HEAD is one of the biggest names in padel, and its cheaper Evo rackets are a common first buy for people new to the game. This HEAD padel racket review sorts the range by the kind of player you are, so you can skip straight to the part that matters to you.
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Our top picks at a glance
| Racket | Price | Rating | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| HEAD Evo Radical | About £60 | 4.7 (274) | Check price |
| HEAD Evo Speed | About £57 | 4.6 (513) | Check price |
| HEAD Extreme Evo | About £85 | 4.5 (527) | Check price |
| HEAD Vibe 2025 | About £68 | 4.7 (323) | Check price |
| HEAD Zephyr UL | About £87 | 4.8 (69) | Check price |
| HEAD Gravity Motion | About £99 | 4.7 (49) | Check price |
The Best HEAD Padel Racket If You Are Just Starting
HEAD makes two very similar Evo rackets for beginners. Both are cheap, light and forgiving.
HEAD Evo Radical
The Evo Radical is an Amazon exclusive at around £60. It has an oversized teardrop head with a big sweet spot, a soft fibreglass face and soft foam inside. HEAD also adds Innegra fibres to the frame, which take some of the shock out of each hit.
The face is smooth rather than textured, so it will not add much spin, although that matters little when you are starting out.
HEAD Evo Speed
The Evo Speed is built the same way as the Evo Radical. HEAD lists identical features for both: an oversized teardrop, a fibreglass face, soft foam and Innegra in the frame. It costs about £57.
Like the Radical, it is light and easy to handle, with a big sweet spot.
Evo Radical or Evo Speed? On paper there is almost nothing between them, so we would pick on price and colour on the day. You will not go wrong with either.
HEAD Padel Rackets If You Play Most Weeks
Once you are playing regularly, it is worth spending a little more on something with a bit more weight and feel.
HEAD Extreme Evo
The Extreme Evo is another Amazon exclusive, at about £85. It shares the soft fibreglass face and Innegra frame of the cheaper Evos, but Amazon lists it as slightly heavier, which should make it feel a little more solid.
It suits a beginner moving towards intermediate. As with any racket, fit a frame protector and keep it out of hot cars.
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HEAD Vibe 2025
The Vibe is an oversized teardrop all rounder at about £68. It weighs around 350g and uses a fibreglass face for a soft feel, so it gives you easy power without much effort.
It is our top pick in the best budget padel rackets guide, because it is well made, light and good quality for the money.
If You Want Something Lighter
Lighter rackets are kinder on the arm and quicker at the net. As a result, they suit players with elbow or shoulder niggles, and anyone who values speed over raw power.
HEAD Zephyr UL
The Zephyr UL is HEAD’s ultralight racket and, yet again, an Amazon exclusive. It costs about £87 and uses HEAD’s Graphene 360+ in the frame for flex and feel, with Power Foam to help on off centre hits.
It makes a natural next step from an Evo Radical. That said, hard hitters might want more weight behind the ball, which is fair for a racket this light.
HEAD Gravity Motion
The Gravity Motion is a round control racket weighing about 355g, with a 270mm balance. It is a step up in price at around £99, but it is the one to choose if you want placement and touch rather than power.
In addition, it features in our best intermediate padel racket guide.
What About HEAD Balls?
HEAD also makes one of the most popular padel balls, the Padel Pro S+. We compare it with Wilson, Dunlop and others in our best padel balls guide.
Read our full reviews of individual HEAD rackets, including the HEAD Coello Pro, HEAD Coello Motion, HEAD Extreme Pro, HEAD Radical Pro, HEAD Gravity Motion and HEAD Coello Vibe. You can also browse all our padel racket reviews by brand.
HEAD Padel FAQs
Which HEAD padel racket is best for beginners?
The Evo Radical or the Evo Speed. They are almost the same racket, and both cost around £60.
Why are so many HEAD rackets Amazon exclusives?
HEAD makes some models only for Amazon, including the Evo Radical, Extreme Evo and Zephyr UL. In practice, that means you will usually find them cheapest there. You can see the full range on the HEAD website.
Is a HEAD padel racket worth the money?
For beginners and club players, yes. HEAD rackets are well made, widely reviewed and fairly priced, although serious players often move on to specialist brands such as NOX or Bullpadel.
