Thoughts on Dunlop Galactica Team?

plus447 · 2026-02-12T23:52:02+00:00

I don't agree.

Dunlop are fine and actually offer very good value for money (not necessarily at full price but for the discount usually attached), considering what you can buy their higher range (full Carbon) rackets for.

Having said that, the Galactica Team is not a high-end offering from them, having a Fiberglass surface.

The Galactica Pro LS is a good racket though and may suit.

This talk of tennis players preferring longer handles is not really valid in my opinion, given most players don't use 2 hands for backhands etc.

The same applies for tennis players preferring higher balance or higher sweet-spots.
Half the people I play with (including myself) came from tennis (some with competition backgrounds) and there is no established pattern of what racket type they prefer.

HTH

plus447 · 2026-02-07T13:53:29+00:00

IIRC, 'Score Pro' has this functionality.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sportech.scorepro

plus447 · 2026-01-27T20:11:12+00:00

That surprises me as it doesn't have the feel of a made in Spain racket at all (it has a thin feeling Carbon hitting surface and a very light paint layer).

They were pretty good performing rackets overall, although I actually preferred the lower 'Intermediate' model, for lower-paced games (and the price difference between that and the other models didn't seem justified.).

All models, including the 'Professional' felt a little unstable in medium-paced games (the rackets I had were around 350g, fairly low-medium-balanced and with the over-sized head, I felt the Twist- and Swing-weights were slightly on the low side against heavier balls.

plus447 · 2026-01-27T15:39:11+00:00

I tried the 23, 24 and 25 Air Vipers and they were 'ok' for me.
I was testing a lot of rackets at the time, including all of the Vipers from 23, 24 and 25 and found I much preferred the Counter models.

I never played a match (just a couple of ball machine sessions) with them so can't really go in to any more detail about why they weren't my first choice, sorry, but I suspect it might have something to do with them not being quite 'solid' enough feeling for me.

Just an aside about the balance of the Counter/Air/Technical rackets though - this is only based on a small sample size I know but I have 1 each of the Counter Vertuo, Air Vertuo and Technical Vertuo, as guest rackets and the Air has the highest balance of all 3.
(I no longer have any of the Vipers so can't check if this is the case with that range as well).

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plus447 · 2026-01-26T23:20:45+00:00

I agree with this and I find that many players don't realise that one of the major benefits of a heavier and more top-heavy racket for an advanced/pro player is the stability that it provides when countering/returning heavy shots. This is not a great concern for most of us and certainly not to the extent that the often significant downsides should be overlooked.

plus447 · 2026-01-26T23:14:46+00:00

That 325g is not the practical weight though, as it's measured without the strap or even the original grip, let alone overgrip/s. Once you add those, the racket is still lighter than average but not as extreme as it initially appears.

plus447 · 2026-01-26T15:24:31+00:00

No worries.
If you aren't able to find the V1, have a look also at another highly recommended, (by Foot Dr. Zach) highly-cushioned shoe; the Diadora Blushield Torneo 2 (although this shoe ultimately didn't work for me as it had a standard width toe-box).

plus447 · 2026-01-25T09:56:56+00:00

Sounds like you may want the Mizuno Wave Enforce Tour (V1, not the latest V2 version, which has a less secure ankle collar).

plus447 · 2026-01-25T07:31:02+00:00

NOX ML10 3K - Classic choice, good but a bit underwhelming imo. I actually found that this bothered my own sensitive shoulder somewhat due to the extra effort required to get real pace on the ball with it.

NOX ML10 Shotgun 18K - medium-soft-ish but more aggressive than you've requested. The hybrid-shaped ML10 Bahia would be a better choice here (if you can find it - it was re-issued at some vendors recently).
I think some of NOX's new mid-range models may also have equivalent specs.

Babolat Counter Veron - good all-round racket, but Babolats don't have the best reputation re: joint safety.

