TENNIS ENGINEERING, AND JUAN LEBRÓN'S FRAME
Babolat padel rackets,
the Viper and everything around it
Babolat arrived in padel from tennis, and it shows in the engineering: consistent quality, clear model naming, and a range that is easier to navigate than most. The Technical Viper is Juan Lebrón's frame and one of the most recognisable rackets in the sport.
- 63 models
- 51 from 2023 on
- €43 to €390
- 2 sponsored pros
THE RANGE
The Babolat lines,
and what each is for
Babolat has 63 models in the catalogue. Almost all of them belong to one of these families, so knowing the families is most of the work.
| Line | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Technical Viper | The pro attacking line. Diamond, stiff, high balance. Juan Lebrón's racket. |
| Air Veron | The control counterpart. Lighter and more manoeuvrable, built for players who play the net and need speed rather than mass. |
| Counter | The all-round middle of the range, and the Babolat most club players should actually be looking at. |
| Stima | Comfort-focused frames with softer cores. |
| Dyna | Entry-level rackets aimed at players in their first season. |
WHAT MAKES BABOLAT DIFFERENT
Tennis engineering,
and the most diamond-heavy range in padel
Babolat started in Lyon in 1875 as a maker of natural-gut strings and spent a century and a half in tennis before it took padel seriously. That heritage shows in two ways. The rackets are built to unusually consistent tolerances, so two Technical Vipers of the same year feel the same, and the naming is clear: Technical is the stiff pro frame, Air the lighter one, Counter the control one, and the Viper and Veron families sit at the power and control ends of the same range.
It is also the most diamond-heavy catalogue of the major brands. 62% of the 63 Babolat rackets we track are diamond shaped, against 27% round and 11% teardrop. Juan Lebrón's Technical Viper is the reason, and the brand has built most of its range around that success. The median price is €220, and the range runs from about €43 for a Dyna or a Counter Vertuo up to €390 for the signature Viper.
Black EVA and X-EVA cores dominate (Black EVA is the most common), with fibreglass on the Counter and Dyna frames and Carbon Flex or 12K carbon on the Vipers. For a UK club player the interesting Babolats are the ones nobody advertises: the Counter Viper is a round frame with one of the highest control ratings in the whole catalogue, and the Counter Vertuo is a genuinely forgiving first racket.
CURRENT MODELS
Babolat rackets
compared on specs
The most recent Babolat models, newest first: shape, weight, balance, core, face material, price band and the level each one is built for. The name under a model is the professional who plays with it.
| Model | Shape | Weight | Balance | Core | Surface | Price band | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babolat Air Viper 2026 | Diamond | 345 to 365 g | Medium to high | X-EVA (medium-hard) | 16K carbon | Pro€320 | Advanced |
| Babolat Viper 3.0 2026 Juan Lebron | Diamond | 370 g | High | Black EVA (hard) | 3K carbon | Pro€390 | Advanced |
| Babolat Counter Veron 2026 | Round | 355 to 375 g | Low to medium | Black EVA (medium) | Carbon | Premium€240 | Intermediate |
| Babolat Counter Viper 2026 | Round | 355 to 375 g | Medium to high | X-EVA (hard) | 3K carbon | Pro€320 | Intermediate to advanced |
| Babolat Technical Viper 3.0 2026 | Diamond | 360 to 380 g | High | Hard EVA | 3K carbon | Pro€370 | Advanced |
| Babolat Technical Viper Soft 3.0 2026 | Diamond | 355 to 375 g | High | Black EVA (hard) | Carbon | Premium€280 | Advanced |
| Babolat Viper Soft 3.0 2026 Juan LebronJuan Lebron | Diamond | 365 g | High | Black EVA (medium) | Carbon | Premium€300 | Advanced |
| Babolat Technical Veron 3.0 2026 | Diamond | 350 to 370 g | High | Black EVA (medium) | Carbon | Premium€220 | Advanced |
| Babolat Veron 3.0 2026 Juan LebronJuan Lebrón | Diamond | 360 g | High | Black EVA (medium) | Carbon | Premium€240 | Advanced |
| Babolat Counter Vertuo 2026 | Round | 340 to 360 g | Medium | Black EVA (medium-soft) | Fibreglass | Mid€180 | Beginner to intermediate |
| Babolat Air Veron 2026 | Diamond | 345 to 365 g | Medium | Black EVA (medium) | Carbon | Premium€240 | Intermediate to advanced |
| Babolat Air Vertuo 2026 | Diamond | 335 to 355 g | Medium to high | Black EVA (medium-soft) | Fibreglass | Mid€180 | Advanced |
Weight is the manufacturer's stated range. Balance is where the mass sits: low means towards the handle, high means towards the head. Price band is the recommended retail price in euros (entry under 120, mid 120 to 200, premium 200 to 300, pro over 300); UK street prices are usually lower. Level is our reading of the shape, balance and core, not a rule.
