Padel Racket Review - Lok Carb On Hype Gen 2 2026

What the reviewers say

Three video tests and two written reviews agree on the headline: for a diamond, this racket is soft, forgiving and easy to get power from. They split on how quick it feels in the hand, and on how it copes when the pace goes up.

Zona de Pádel tested it next to the rest of the 2026 range and was surprised by the comfort: "compared to the Yanguas racket, it feels a lot softer, even reminiscent of a fiberglass racket." They found the sweet spot very wide, the ball output from the back high and the racket easy to move. Their one catch was fast play, where the lively face made the ball harder to control.

Dahlgren at OngoalSweden played the standard model and the Franco Dal Bianco edition back to back. On the standard version he said: "I didn't need to create as much pace myself, I got good help once I decided to accelerate." For a power game he preferred it to the FDB, and he found it lighter and friendlier than Lok's Maxx rackets.

Dela4padel reviewed the Franco Dal Bianco edition, which Lok lists with the same build. He rated it manoeuvrable, with a large sweet spot and a medium-soft feel, and thought it plays closer to a teardrop than its diamond label suggests. His warning matches Zona de Pádel's: "at a slow to medium pace it responds brilliantly, but at a higher pace it falls a little behind." He also found the 3D texture lightly marked, so spin help is modest, and kick smashes worked better for him than flat ones.

PadelVerdict measured its test unit at 368g with a 268mm balance point and scored control higher than you would expect from a diamond. On handling it disagrees with the video testers, noting that "the head carries weight that slows wrist-driven exchanges under pressure." Padel Nuestro places the racket as "a middle ground between the Maxx Hype and Maxx Flow," with a medium feel that is more reactive than the Maxx Hype.

Our take: Lars's summary

The Carb-On Hype Gen 2 forgives more than most diamonds, and that is the main reason to buy it. The soft, lively face gives easy depth from the back, so lobs and resets are less of a gamble than the shape suggests. The cost is precision under pace: when volleys come in fast, the ball can sit on the face and float, which hurts players who build points with low, placed volleys. For attackers who want power without a stiff 18K frame, it is a fair buy at street price.

Defense is better than you would expect from a diamond. The soft response and high ball output give easy depth on lobs and on balls out of the back glass, and both Zona de Pádel and Dela4padel found it comfortable at the back of the court. The high balance is still there, though, so fast, low balls need early preparation. Unit weight matters too: Dela4padel's unit was on the light side, and a heavier one will feel slower.

The power comes from ball output more than stiffness. Smashes, bandejas and víboras get plenty of speed from a moderate swing, and Dahlgren found pace without forcing it. Kick smashes and spin overheads respond best. Hit hard and flat, and the soft face holds the ball a moment longer, so the shot loses some bite. Players who want a dry, crisp finish should look at the harder Maxx Hype Gen 2.

Most testers found it easy to handle at the net, and the wide sweet spot keeps off-centre volleys in play. The weak point is high-pace exchanges, where the lively face can push the ball up instead of down. The lightly marked texture gives only modest help when you want to put weight and spin on a volley. Bandejas and víboras are reliable, while fast blocks and heavy punch volleys need more care.

How it compares

The Bullpadel Ionic Power 2026 is the closest rival: a head-heavy, mid-range diamond with easy power, a generous sweet spot and the same habit of losing some precision at high pace. The Lok has a carbon face and frame, while the Bullpadel pairs a Glaphite face with a fiberglass frame. Both suit the same player, so pick the Lok if you want a full carbon build.

The Head Coello Team 2026 is the comfort-first alternative, with a smooth fiberglass face that gives almost no spin. The Lok offers a little more grip on kick smashes and a firmer carbon build.

Within Lok, the Maxx Hype Gen 2 is the harder 18K version for advanced attackers. The Carbon Flow Gen 2 uses the same materials in a rounder shape with a central balance, for players who want more control.