Babolat Counter Viper Padel Racket vs Bullpadel Hack CTRL Padel Racket — Padel Rackets Comparison UK 2026

Picking between these two is largely a question of how you want your control: French engineering or Spanish heritage — though the Bullpadel now has a £45-odd head start on price. The Babolat Counter Viper at £170 is a round-shape control frame with a soft EVA core and a fairly low balance, designed to keep the ball in front of you when defending the back glass. The Bullpadel Hack CTRL at £124 is Paquito's control variant, slightly heavier in the head, with a carbon face that bites into the ball more aggressively on slices and chiquitas. Buy the Counter Viper if you're a defensive baseline player who hates surprises, plays a lot of mixed doubles, and wants the most predictable bounce off the strings — and you're willing to pay a genuine premium for that predictability. Otherwise go for the Hack CTRL: you get the more responsive frame, the carbon-face bite on cut volleys, and you keep about £45 in your pocket. The old trade-off was paying extra for the Bullpadel's bite; now the bite comes cheaper.