Bullpadel
VERTEX 02 ATLETICO DE MADRID
A diamond built for players who compete for every point — the Atlético edition trades softness for a frame that rewards intent and punishes hesitation.
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Full spec breakdown
Listing checked at publish date
Highlights
What makes this racket stand out
Diamond shape with high balance pushes the sweet spot to the top of the head — built for overhead finishes and aggressive net play, not for resetting from the baseline.
Fibrix face blends flexible fiberglass with rigid carbon so you get more feel than a full-carbon face without losing the stiffness needed for left-side power shots.
Vibradrive handle insert absorbs vibration at the source — relevant here because a high-balance diamond with EVA core sends more shock up the arm than most club players expect.
The feel
How it's built to play, by shape, core and construction — rated low / mid / high rather than on a false 1–10 scale. Higher isn't always better; it depends on the game you want.
Balance — where the weight sits
Even
Handle / low
Head / high
The spec sheet
Weight
365–375g
Year
2025
Shape
Diamond
Level
Professional
Style
Power
Balance
High
Core
MULTIEVA
Face
FIBRIX
Thickness (mm)
38
Our verdict
What the shape, core and construction tell us about how this racket is built to play.
The short version
The Vertex 02 Atlético de Madrid is the right choice for an attacking left-side player who wants genuine Vertex-line performance at a price below the current flagship — the Carbon Tube frame and high balance deliver real overhead power, not a watered-down version of it. The Fibrix face and Vibradrive handle bring the vibration profile down to manageable levels for healthy arms, but this racket is still not suitable for anyone with elbow history. Buy it for the tech, not the badge — and only if you already have the technique to put the sweet spot where it needs to be.
Strengths
Left-side players with consistent overhead and smash technique who want a high-balance diamond at a price well below the current Vertex flagship lineup.
Competitive club players who have already tested a teardrop and want to step into a true attacking shape without committing to a €300+ racket.
Keep in mind
Players with elbow or shoulder sensitivity — this racket combines diamond shape, high balance, EVA core, and a carbon-hybrid face, which is a high-vibration profile.
How it's built to play
The Vertex 02 Atlético de Madrid is a licensed-edition diamond that carries the full structural DNA of the Vertex line — high balance, EVA core, attacking intent — at a significantly lower price point than the current Vertex 05 generation. It is not a novelty product dressed in red and white; the tech stack underneath is legitimate, and the playing profile is unambiguously offensive. What you are buying is a left-side attacking tool with a team crest on it, not a collector's item that happens to have strings.
The frame is built around Carbon Tube construction — 100% bidirectional interlaced carbon fibre around the perimeter — which means the walls don't flex under hard contact. That rigidity is what lets the Vertex line generate the immediate, direct response advanced left-side players want on bandejas and overhead finishing shots. Paired with it is a double diagonal bridge running through the throat, which stiffens the central structure and reduces torsion when you catch the ball off-axis. On a high-balance diamond this matters: mishits at the top of the head produce significant twisting force, and without that internal bracing the racket would feel loose and inconsistent.
The face is Fibrix — Bullpadel's hybrid weave of flexible glass fibres and rigid carbon filaments. It sits between a full fiberglass face and a pure carbon one in terms of stiffness, which is a deliberate choice for this price tier. You get more spring assist on slower balls than a 12K carbon face would give, which helps players who haven't yet built the swing speed to unlock a full carbon construction. The core is Black EVA — a high-memory EVA compound described as maintaining consistent rebound parameters over time. In practice, dense EVA cores produce a fast, snappy ball exit with relatively little dwell time, which amplifies swing speed but gives you less margin to shape the ball. If you play with a lot of wrist, you'll feel the difference compared to a softer foam.
From the left side, this racket does exactly what its geometry promises. High balance means the head carries momentum through an overhead swing, and the Carbon Tube frame transfers that energy without absorbing it — smashes leave the face quickly and with authority. The 365–375g weight range is medium-heavy, which adds stability on impact but means you will feel fatigue in longer sessions if your shoulder isn't conditioned for it.
