Head Edge II Padel Racket, Black

Padel Nuestro, which files it in its 2025 collection, calls the Edge II Black a teardrop with a medium balance, a fibreglass face, a foam core, medium hardness and a flat, matt surface, and pitches it at beginners and intermediates. PadelScout lists the same and gives a weight of 360 to 375 g. Padelvo, on the other hand, calls it round with a low balance and an EVA core at 360 g, and one Decathlon marketplace listing for the black version agrees on round and low.

Our photo shows a head that's widest a little above the middle, which reads more teardrop than round to us, but we wouldn't argue the point with anyone holding one. What matters more is where the readings overlap: fibreglass, foam, and a balance at or below the middle. That's a control racket, whichever word you prefer for the shape.

With the weight sitting near the handle, the racket comes up quickly for volleys and doesn't drag the wrist round on a backhand. Fibreglass gives a softer, slightly springy contact than carbon, which helps a new player get the ball back deep without a big swing. The trade-off is pace: you won't win many points with the Edge II's smash, and it isn't trying to make you.

For a first racket, that's the right way round. Most early points are lost on errors, not won with winners, and a racket that forgives a late contact keeps rallies going long enough to learn. Our best padel racket for beginners guide makes the same case at more length.

HEAD's entry shelf is crowded, and the differences are mostly balance and foam. The Evo Speed is lighter at 350 g with a softer foam. The Vibe 2025 is also 350 g but uses livelier Power Foam and an oversize head. If you've started swinging hard and want the racket to help, the head-heavy Concord is the opposite of the Edge II. All of them are on our cheap padel rackets list.

Fibreglass rackets chip if they meet the glass at speed, so put a strip from the racket protector range on the top of the frame on day one. A thin overgrip from padel grips builds the handle up if it feels narrow. Pick a forgiving club ball from padel balls, and a pair from padel shoes, because trainers skate on sanded turf. HEAD makes an Edge padel bag to match. Everything else is on padel rackets, and the guide to choosing a padel racket explains shape and balance.