Your racket zoom of June, always signed Régis Monnerie of Padel XPleads us to take an interest in the flagships of the Bullpadel brand: the Vertex and Hack.
What are the differences between the models and above all what playing sensations do they give you? Which is best for your game? Our answers to enlighten you…
Bullpadel is a Spanish racket brand created in 1995 by Spanish and Argentinian founders. Acquired in 2005 by the Aguirre y Cía group, it has diversified by offering padel accessories, shoes and textiles. The brand has always invested in padel in order to become its leader, which it undisputedly is today.
Bullpadel sponsors many professional players. We find the Spanish star Paquito Navarro, his Argentinian teammate Martin Di Nenno, as well as Juan Tello, Fede Chingotto, as well as Delfi Brea and the world numbers 1 Alejandra Salazar and Gemma Triay. So beautiful people!
Hack and Vertex, the top of the range of the brand
The top of the Bullpadel 2022 range consists of 2 models, the Vertex and the Hack, which are available in several versions:
- the vertex 03
- the Vertex 03 Control
- la Vertex 03 Woman
- la Vertex 03 Comfort
- the hack 03
- the Hack 03 Control
- the Hack 03 Comfort
Vertex and Hack are powerful racquets for attackers, with a head balance that weighs down the shots. We’re not here to do lace with a game of aesthete! These models are aimed at good level players who are looking for power in the first place.
They all have the MultiEva rubber core, made up of two foams of different densities: a less dense inner layer offering more sensation and touch; a more compact outer layer offering more power.
They also incorporate all the technologies developed by Bullpadel: the Air React Channel, a 4-arm racket core, the vibration-absorbing VibraDrive, the hollow Nerve channels in the frame improving stability and rigidity, and the Metalshield frame protector. The Hesacore grip integrated into the handle (except on the Comfort versions) gives you excellent grip with great grip, while absorbing vibrations.
Powerful palates
So why 2 ranges will you tell me? The differences are in the nuance as we shall see.
The Vertex 03 by Juan Tello, Martin Di Nenno and Federico Chingotto has a diamond shape characteristic of powerful attacking racquets, with a little more weight in the head and a sweet-spot located at the top of the head. It will allow you a more aggressive playing behavior. It is the ideal racket to allow you to go out of the window by 3 and by 4. It is the power pala par excellence.
Paquito Navarro’s Hack 03 has an almost hybrid diamond shape, tending slightly towards the teardrop shape, which will bring more versatility and maneuverability to your game. The difference is far from being radical, and the Hack 03 will also allow you to play aggressively and powerfully.
The other difference between Vertex 03 and Hack 03 is in the coating. We find :
- a 12k Xtend carbon for the Vertex, a harder and more aggressive carbon that will promote a maximum power hitting game
- a TriCarbon carbon for the Hack, less hard, which will allow you to touch the ball more, while allowing you more reaction time, with a feeling of comfort when hitting
- the Vertex 03 has in its 4 versions a rough TopSpin varnish which will allow you to accentuate your ball effects while the Hack 03 has a smooth finish.
- the Hack 03 features Adaptia technology that gives you longer contact with the ball on impact, to ‘absorb’ the ball before releasing it, giving you slightly more shot control.
We will summarize this nuance between Vertex and Hack by allocating to the Vertex 03 the raw power, with accentuated effects, and by attributing to the Hack 03 the more versatile and manageable power.
We don’t forget control, women, and comfort!
The Control versions have a round shape with a wider sweet-spot that will bring you more comfort while giving you greater forgiveness on your off-center shots. You will have more room for error and your mammoth strikes may not go directly into the windows!
Another important point, these Control versions have a weight balance located towards the handle which will bring you maneuverability, appreciable at net and in your sometimes desperate movements in defense. The counterpart will be a significant loss of power, especially at smash compared to the classic versions. But don’t you need to keep better control?
As for the Comfort versions of the Hack and the Vertex, they retain the characteristics of powerful attacking racquets, with a diamond shape and head weight, and the same nuance between Hack and Vertex as on the high-end models.
Their more flexible and elastic X-Glass fiberglass and carbon coating will give you extra comfort, but which nevertheless reduces the raw power available to you. This feature makes the two Comfort versions a softer variant of the Vertex 03 and the Hack 03. But the presence of almost all the Bullpadel technologies makes them very attractive padel rackets, around €100 less than their big sisters.
Finally, let’s mention for you ladies and gentlemen, seasoned and demanding players, the Vertex 03 Woman by Delfi Brea. It incorporates all the characteristics of the Vertex 03 Comfort with a reduced weight that will allow you a better grip and more ease of movement to deliver powerful strikes with finesse and grace.
This reduced weight of the Woman version should be noted, the classic Vertex and Hack tending towards a higher weight of around 370 grams and more, if you decide to add the aluminum plates available for this purpose (CustomWeight system). This clearly favors your punching power but watch out for your arm! The Hack and Vertex are not recommended for you in case of arm and elbow pain, like most powerful attacking racquets, of higher weight.
In the end, the Bullpadel Vertex and Hack offer you several variants of attack rackets, from the raw power of the Vertex 03 to the more versatile and manageable power of the Hack 03, from the controlled power of the Vertex and Hack Control to the power more comfortable (and more affordable) Comfort versions.
If you are an offensive and aggressive player, there is no doubt that you will find your ideal racket, Hack or Vertex, at Bullpadel.
Régis Monnerie is the founder of the French site Padel XP. Drawing on his experience, he comes back to the questions you have about padel rackets.