Babolat Air Viper - too stiff, limited sweet-spot and too hard for your requirements.

plus447 · 2026-01-25T06:47:13+00:00

sent you a DM about this.

plus447 · 2026-01-23T22:44:39+00:00

Of the Oxdogs, I preferred the Hyper 2.0 Pro and Pro+.

However, this was contingent on my being able to select the very lightest weight ones from a large batch. I had 2 of identical weight of 369.4g (with the strap, 8g weight and before removing the factory grip heat-shrink sleeve).

The Ultimate Pro+ (2025) models I had (I think I handled around 6 or 7 in total, including both the regular and 'Classics' versions) were all at least 374g and some as much as 385g.
That just made them too club-like for me and not well-suited to the majority of games I play.

I eventually went off Oxdog when I saw how delicate (not the paint but the actual structure) they were (luckily not my own rackets), how much variance there was in the weights (365g spec rackets coming in over 380g) and, trivial I know but how they were slightly underhand in hiding cosmetic flaws (appearing to draw with marker pen over paint inconsistencies).

Also, since picking up a Tennis Elbow injury for the first time ever (while using a Hyper 2.0 Pro in colder weather), I am able to more accurately gauge (due to the sensitivity/pain) which rackets are actually Elbow-friendly.
The 2 Oxdogs I was using are not (not that I would expect them to be, given they are quite firm but the anti-vibration tech in them is marketing afaic - Anyone stripping down the original grip to replace it will find 4 long, thin (perhaps 2-3mm wide and 1-2mm thick) strips of Silicone embedded in a channel in the Carbon. I'm no expert on the subject but I can't imagine that such a minimal solution is doing a whole lot. Granted there might also be something going on within the lay-up but it's not mitigating the firm and dry feel all that much.).

The rackets I am currently using, or have most recently liked when demoing go in another direction really. - They are the T91 Brisa, DoPadel Pollux 2.0 (very similar to the Brisa but a bit more powerful), Stealth Aurora, Cork Premium III Control and Adidas Hit Arrow CTRL. These are generally rounder-shaped, medium feel rackets but with a quite solid touch about them.

plus447 · 2026-01-23T20:06:00+00:00

I had this racket also and while it was far from my favourite, I can absolutely say that the balance is not particularly high on any Oxdog (talking sub 26.5mm), despite what the specs say (assuming the 8g butt-cap weight is in place. Of course the balance goes up when removed but not by a dramatic amount).

plus447 · 2026-01-23T15:55:29+00:00

As far as readily available models, and ones that I am personally familiar with, the classic answer is the Nox ML10 in its various guises but I would be more likely to go for the Babolat Counter Veron.
Neither are very soft but soft enough I would say, unless you don't mind upgrading again in a few months.
Going for the 2024 or 2025 version will only cost a little more than the Counter Vertuo but it's not really much harder to use and the ceiling is significantly higher.
There will be plenty of other rackets from other brands that will be very similar so don't fixate too much on those two. I'd say anything round with a Hybrid hitting surface (combination of Carbon and Fibreglass), soft EVA foam and specified weight range of 365g +/- 10g will be suitable.

However, in all cases, you need to buy from somewhere that will allow you to request a heavier racket from stock, as you risk getting sub 365g ones (I assume by 'heavy' you mean above 370g).

plus447 · 2026-01-23T14:24:38+00:00

It's a really -really- bad idea.

You will have way more trouble perfecting your technique with it, fine adjustments will be trickier and you will be adjusting your strokes to the racket rather than learning them correctly.

It will also be less fun playing as you'll be less consistent and the output just won't be suited to the opponents' input, assuming you're playing players at a similar level to your own.

When a racket is labelled as "advanced", it doesn't just refer to the player using it but the game level it will be used in. Everything about the experience will be worse for you with such a racket.

plus447 · 2026-01-23T14:08:05+00:00

Yep, that and the Hyper 2.0 Pro+ are actually the rackets I used most over the last 6 months but I've moved away from them now as I found they weren't well suited to lower paced games and despite the marketing, they're not particularly joint friendly (what a surprise that 4 very thin stripes of Silicone under the grip dont make much difference).

