Bullpadel Ionic Power 26 Padel Racket

Bullpadel makes three scored diamonds below its pro line, plus the unscored fibreglass Apex Power 26 and Discover PWR. The entry Indiga PWR 26 uses fibreglass over a soft core; the Vertex Advance 26 has the Vertex shape in Glaphite with an EVAlastic core; the Ionic Power uses Glaphite over MultiEVA. Padelful scores the Ionic Power highest of the three for power (7.8 against 7.1 and 7.0), level with the Vertex Advance on rebound and handling, and a whisker behind it on control and sweet spot.

So if raw pace on the overhead is what you're after at club level, this is the one. If you'd rather have the Vertex badge and a touch more forgiveness, the Advance is close enough that personal feel should decide.

Volleys come off lively and deep, and the damping is comfortable for a diamond: those are the points Padelful's testers liked. The rebound score of 8.9 means you don't need a perfect swing to get the ball to the back glass.

The catch is everything that comes with a head-heavy shape. Defence asks for better positioning, mishits lose quality quickly, and precision under pressure is limited. Handling scores 6.9, which you'll feel in fast exchanges at the net.

The three Ionics share their materials and differ in shape. Against the round Ionic Control 26, the Power gains 1.3 points of power and gives up 1.7 points of handling and 1.2 of sweet spot on Padelful's scale. The teardrop Ionic Light 26 is 15 g lighter and handles like the Control. Most improvers will be happier with one of those two; the Power is for the ones who already know they want to attack.

Players in their second or third season who finish points at the net and want more pace than a fibreglass racket gives, without jumping to carbon. It's also a sensible step for someone coming off the Open PWR or Indiga PWR who likes the diamond shape. The diamond padel rackets page and the best padel racket for intermediate players page show the alternatives.

Keep the handle fresh with an overgrip or, once the stock grip wears, a Bullpadel replacement grip; our padel grips page explains the difference. Fit a pack of black Bullpadel frame protectors to save the head from low balls, and see the racket protector page for more.

For balls, a tube of Bullpadel FIP Next works well at club level, and our padel balls page explains why fresh tubes matter. The Ionic racket bag and the Ionic 26I men's shoe match the family; every shoe for sand-filled turf is on our padel shoes page. The Bullpadel rackets page, the full padel racket range and our guide to choosing a padel racket cover the rest.