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Buy the Extreme EVO as a beginner stepping stone; the Viper Air earns its money once you're driving the ball with intent.
Stepping-stone beginner frame against a mid-premium attacker. The Head Extreme EVO at £55-75 is a 350-365g teardrop with medium balance, Power Foam core and a fibreglass face - cheap, light, and designed to add a touch more attacking capability than a pure round-frame starter without going overboard. The Babolat Viper Air at £160 is a different proposition entirely: power-led, Babolat's tennis-DNA stiffness, aimed at players ready to drive the ball hard.
Things to weigh:
Brand observation: Head sit comfortably in the broad-market sweet spot - solid kit, sensible prices, available everywhere. Babolat carry premium tennis cachet and their padel range reflects that with firmer, livelier rackets.
If you've already played a season on a true round beginner frame, the Extreme EVO is the right next step. The Viper Air comes later.
Hand-written editorial — not auto-generated. By Gary, RacketRise.
| Product | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Padel Rackets | Padel Rackets |
| Sport | Padel | Padel |
| Skill Level | Intermediate | Beginner |
| Weight | 355-370g | 350-365g |
| Shape | Diamond | Teardrop |
| Balance | Medium | Medium |
| Core | — | Power Foam |
| Surface | Carbon fibre | Fibreglass |
| Thickness | 38mm | 38mm |
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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The main differences are: Weight: Babolat Viper has 355-370g vs 350-365g. Shape: Babolat Viper has Diamond vs Teardrop. Surface: Babolat Viper has Carbon fibre vs Fibreglass. Overall, the Babolat Viper Air Padel Racket is best for intermediate players while the Head Extreme EVO Padel Racket suits beginners.
The Head Extreme EVO Padel Racket is the better choice for beginners thanks to its forgiving design and accessible price point. The Babolat Viper Air Padel Racket is aimed at intermediate players and may be more demanding to use effectively.
The Babolat Viper Air Padel Racket (£160) costs more than the Head Extreme EVO Padel Racket (£55-75). Whether the premium is worth it depends on your skill level — if you are intermediate players, the extra investment in the Babolat Viper Air Padel Racket can pay off.