it needs a lot more technique.
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“The Viper has more power, but I feel like it requires a lot more technique to use.”
Three matches into the AT10 Genius 18K 2026 after the Air Viper 2025: far more forgiving, with a bigger sweet spot and better feel.
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“The AT10 is way more forgiving, with a noticeable bigger sweetspot and better ball-feel.”
I am intermediate playing for about 1 year and this is my second padel racket, Before this I played with some random cheap rackets my club had, and this is a huge jump, i like how easy it is to hit my shots, sweet spot is the all racket so even when I miss hit the ball does not die like on other rackets I tried, it doesn't have a massive power but it's enough for me as I don't really smash, i do get great deep vibora and volley with it. When I use it in defense it feels really solid on ground stokes and lobs.
Calls their Head Coello Pro 2026 (365 g) a beast: easy in defence, powerful in attack with a big sweet spot, though blocks, viboras and volleys take getting used to.
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“Try the head coello pro 2026, believe me when I say this thing is a beast. Easy in the defence but powerful in the attack”
After one training session, a new Viper Soft Juan Lebrón 2027 showed hairline cracks along the frame curve, though the 360g unit felt incredible.
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“I noticed these lines along the curve of the frame.”
Tried StarVie's new rackets: likes the Eternal, with an OK sweet spot, though it doesn't feel very different from the Triton; finds all StarVies soft.
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“I tried them all. Sweet spot is OK, don’t see any problems. I played mix and lady loved t-one, I like eternal, but I don’t feel giant difference from triton.”
After trying StarVie's new models, rates the Triton Balance+ as their best racket for intermediate and above, with an OK sweet spot.
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“For me all Starvie rackets are soft. Balance+ is their best racket for intermediate and above.”
I bought after trying my friend viper soft for a few hits and loved the power with it on volly and vibora but when I actually played in a game with it I realized quickly it's too much for me to handle, the sweet spot was not big enough and the high balance made me struggle too much carrying it around, felt too heavy and demanding. I can see the appeal though, the foam is reactive and gives you a lot of power so if you can manage it than it can be a real treat, but you need to be at least in advance level for this racket imo. My unit was not heavy, it was 360g.
A player still loves the carbon-face Head Extreme Motion 2025: slightly less power than the Technical Viper but far more manoeuvrable and forgiving.
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“A slight drop in power from the Tech Viper (2024), but a significant increase in manoeuvrability and more forgiving too.”
Cracked before its first use after a low, knee-height drop in the changing room.
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“Before my first use on court it dropped flat on ground in changing room from knee height”
Love this racket, bought after I saw some glowing youtube reviews on how easy it's to play with, first I hesitate a bit because it's branded as a women racket and i'm a man but don't let that stop you! it's just a branding thing and this racket is great for guys and girls both. it's not a power house but it's so comfortable and easy to use, its light so very fast to swing around and I'm hitting the deepest most accurate lobs with it.
I bought it 2 months ago and I love it. It's beautifully made, feels like a real quality racket. I took off the bottom 8g weight and with the overgrip I feel like the balance is perfect. And I really mean perfect. You will sacrifice a little top end power compared to the ultimate pro for example but the feel and control you get is more than worth it. If you have shoulder and wrist issues I can almost guarantee this racket will be what you're looking for and is ideal for a control playing style (same as mine). Taking off the 8g weight will also do your wrist a big favour. I've only briefly tried Adidas and Siux rackets (metalbone control and Pegasus Pro) from those you mention and I honestly feel the Oxdog is a cut above in terms of quality and feel. But I'm probably not the best person to ask for comparisons as I don't have much experience with other rackets. But as you can probably tell I couldn't be happier with the Ultimate Tour X!
Not for me, I could not get with it and while I can see the power it has it was costing me way too much in defence it felt like holding a hammer, my lobs fell short often, even though my unit was light - 355g, its head heavy so moving it around was a pain for me. Granted I am not an advance player or anything like that (playing for 1 year) so I would say you need to be a skilled player to handle this racket.
Love/hate story with the metalbone, Volleys and overheads feel amazing, there’s a lot of free power and the head-heavy balance really helps when you’re accelerating through the ball. The downside for me is definitely defense. You feel the weight in the head, especially when you’re under pressure at the back and need to react quickly. It’s not impossible to defend with, but you need to prepare earlier and I notice I’m late more often than with a lighter teardrop racket. Overall I’d say it’s a fun racket if you like attacking and don’t mind a head-heavy feel that will make you lose some edge when you are in the back.
Plays the Drax+ 2026 and calls it a fantastic racket. Being tall with big hands, they use two overgrips and haven't had the handle problems others mention, noting that StarVie handles tend to be thin.
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“i use drax+ 2026. Fantastic racket. I also use 2 overgrips since i'm tall and have big hands, so i've never really noticed what you're talking about”
The 2025, against all my predictions, has replaced the Bullpadel 2024w. Sure, the lobs are much less incisive and it's less easy to hit, but the precision and touch make it my favorite, especially if you increase the pace at the net. In my first match with this racquet, on my second volley, I said to my partner as I was hitting, "Look at the net!" And I did a dejada outside the net... That's when love blossomed (with the racquet, not with my partner!) P.S. There's a bit of vibration, though; even though it's light, I feel a bit uncomfortable if I play a lot of matches.
Picked it up as I heard it's very arm friendly racket and I had some wrist pain and it does work for that purpose. Very easy to play with and light on the arm. It's not a power racket and have a soft feeling, but it makes up for it by how fast and maneuverable it is. Mine weight is 360 gram with one wilson overgrip but since the balance is low it feels so light to move around. In defense it's a dream, I do feel it lack a bit of punch when hitting overheads but it's an ok tradeoff for me for the comfort it provide.
I love the 2026 Air viper more then the 2025 one, I sense the sweet spot is bigger and the racket is more easy to use, the maneuverability is incredible, power I would say 6.5/10 and with a very crisp touch that I enjoy. not suitable for beginners or low intermediate, you need good technique to manage this racket. Flas smash is my favorite with it, balls are coming back to my side with ease.
