StarVie Raptor+ 2026 Padel Racket

Padelgids lists a teardrop at 358 g with an 8 g tolerance, 38 mm thick, a 3D Carbon face and an M-EVA Balance core, which it describes as medium-hard for controlled power. The technology list reads like a brochure but has one genuine adjustment: Dynamic Star, a central star with two weight options that shifts the balance by up to 0.3 cm. Spin Boost Tech is a rough finish for spin, Anti-Vibe is a damping rubber, and the Five Sides frame and Reactive Holes are about stiffness and ball output.

Sources disagree on two things. Weight runs from 350 to 375 g across retailers, and Padelful lists the shape as round while everyone else says teardrop. A medium-balance racket that Padelful scores this highly for control may feel round-ish in the hand, but we follow the listings and call it a teardrop. Check the season too: the 2027 Raptor+ Red is a separate listing with its own spec.

Padelful describes a polished, stable racket with a generous sweet spot, clean ball exit on defence and reliable bite on the bandeja and vibora. Control at 8.9 and sweet spot at 9 are the headline, and rebound at 8.9 means the face gives back something when the ball arrives low.

The catch is power. There is no free pace and no smash assistance, so you need an active swing to generate depth. That makes it a racket for players who win by patience, and who attack when the ball sits up, not those who want to finish anything.

On the same Padelful scale, the Raptor+ has more control than the Astrum+ (8.9 against 8.0) and slightly less sweet spot, and it is far gentler than the Black Titan, which scores 9.4 for power and 9.7 for control but only 8.1 for sweet spot.

So the Raptor+ is the one in the middle for a player who wants accuracy without the Black Titan's hardness. If you want a softer round racket from StarVie, the Kenta+ 2026 gives up control for comfort. From the same brand, the Triton Balance+, is StarVie's other balanced option.

Players who finish at the net. A power score of 8 and no smash assistance mean you do the work, and our advanced padel rackets page has harder-hitting frames. If you are newer to the game, the best padel racket for intermediate players list has softer, cheaper options.

A medium-feel racket is happy with any grip, but fresh tack matters. An overgrip such as the Head Pro overgrip is the usual first extra, and our padel grips page explains when to replace instead. Frame tape from the racket protector range is worth fitting before the first match.

A racket with no free power wants live balls, so a tube of Bullpadel Next balls is a sensible partner, and the padel balls page explains how fast pressure fades. The padel bags and padel shoes pages complete the kit, and the full padel racket range and our guide to choosing a padel racket put it in context.