Varlion Maxima Cube ElbowCare S Padel Racket (2025)

Maxima is Varlion's teardrop, Cube is the three-dimensional carbon face, and ElbowCare is the vibration-reduction system. Padelful lists a Prisma bidirectional carbon tubular frame and a Hypersoft foam core in the S version, with a hard feel. Padelgids describes a very hard EVA core and lists a SLICE texture, Difusor Wings, Ergoholes, a Handlesafety cord, an AD adhesive protector and a 14.5 cm handle, with a cover in the box.

The S letter links to the core. Padelgids says the S is optimised for hot conditions over 25 degrees, which makes it the stiffer of the two ElbowCare builds. See the round version on the LW Cube ElbowCare S page.

Padelful calls it a fast, firm all-court racket with strong impact damping. Its pros are quick hands on net blocks, damped impact through the grip and a direct, sharp víbora. It adds that the racket performs best when you swing through the ball rather than relying on a short stroke.

The cons are specific. It is demanding on rushed baseline defence, precision drops on late contact and the core feels hollow in the cold. That last one is the one UK buyers should notice, because a very hard core tuned for heat is working against you on a cold evening.

Varlion tunes its ElbowCare rackets by temperature. Padelgids ties the S to play above 25 degrees, and Padelful's cons mention the core feeling hollow in the cold. For cooler British courts, the sensible comparison is with the W builds, and the LW Cube ElbowCare W is the round one for cooler air.

If you play indoors somewhere that stays warm, or in a hot summer, the S makes more sense. Otherwise try before you buy, or ask which core is right for the temperature you actually play in.

Padelful and Padelgids agree on the teardrop shape, the 350 to 365 g weight, the medium balance, the Carbon Cube face and the Prisma frame. They word the core differently, Hypersoft foam with a hard feel on one and a very hard EVA core above 25 degrees on the other, and the level differently, intermediate-advanced or advanced against professional.

The year is the familiar Varlion split: 2025 on Padelful and 2026 on Padelgids, with a 2025/2026 collection. Treat it as one racket.

If you want a lighter, gentler teardrop, look at the Maxima Carbon Rose. For a firm Maxima without the damping, there is the Maxima Prisma Carbon Soft. For a diamond, the Bourne Prisma Carbon Soft is the power racket. See our Varlion padel rackets page for the full range, or browse our teardrop and hybrid padel rackets.

Players who mostly play in the cold, players who often defend from deep and anyone who needs a soft feel for a tender arm. Our intermediate padel rackets page covers softer options, and beginners should start from our beginner padel rackets page.

The AD layer protects the frame, but a racket protector still helps, and a fresh overgrip from our padel grips range suits the long handle. Use good padel balls, wear proper padel shoes and carry it in a padel bag.

For the basics of shape and weight, our guide to choosing a padel racket explains it, and the full padel racket range has the rest.