Intermediate here coming from an AT10 12k 2023. The Oxdog is a lot better for my needs. Good maneuverability, harder, dryer, not bouncy, so I can control my shots a lot better than with the AT10. It's more powerful too. Love the racket, the build quality is amazing too compared to the Nox. I've adapted pretty quickly to it too.
The Nox AT10 12K is good but over-rated. There's nothing wrong with it apart from the awful production standards and quality control. It will also be softer than your Air Viper and less powerful.
I am only at my 2nd match with the diablo and I really like it. I was looking for something with less trampoline effect than the ST4 and so far I am satisfied. Very maneuverable, good control and the power is there when you need it. Mine is 355 grams. ST4 is also a great racket though especially since it is cheaper now
I am attacking left side player and this 12k is perfect for my game style, I loved the 2025 and this feels different, it's more reactive and got more explosive power, the big plus is that it's also very to defend with. The weight of my unit is 364 gram with the original grip and 1 overgrip. For Intermediate players I would advice to go with the 18k variant instead as its slightly less demanding than the 12k.
Little too head heavy for me, I was struggling in defense and found the sweet spot to be too small for me, it's not a bad racket but I think it's just too advanced for me.
It's very much like the vertex hybrid 2025, very easy to play with, sweet spot is all over the racket so very hard to miss hit, power is 4/10 so not amazing for attacking style player for its one of the best all rounder rackets. I would say level is good for beginners + up to advance, mostly for right side players.
I wanted to love this racket as I read lots of positive reviews but just could not get used to how much trampoline effect this racket have! the ball just bounce out of the racket and even though this is suppose to be a CTRL racket I felt like I could not get it under control at all! I guess its good for beginners who need help with ball output but it was not for me.
XPLO 26 was nice, but I don’t think my level is high enough yet to make sure I can hit the sweet spot.
I have the 3.4 version and it's been a great racket. Considering the 3.5 or potentially trying an Oxdog Pure. But so far, I haven't liked any rackets as much as I've liked the CTRL 3.4. I see people talking about the trampoline effect and it is not a problem for me. I have no problem taking off power from hard shots (like a rocket bajada for example). P.S. I use the weight either at the top or not at all. Have never tried them on the bottom.
I am quite a beginner myself who happened to receive an AT10 18K. Before I had a ML10 Pro Cup. I must say I love the AT10 much more! It's not that hard to handle and feels quite controlling in my opinion. The one thing I need to do more compared to the ML10 is to actually hit the ball with a bit of force. The ML10 had more a trampoline effect which the AT10 has less imo.
Only played 4-5 matches with the head, but from the very first moment it felt very natural and fluent. It had the same agility (in my opinion) as the Nox, but with a bigger sweet spot. It does have the same trampoline effect as the AT10, which I like personally.
I am fairly new to padel, only 4 months and someone recommended me this racket and it feels great and gives me a lot of confidence when I play, the sweet spot is huge so when I miss hit the ball still goes well, it took me very little time to get used to it (coming from counter veron racket) also very comfortable on the arm.
My playing partner has the Neuron Edge 2027 and loves it. Moves well, good power and amazing control. The only thing is it’s very hard, he’s getting a bit of wrist pain from it, so take that into account. Can’t comment on the Hack but he loves the Edge.
Love this pala and been playing with it in the last 2 years, it's the perfect combo racket for me for power and control. balance is medium and feels light (mine without the heascore grip and with 1 overgrip is 354 gram )
I love the easy power the metalbone give me, the long handle is great when attacking but can make you little more slow to get to the ball when defending, the sweet spot is not huge but got used to it after a few games. My lobs can came short sometime unlike my nox10 at18k but it's expected from diamond racket. overall I love it and it really improved my level of aggression.
Counter Viper is the best racket ever. I been playing since the 2023 model. I love it. I am advanced
after trying to adjust with the Kuikma Hybrid Carbon for almost 11 months, I have finally given up on it. The racket has a hard feel and works well if you have a really good technique. I have tried my best to perfect my technique but a little mistake here and there always kills my shots.
A left-side player (about 5.0) who bought the previous Extreme Motion 2025 to move away from demanding rackets, three matches in. Compared with their Siux Fenix Elite 5 it feels stiffer and gives slight discomfort on mishits, but has more ball output for deep lobs and is more controllable and manoeuvrable for bandejas and viboras; flat smashes have a little less raw power.
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“The Head Extreme Motion feels stiffer—board-like compared to the Siux. While I don't suffer from elbow issues, it's true that on a mistimed movement or an off-center hit, I’ve felt a bit of discomfort.”
Recently got the Coello Motion 2026. Finds it not too stiff, with nice ball output and a big sweet spot, good for overheads thanks to its diamond shape, and light (360 g) and easy to move.
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“I recently got the Head Coello Motion 2026 and I think it suits your profile pretty well too. Is not too stiff so you get a nice ball output”
Has played it for 15–20 hours and loves its feel, hardness, rebound and control. The six-sided, rounder handle is the problem: the racket slips in their continental grip on hard shots, even with grip aids, so they decided to give up on it despite liking how it plays.
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“I've been playing with my Starvie Drax+ for around 15–20 hours now, and I absolutely love the feel, hardness, rebound, and control of the racket.”
It's 4/5 on everything so for me it's great, it allow me to attack well while not losing much on maneuverability and defensive play, my favorite shot with is vibora, really easy to add good spin.
A right-side intermediate player who has used it for three months. Enjoys the ball output and sweet spot but finds it a bit heavy and hard, and is looking for something similar with a softer core.
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“i've been playing with the vertex hybrid for the past 3 months and really enjoy its ball output and sweet spot. However, im finding it a bit heavy and hard”
Picked up the Metalbone CTRL 2026 and it’s honestly exceeded expectations. Defensively, it’s super easy to play with. Even without any weights, it feels very stable, forgiving, and gives a lot of confidence when you’re under pressure or defending low balls. What surprised me most is the attacking side. Once I added weight at the top, the racket still feels quick through the air and the ball output improves a lot. You can actually finish points without feeling like you’re missing power, which isn’t always the case with control rackets. Also a big one for me: zero arm pain so far, even after longer sessions. Overall, it’s a really nice balance, strong on defense, but still enough pop on attack when you tweak the setup. If you’re looking for a control racket that doesn’t feel dead, this is a very solid option.
