PadelGuru analysis
Verdict
The Bullpadel Vertex 05 2026, Juan Tello’s racket, is a good buy for advanced players who build their points from the back of the court and with the bandeja. It has a diamond shape, but it plays more for control than for finishing points. The feel is dry, the sweet spot is large and the power is medium. When you need to speed things up at the net, or defend slow balls from the baseline, your arm has to supply the pace.
It’s a very good fit if you want a diamond-shaped racket that isn’t too head-heavy and you win your points with placement and patience. If your game is about closing every point with a flat volley or a full-speed vibora, it will leave you a little short.
- Best for
- Technical, advanced players who play from the back of the court and control rallies with the bandeja.
- Not for
- Players who want easy ball exit or instant punch on attacking volleys.
Strengths
- A very reliable bandeja that gets depth with little risk
- Precise placement on half-volleys from the back of the court
- Drop volleys at the net are easy to judge
- A large, evenly spread sweet spot
- A sandy finish across the whole face that grips the ball
Weaknesses
- Lacks bite on flat or sliced attacking volleys
- Medium ball exit, so slow defence takes some arm
- The vibora loses some aggression at top speed
01 Back of the court: precise on the half-volley
The back of the court is where it performs best. On the half-volley you can fine-tune the shot without the ball sailing long. When your opponent turns up the pressure and the ball arrives awkwardly, the dry feel helps you take pace off it rather than sending it back out of control.
The trade-off is ball exit. It’s medium, and the racket won’t do the work for you. Defending at medium or slow pace, you have to follow through and lengthen the stroke to get depth on the ball. If your swing is already complete, what you get in return is a very predictable racket.
02 Volley: better at drops than at putting it away
At the net it’s more about finesse than force. The dry response keeps block volleys clean, and the drop volley is one of its best shots, coming off the face very controlled.
Things change when you try to push. The medium-low balance, at 254 mm, shows on flat or sliced attacking volleys, which lose bite. In fast exchanges you have to drive the ball yourself, because the racket adds little exit on its own.
03 Overheads: a bandeja you can trust
The bandeja is its most reliable shot. It gives you the control to place it and just enough exit to get depth. At 365 to 375 g it isn’t a light racket, but because the weight isn’t loaded into the head, it moves well above your head. On the vibora it stays controlled as you speed up, although it lacks some bite if you’re chasing maximum pace.
The topspin smash at medium speed works better than you’d expect from a racket built this way. We see it as a more than decent option, not its main selling point.
04 Dry feel, sandy face
The dry feel is its most defining trait. With a MultiEVA core and an X-Tend Carbon 12K face, stiffness is medium and the response is direct: the racket doesn’t cushion the ball. The sandy finish covers the whole face, not just one area, and gives plenty of grip on sliced shots.
05 Vs the Vertex 04: a stronger throat, a lower balance
The main change is in the throat. It’s now wider and thicker, and reinforced at the bottom after complaints about cracks in earlier models. That reinforcement lowers the balance compared with the 2025 Vertex 04, and you notice it on court: it moves a bit better, it’s more comfortable in defence and the sweet spot feels slightly bigger. Ball exit goes up a little, though it’s still medium.
Stiffness and the dry feel barely change. The smash also seems a touch better than on the 2025 version.
Frequently asked questions
- Which racket does Juan Tello use?
- Juan Tello plays the Vertex 05, Bullpadel's 2026 model. It's a diamond-shaped racket with a dry response that puts control and the bandeja ahead of raw power.
- Is the Vertex 05 stiff or soft?
- Neither: it sits in the middle for stiffness, with a dry feel. Coming from a soft racket, you'll find the response more direct and get less help on slow shots.
- Is the Vertex 05 heavy?
- At 365 to 375 g it's not light, and it takes some effort to move. Its medium-low balance keeps the weight near the handle, though, so it handles better on the bandeja and in defence than the number suggests.
- Vertex 05 or Vertex 05 Geo: which should I choose?
- The Vertex 05 is heavier, but its more even balance makes it easier to handle, and we prefer it from the baseline for maneuverability and sweet spot. The Geo is stronger on the smash, so it suits you better if you want to finish points overhead.
- Is it worth upgrading from the Vertex 04 to the Vertex 05?
- If you liked how the Vertex 04 felt, you'll find almost the same feel here, plus a bit more handling and comfort when defending. If what you missed was power, the step up is small.