Padel Racket Review - Head Speed Pro 2024

What the reviewers say

Every reviewer lands on the same two things: the sweet spot is unusually generous, and the power is real for a racket that does not feel hard.

Dani 13 gave it the most complete test and came away calling it one of the better all round options in the medium feel category, but he was specific about where it stops. "At medium and low speed the control is very good and the racket lets you play everything fairly easily, but when you pick up the pace you have to be more careful, because the core helps you so much that you lose a little control." His own unit weighed 367g with a 27.3cm balance, and he pointed out that a 360g build handles noticeably better.

The Padel School tested it against the Adidas Metalbone and the Nox AT10 Genius, ranked it third overall and first for power, with a verdict that clearly surprised him: "I have to say the Speed Pro had more control than I thought it would, it would be a nice volleyer's racket."

Mejora Tu Padel put it head to head with the Head Delta Pro and split them by court zone. "Compared with the Delta Pro, the Speed Pro is the more manageable racket, and you notice it the moment you pick it up. The head moves faster and it helps you far more in defence, but it does not give you as much above your head."

Padel Reference reached the same shape from the written side, scoring power 9, control 8, comfort 8, tolerance 8 and maneuverability 6, with their tester noting he was "particularly struck by how comfortable it feels, and by how well it tolerates off centre contact."

Where they part company is the balance. Dani 13 found it a drag in fast volley exchanges, with the tip arriving late on stretched reactions, while Mejora Tu Padel rates the same frame as the easier of the two Head flagships to move. Both are right about different shots: it is quick enough to swing, less quick to reposition.

Our take: Christoph Herrmann's summary

The Speed Pro pays you back on the finishing shot. The high balance and the 370g give a smash and a víbora real weight, and the sweet spot is big enough that most overheads come off clean even when the contact is not perfect. The catch sits in the same place the power does: the Power Foam springs, so a committed, fast swing can send the ball long unless the tip is driven down through contact. Players who close points off the forehand volley should expect a short adjustment period before the finish lands where they aim it.

Defense

At the back it is comfortable rather than sharp. The ball comes off the face with depth on a slow reset, so you do not have to manufacture pace with a big swing, and the sweet spot is wide enough that back wall contact rarely dies in the frame. Two things hold it back. The high balance means the tip lags when you have to move fast to a low ball, and when the rally is played at real pace the core gives more rebound than you asked for, which sends resets and lobs further than intended. Dani 13 was blunt about both, and recommended a 360g build for anyone who wants the defensive half to feel quicker.

Offense

This is the half that justifies the racket. The mass sitting high gives you leverage, the swing accelerates well, and because the sweet spot is so large, most smashes come off clean instead of scattering. For a frame with a medium feel it puts more weight into the ball than the category usually allows, which is why The Padel School rated it the most powerful of the three flagships he compared. The limit is at the very top of the face: contact right up near the tip goes dull, and on a flat finish the spring in the core can carry the ball past the back glass if you do not drive through and down.

Net play

At medium pace this is the best part of the racket. You feel the ball clearly, and depth on a volley arrives with almost no swing, so blocking and redirecting are easy. Punch harder and the high balance works for you, adding weight to the ball on an aggressive volley. The cost shows in fast exchanges. When the volleys come back quickly and you are reaching, the tip is slower to reposition than a lower balanced frame, and a late arrival either floats the ball or pushes it off line. On the bandeja and the víbora the extra head weight lets the swing accelerate nicely, but the same finish down through the ball is needed to keep it in the court.

How it compares

Head Delta Pro. The diamond shape, the rougher surface and the more reactive build give you more over the head and more spin, which is why Mejora Tu Padel picked it as the winner between the two. It also punishes you harder at the back. Choose the Delta Pro if you finish points overhead and defend well enough to afford it. Choose the Speed Pro if you need the back court half to stay comfortable.

Head Speed Motion. Same family, lighter at around 355g to 360g and softer in the hand, so it moves faster and asks less of your arm. It gives up finishing weight to get there. Choose the Motion if comfort and quick handling matter most, or if you are managing elbow load. Choose the Speed Pro if you want the extra mass behind the smash and a crisper response.