Babolat Technical Viper Soft 3.0 Padel Racket

Babolat's UK page lists a diamond head, a head-heavy balance, 365 g give or take 10, a 38 mm profile, a carbon frame, a black EVA core and a Soft Carbon surface with built-in carbon twill for a gentler feel at impact. The Dynamic Stability System, a central reinforced bar, is there for energy transfer, Vibrabsorb System 2 uses elastomers to damp vibration, and 3D Spin+ is a rough finish for spin. The grip it recommends is Syntec Pro.

Retailers give the weight as 355 to 375 g or 360 to 370 g, and one lists a fibreglass face, which looks like an error against Babolat's Soft Carbon. We use Babolat's figures.

Padelful's reviewer found easy ball output, a forgiving sweet spot for the category and a lively response at the net, and the scores say the same: rebound 9.1, power 8.8 and sweet spot 8.7. A forum-style note on the page says it is firmer than its name suggests but gentler than a standard Technical Viper.

The costs are the diamond's usual ones. Lazy swings lack depth, off-centre hits are punished and the head-heavy setup can tire the arm over a long match. It is for offensive players who want a serious attacking tool, not for defenders or players who want a soft, touch-heavy racket.

Padelful's page rests on one reviewer, and its community rating is not a valid score, so treat the numbers as a guide.

The standard Technical Viper 3.0 has a hard EVA core, a 3K carbon face and 370 g. Padelful figures cited in our guide put its power at 9.8 and control at 9.5, so the Soft gives up about a point on each in exchange for a more forgiving feel. The difference between the two on a Padelful page is smaller than the name implies, because the reviewer describes both as hard.

If you play three or four times a week and your arm complains, the Soft is the sensible choice. If you hit through the ball and want every bit of the extra output, the standard racket is the one. The Lebron line has its own softer version, the Viper Soft Juan Lebron 3.1.

Defensive players and anyone who wants a genuinely soft racket. Padelful's feel rating is hard and the head weight tires the arm, so look at the control padel rackets page for round frames or the best padel racket for intermediate players list for gentler ones.

Babolat recommends Syntec Pro. A cushioned replacement or a tacky overgrip such as the Babolat VS overgrip takes the edge off a firm racket, and our padel grips page explains the choice. Fit frame tape from the racket protector range before the first match.

Fresh balls soften the feel, so a box of Babolat Ace balls is a natural partner for match play, and the padel balls page explains how quickly pressure fades. The padel bags and padel shoes pages complete the kit, and the full padel racket range, the advanced padel rackets list and our guide to choosing a padel racket put it in context.