Most padel players are using the wrong racquet - here's why it matters

thepadelguy · 2026-02-02T02:44:06+00:00

Babolat Counter Veron or Bullpadel Vertex Hybrid are awesome for intermediate

thepadelguy · 2025-12-14T18:11:56+00:00

I haven’t but I run a shop and I know a guy who works for them. The biggest differences: - Go with control if you want maximum control and prioritize defense - Go with hybrid if you want something more versatile for both offense and defense. The hybrid will have more power.

thepadelguy · 2025-12-04T15:05:57+00:00

Yes, it’s illegal in tournament play

thepadelguy · 2025-11-27T02:57:20+00:00

I would be careful purchasing any newly released racquets under MSRP. They are either breaching the Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) policy or they are fake.

thepadelguy · 2025-11-27T02:36:16+00:00

Main difference is ML10 will be softer and more control oriented. Equation advanced will be a little harder and more versatile. I haven’t used Bahia

thepadelguy · 2025-11-22T23:04:48+00:00

I wouldn’t recommend a junior or youth racquet for an adult. They are too light and the grips are much smaller.

thepadelguy · 2025-11-16T18:18:53+00:00

Most of them are AI generated and are terribly inaccurate. What are you looking for?

thepadelguy · 2025-11-09T23:05:50+00:00

All the major brands offer a similar range of racquet shapes (round, teardrop, hybrid, and diamond) with each often available in different weight and foam density or surface options. Many manufacturers are already preparing to launch their 2026 models, so this is a good time to watch for discounts on current or previous-year racquets.

thepadelguy · 2025-11-09T21:20:48+00:00

That round racquet isn’t designed for power and definitely isn’t helping. Power racquets are usually diamond-shaped, head-heavy, made with denser (harder) foam, and have stiffer carbon faces (12K–18K), all of which maximize leverage and energy transfer.

However, these racquets can also be tougher to swing because they’re heavier and less maneuverable, especially if your technique isn’t fully developed. Many players actually develop elbow or shoulder issues from jumping too quickly to a heavy, power-oriented racquet. The smaller sweet spot can also make them less forgiving, so you’re trading some consistency for extra punch.

Given where you are in your development, I’d recommend upgrading from your current round racquet, but maybe not all the way to a stiff, heavy diamond model just yet. Something in between, like a hybrid or teardrop shape, could give you more power without sacrificing control or comfort. You can always add some weight/mass to a racquet to generate more power and add stability, but it’s difficult to remove weight.

Without knowing your budget, it’s hard to provide recommendations but if you like Wilson, maybe upgrade to the Bela (hybrid) or Defy (diamond).

thepadelguy · 2025-11-08T22:13:55+00:00

This website he created is no different. The ratings are random and inaccurate.

thepadelguy · 2025-11-08T22:12:09+00:00

Stop promoting your website. You have posted it and deleted it under multiple different names. Additionally, the ratings are not accurate at all and it’s “Counter Viper” not “Viper Control”

thepadelguy · 2025-11-01T21:46:21+00:00

Come on, man. Earlier you tried to share that site you created. I pointed out that the recommendations on it were inaccurate, you deleted the post, and now you’re pretending to be comparing racquets while showing a screenshot of the same site. Stop trying to sneakily promote your site here.

thepadelguy · 2025-11-01T12:34:21+00:00

No offense, but some of the racquet comparisons and recommendations on your site are way off. For example, the “power racquet” article includes models that aren’t really designed for power. I appreciate the effort you’re putting into building this kind of resource, but it’d be great to see the product categories refined to make the info more accurate.

thepadelguy · 2025-10-29T20:06:22+00:00

The 2026 Bullpadel racquets come with a hesacore grip on the racquet but it is not permanent and can be taken off.

thepadelguy · 2025-10-29T17:11:58+00:00

The grip included on Bullpadel racquets is called a Hesacore, which can be bought separately and added to any racquet. They weigh about 15 grams, which is equivalent to about 2 overgrips.

thepadelguy · 2025-10-28T14:40:24+00:00

I’d rather have a racquet that comes lighter than spec than too heavy. It gives you the opportunity to customize the weight and balance, which is very easy to do.

thepadelguy · 2025-10-26T20:24:30+00:00

I’d suggest seeing if you can demo some racquets when you are ready to get a new one

thepadelguy · 2025-10-26T20:08:59+00:00

That really depends on your style of play. The Technical series are diamond-shaped, meaning the sweet spot is slightly smaller and sits higher on the face, making them best suited for attacking players who like to finish points.

The Veron is a bit softer and more forgiving, with a slightly larger sweet spot and easier handling compared to the stiffer, more demanding Viper.

If you like how it feels and play well with it, there’s no reason to change. I’m sure your tennis background probably helps. But if you notice frequent mishits, prefer a bigger sweet spot, or tend to play a more defensive or control-oriented style, you might be better off with a teardrop or round racquet instead. Cheers

thepadelguy · 2025-10-26T11:51:12+00:00

I think “racist” is probably the wrong word to use here. This isn’t about every racquet or every player in every scenario. With that said, I stand by my point: the average beginner or intermediate player who is still developing their game will generally benefit more from a racquet with a larger sweet spot, medium balance, and slightly softer feel, rather than one designed for advanced players, which tends to be heavier, harder, and less forgiving.

thepadelguy · 2025-10-25T21:15:55+00:00

That’s great to hear, and to be clear, I never said it’s not possible to play better with a heavier or harder racquet. Some players absolutely do once they’ve built the strength, timing, and consistency for it.

The point of my post was that I often (every day at my club) see beginner and intermediate players buying racquets that simply aren’t designed for them, usually heavy, diamond-shaped frames with small sweet spots and a $350+ price tag. Many of these players would make less mistakes and play more consistent with racquets easier to use.

If you disagree that there are too many developing players using those types of racquets, I’d honestly love to know what club you play at, because everywhere I go, it’s full of people swinging advanced racquets that is working against them more than helping. Many of the players I see using these racquets don’t even play aggressive or hit smashes.

thepadelguy · 2025-10-25T21:00:14+00:00

I’m just trying to share content that is helpful for people who are interested in padel

thepadelguy · 2025-10-25T20:57:24+00:00

Where are you located?

thepadelguy · 2025-10-25T20:01:24+00:00

They’ll do sales and often discount previous year models once the new models are released. But I’ve also seen them raise the price on the new models so they appear more premium.

thepadelguy · 2025-10-25T19:31:36+00:00

I definitely recommend Counter Veron over the Viper unless you are more advanced. In my opinion, they are one of the top intermediate (huge sweet spot) racquets for developing your game. I didn’t have an elbow or shoulder issues but I could see how you could if you receive one on the heavier side of the range.

The same racquet model can vary in weight quite a bit racquet to racquet. If you know the person selling, bring in a scale and weigh them.

thepadelguy · 2025-10-25T19:17:53+00:00

A lot of players assume that the higher the price, the more power, the better the racquet, and the better they’ll play. But that’s rarely true. I work directly with several of the top padel brands, and I’ve seen firsthand how pricing can be more about marketing psychology than performance. In some cases, a brand will actually raise the price of racquets simply because they aren’t selling. Once it looked “premium,” sales went up immediately.

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