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teardrop, 355 g, built for a club player

Babolat Air Viper review

The lighter, rounder Viper. Quick hands at the net, enough head to bandeja with confidence.

How this review is made: from the maker's published specs and the finder's scoring for power, control and the arm, checked against the specialist shops. It is not a lab test.

Shapeteardrop
Weight355 g
Balancemedium
Coremedium
Facecarbon
Built forclub
Power6 of 10
Control7 of 10
Kind to the arm7 of 10
Street price€180 to €260

What the finder says about it

  • Built for a club player. The finder keeps it away from a beginner player: a racket two rungs above you is a mistake, not a stretch.
  • Arm 7 of 10: fine for an arm that aches after long sessions; for an elbow that is already a problem the finder wants something softer.
  • Power 6, control 7: a bit of both, and enough to finish from the left.
  • 355 g, close to the 360 g the finder assumes for a player with no weight preference.
  • Teardrop: where most club players end up, with enough head to feel familiar after tennis.
  • €180 to €260 in the shops, so it is in play from the €100 to €180 budget up.
  • Sold in a lighter, smaller-grip edition under the same name, which the finder counts in its favour for a small hand.

Power, control and arm are the finder's own 0 to 10 scores, from playing the rackets and the specialist shops' consensus. Prices are the usual street band and move with the season.

The closest alternatives

On the lists: women and small hands, a first carbon racket, tennis players, intermediate players, teardrop (hybrid), lightweight, Babolat padel rackets.

Before you buy

Hold it in the ready position for a minute: if the head wants to drop, the balance is too high for you. Most rackets ship with a handle a size too thin, and one overgrip fixes it. Not sure it is the one? The finder asks twelve questions and gives three.

Questions people ask

How much does the Babolat Air Viper weigh?

About 355 g in the standard edition, with a medium balance. There is also a light edition of about 350 g.

Is the Babolat Air Viper good for beginners?

It suits a player past the first season. A complete beginner does better with a round, soft racket from the beginners list.

Is the Babolat Air Viper good for tennis elbow?

It is fine for most arms, 7 of 10 on the finder's scale, but for an elbow that already hurts a softer, lighter racket is the safer choice.

What shape is the Babolat Air Viper?

Teardrop: the balance a little higher than round: some power on the overhead without losing much control, the hybrid shape.

5% off everything at Padel Market when you buy through this link. The discount is theirs, applied at checkout.

Padel Market

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