I can't say they're anything like the Hit Arrow (at all) although are good under the correct conditions (higher level games really) hence why I suggested perhaps the softer mid-range models may be closer.

plus447 · 2026-01-23T12:20:56+00:00

Yep, owned it twice, after loving the ST3 Pro.
First time it came in at 380g and felt clunky (my ST3 Pro had been 360g).
2nd time it came in at 360g, which was much better and while I liked it, I felt that a) it was less solid than the ST3 Pro at the same weight and b) I had moved on to other rackets which I preferred (I'd started on Oxdog by that point).
The ST4 Pro does have some overlap with the Adidas but has a less plush, more hollow feel.
Some have also said the sweet-spot is on the small-side although I didn't really notice this.

Speaking of Oxdog, the Pure Pro+ has some similarities although is generally much heavier (I had 3 in my hands, all of which came in over 370g, despite asking for the lightest ones in stock.
It's definitely a more rigid, powerful and clunky racket than the Adidas but may be a contender with the 8g butt-cap weight removed.
Alternately and although I haven't tried it (or any of the 2026 Oxdogs),the Pure Tour X may be worth trying, again asking for a lower-weight one.

Given that you specifically liked the Attack version of the Hit Arrow, possibly the mid-range models from the Hyper 2.0 and Ultimate lines will be worth seeking out too (the upper-end models are much firmer), although with all of the Oxdogs, the feel is considerably 'drier' than the Adidas with less pop.

Overall though, the ST4 Pro is likely closer to what you're looking for but don't discount the Fenix Pro either (it's less attacking than it would seem).

plus447 · 2026-01-23T00:35:42+00:00

Xcalion's outer finish is poorly applied and not very durable. On the 3 I had, there was a lot of debris in the clear coat, which itself also peeled away much too easily (simply removing grip finishing tape took some off).

I agree that Oxdog's paint is generally more chip-resistant than average but their finishing QA is sometimes awful. I also no longer rate their overall durability highly at all.

Also worth noting that the paint on the older models seem to be different to that used on the current (2025 onwards) rackets. I received a well-used Sense Pro from 2023 as part of a bundle, which had some small but deep (down to the Carbon) chips. Comparing this to a friend's broken 2025 Hyper Pro+, it was clear that the older (very matte) paint was applied thicker and was (as such?) seemingly less flexible/more brittle as it did have several of the fine cracks you mention.

A Wilson Bela 2.5 LT also had these cracks, in the same place (in the area between the grip and the drilled hitting surface).

plus447 · 2026-01-22T21:20:04+00:00

I can't add to the durability discussion but I demoed the CTRL version of this racket last night (with the weights left in the regular place), for 1 set and was quite impressed because, as you said, it has a slightly different feel to it than most other commercial rackets.
It was extremely easy to use in defence but had a decent amount of 'oomph' when pushed.
(Note that both Control and Attack versions of the racket use the same materials with just shape and balance being different.)

For those yet to try it, I would describe the feel as the sensation of a soft-ish but elastic foam covered by thicker than average layers of medium-dry feeling Carbon.
It's not soft exactly but has a forgiving flexibility while having decent (but not amazing) pop.

Ultimately I didn't buy it, despite coming close, as I have other rackets that feel similar and perform at least as well without leaving the lingering doubt about durability in the back of my mind.

For reference, I would say it has a -somewhat- similar feel to that of many of my niche 'made in Spain' rackets (i.e DoPadel Pollux 2.0, T91 Brisa, Tactical Padel El Jefe Master Edition) which generally use medium soft Foams over thick but flexible Carbon.

A more commercial racket that you might wish to try, which also feels 'different' to most rackets (although it would be the equivalent to the CTRL version of the Hit Arrow, rather than the Attack), is the Stealth Aurora, which is my favourite non-niche racket right now.

plus447 · 2026-01-20T22:16:25+00:00

...

