Bullpadel
VERTEX 04 25
A diamond built lower than you'd expect — enough power to finish points, enough composure to build them from the baseline.
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Full spec breakdown
Listing checked at publish date
Highlights
What makes this racket stand out
Diamond shape with a deliberately low balance — attacks from the net without punishing you at the back of the court
MultiEVA three-layer core rewards both explosive smashes and slower, touch-based rallies from the same racket
Ease Vibe dampeners and Vibradrive handle together make this the most arm-conscious diamond in the Vertex line
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
Advanced
Style
All Around
Balance
Low
Core
Multieva
Face
X Tend Carbon 12K
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 04 25 is the right answer for the advanced player who has always wanted a Vertex but found previous editions too committed to the attack to be practical from the back of the court — the low balance and MultiEVA core make it genuinely versatile in a way older Vertex editions weren't. The limitation is real though: this is still a carbon diamond, and players without a reliable, repeatable overhead will find it punishing on mishits regardless of how forgiving the marketing sounds. Anyone below advanced level should be looking at the teardrop Vertex 05 series instead.
Strengths
Advanced all-court players who want a diamond's overhead power but spend time at the back of the court and need to reset as well as attack
Players transitioning from a teardrop to a diamond who want to do so without sacrificing maneuverability or spiking their elbow risk
Keep in mind
Beginners or lower intermediates — the carbon face and diamond shape still demand consistent technique; mishits will punish you
How it's built to play
The Vertex 04 25 is a deliberate repositioning of a racket that was previously polarising. Earlier Vertex editions sat high in the hand and were unambiguously left-side, attacker-first tools. This 2025 hybrid version pulls the balance point down — Bullpadel describes it as approximately 25cm from the butt — which takes the racket out of pure smash territory and into something more honest about how most advanced club players actually play: attacking when the opportunity is there, defending and resetting when it isn't. That shift changes who should be looking at this racket.
The X-Tend Carbon 12K face is a biaxial carbon weave using 12,000-filament threads — lighter and slightly more elastic than the stiffer 3K or 18K alternatives. In practice that means the face snaps back quickly after contact rather than simply deflecting the ball, which returns energy to the shot without demanding the raw swing speed that a truly rigid carbon face requires. Combine that with the CarbonTube perimeter frame — 100% carbon around the full circumference — and the structure is torsionally rigid even on off-centre hits, which matters at a 365–375g weight class where cheaper builds would feel hollow at the edges. The Curv:aktiv frame geometry adds a twisted cross-section to the side walls, increasing torsional resistance further without adding material — the result is that the frame holds its shape under load rather than flexing and returning shot energy unevenly. Air Power enlarges the hollow throat channel by 50% over the previous Air React Channel design: less material in the lower frame means the swing arc is faster and the structure is actually stiffer because there's less solid material to deform. The MultiEVA core runs three EVA layers at different densities — the two outer layers are firmer and react fast to hard, attacking shots; the inner layer is softer and absorbs slower balls with more dwell time. That architecture means the racket doesn't collapse into a single gear: it responds differently to a hard bandeja and to a soft drop volley, which is precisely what an all-court player needs.
The low balance is the first thing you notice. For a diamond, this racket feels quick through the air — volleys at the net don't require the deliberate loading motion that a head-heavy diamond demands, and the 528 cm² face surface combined with the 8% wider sweet spot (versus the previous Vertex 04) means the contact zone is genuinely forgiving by diamond standards. Overhead finishing shots still carry real weight because the carbon face transfers energy directly, but the racket doesn't feel lazy or slow when you're covering the court defensively. The Top Spin surface treatment — a rougher grain layer across the face — generates meaningful ball rotation on bandejas and sliced volleys without any extra effort, which gives players who rely on tactical placement a real advantage. Vibration management is notably considered for a carbon diamond. Vibradrive splits the handle with a high-elasticity rubber insert that intercepts vibrations before they reach the hand; Ease Vibe inserts in four strategic face holes absorb up to 49% of impact vibration according to Bullpadel's own testing with the Polytechnic University of Madrid. Neither claim should be taken as an injury guarantee, but the cumulative effect is that this racket sits significantly lower on the arm-risk scale than a standard carbon diamond — players with mild elbow sensitivity who have previously been advised against diamonds may find this manageable, though anyone with an active injury should consult a physio before making that call. The Custom Weight system allows up to 22g of additional plates in five positions — four in the upper frame and one in the handle cap — so players who want to shift the balance back toward head-heavy for more smash power can do so incrementally, which is a genuinely useful feature for a racket straddling the line between all-court and attacker.
FAQ
How does the Vertex 04 25 compare to the Vertex 04 MX 24?
The Vertex 04 MX 24 carried a higher balance point, making it more explicitly head-heavy and attack-oriented — suited to left-side specialists who finish points with overheads and expect to pay for that with reduced maneuverability. The 2025 Vertex 04 drops the balance to approximately 25cm from the butt, which makes it faster through the air and more practical from the baseline. If you played the MX 24 and found it demanding at the back of the court, the 2025 version addresses that directly. If you loved the MX 24's overhead authority and want maximum smash power, the lower balance is a trade-off worth knowing about before you switch.
Should I choose the Vertex 04 25 or the Vertex 05 MX 25?
The Vertex 05 MX 25 is a teardrop shape with a medium balance — more versatile, more forgiving on mishits, and a safer choice for players who haven't committed to a left-side attacking role. The Vertex 04 25 is a diamond, which means a smaller sweet spot and a sharper drop-off when you miss the centre of the face. The 04's low balance closes some of that gap, but the fundamental shape difference remains. If you play both sides and don't specialize, the 05 MX is the better fit. If you consistently play left and want to upgrade to diamond without abandoning all-court capability, the 04 25 makes the argument for itself.
Is the Vertex 04 25 suitable for players with elbow sensitivity?
It carries a lower arm-risk profile than most carbon diamonds — the Vibradrive handle insert and Ease Vibe face dampeners meaningfully reduce vibration transmission, and the lower balance reduces the shock load through the wrist on attacking shots. That said, it still combines a carbon face with a diamond shape, two of the higher-risk factors for lateral elbow problems. Players currently managing a tennis elbow diagnosis should not treat this as a safe option without medical guidance. Players with past elbow history who are now pain-free and playing regularly may find it manageable, but they should start with the lower end of the weight range and monitor closely.
What does the Custom Weight system actually do, and should I use it?
The Custom Weight system lets you add aluminium plates to four positions in the upper frame and one in the handle cap — up to 22g total, with a balance shift of roughly ±1cm. In practical terms: adding weight to the upper frame makes the racket more head-heavy, which increases smash momentum but slows the swing. Adding weight to the handle cap does the opposite — keeps the racket low-balanced for faster, more controlled play. Out of the box the Vertex 04 25 ships with a low balance; if you find you want more overhead authority after playing with it for a few weeks, adding 6–9g to the upper frame is a cheaper way to test that before committing to a different racket entirely.
Is the Vertex 04 25 a good choice for a right-side player?
A diamond shape is still primarily an attacker's tool, and right-side players who spend most of their time resetting and feeding balls to a left-side partner would be better served by a round or teardrop with a low balance. That said, the Vertex 04 25's unusually low balance and MultiEVA core make it more usable from the right than any previous Vertex edition — players who play right but step up to attack regularly, or who are moving toward a more aggressive right-side game, may find it works. It's not the default recommendation for the right side, but it's no longer the wrong answer for every right-side player the way a high-balance diamond would be.
Made for elbow-conscious players.
A diamond built lower than you'd expect — enough power to finish points, enough composure to build them from the baseline.
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