The EA10 is amazing, and the AT10 12k is more reactive; it's easy power, but there's a point where it kind of overwhelms you
Was literally about to sell it after using it once with the weights in the bottom. Decided to try it without the weights and wowwwww. I really thought I needed a “hard” racket. And this was just too soft. I was very wrong. It is literally perfect, and I’ve never felt so confident playing. Like I can finally play as I know I can, and don’t have to worry about my racket.
About 5 months ago I brought a secondhand (brand new condition) Adidas Metalbone CTRL and my first game with it was game changing, round shape made it feel so much more consistent and reliable and have played with it ever since. Absolutely love it and although I’m only about level 1.5 on Playtomic, I am regularly playing competitively against level 2+.
Their racket weighs 375 g with protector, two overgrips and strap, which they feel is above the CTRL's stated range. Compared with the much lighter Arrow Hit Light it is noticeably less manoeuvrable, but they prefer the Metalbone in most other respects.
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“Comparing against the Arrow Hit Light (admittedly a very light racket) I notice a steep drop in manoeuvrability in the Metalbone. I prefer the Metalbone in most other areas though and think a lighter version of it would be perfect.”
Wilson Bela V3 (non pro). 365 grs. Nice weight to smash, very very good touch almost dry but with some liveness, nicely balanced and with the best 3D embossed face PLUS sand roughness. Its a hoot to slice. Very durable. I have it. 6 months 3x week, no dents, all complete, paint intact. Wilson has been making racquets since 1913
LeBron soft 2026 is absolutely amazing to play with! It’s got a ton of power and I made it a point to pick the lightest unit in the store so it’ll be more manoeuvrable for me. It weights at 376g now with an overgrip and head protector and it’s been solid to help me develop my offensive game
Great racket but sometime I feel it lack power for attacking shots, also can feel a bit bouncy at times. It is great for right side defensive player as it offer a lot of control.
One of the best rackets out there for control + comfort, I hit my best lobs with it, its not that amazing on power so only gave it 3/5 on that but its perfect on everything else.
Very explosive racket, love the power it gives me and for a power racket I would say its not bad at all when defending. Sweet spot is decent, I personally don't like the hesacore grip so I removed it and the racket only weigh 355 gram without and with 2 wilson overgrips instead. Not suitable for beginners as it's super easy to handle and you need to know how to handle it.
I currently play with a ML10 Pro Cup Luxury series and it's great, can't say otherwise. However, I'm starting to dislike a bit the trampoline effect and I'm thinking on switching to something harder,
Weight as listed is not especially low but the one I used felt closer to 355g. It's also essentially the same as the (much) more expensive Arrow Hit CTRL but without the elaborate, delicate weight adjustment system. (Although granted, this version can be made yet lighter with the removal of all of the weights.) Again has a different feel to most rackets with pretty good control but more pop than the Aurora. Definitely felt more controllable to me (in a medium-paced, intermediate-level game) than the Metalbone CTRL 2026 that I tried at the same time, which I thought was a bit 'wild'.
The metalbone is such a unique racket and I am pretty divided about it. The foam is really reactive and it gives me a lot of "free power" so when you hit the ball will come out a lot even you don't complete the swinging motion, so it really helps when attacking, the problem is that it can also easily get out of control and lead to more errors. So you really need to learn how to handle it and master it. The balance is high so defending with it will cost you as its not the easiest to move around. You need to have good form to play with this racket well.
Great racket, easy to move around and offer decent power with stiff touch. the 2025 Model and the 2026 increased the sweet spot (I tired the 2024 and could not handle it) so for me it became more accessible. Its truly shine at the net, vibora, volly etc. Only minus I found that when I play long hours with it I do get slight shoulder pain, probably due to the stiff touch.
Wow this is worst racket I ever tried, which is a real shame because the 2025 hack hybrid was a truly great racket, I am not sure what bullpadel did with the foam of this racket but it feel so soulless, I could not really feel the ball, really awful feeling, I would avoid.
Good racket. Stiff feel, while still pretty forgiving for off-center shots. Nice balance of power and control.
Really fun racket to play with, feels light and easy to move (i took the 8 gram plate off and with 1 overgrip its 362 gram), it does have a bit of a bouncy foam, so it's not very dry so that's something to get use to and manage as balls can sometime fly too much. overall fantastic racket that will require some adjustment period.
I agree, have the same pala and absolutely love it. The thing that amazes me the most is the combination of dry feeling/little trampoline effect + easy power on overheads + really easy to manoever and no pain in elbow whatsoever (I have had tennis elbow in other rackets). I would seriously consider buying a second one once the price drops to 110-130 EUR near the end of season when the new version is gonna come out.
I had high hopes for this racket as I saw really good reviews for it, both on youtube and reddit but I got to say I really didn't like it. I can see the appeal as the price is cheap and it's a terrible racket but the touch with the ball felt so dim to me, like my racket had a condom on, I could not really feel the ball and it felt bad to play with. I can see it is a maneuverable racket that is not hard to play with so it can suit early intermediate and beginners + and above, and I guess some people like it as it does get a lot of great reviews. I just could not click with it.
Its amazing racket, I love the feel of it so much, it's crisp and dry, great for both attack and defense.. but! sadly it totally wrecked my arm, my shoulder, my wrist - everything was In pain every time I played with it. I am not sure if its the stiff carbon, the weight (mine was 373 gram with one overip) or probably just a combination of all of those things, so sadly I had to sell it. if you have arm problems or prone to arm problems I advice you stay away from it, otherwise it's one of the best rackets on the market.
It's a nice racket with dry feel, the sweet spot I would say is less than medium, the control for diamond racket is good but it's not as easy to play with like hybrid shape rackets, you can feel when you are hitting outside the sweet spot and many time my lobs fell short. Overall it's a solid racket but if you coming from hybrid shape racket it will take some time to adjust. I do not recommend this racket to beginners
Recently moved away from the same AT10 18K 2024 looking for a drier, less bouncy racket. After looking around I bought the NOX EA10 Ventus Hybrid 12K. Quite a big difference, much less bounce, slightly smaller sweet spot, much better volleys, struggling a bit on defense. I'm still adapting but I like the change.
