A SPORTSWEAR GIANT'S COMPACT PADEL RANGE
Puma padel rackets,
Nova, Solar and what CTR and PWR mean
Puma came to padel as a sportswear brand, and its racket range is compact and easy to read: one model family per season, split into price tiers, with a control (CTR) and a power (PWR) version at each level. The newest Puma frames in our catalogue are from 2024.
- 27 models
- 22 from 2023 on
- €50 to €360
- 2 sponsored pros
THE RANGE
The Puma lines,
and what each is for
Puma has 27 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 |
|---|---|
| Nova | The 2024 range. Nova Elite at the top with carbon faces, Nova Pro in the middle, Nova Court and Nova Smash at entry level. |
| Solar | The 2022 and 2023 range, with the same structure: Solar Attack at the top, Solar Blink in the middle, Solar Court and Solar Smash for beginners. |
| Elite and Attack | The premium tier, with 3K, 12K or 18K carbon faces and the signature editions for Momo González and Victoria Iglesias. |
| Pro and Blink | The mid-range tier: 3K carbon faces at about €150, in round, teardrop and control or power versions. |
| Court and Smash | The entry tier. Mostly fibreglass faces, soft cores, €50 to €99, with a Court Woman version. |
WHAT MAKES PUMA DIFFERENT
A sportswear giant
with a tidy padel range
Puma is the German sportswear company from Herzogenaurach, and it runs its padel range the way it runs a football boot range: one family per season, split into clear price tiers. The Solar range covered 2022 and 2023, the Nova range replaced it in 2024, and each has a top tier (Solar Attack, Nova Elite), a middle tier (Solar Blink, Nova Pro) and an entry tier (Court and Smash). Inside each tier, CTR is the control version and PWR the power version. The signature frames in the catalogue belong to Momo González and Victoria Iglesias.
We track 27 Puma rackets, 22 of them from 2023 on. 44% are teardrop, 33% round and 22% diamond, and 11 of the 27 are marked soft or medium-soft, so the range is gentler than the pro names suggest. Faces go from fibreglass on most Court and Smash models to 3K, 12K and 18K carbon on the Attack and Elite frames. Prices run from €50 to €360, with a median of €160.
The newest Puma frames in our catalogue are from 2024, so check that a model is still on sale before you set your heart on it. The interesting Puma is the Momo frame: a round racket with a low balance and a control rating of 9.6, which is not what most brands give a star. For most club players, the Nova Pro CTR is the value pick: round, 3K carbon, around €150 RRP.
CURRENT MODELS
Puma rackets
compared on specs
The most recent Puma 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puma Nova Elite Momo 2024Jeronimo Gonzalez | Round | 365 to 375 g | Low | EVA Pro (medium-hard) | 3K carbon | Pro€350 | Intermediate to advanced |
| Puma Nova Elite Victoria 2024Victoria Iglesias | Diamond | 350 to 370 g | High | EVA Pro (medium-hard) | 3K carbon | Pro€320 | Advanced |
| Puma Nova Elite CTR 2024 | Round | 350 to 370 g | Medium | EVA (medium) | 12K carbon | Premium€250 | Intermediate |
| Puma Nova Elite Hybrid 2024 | Teardrop | 350 to 370 g | Medium | EVA (medium) | 12K carbon | Premium€250 | Intermediate |
| Puma Nova Pro CTR 2024 | Round | 350 to 370 g | Medium | EVA (medium) | 3K carbon | Mid€150 | Intermediate |
| Puma Nova Elite PWR 2024 | Diamond | 350 to 370 g | High | EVA (medium) | 12K carbon | Premium€250 | Advanced |
| Puma Nova Pro Hybrid 2024 | Teardrop | 350 to 375 g | Medium | EVA (medium) | 3K carbon | Mid€150 | Intermediate |
| Puma Nova Court 2024 | Teardrop | 350 to 370 g | Medium | EVA (medium-soft) | Fibreglass | Entry€90 | Intermediate |
| Puma Nova Court Woman 2024 | Teardrop | 350 to 360 g | Medium | EVA (medium-soft) | Fibreglass | Entry€90 | Intermediate |
| Puma Nova Smash 2024 | Diamond | 350 to 370 g | High | EVA (medium-soft) | Fibreglass | Entry€70 | Advanced |
| Puma Solar Attack 2023 Momo Gonzalez | Round | - | - | EVA PRO (medium-hard) | 3K carbon | Pro€360 | Intermediate to advanced |
| Puma Solar Attack II CTR 2023 | Teardrop | 360 to 375 g | - | Soft EVA | 12K carbon | Premium€250 | 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: Puma Nova Elite Momo 2024
Puma has 9 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 Puma Nova Elite Momo 2024, at around €350.
Teardrop: Puma Nova Elite Hybrid 2024
Puma has 12 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 Puma Nova Elite Hybrid 2024, at around €250.
Diamond: Puma Nova Elite Victoria 2024
Puma has 6 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 Puma Nova Elite Victoria 2024, at around €320.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Buying a Puma
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. Puma 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
Puma rackets
Are Puma padel rackets good?
The top of the range is. The Nova Elite Momo and the Solar Attack Momo González both carry an 8.6 rating in the catalogue, level with the best frames from Bullpadel or Nox, and the round Momo frames carry control ratings of 9.4 and 9.6. The entry Court and Smash models are ordinary fibreglass rackets at an ordinary price.
What do CTR and PWR mean on a Puma racket?
CTR is the control version and PWR the power version of the same model. In the catalogue the CTR frames are round or teardrop, and the PWR frames diamond or teardrop; in the 2024 Nova Elite range the CTR has a medium balance and the PWR a high one. Hybrid sits between them.
Which Puma padel racket is best for a beginner?
A Nova Court or a Solar Court. Both are fibreglass teardrops with soft cores at under €100 RRP, which is what a first racket should be. The Nova Smash is cheaper still, but it is a diamond, which is the wrong shape to learn with.
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