Is the Babolat Viper Soft 3.1 actually soft?

No. Every reviewer found it hard at impact. It is only softer than the regular Viper, and it needs a few weeks to settle when new.

What changed from the Viper Soft 3.0 to 3.1?

Mainly the look. Babolat kept the 3.0 construction and added a green and pink design. Reviewers found balance and feel very close.

Is the Viper Soft 3.1 good for intermediate players?

For high-intermediate players moving to advanced, yes. Basic intermediates will find the Veron 3.1 easier to control.

Is the Viper Soft 3.1 for the left or right side?

Reviewers see it mainly as a left-side racket. Its extra ball exit can make volleys and drives fly long on the right.

How much does the Babolat Viper Soft Juan Lebron 3.1 cost?

The list price is €300, the same as the 3.0, with discounts to about €270 at some retailers. The regular Viper 3.1 costs €390.

8.2

Conclusion

From above it hits hard, and a bit of elasticity helps when your preparation is late. It suits intermediate-to-advanced left-side attackers who want Lebrón-style power without the full demands of the regular Viper. Players with fast, clean technique will miss the tighter control of the standard model, and the ball can fly long on full swings.

Power8.5/10

Control8.0/10

Defense7.0/10

Offense8.5/10

Maneuverability7.5/10

Padel Racket Review - Babolat Viper Soft Juan Lebron 3.1 2027

Name: Babolat Viper Soft Juan Lebron 3.1 2027
Brand: Babolat

Babolat · 2027

Reviewed & Researched by Christoph Herrmann

Left-handed right-side player with an attacking, finishing game

Always overperforms in the warm-up, always underperforms in the match. Such is life.

The Viper Soft Juan Lebron 3.1 is the middle racket in Babolat's 2027 Lebrón collection. It sits between the full Viper, which is harder and heavier at around 370g, and the more accessible Veron. It costs €300, the same as last year, against €390 for the regular Viper.

The "3.1" name tells you most of the story. Babolat kept the construction of the 3.0 and changed the look, with a new green and pink colour scheme. So it is still a diamond with a high balance and a Soft Carbon face over a Black EVA core, around 365g. Reviewers measured test samples at 359g and 361g, both with a 27.2cm balance. Do not let the word "Soft" mislead you: every reviewer found it hard at impact. It is only soft next to the regular Viper.

What the Reviewers Say

What the reviewers say

The three hands-on reviews agree on the big picture. This is a firm, powerful diamond, and it is a little easier to live with than the regular Viper. They disagree on how much control you give up for that help.

PADELREVIEW ENG put last year's version in his top 10 of 2025 and still rates the 3.1 highly. He was surprised by how hard it felt: "Don't let the word soft fool you, the impact feels almost wooden." From the back he found the control excellent, but a little less solid than the regular Viper. At the net it felt agile and stable. From above he called it a proper hammer, with a bit of extra help on flat smashes when your preparation is not perfect. Given the choice, he would still take the regular Viper 3.1 into a match for its tighter precision.

Zona de Pádel was the most positive. Their tester said he had forgotten how good the Soft was and felt he could put the ball exactly where he wanted. He also warned that a new racket is "a real rock" and reaches its best after about a month, once the rubber softens. He found the sweet spot large and said that, at amateur level, the way it holds the ball and then pushes it out does not punish you. For topspin and flat smashes it felt comfortable with both.

Padel Review (Italian channel) was the most cautious. Both testers found the ball exit faster than on the regular Viper, with slightly less control and a wooden sound on off-centre hits. One of them noted that the ball can go long when you push hard. In their view it plays better at medium intensity, and the harder Viper suits players who attack on every ball. They gave it 8 for power and smash and 7 for control and sweet spot.

How it plays..

Our take: Christoph's summary

The Soft 3.1 still rewards a committed, weighted swing, and the extra help on late smashes is real. The trade-off shows on fast forehand volleys and returns: when you swing through, the ball can fly further than you planned, which is where the regular Viper holds its line. Right-side attackers who hit flat and hard should test both before buying, because this one is built more for the left.

Defense

From the back, the high balance means you need at least a high-intermediate level to handle it comfortably. The slightly more elastic face helps on lobs, and Padel Review found it gives more depth with less effort than the regular Viper. The cost is a small loss of precision on fast exchanges.

Attack

This is where the racket makes its case. The head-heavy diamond drives flat smashes hard, and the extra elasticity helps when you arrive late or off balance. The rough 3D Spin+ face gives good bite on víboras and kick smashes. Zona de Pádel warned that the drop of the head can make you overhit if you are used to a lighter racket.

Netplay

At around 360g in the test samples it moves quickly at the net, and blocks feel stable. The one note from two reviewers: on full volleys the ball can carry further than expected, so short, compact volleys work better than big swings.

Our Advice for New Players

Not for beginners. The balance and the hard feel ask for technique you do not have yet. Look at Babolat's lighter, softer models instead.

Our Advice for Intermediate Players

High-intermediate players moving towards an advanced level are the best fit. You get most of the Lebrón power with a bit more help on mishits than the regular Viper gives. If you are a basic intermediate, the Veron 3.1 is the safer choice.

Competitive level

Advanced left-side attackers will enjoy it, especially at medium intensity and on days when their legs are tired. If you have fast racket-head speed and want maximum precision, the reviewers point you to the regular Viper 3.1.

How It Compares

How it compares

Against the regular Viper Juan Lebron 3.1, the Soft is about 5g lighter, €90 cheaper and more forgiving, with a bit more ball exit. The regular Viper gives tighter control and a more solid contact but asks for more technique and physical effort. See our review of last year's Babolat Viper Juan Lebron 2026 for how the regular model plays.

Against last year's Babolat Technical Viper Soft 3.0, the construction is the same. Reviewers found the balance and feel very close, so a player who owns the 3.0 has little reason to upgrade apart from the new look.

Research & References

Our mission is to help you choose the right padel racket with clear, in-depth reviews that make it easy to level up your game. We start with official specs, then break down each racket’s key properties. Finally, we bring together trusted video and written reviews—summarised into one consistent, easy-to-read overview.

Drafted by Padelguru from expert video reviews with Christoph Herrmann's playing profile as an editorial lens, then reviewed and edited by Christoph Herrmann.