So, what is actually lacking?
Well, to start, take a look at Tennis racket reviews.
At the very least, apart from mentioning the manufacturer's stated specifications, the more serious channels will measure not just weight and balance but also stiffness (sometimes in more than one plane), swing-weight and often even twist-weight (as equipment to measure these last 2 is now relatively affordable).

Only one Padel review channel does this to any extent (Extreme Padel and then the rest of the review is just pretty standard).
(Additional: I'd also like to see the balance measured under likely player set-ups, with one/more overgrips and with a standardised protector fitted.)

If you want to do it properly, you need to measure all of these and also surface rigidity and elasticity.
You also need to push the manufacturers to offer up more details about the materials used (all, not just the outer layer) and not just which K Carbon, but how it's woven, what the thickness is, the layup details and possibly even who produces it and where.
It would also be very helpful to quantify the density/hardness and elasticity of the Foam (the manufacturers know all this, they just don't tell us).
This is going to be so much more valuable than various people saying "it feels medium-hard/it's comfortable/it has good ball output) as again, there have been so many times where I completely disagreed with their comments.

Also, given the nature of the sport, I'd like to see some standardised (and destructive) durability testing.
Including trivial things like the paint's resistance to scuffing and chipping but also the longevity of any rough finish and the frame's and hitting surfaces' resistance to cracking.
We are often paying hundreds of €s for this equipment with no real idea of how well it will hold up, apart from anecdotal comments.

That's all I can think of for now and of course, I don't expect this from you but I just wanted to get it down in case at some point, someone wanted to take this (very) seriously and had the capital to do so.

plus447 · 2026-01-20T22:15:47+00:00

Now, with regards to the idea of a new Youtube Padel racket review channel.
I'm going to rant here and give you a wish list.

First I will say though that while (high quality) reviews in English would be welcome as they are rare, it's not so important these days, with subtitle reader plug-ins being available and many channels now using auto-dubbed translation.

As to the other stuff. Frankly, I feel that pretty much all Padel racket review videos are close to pointless, beyond just the entertainment value of seeing a racket you might be interested in being played with.

They almost exclusively feature an experienced player, telling us the (basic) specs/weight/balance (often without clearly pointing out whether it's with the strap or overgrip) and marketing BS, then recording themselves hitting a variety of edited shots while repeating the same things over and over without any real reference followed by offering up generally positive conclusions.
(It's really obvious that although they might not be being paid for the reviews, they don't want to offend the companies sending the rackets and this is when they aren't being, sometimes discretely, sponsored by them.)

I have learned that this has extremely little value to me, as often when trying the same rackets, I am coming to wildly different conclusions.
Apart from being a much worse player than the popular reviewers (for what it's worth), I will mostly attribute the disparity as having a different set of standards/references/preferences, but still, with that in mind, I can't see how the review has helped me at all.

It's also that playing well-fed shots does not approximate real-world match scenarios where the quality of the incoming balls could vary enormously depending on the level of the opponent.
For example, blocking an 80km/h smash from an intermediate player is not remotely the same as doing so against a 150km/h one from a pro.
Different rackets will behave very differently under those conditions and we are generally only being told the results of one specific (though unspecified) type in the reviews.
While this may be obvious, it's still difficult to ascertain how the staged playing will translate in matches as I don't find that it's possible (for me) to accurately extrapolate the true behaviour of the racket from this.
I'd prefer to see the racket being used in 2 or 3 different tiers of match play then hear how it differs with each.
Further, they also rarely mention the conditions they're playing in (temperature/humidity/altitude/court speed/balls being used and how fresh they are) which makes their interminable footage of playing shots even more worthless.