I would say this is the closes racket I ever had that I consider a complete racket, its good at everything, good power and stable and does not cost you defense. Sure the 18k of this year might be slightly easier to defend with as it have bigger ball output but the extra power the 12k gives you is worth it.
A former tennis player of 40 years, now three years into padel, who mostly plays the 2025 Speed Pro (non-X). Calls it a good compromise: 370 g yet surprisingly agile and very solid, with a huge sweet spot and excellent on blocks and overheads.
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“It’s a very good compromise in my opinion. It’s “cheaper” and 370g, 370 balance but surprisingly agile and rock solid. Good (immense) sweetspot and amazing in blocks, overhead shots etc.”
Recommends it as a very manageable racket with a hard touch that still gives enough ball output. Says it has a little less power than a diamond but is very good for a teardrop shape.
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“Maybe take a look into Siux Diablo Pro 2026. Very manageable racket, nice hard touch but with enough ball output. Power might be a little less then a diamond, but its very good for a teardrop!”
Owns the non-Pro Bela V3 (365 g) and has played it three times a week for six months. Likes its weight for smashing, its almost dry but lively touch, the balance and the rough 3D face for slicing, and says it has held up with no dents or paint loss.
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“Nice weight to smash, very very good touch almost dry but with some liveness, nicely balanced and with the best 3D embossed face PLUS sand roughness. Its a hoot to slice.”
Calls it amazing to play with and very powerful. They picked the lightest unit in the shop for manoeuvrability; it weighs 376 g with an overgrip and head protector and has helped them develop their attacking game.
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“LeBron soft 2026 is absolutely amazing to play with! It’s got a ton of power and I made it a point to pick the lightest unit in the store so it’ll be more manoeuvrable for me.”
Love this racket, super easy to move around, comfortable, can get you out of tough situations. It's not super power racket but the 18k is mainly a control racket with good enough power, I can easily do 3x smash with it using spin, flat smash is not this racket main thing but also possible. I am hitting the best deep lobs with it as well. Highly recommend for beginners plus up to advanced players.
Somehow, HEAD managed to make this thing handle like a hybrid shape. I don’t fully understand the sorcery behind it, but the maneuverability is insane for a diamond. Quick volleys at the net? No problem. Fast hands in reflex situations? Absolutely doable. Bandejas and viboritas where you need touch and spin? Surprisingly smooth. What makes it special: ∙Power without sacrifice. The diamond shape and head-heavy balance give you the explosive offense you’d expect : smashes, por tres, everything hits harder. But you don’t pay the usual price in control. ∙Defensive capability that has no business being in a diamond. This is the part that blows my mind. When I’m defending at the back of the court, I can maneuver this racket almost as easily as my old hybrid. Lobs, slow balls out of the glass, defensive walls, it all feels natural and controlled. ∙Great sweet spot. For a diamond it’s very forgiving. Off-center hits don’t punish you the way they usually do with this shape. ∙Balance and weight distribution. Whatever HEAD did with the internal weight distribution just works. It feels balanced in the hand despite being technically head-heavy. Hard to describe until you play with it. If you’re an intermediate to advanced player who always felt like choosing a diamond meant giving up your defensive game, give this one a try. It genuinely offers the best of both worlds the power of a diamond with the playability of a hybrid.
Its a great racket, very easy to play with and has decent power
Owns both the 2024 and 2025 AT10 Genius 18K and finds the 2025 noticeably softer, with a trampoline effect, while the 2024 feels much firmer. They're now weighing another 2024, the 2026 18K or the 2026 12K.
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“I own both the 2024 and 2025 AT10 Genius 18K, and to me, the 2024 feels much firmer. The 2025 has that 'trampoline effect'.”
Calls the 2027 Hack Hybrid probably the worst racket they have tried, a soulless wooden board, and a big step down from the 2025 version, which they found amazing.
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“I fully agree with you about the hack hybrid 2027, its probably the worst racket I ever tried, you said it perfectly: it's a soulless wooden board,”
Found it an awesome racket at first, but after about four months of use a crease appeared at the top of the frame around the branding. They also mention an AT10 that cracked, and feel Bullpadel and Oxdog hold up better.
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“I had the Siux Electra Pro ST 4. Initially, it was an awesome racket... But not long after... Around 4 months of use it started to show some crease on the top of the racket around the branding area...”
Used the Pure Tour X while rehabbing a shoulder injury and says it saved their shoulder. Now fit again and playing more aggressively on the left, they moved to a higher-balance racket, but would happily go back: a great all-rounder with high build quality and feel.
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“I would absolutely go back to it if I get any issues. Such a great all-round racket, with a really high build quality and feel.”
A right-side player who gets most smashes back into their own court with it; loves it.
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“I play on the right side with the ST4, and I'd say that +80% of all my smashes come back to my court. Super sick racket”
Tried the Metheora+ 2027 for the first time, coming from the Oxdog Hyper Pro 2.0, Ultimate Tour X and Head Coello Motion. Found it versatile, balanced between control and power, very light and comfortable with a medium feel, though the sweet spot isn't big.
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“Just tried the racket today very good versatile racket balanced between control and power given that its very light weight and its very comfortable racket with medium feel also it doesn’t have big sweet spot”
Switched from a two-year-old AT10 18K 2024 looking for a drier, less bouncy racket. Finds a big difference: much less bounce and much better volleys, but a slightly smaller sweet spot and a bit harder defending; still adapting but likes the change.
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“After looking around I bought the NOX EA10 Ventus Hybrid 12K. Quite a big difference, much less bounce, slightly smaller sweet spot, much better volleys, struggling a bit on defense.”
A left-handed intermediate player on the right side, playing 3–4 times a week. Really likes its low weight, manoeuvrability, feel and power, but as their game gets more aggressive they want more head weight for overheads and smashes.
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“I’m currently playing with the NOX AT10 12K Lite (AlumXtreme + white HR3), and I actually really like it, especially its low weight, maneuverability, feel and power.”
