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Babolat Counter Viper for tamed Viper feel if you'll pay the premium; Bullpadel Ionic Light for round-shape forgiveness, comfort and the lower price.
A £55-odd gap separates these two, and they pull in different directions.
The Babolat Counter Viper at £170 is the more controllable cousin of the standard Viper line. It tames some of the diamond-aggressive Viper geometry into a hybrid shape and slightly lower balance, but it still sits within Babolat's power-forward DNA. Expect a livelier, snappier feel and a more responsive ball off the strings.
The Bullpadel Ionic Light at £114 is the calmer choice — and the meaningfully cheaper one: 355-365g, round, low balance, MultiEva soft core, carbon-glass hybrid face. The MultiEva core is a meaningful comfort upgrade if you have ever finished a Saturday session with a sore forearm, and the round shape gives a wider middle sweet spot than the Counter Viper's hybrid head.
Buy the Babolat Counter Viper if you have the Viper sensibility, want the snappier response, and the £55-ish premium doesn't put you off — particularly if you already play Babolat on the tennis side. Otherwise go for the Bullpadel Ionic Light for classic round-shape forgiveness and the gentlest cushioned feel anywhere near this money.
Hand-written editorial — not auto-generated. By Gary, RacketRise.
| Product | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Padel Rackets | Padel Rackets |
| Sport | Padel | Padel |
| Skill Level | Advanced | Intermediate |
| Weight | 365-380g | 355–365g |
| Shape | Diamond | Round |
| Balance | High | Low |
| Core | Hard EVA | MultiEva soft |
| Surface | Carbon fibre | Carbon-glass hybrid |
| Thickness | 38mm | 38mm |
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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The main differences are: Weight: Babolat Counter has 365-380g vs 355–365g. Shape: Babolat Counter has Diamond vs Round. Balance: Babolat Counter has High vs Low. Overall, the Babolat Counter Viper Padel Racket is best for advanced players while the Bullpadel Ionic Light Padel Racket suits intermediate players.
Neither is specifically designed for beginners — the Babolat Counter Viper Padel Racket suits advanced players and the Bullpadel Ionic Light Padel Racket suits intermediate players. Beginners may find both challenging.
The Babolat Counter Viper Padel Racket (£170) costs more than the Bullpadel Ionic Light Padel Racket (£114). Whether the premium is worth it depends on your skill level — if you are advanced players, the extra investment in the Babolat Counter Viper Padel Racket can pay off.