Padel Racket Review - StarVie Drax Pro Touch 2025

What the reviewers say

Three channels tested it on court: two Spanish and one Italian with English subtitles. They agree on its character. It is a lively, medium-hard racket with a high balance that pays off overhead and asks more of you in defence and in quick exchanges at the net.

Padel Review called it "surprisingly explosive". Despite the firm feel, the ball leaves the face fast, and their first few balls went straight into the glass. Their warning was clear: "this racket does not forgive an indecisive arm." Overhead they described it as explosive rather than a cannon, and they rated its spin and víbora highly.

Zona de Pádel put tester Carmen, an aggressive player, on court with it. Her verdict: "It's quite a hard racket and defending costs me a bit more, but I like to be on top and volley high, so I liked it a lot." She also liked the longer handle for her two-handed backhand and found the weight easy to handle.

Dani 13 tested it side by side with the EVA Soft 30 version. He found the Pro Touch rubber more cushioned, with less feel at impact, and more reactive at pace: "with the Pro Touch the ball runs more for the same effort, but at high pace it is easier to lose control." He rated the sweet spot standard in size and centred, and flagged the handling. With this balance it moves like a Triton, slower in fast volley exchanges and on low defensive balls.

Where they differ is how much control you give up. Dani 13 found it well behaved at medium pace and only harder to manage when the ball comes fast. Padel Review called control its weak point from the first rallies.

Our take: Lars's summary

The Drax Pro Touch helps you finish points more than it helps you build them. The lively core and high balance give easy speed overhead, but on the right side, where rallies are built with blocks and low balls, the slower head and the extra rebound at pace make it harder to keep the ball down. Right-side point builders will likely get more from the Drax Soft, which reviewers found more controlled with the same shape and grip.

From the back it is workable, but defence is not its strength. The rebound of the Pro Touch rubber helps when you arrive late and cannot swing, as Dani 13 noted, and lobs get depth without much effort. The cost is handling. The high balance makes it easy to leave the head behind on low, fast balls, and the ball floats or runs long if you hit with doubt. Both Carmen and Padel Review found defending harder than attacking.

This is where it earns its place. The high balance and longer grip give good leverage on the smash and the víbora, and flat smashes come off faster than with the Drax Soft. It is not a pure power racket, though. Dani 13 found the Triton line gives a little more overhead, and Padel Review called it explosive rather than a cannon. Hit it in the middle of the face: contact near the top feels drier and gives less.

At the net the textured face puts real spin on slow balls and cut volleys, and blocks felt solid to the reviewers. Fast exchanges are the weak spot. The high balance makes it slower to move than most teardrops, and the lively rubber means you have to steer the volley firmly down or it floats towards the glass. It suits players who volley with intent.

How it compares

• StarVie Drax Soft 2025: the same mould, grip and 12K faces with the softer EVA Soft 30 rubber. Dani 13 found it gives a better feel of the ball and more control at pace, with a little less speed. Pick it if you build points. Pick the Pro Touch if you want more help to finish them.
• StarVie Triton Pro Touch 2025: the same Pro Touch rubber in StarVie's power line, with 3K faces and a higher sweet spot. Dani 13 found the Triton line gives a little more power overhead. The Drax has a more centred sweet spot and slightly softer faces. Pick the Triton for maximum power from the left, the Drax for a more rounded attacking racket.