Has used the 2026 AT10 12K for about eight months. Finds the build quality fine, but the paint chips more easily than on the Bullpadel rackets they've had, so they suggest a head protector.
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“I've had my 2026 at10 12k for about 8 months now and the build quality is fine but the paint does chip more easily compared to the bullpadel ones I've had before”
Tried the 2027 Hack Hybrid recently and calls it the worst racket they have ever tried. They are disappointed, because they found earlier Hack Hybrid models great.
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“I tried the hack hybrid 2027 the other day and it's the worst racket I ever tried, which is a real shame because the old hack hybrid were great, but bullpadel really dropped the ball on this one.”
Calls the ST4 great: quite stiff but not to the point of hurting, with no trampoline effect. The only drawback is a slightly smaller sweet spot than their previous racket, a Drop Shot Axion Comfort.
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“Electra Pro ST4 is great. It’s quite stiff, but not to the point it hurts. No trampoline effect My only complaint is the sweet spot is a little smaller than my previous racket (Drop Shot Axion Comfort)”
Bought the 2026 Metalbone CTRL two weeks ago after a year with the 2025 Metalbone CTRL Carbon, and set all the weights at the head. After two games they love it: much more power on volleys and overheads with no loss of control, though blocks and lobs are a little harder.
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“I bought 2026 Metalbone Ctrl 2 weeks Ago and put all weights on the head. Only done 2 games but I love it. Volleys and overheads have a LOT more power.”
Played the 2025 Metalbone CTRL Carbon for a year and found it suited them very well. The one thing it lacked for them was power, which is why they moved to the 2026 Metalbone CTRL.
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“I had 2025 Metalbone ctrl Carbon for a year. Suited very well for me. What it lacked for me was power.”
Has tried the AT10 18K and 12K and the Metalbone Carbon. Finds the 2026 Metalbone Carbon CTRL more powerful than the AT10 18K, and prefers it to the diamond-shaped Metalbone Carbon because their control suffers with diamonds.
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“The Metalbone carbon ctrl has more power than an At10 18k and i like it more than thr Metalbone carbon, because my contol with diamonds suffers.”
Has played both the Air Veron 2.6 and the latest Technical Veron. Finds the Air easier to handle in defence and quick net exchanges while still giving good power on overheads and volleys, and would pick it for its agility, though the 2026 version felt a bit more head-heavy than expected.
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“One final detail: even though the Air Veron is marketed as a very maneuverable racket, I personally found the 2026 version a little more head-heavy than expected.”
Has played both the latest Technical Veron and the Air Veron 2.6. Finds the Technical clearly better for attacking but harder to control under pressure, and after 60–90 minutes its head-heavy balance becomes demanding on the arm; the impact feel is very similar to the Air.
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“The Technical initially feels reasonably agile, although noticeably less maneuverable than the Air. However, after around 60–90 minutes of playing, I started noticing its head-heavy balance much more.”
Found far too much trampoline effect in the ST4 and had no control with it. Now plays a Vertex 05 and finds it much better, though they add that racket choice is very personal (comment in Swedish).
Recently got the 2026 AT10 Genius 18K. Finds it nice with a really good touch, but a little overhyped, and feels it lacks some power.
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“I recently got the Nox AT18k genius racket, it’s nice but tbh I think it might have been a little over hyped. Regardless, it still does a good job and has a really nice touch.”
Bought the 2025 Metalbone CTRL on sale for about €200 after their 2026 one was broken. Finds it a little livelier than the 2026, with more trampoline effect, but more forgiving and easier on the wrist and elbow, and calls it an amazing competitive racket.
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“I picked up the 2025 for about €200 during a sale. I don’t know what your budget is but I feel like it’s a fair price for an amazing competitive racket.”
Played the 2026 Metalbone CTRL until someone else broke it, then bought the 2025 version. Finds the 2026 plays slightly more direct, with less trampoline effect than the 2025, which is more forgiving and easier on the wrist and elbow.
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“The 2026 model is still very expensive and plays slightly more direct than the 2025 model, which has a bit more trampoline effect when hitting the ball. The 2025 model is more forgiving and less hard on the wrist/elbow.”
The Radical Pro exceeded their expectations: crisp at the net, clean from the back, plenty of power if you do the work; hefty at 376 g, but the low balance makes it feel natural after a few hours.
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“Crisp and precise at the net. Maneuverable and clean from the back. Has plenty of power, but you have to do most of the work.”
Tried the Metalbone 3.5 at their club, but only against a ball machine rather than in a match. Liked its feel, explosiveness and reactivity, which seemed excellent on volleys and overheads, but they are unsure about defence and manoeuvrability coming from teardrop rackets.
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“Tried the Metalbone 3.5 racket my a club the other day, really liked how it feel but it was with the ball machine so not really during the game”
Recently got the 2026 Neuron 02 Edge and calls it a great racket with lots of power and control. Having just recovered from shoulder bursitis, they began to feel their shoulder compressed after using it and are pausing for two weeks, unsure whether the racket's hardness played a part.
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“I recently got the Neuron 02 edge from 2026 and it's honestly a great racket. Lots of power, lots of control. Absolutely loved it.”
A right-side player of 1.5 years who borrowed a friend's AT10 Genius 12K 2025. Coming from the softer AT10 Pro Cup Soft, they got noticeably more power and better feel without their defence suffering, and loved it.
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“I borrowed a friend’s NOX AT10 Genius 12K 2025 and loved it. I got noticeably more power and better feel, and my defense didn’t suffer.”
Plays the AT10 18K 2026 and finds its feel great: very good control and decent, though not huge, power, with a softer feel than other rackets. As a right-side player they prefer it to the 12K because it is easier on their wrist.
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“I personally use the AT10 18k 2026. Its feel is great. Great control and good power but not very high. You still feel it softer than other rackets.”
Had the 2026 Electra Pro for a few weeks before selling it. Liked its feel and found it great on volleys, but the sweet spot was so small they couldn't defend from the back; they moved to an AT10 12K and are much happier.
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“I had the Siux Electra Pro 2026 for a few weeks before I sold it. The racket has a nice feel to it but and has great volley handlings but the sweet spot is just so so small”
Sold their 2026 Electra Pro because they found the sweet spot far too small and the trampoline effect quite strong.