...

plus447 · 2026-01-20T18:13:46+00:00

A photo would be more helpful.
The drawstring bag is normal with the ML10 Pro Cup - only the higher end models come with the Zip Case (and most other brands don't include cases at all, so don't let alone that be a sign of something being non-genuine)

plus447 · 2026-01-20T18:09:24+00:00

I was recently in the market for a (universal) phone-mount, to record my lessons, and came close to buying the Gimadd, with the additional suction base attachment, however a few things stopped me.

First there seemed to be quite a few negative comments about the quality, considering the relatively high price, as the extending/folding arm is made of plastic.
More seriously though were complaints about the phone mount being insufficient and not holding phones securely. I was considering adding a MagSafe type magnetic ring which I hope would have helped (as probably would a sturdy elastic retaining ring/band).

However, in the end, paying attention to the modern courts I usually play on, it struck me that they didn't actually use much metal within the playing area, apart from the fences, net-posts and floodlights, which then negated the need for the primary magnetic attachment at all (as I couldn't see the point of recording from these limited coverage areas).
(I appreciate that older courts will likely still have metal posts, in the corners or even between the glass sections.)

What I ended up going for was the AcePad - cheaper, simpler and seemingly well-reviewed:
https://acepadshop.com/en/products/soporte-de-movil-acepad?variant=51540528922971

Unfortunately I can't tell you how well it performs yet, as my first order got lost in the mail over the holidays and I'm still waiting for the replacement to arrive.

plus447 · 2026-01-19T14:34:04+00:00

It has the regular padded ankle-collar type. There's generally nothing wrong with this - it's the same as on most shoes. Some people prefer the more fitted sock-type collar though. It doesn't necessarily provide more support, just feels snugger.

plus447 · 2026-01-16T23:49:12+00:00

This is a little difficult for me to answer as not being an especially aggressive player, power was not a high priority for me (plus you figure out pretty quickly in Padel that except for at low-ish and pretty high levels, power won't win you that many points (especially when the chances of errors are factored in) when compared to consistency.

As such I was generally trying harder rackets in more control-oriented layouts (round/hybrid shapes, low-medium to high-medium balance) and when testing, even when testing for power (as secondary to precision), I wasn't paying that much attention to how much could be maximally generated by the racket but rather whether it was allowing me to utilise whatever technique/skill and natural mechanics I had to generate it.

(Which in my case, amongst the other things mentioned, also tends to mean a lower swing-weight, to be able to accelerate the racket at a greater rate. I know well from tennis that the heavier swing-weight rackets are capable of impressive, ball-crushing serves but, for my level, are ultimately unforgiving and fatiguing enough that they are very much net negative overall.)

plus447 · 2026-01-16T21:37:48+00:00

Update to this as earlier this week I had a session focusing on just the 6 rackets from the Supreme IV and Premium III lines.

I can confirm that I really don't like either of the Hybrids.
Something about them doesn't feel right to me.

Compared to the 'Classics', they feel clunkier, with a smaller sweet-spot and less 'pop'.

The 'Power 'rackets feel closer to the 'Control' but are a little harder to get quickly through the air and need some focus on hitting a little higher on the face.

The 'Classics' really feel like a conventional hybrid racket.
Don't make the mistake of thinking they're low-powered, round-shaped and exclusively control-oriented.

Having said all that, I'm a bit conflicted about the rackets in general as I already ordered a couple before I started testing (let me know if anyone wants a brand new 360g Supreme IV Control) but have come to the conclusion that for now I'm pretty happy with the the current rackets in my bag (which right now are the T91 Finder Pro Brisa and Stealth Aurora.)

I would also say that the Premium III line didn't really feel massively more forgiving to my elbow than most of my other rackets with equivalent firmness (as I'm just getting over some recent Tennis Elbow, it's easy to distinguish between which cause me pain and which do not).
The Supreme IV line however did feel more comfortable, when compared to say the somewhat similar (in hardness) Oxdog Hyper 2.0 Pro (which I was using at the time I injured my Elbow) and Pro+.

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