The Fibrix face introduces a small but meaningful cushioning effect compared to a stiffer carbon face, and combined with the Vibradrive handle insert — a rubber elastomer that splits the handle longitudinally to interrupt vibration transmission — the overall feel is less aggressive than the spec sheet alone would suggest. That said, this is still a high-balance diamond with an EVA core: three of the four main elbow-risk factors are present. Players who already carry forearm sensitivity should not treat the Vibradrive as a fix for that; it reduces vibration, it does not eliminate it. The Top Spin surface texture on the face adds enough friction to generate spin without effort, which is useful on slice lobs and angled bandejas where directional effect can force errors.
FAQ
How does the Vertex 02 Atlético de Madrid compare to the Vertex 05?
The Vertex 05 is the current flagship of the line and uses X-Tend Carbon or TriCarbon face materials — stiffer, more direct, and more expensive. The Vertex 02 Atlético de Madrid uses a Fibrix face, which is a carbon-fiberglass hybrid that provides slightly more flex and a marginally softer feel on contact. The shape, balance, and attacking intent are the same. If you're an advanced player with consistent technique, the Vertex 05 will give you more immediate power transfer. If you're stepping up to the Vertex line for the first time, the Fibrix face on the Vertex 02 edition gives you a little more margin without fundamentally changing what the racket is asking of you.
Is the Vertex 02 Atlético de Madrid suitable for a right-side player?
Not ideally. High balance and a diamond shape push the weight and sweet spot toward the head, which suits overhead finishing from the left side. A right-side player needs quick arm recovery, consistent volleys, and the ability to reset the point under pressure — all of which favour a lower balance and a more forgiving shape. You could use this racket from the right, but you'd be working against the tool rather than with it. A teardrop or round frame with medium balance would serve you better in that position.
Should I choose the Vertex 02 Atlético de Madrid or the Bullpadel Hack line if I want an attacking diamond?
Both are high-balance diamonds designed for offensive play, but they target different attacking profiles. The Hack line (associated with Paquito Navarro) is engineered for maximum swing speed and uses Total Channel aerodynamics for faster racket head acceleration — it suits players who generate power through fast, explosive strokes. The Vertex 02 Atlético de Madrid has a stiffer Carbon Tube frame that prioritises direct energy transfer and stability on impact, which suits players whose power comes from bodyweight and positioning rather than pure swing speed. If you hit with a compact, well-timed overhead, the Vertex 02 edition is the better fit. If you rely on a fast, whip-action swing, look at the Hack.
Is this racket a risk for players with tennis elbow?
Yes — it carries a high-risk profile. Diamond shape, high balance, EVA core, and a carbon-hybrid face are four of the main vibration-transmission factors. The Vibradrive handle insert does reduce shock at the grip end, and the Fibrix face is softer than full carbon, so the profile is less aggressive than a pure carbon diamond. But it is not an arm-friendly racket by any reasonable standard. If you are returning from a lateral epicondylitis injury or have persistent forearm pain, a round or teardrop shape with a soft foam core and low balance would be a significantly safer starting point.
What does Fibrix actually do differently from a standard fiberglass face?
Standard fiberglass flexes at contact and creates a trampoline effect that helps slower swings generate ball speed — useful for beginners and intermediate players. Fibrix adds rigid carbon filaments into the weave, which reduces how much the face bends on impact. The result is a face that sits between fiberglass and full carbon: you still get some spring assist, but the response is crisper and more direct than a pure fiberglass face. On this diamond it means the ball exits faster and with cleaner energy transfer than a budget fiberglass-only construction, while remaining slightly more accessible than the stiffer carbon faces used in the current Vertex 05 generation.
Ready to add this to your game?
A diamond built for players who compete for every point — the Atlético edition trades softness for a frame that rewards intent and punishes hesitation.
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