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“I sold my siux electra pro 2026 because electra sweetspot way too small and the trampoline effect quite high”
Didn't love the AT10 18K 2025, then switched to the Oxdog Hyper Tour X and has no complaints: it feels light and precise, with a huge sweet spot and great manoeuvrability.
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“I got the nox at10 18k 2025 and didn’t love it. Got the Oxdog Hyper Tour X and I have 0 complaints. Feels light, precise, huge sweet spot, very manoeuvrable.”
A right-side defensive player using the 2025 Counter Viper two to three times a week. Finds it very comfortable and likes its control, spin and long handle, but would like a bit more power; the newer Metalbone CTRL felt much more head-heavy to them.
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“find it very comfortable to play with, im more of a right sided defensive player so like the control and spin, but would perhaps like a bit more power while not sacrificing the balance, control and spin.”
Used to play the Ultimate Tour X and liked it a lot, but off-centre hits died quite drastically and smashes lacked some power for a diamond shape. They later moved to Tretorn rackets, which they found more forgiving.
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“I used to play with oxdog ultimate tour x which i liked very much but off sweetspot hits died pretty drastically and the power to smashed lacked somewhat even tho it is a diamond shape.”
A left-side player who moved from a Nox LA10 Quantum 12K to the Metalbone 3.4 Hard looking for raw power, and regretted it. After a few matches they had elbow pain, and the racket felt far too head-heavy to manoeuvre or swing fast on smashes, so they sold it.
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“After just a few matches, I started getting elbow pain. On top of that, it felt way too heavy in the head—really difficult to maneuver and hard to accelerate my arm quickly on smashes and aerial shots.”
Asked about 2026 all-round rackets, a player who has tried the Nox AT10 Genius 18K 2026 says it will feel short on power unless you have very good technique.
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“De esas la única que he probado es la at10 18k y te diría que salvo que tengas muy buena técnica se te quedará corta en potencia”
Tried the Endure V1 in one match against good opponents, hoping it would be more forgiving than their Kuikma Hybrid Pro, and it went badly: missed sweet spots, blocks into the back glass and volleys hit too hard. They note it was an unfamiliar racket in a tough match.
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“I tried it today and honestly it was a disaster 😂 Missed the sweet spot, sent blocks into the back glass, hit volleys too hard or in the wrong direction.”
A beginner who had been renting this year's Diablo Pro tried last year's model and really liked it: the overall feel is similar, but it is clearly easier on the joints.
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“Today I got to try last year's Diablo Pro like you suggested, and I really liked it! The overall feeling is similar to this year's Diablo Pro, but it's definitely easier on the joints.”
Has a light 355 g Fenix Elite and calls it an amazing racket.
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“I have fenix elite 355g with overgrip. Got it from French store where paid 5 EUR to get light version. Amazing racket!”
Testing a 2026 Metalbone CTRL that weighs 362 g without weights or overgrip. Likes it overall, especially the trampoline effect, but isn't happy with its manoeuvrability; their heavier Nox Equation feels lighter in the hand.
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“I'm currently testing a metalbone ctrl 2026. Overall I like it, I like the trampoline effect, but I'm not that happy with the maneuverability.”
Plays the newest Electra, the ST5, after finding a Siux Fenix 5 too hard and dry, a Head Extreme Pro too heavy, a Bullpadel Xplo too soft and Vertex models too hard or too soft. Picked the lightest unit they could find and loves its mix.
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“I have the newest, st5. Coming from a Siux fenix 5 (too hard and dry), head extreme pro (too heavy) bullpadel xplo (too soft, no trampoline), bp vertex (too hard), Bp vertex comfort (too soft).”
Agrees the regular Metalbone punishes simple shots, and says that after switching to the 2026 Metalbone CTRL with the weights at the top, about 80% of their mistakes disappeared.
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“You pretty much summed it up. I switched to the CTRL 2026 and weights on top and 80% of my mistakes just vanished!”
Their favourite racket and defensive master: has outlasted Bullpadel, Nox and Wilson rackets they broke; soft but not doughy, and they smash well with it.
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“It is not hard, soft but not doughy. I regularly smash well with it. Trilogy 5 pro.”
Went back to the Extreme Motion 25 after breaking a Speed Pro and it's now their main again: remarkably manoeuvrable for a diamond.
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“its so maneuverable for a diamond it´s mid boggling. 1 min adaptation.”
Was very happy with their Pegasus Pro 2026 and now needs a replacement. Liked the combination of weight (about 350 g), power and sweet spot: easy to manoeuvre, good power and not too much trampoline effect.
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“Need to find a replacement. Was very happy with it. Especially weight/power/sweetspot combination. Weight was around 350g. Easy to maneuver and good power. Not too much trampoline effect.”
Finds the Ventus Control 3K the stiffest ML10 yet, stiffer than the 2025 Quantum 3K. The stiffness means a smaller sweet spot and less ball output but better control and feedback; they compare it to the 2026 Metalbone CTRL.
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“I find it to be the stiffest of ml10s. Stiffer than 2025 model (Quantum 3k). As its stiff, it has a smaller sweetspot, lower ball output, but as a consequence - control is better, as you have a better feedback.”
A left-handed right-side player who moved from the Counter Viper 2.5 to the 2027 Neuron 02 Edge for more power and control, and found both. It is very stiff with minimal trampoline effect, and after a few games they are very happy with it.
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“upgraded from the Counter Viper 2.5 to the Bullpadel Neuron Edge 02 2027 - main reasons were I wanted something with more power and more control, which this racket definitely has”
Plays the 2027 Neuron 02. It has little rebound, so their lobs and defensive shots fell short or into the net at first, but after three games they love it: crisp impact, great accuracy, a very big sweet spot, and it feels lighter than its 363 g.
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“Yes you feel a crisper impact with the ball. I feel like it’s so easy to get great accuracy with it I don’t know how BP did this but my racket weighs 363 but it honestly feels lighter.”
