If you played tennis before you found padel, there’s a reasonable chance you have used a Babolat string. The brand was founded in Lyon in 1875, when it made the first tennis string, and it has been one of the big names in tennis hardware for decades.

Padel came later. Babolat launched its first padel racket in 2001, and brands like Bullpadel and NOX were built around padel from the start. Babolat arrived with a tennis pedigree and has spent the years since building a full padel range, which makes it a natural first look for players who already trust the brand and for anyone moving across from tennis.

The 2026 Babolat padel range

Babolat’s UK site lists four main racket series: Viper, Veron, Vertuo and Origin. Within each, the Technical, Air and Counter versions match Babolat’s three “striker” profiles, roughly a diamond, a teardrop and a round head. Prices below are Babolat’s GB list prices on 18 October 2026.

Viper is the top series, with carbon faces and carbon frames. The Technical Viper 3.0 is a 370 g head-heavy diamond with a 3K carbon face and a hard EVA core (£320), and the Technical Viper Soft 3.0 is a softer-faced version (£250). The Air Viper is an even-balance teardrop with a 16K carbon face, and the Counter Viper a head-heavy round racket with a 3K face; both use an X-EVA core and list at £280. Juan Lebrón’s signature Viper 3.1 lists at £340, and Babolat aims it at “high-level competitive players with an offensive playing style”.

Veron sits below it. Its Carbon Flex face weaves carbon with fibreglass, which Babolat says gives a more flexible surface, over a carbon frame and Black EVA core. The Technical, Air and Counter Veron list at £200–210.

Vertuo has a fibreglass face on a carbon frame. The Air and Counter Vertuo list at £160, and Babolat pitches them on comfortable power “regardless of the player’s level”.

Origin is the entry series, with fibreglass faces and hybrid frames. The Counter Origin (round) lists at £90, the Air Origin (teardrop) at £100 and the Technical Origin+ (diamond) at £130. Babolat also sells the lighter Dyna and Stima rackets and junior models.

Who Juan Lebrón is, and why it matters

Babolat’s headline padel player is Juan Lebrón, a former world number 1 who spent four straight years at the top alongside Alejandro Galán. Babolat’s UK site has a dedicated Juan Lebrón collection, with signature Viper, Viper Soft and Veron rackets.

His signature Viper 3.1 is a head-heavy diamond that Babolat aims at offensive players. Babolat launched its first padel collection for women in 2023.

For casual players, the pro link matters mainly as a sign that Babolat takes padel seriously. Its range covers every shape and price band, from a £90 entry racket to a £340 signature model.

Where Babolat sits in the UK padel market

Babolat’s padel range is easy to find in the UK. On 18 October 2026 we found Babolat rackets at eight UK padel and racket shops as well as on Babolat’s own GB site. If you already buy tennis kit from one of the multi-sport shops, picking up a Babolat padel racket there is straightforward.

Babolat padel makes most sense for tennis players moving across. The brand recognition and the feel at the top of the range (firm, head-heavy diamonds in the Technical Viper) suit someone used to a stiff tennis racket who wants a padel racket that feels like a logical extension of it.

If you’re deep into padel and looking for your second or third upgrade, compare Babolat with the padel-native brands on shape, weight and price. “Solid and familiar” is a reasonable brief for a lot of players.

Is Babolat right for your level?

Yes, across the range. The Origin series is built for beginners, the Vertuo and Veron are steps up with more carbon in the build, and the Viper is the top series.

Just starting out: The Origin rackets are the place to look. On 18 October 2026 the Counter Origin cost £64.60–69.99 and the Air Origin £74.10–84.95 at UK shops, and Babolat aims the Air Origin at players taking their first steps. The Counter Origin is round and head-light, the Air Origin a teardrop. See our guide to buying your first padel racket for what to look for at this stage.

Six to eighteen months in: The Vertuo and Veron are worth a look. The Vertuo was selling for £94.99–138.99, and the standard Veron rackets £119.99–188.99 depending on version and shop. Babolat describes the Veron’s Carbon Flex face as a flexible surface that combines the power of carbon with the easier power of fibreglass.

Experienced players who want to attack: The Viper series is Babolat’s top range. Shop prices were well below list on 18 October 2026: the Technical Viper 3.0 was £191.99–271.99 and the Air and Counter Viper £163.90–235.99. Lebrón’s signature editions list £10–20 above the equivalent standard model (£340 against £320 for the Technical Viper), and the new 3.1 was selling at or close to list.

For a broader view of what’s available across brands and budgets, our best padel rackets UK guide covers the full market, including where Babolat’s key models sit against comparable options from other brands.

Where to buy in the UK

On 18 October 2026 these shops listed Babolat padel rackets:

  • Babolat GB (babolat.com/gb) – the full range at list price
  • PDH Sports (pdhsports.com) – including the Juan Lebrón 3.1 rackets
  • Padel Market (padelmarket.com/en-gb) – from Origin to Viper
  • Everything Padel (everythingpadel.co.uk) – from Origin to Viper
  • Express Padel (expresspadel.co.uk) – from Origin to Viper
  • All Things Padel (allthingspadel.co.uk) and Padel HQ (padelhq.co.uk) – Origin to Viper
  • Tennis-Point (tennis-point.co.uk) and Racketworld (racketworld.co.uk) – tennis and padel shops with Babolat padel stock

Prices differ by tens of pounds between shops on the same racket, so check two or three before you buy.

The padel vs tennis crossover

Many players searching for “babolat padel” are tennis players who have used Babolat strings, shoes or rackets for years and want to know if that trust carries into their new sport.

The materials are the ones you’ll see across padel: EVA cores with carbon, fibreglass or mixed Carbon Flex faces, in every head shape. Babolat has been making padel rackets for over two decades, though padel-only brands built their whole identity around the sport.

If the padel-vs-tennis question is live for you – still deciding which sport suits you better, or playing both – our padel vs tennis comparison covers what makes the two sports distinct and where your tennis skills will transfer.

For a tennis player picking up padel, a Babolat padel racket is a reasonable and familiar choice. For someone who’s been playing padel for a year and wants to dig into spec sheets, compare it with the padel-native brands too. Both routes are fine.

If you’re kitting out fully, Babolat also builds a dedicated padel shoe range alongside its rackets – worth a look if the racket has already earned your trust.