Padel Racket Review - Dunlop FX Pro 2026

What the reviewers say

Reviewers agree on the power. Where they differ is how much the head weight costs you. The Italian duo at Padel Review tested it in Italian and again in English on PADELREVIEW ENG. Their sample weighed 361g with a very high 28 cm balance. They found control surprisingly good for a diamond and the sweet spot decent for the shape, but maneuverability was the problem. Emiliano called it "one of the balances I have struggled with most in my life", above all on overheads and under pressure. The ball exit is not generous either, so the power has to come from your arm, and neither host would pay €300 for it.

Extreme Padel measured a different sample in its lab at 368g, a 26.9 cm balance and a stiff face (66 RA). Their scores gave it 88 for power but 77 for control and 60 for comfort, and they describe it as "very rigid, very demanding, with little tolerance", a racket that needs a high level and good timing.

Total Padel set it against the Galactica Pro and came away more positive about the attack: "I was able to produce more backspin and topspin compared to the Galactica." Power and attacking shots were better too, which in their view makes it a weapon for left-side players. The Galactica still felt more stable and more comfortable in defense, with fewer unforced errors.

Charles Gordzunian, a French top-20 player and Dunlop ambassador, told Esprit Padel Shop he started the year with the FX Pro, "really a racket for punching". He then moved to the FX Lite because he wanted more maneuverability.

Our take: Lars Kloezeman's summary

The FX Pro does one job well: it turns a full, well-timed swing into a heavy ball on the smash and the volley. Everything around that job costs effort. Right-side players who build points with blocks, lobs and patient resets get little from it, because the head weight slows the racket in fast exchanges and the stiff face gives no free depth on defensive lobs. It makes most sense for a strong left-side player who wants to finish points and can carry the weight for a full match.

The weak zone. Reviewers agree the racket is hard to bring back in time when you are pushed deep or late, and Padel Review struggled most on the backhand under pressure. The hard face keeps the ball under control, so errors come from slow preparation rather than a ball that flies. Lobs from the back do need a full swing to reach depth.

This is where the FX Pro earns its price. Smashes come off heavy, and PADELREVIEW ENG compared them to a cannon. There is a catch: the high balance makes the racket hard to accelerate, so flat smashes need real arm speed, and Padel Review found the víbora one of the hardest shots to play with it. Total Padel got good spin from the surface on attacking shots.

Better than the weight suggests. Volleys are short movements, so the head weight helps there more than it hurts. PADELREVIEW ENG found volleys fast, aggressive and low, and touch shots such as the chiquita precise. Keep your free hand on the frame between shots, as Padel Review advises, or the head drops in quick exchanges.

How it compares

The Dunlop FX Lite 2026 comes from the same line with the weight in the handle: easier to swing, better in defense, less punch. Charles Gordzunian switched from the Pro to the Lite for exactly that reason. The Dunlop Galactica Pro is Dunlop's teardrop alternative with a rough 16K carbon face. Total Padel found it more stable and more forgiving in defense, while the FX Pro gave more spin and power in attack. Pick the FX Pro to finish points and the Galactica Pro for consistent all-court play.