First session with the Arrow Hit Pro EDT, coming from the Viper Lebrón 3.0, with the balance set to the lowest position. Ball exit is much easier, and it is soft, easy on the shoulder and elbow, agile, and excellent for lobs, bandejas and defence; smashes lost power, serves were off and the handle feels short. Day-one verdict: very happy.
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“Ball exit is a lot better. You don't have to force anything to get the ball out — it just goes. It's a soft racket. Easy on the shoulder, easy on the elbow.”
Calls the Pegasus the best racket they have ever had. It broke on a smash after six months of very heavy use (6–7 sessions a week); for winter they are switching to the softer Diablo Pro 2026 but expect to buy the Pegasus again in spring.
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“The Pegasus is without a doubt the best racket I’ve ever had, and I’ll probably buy that model again when spring 2027 rolls round.”
One session in: no elbow pain, great vibora, defence, lobs and control, a dry but slightly softer touch than their Viper Lebrón.
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“I bought a vertex 05 2026 on sale. Have only played 1 session with it but so far it feels really good. No pain in my elbow.”
Chose the Vertex Hybrid 2025 after buying three rackets and trying many others, and it's been great: balanced, with a fairly big sweet spot, medium stiffness and a mid-low balance that keeps it comfortable. Stiffer, top-heavy rackets gave them wrist problems.
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“The medium stiffness and mid-low balance also make it comfortable. I have tried stiff rackets and top-heavy rackets, which I do like but they give me wrist problem.”
Recently bought the black and purple Fenix Pro and picked a light unit (365 g with one overgrip). Even so, when a lob doesn't give them time to prepare they can't complete the swing, so smashes come out weak, which they put down to the head-heavy balance.
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“Managed to get my hands on a relatively low weight piece(365) with 1 overgrip. However, despite the low weight, i sometimes struggle on overheads where the lob doesn't allow for full prep.”
After elbow pain, played the Hyper Tour 2.0 and found it a good racket that is easy on the elbow, before moving to a StarVie Drax+.
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“Played the Hyper Tour 2.0. Good racket. Switched to a Starvie Drax+ with 358g. Love that racket. Both are easy on the elbow.”
Had the Blade Pro V3 as their first racket and found it hard to play with as a beginner: plenty of power with little effort, but a small sweet spot and fairly heavy (393 g with two overgrips and a protector).
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“I got the Blade Pro V3 as my first racket, and honestly, it was quite difficult to play with. The power was definitely there—you just needed to swing, and the ball would fly.”
Bought a Fenix Pro 6 and after only 30 minutes of play could no longer feel their arm; they now play softer Kuikma rackets without pain.
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“I once bought a siux fenix pro 6, only 30 minutes in and I cant feel my arm....”
Both testers appreciate the firm feel and control, but differ on power. One feels comfortable defending and volleying with enough attacking help, while the other finds the racket too hard and needs more effort to generate finishing pace.
A left-side player who was pleasantly surprised by the ST4: light, with good pop on smashes, very manoeuvrable and great control even on lobs. The strong trampoline effect hurts their volleys and chiquitas, and they miss the crisper feel of their old Wilson Blade Pro V2.
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“It’s a racket that pleasantly surprised me because it’s lightweight, offers good pop on smashes, is very maneuverable, and provides great control even on lobs.”
Recently moved from the right side to the left with the Metalbone CTRL 2026 and really likes it: excellent feel and ball exit, great control in defence and at the net, and heavy, spinny bandejas and viboras. Only flat smashes lack the pop they want.
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“I've been using the Adidas Metalbone CTRL 2026 and I really like it: the feel and ball exit are excellent, and I get great control on defense and at the net.”
A left-handed player using the AT10 12K 2026 who likes its manoeuvrability and viboras, but finds it has a bit too much bounce.
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“Using the Nox AT10 12k 2026 right now. I like the maneuverability and viboras etc. Just for it has a bit too much bounce / trampoline effect.”
Trying the Nox AT10 Genius 12K 2025, this player liked it a lot in defence but found its balance penalised their attack, with the ball floating.
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“Tb he probado una AT10 12k 2025. Me ha gustado mucho en defensa pero me penaliza mucho en ataque.”
Tried both the 2027 Vertex 05 and Vertex 05 Geo. Found the Geo more explosive, with a bigger sweet spot than the regular Vertex; both are excellent attacking rackets without too high a balance, so they are easy to move.
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“I tried both the normal vertex and the Geo, The geo has more explosive power, normal is somewhat more dry, felt that the sweet spot is smaller on the normal vertex.”
Tried the 2027 Vertex 05 alongside the Geo. Found the regular Vertex somewhat drier with a smaller sweet spot than the Geo, but both excellent attacking rackets that stay easy to move.
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“Both are excellent, offensive but balance is not too high so they are easy to move.”
A 56-year-old advanced intermediate with 40 years of tennis and long-standing tennis elbow, who had tried many rackets. Was amazed by the Speed One (345 g version): light but head-heavy, so manoeuvrable and good on attacking overheads, with a hard, dry but consistent feel that is comfortable and easy on the arm.
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“It’s lightweight but head heavy (370 balance) so truly manoeuvrable and simultaneously good on attacking over head shots, it’s feel hard and dry but in a completely different way a “ normal” racquet feels,”
Tried the new 2027 Hack Hybrid after owning the 2025 version and found it a big step up: excellent power, a dry feel but great ball output, well balanced without being too bouncy, and the best lobs they've had with any racket from the first session.
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“I tried the new Hack hybrid today and really liked it a lot. I had the 2025 (green one) modal and this felt like a big leap in this line. Excellent power, dry but yet with great ball output.”
Plays the 2027 Xplo 02 alongside the Hack Hybrid after being disappointed by last year's Xplo. Defence from the back takes a bit more work, but it is effortlessly effective on overheads and volleys, moves easily and doesn't aggravate their golfer's elbow.
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“When I picked up the Xplo 02, I was worried as last year's model was disappointing to me. Defensively requires a little more work at the back but it is painlessly effective for overheads and volleys.”
Has owned the Cross It Light (Marta Ortega) 2026 and finds it a bit better than the AT10 12K Lite: a little lighter, faster to swing and more powerful in attack, but also bouncy, more so than the 2025 version.
