GALACTICA, AERO AND ACCESSIBLE PRICING
Dunlop padel rackets,
the value brand that plays above its price
Dunlop is another tennis house that moved into padel, and its range is priced more accessibly than the pro-endorsed brands. The catalogue leans round, which makes it a reasonable place to look for a first or second racket.
- 51 models
- 22 from 2023 on
- €53 to €320
- 1 sponsored pros
THE RANGE
The Dunlop lines,
and what each is for
Dunlop has 51 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 |
|---|---|
| Galactica | The flagship line, covering the top of the range. |
| Aero | All-round frames aimed at club players. |
| Inferno | Power-oriented rackets with higher balances. |
| Rapid | Light frames built for manoeuvrability. |
| Rocket | Entry-level rackets at accessible prices. |
WHAT MAKES DUNLOP DIFFERENT
A British name,
and one of the lowest median prices
Dunlop is the British sports name that started with tyres in 1889 and has made tennis balls and rackets for a century; the sports business now belongs to Sumitomo Rubber Industries of Japan. In padel it is the most affordable of the major brands. The median price across the 51 Dunlop rackets we track is €170, one of the lowest of the brands on this site, and the range starts near €53. That is a large part of why Dunlop is so common in UK club racket bins and hire cupboards.
The catalogue leans round, with 43% round frames and 35% teardrop, and only 20% diamond, and EVA Pro is the most common core, with an Ultrasoft variant on the comfort models. Faces are mostly fibreglass, with 12K and 16K carbon reserved for the Aero-Star and Galactica at the top of the range. Ramiro Moyano is the tour player attached to the brand.
Only 22 of the 51 Dunlop models are from 2023 or later, so the brand refreshes less often than the Spanish names, which is not a flaw: the frames age well and the older Aero-Star and Boost generations are easy to find discounted. For a first or second racket on a budget in the UK, Dunlop is where we would look first.
CURRENT MODELS
Dunlop rackets
compared on specs
The most recent Dunlop 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dunlop Galactica Pro 2025Ramiro Moyano | Teardrop | 360 g | Medium | EVA Pro (medium) | 16K carbon | Premium€250 | Intermediate |
| Dunlop Inferno Carbon Extreme 2025 | Teardrop | 370 g | Medium to high | EVA (medium) | 3K carbon | Premium€220 | Intermediate to advanced |
| Dunlop Galactica Pro Lite 2025 | Teardrop | 350 g | Medium to high | EVA Pro (medium) | 16K carbon | Premium€230 | Intermediate to advanced |
| Dunlop Galactica Pro LS 2025 | Teardrop | 370 g | Medium | EVA Pro (medium) | 16K carbon | Premium€280 | Intermediate |
| Dunlop Megamax Black 2025 | Round | 355 to 375 g | Low to medium | EVA Pro (medium-soft) | Fibreglass | Entry€80 | Beginner to intermediate |
| Dunlop Megamax Green 2025 | Round | 355 to 375 g | Low | EVA Pro (medium-soft) | Fibreglass | Entry€80 | Beginner to intermediate |
| Dunlop Galactica Lite 2023 | Teardrop | 355 g | - | Ultrasoft EVA | 12K carbon | Premium€220 | Intermediate |
| Dunlop Galactica Pro 2023 | Teardrop | 360 to 375 g | - | EVA Pro (medium) | 12K carbon | Premium€280 | Intermediate |
| Dunlop Aero Star Lite 2023 | Diamond | 360 to 375 g | - | Ultrasoft EVA | 12K carbon | Premium€250 | Intermediate to advanced |
| Dunlop Aero Star Pro 2023 | Diamond | 360 to 375 g | - | Pro EVA (medium) | 16K carbon | Pro€320 | Intermediate to advanced |
| Dunlop Galactica 2023 | Teardrop | 360 to 375 g | - | Medium EVA | 12K carbon | Premium€260 | Intermediate |
| Dunlop Galactica Team 2023 | Teardrop | 365 g | - | EVA Ultrasoft | 12K carbon | Premium€200 | Intermediate |
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: Dunlop Megamax Black 2025
Dunlop has 22 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 Dunlop Megamax Black 2025, at around €80.
Teardrop: Dunlop Galactica Pro 2025
Dunlop has 18 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 Dunlop Galactica Pro 2025, at around €250.
Diamond: Dunlop Aero Star Lite 2023
Dunlop has 10 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 Dunlop Aero Star Lite 2023, at around €250.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Buying a Dunlop
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. Dunlop 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
Dunlop rackets
Are Dunlop padel rackets good?
They are solid and generally well priced. Dunlop does not spend on professional sponsorship at the level Bullpadel or Adidas does, which tends to show up as more racket for the money rather than as lower quality.
Which Dunlop padel racket is best for a beginner?
A Rocket or a Rapid. Both are light and round, which is what you want while your timing is still developing, and neither costs enough to hurt if your game moves in a different direction.
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