StarVie Raptor Pro 2020
StarVie Raptor Pro 2020 is the racket choice of World Padel Tour player Franco Stupaczuk. The StarVie rackets are hand-made in Spain.
Introduction
Raptor Pro has a round shape, medium balance and a relatively large sweet spot located in the center.
The frame is made of carbon fiber for stability and durability. The impact surface has a star-patterned structure which helps to generate spin.
REVIEW
StarVie Raptor Pro 2020 first impressions
StarVie is a popular padel brand in Spain and is used by many players on the World Padel Tour. All of their rackets are manufactured in Spain to assure top quality.
You can tell it’s a quality racket just from holding it. The colors look great and make this racket stand out.
StarVie Raptor Pro delivers a great balance between power and control, making this racket suitable for both control-oriented and attack-oriented players.
We find that the grip is slightly shorter on StarVie’s rackets, which can be a drawback for players with big hands. However, this can be solved by wrapping the overgrip upon the neck of the racket, as many professional players do.
StarVie Raptor Pro 2020 on the padel court
The first thing we notice is the sound. It appears to be a little bit louder than many other rackets and has a different sound. We kind of like it.
The softer core in combination with a harder carbon fiber surface gives this racket a special feel. It’s soft but still distinct, and we would classify the Raptor Pro as a racket with medium hardness.
It delivers great results from the defensive position on the court. Thanks to the elasticity of the core, it’s easy to generate speed in softer shots. The sweet spot is quite big, which makes the racket forgiving when hitting the ball slightly of the center.
Unlike many other round shape rackets, the Raptor Pro has a medium balance. This results in decent power in attacking shots like volleys and smashes. It doesn’t provide the same power as a racket with a high balance, but enough for most players.
The Raptor Pro suits both the attacking players that prefer round rackets, but also the control-oriented players looking to add some power.
The structure on the impact surface is another plus, it works like a charm for generating effect.
StarVie Raptor Pro 2020 overall impression
Raptor Pro is a great looking padel racket with lots of personality, offering a balance between control and power. Suits both control-oriented players and attacking-oriented players with some previous experience of padel.
One of our favorites from StarVie so far. Highly recommended.