BY SHAPE
Which shape
do you need?
Round: Babolat Counter Veron 2026
Babolat has 17 round models. This shape suits the right side, players who build points, anyone still developing their timing, and anyone protecting an arm. Our current pick from the range is the Babolat Counter Veron 2026, at around €240.
Teardrop: Babolat Dyna Energy 2023
Babolat has 7 teardrop models. This shape suits the largest number of club players, because it gives some power without shrinking the sweet spot. Our current pick from the range is the Babolat Dyna Energy 2023, at around €240.
Diamond: Babolat Air Viper 2026
Babolat has 39 diamond models. This shape suits advanced attacking players who finish points with the smash and hit the middle of the strings consistently. Our current pick from the range is the Babolat Air Viper 2026, at around €320.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Buying a Babolat
without buying the wrong one
Brand is the last thing that should decide a padel racket, and the first thing most people decide. Once you are inside a range, three specs settle the question.
Shape decides forgiveness
Round puts the sweet spot in the middle of the face where you actually hit the ball. Diamond moves it up towards the tip, which buys power and costs you every off-centre shot. Teardrop sits between the two and is the right answer for most club players. Babolat covers round, teardrop, diamond, so you do not need to leave the brand to change shape.
Core decides comfort
Soft cores hold the ball longer, forgive a slow swing and transmit less shock to the elbow. Hard EVA cores are more powerful and more precise but punish poor timing. If you have ever had tennis elbow, this single spec matters more than shape, weight and brand combined.
Your side matters more than your level
The left side finishes points and usually wants a higher balance. The right side builds points and covers the middle, so it usually wants a larger sweet spot. Two players of the same level on opposite sides should not buy the same racket.
Then let the data narrow it
The table above is the fastest filter: read down the shape, balance and core columns before you look at a single price, and the level column tells you who each frame was built for. Our racket finder does this across all 1,418 rackets in seven questions, and if you have run a match analysis it uses your real technique scores instead of your own estimate of your level. If you are still choosing between brands, start with our guide to the best padel rackets or, for a first racket, the beginner picks.
FAQ
Questions about
Babolat rackets
What racket does Juan Lebrón use?
The Babolat Technical Viper. It is a stiff diamond-shaped frame with a high balance, built to generate power on the smash and the víbora. Retail versions share the mould and construction, though professional frames are typically customised.
What is the difference between the Babolat Technical Viper and the Air Veron?
The Technical Viper is the power racket: diamond shape, high balance, stiff, demanding. The Air Veron is lighter and faster in the hand, built for control and net play rather than raw force. If you finish points with the smash, look at the Viper. If you live at the net and need reaction speed, look at the Veron.
Are Babolat padel rackets good for beginners?
The Counter and Dyna lines are, and they are among the more forgiving entry rackets on the market. The Technical Viper is not: it is a professional power frame and it will make a developing game look worse than it is.
Is Babolat better than Bullpadel or Adidas?
At the top of the range the three are genuinely comparable and the choice comes down to shape, balance and feel rather than badge. Babolat tends to have the most consistent build quality and the clearest range naming, which makes it easier to buy the right model without specialist advice.
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