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“Cross it Martita 2026: a little bit better than the NOX AT10 12k lite. it is a little bit lighter, swings faster, gives more attacking power. also bouncey”
Has owned both Cross It Light (Marta Ortega) versions and finds the 2025 like the 2026 but drier, more powerful and less bouncy.
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“Cross it Martita 2025: like Martita 2026 but drier and more powerful. less bouncey than 2026”
A fan of light rackets who calls the Valkiria Pro 2026 the quickest racket they have ever handled: light, extremely manoeuvrable and still powerful, the best they've had for both defence and attack. Their unit is 345 g with everything; Siux's cosmetic quality is poor.
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“if you dont mind with SIUX horrible cosmetic QC, go for Valkiria Pro 2026. it's light, top notch maneuver, and packs some power. the best for defense and offense.”
Had a few hits with the 2027 Neuron 02 Edge and found it a racket you have to work with: almost no ball output, so you need a full swing for good shots. They felt it was very similar to the 2026 model.
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“main thing i felt from it is that this is a racket that require you to work, ball output was almost zero, so you really need to go full motion if you want to hit good balls.”
A racket collector playing the 2027 Hack Hybrid for about two weeks. Finds it completely different from last year's: a defender's dream, great at the net for precise attacks, with a large sweet spot, though smashes and viboras need a little more push. It doesn't aggravate their golfer's elbow.
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“The Hack Hyrbid feels like it is a completely different racket from last year. A defender's dream and great at the net for positional and precision attacks.”
After four months improving fast with the Metalbone Carbon CTRL 2026, finds it too dead: blocks die off the face and every shot is less powerful than expected.
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“I feel like my racket is too dead and doesn't have enough power.”
Just bought the Extreme Motion after four years with AT10 Genius 12K and 18K models, and has played one match with it. Found more ball control, good low defence and much more powerful attacking shots, with a medium-hard touch and a decent sweet spot; the higher balance makes it less agile on sudden reactions, so shots need earlier preparation (comment in Italian).
Ordered the Triton Balance+ a few months ago and calls it the worst racket they have ever played with: every ball felt different and it gave them little power. They now play only Siux (comment in German).
Started with a Head Evo Extreme but found it lacked power and spin on overheads and control on blocks and volleys. Moved to the Extreme Motion 2025 and has been loving it.
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“I started with extreme evo and felt it wasn’t giving me enough power and spin in my overheads and not enough control on my blocks and volleys… Shifted to extreme motion 2025 and have been loving it”
Used the regular Neuron for a year instead of the 2026 Neuron 02 Edge, whose head-heavy balance felt sluggish to them.
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“I didn't like the edge because the balance was too high on the head it felt so sluggish”
Disliked the 2026 Edge's head-heavy balance, but the 2027 Neuron 02 Edge balances power and manoeuvrability well. They bought it and played a great first session, especially suited to drive-side players.
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“this year I tried the 02 Edge 27 and the balance was very good, it was good balance between power and Maneuver. I just bought it two days ago and plays a session and destroyed with it”
Their new Vertex 05 Hybrid 2026 weighed 384 g out of the box (tag said 370 g) and 388 g with an overgrip. On the first test, smashes were more powerful and it was much more forgiving than their Head Extreme Motion, but it was tiring and viboras felt odd.
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“It weighs 388g with the additional overgrip and smashes were more powerful because the racket is not only heavier than my Head racket, but also much more forgiving. Still, it was taxing and viboras felt especially weird.”
Moved to the Coello Motion 2025 after the Extreme Pro LTD tired their arm in long tournaments, and loved it: light and easy to defend with, but still punchy in attack. Their first one broke, and the replacement was almost 10 g heavier.
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“I have used the Coello motion 2025, and I really loved it. It was light and easy to defend with, but still had that punch when you wanted to be aggressive.”
Now plays the Extreme Motion 2025 after the Coello Motion 2025. Finds it slightly lower in balance and a bit drier, with a little less ball output but more control, and is very happy with it.
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“My current racket is the Extreme motion 2025. It has a slightly lower balance then the coello motion, and it has a little less ball output, but it gives me more control and I'm very happy with it.”
Calls the Metalbone CTRL 3.5 2026 easily the best racket they've used in a while: it handles like a glove in defence and has more than enough power, with the weights available for more head weight.
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“Have you tried the Addidas Metlabone Ctrl 3.5 2026? For me it's easily the best racket I've used in a while. Handles like a glove in defense and has more than enough power.”
A fan of the Bela V3: its surface lets them put a lot on the ball and it is a versatile all-rounder, but it punishes poor contact, with a smaller sweet spot than other rackets they've used.
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“I can only speak for the Bela V3. I’m a fan. Great surface allows you to get a lot on the ball and it’s a versatile all rounder. It does punish poor contact though,”
A player who tried the Metalbone CTRL 3.4 2025 a month ago leans positive: medium-to-slightly-soft feel, a very big sweet spot, and help with speed and power.
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“Punto dulce muy grande. No está mal la pala. Te ayuda a ganar velocidad y potencia.”
Loves it; blocking hard balls is easier to control than on the Extreme Motion and the anti-vibration is better.
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“I own both the ultimate tour x and the hyper pro 2.0 and I love both”
A defensive right-side player who really liked the 2025 Counter Viper's control and the confidence its weight and balance gave on overheads. But their unit weighed about 390 g with one overgrip, which hurt their arm and made it hard to handle.
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“Babolat Counter Viper 2025 - Really liked the racket for the control, but it was like playing with a brick, it was like 390g with 1 overgrip. Hurt my arm and sacrificed handling.”
A left-handed beginner, four months into padel, who was mostly happy with the AT10 Genius 18K 2025 but sometimes found it too soft and not direct enough. It broke after a hard hit against the glass.
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“Overall, I was pretty happy with the NOX, but sometimes it feels a bit too soft and not quite direct enough for me.”
Owned the Triton Balance 2026 and calls it amazing once it softens a little: great control, spin, manoeuvrability and power for x3 smashes. At first they didn't like it and put it up for sale, but it became their main racket.
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“I used to have the balance 2026, amazing racket once it softens a tad bit. Amazing control, spin, manouverability and power for x3 smashes”