VERTEX 04 W 25

Highlights

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.

The spec sheet

Our verdict

What the shape, core and construction tell us about how this racket is built to play.

How it's built to play

The Vertex 04 W 2025 sits in an interesting position in Bullpadel's lineup: it carries the Vertex name — the brand's high-power diamond line — but makes deliberate concessions toward comfort and all-court usability that the standard Vertex doesn't. The Fibrix face and MultiEVA core are the two decisions that define this racket's character, softening the diamond formula just enough to keep the attacking identity intact while broadening the player who can realistically use it across an entire match, not just in point-finishing moments.

The outer face is Fibrix — Bullpadel's hybrid of flexible glass fibres and rigid carbon filaments. In practice, this sits closer to the fiberglass end of the spectrum in terms of feel: it gives slightly at contact, helping the ball dwell fractionally longer on the face and reducing the sharp rebound you'd get from a full carbon construction. That translates to better touch on bandejas and reset volleys, where a pure carbon face would send the ball away faster than intended. The Carbon Tube perimeter frame, however, keeps the structure stiff and torsionally resistant, so the face flex doesn't come at the cost of frame deformation on hard strikes.

The MultiEVA core runs three density layers — stiffer EVA on the outside, softer EVA in the middle. On paper this sounds like a compromise, but the practical effect is that the racket doesn't feel flat on slower balls the way a single-density hard EVA can. The soft inner layer absorbs enough of the slower-contact vibration to prevent the hollow, dead feel that cheaper diamonds often have at the back of the court. Curv:aktiv twists the side walls to increase torsional rigidity without adding material, and Air Power enlarges the hollow throat channel — the net effect is a racket that swings with noticeably less resistance than a conventional diamond frame of the same weight class.

From the left side, the Vertex 04 W does what the Vertex line is built to do: the high balance loads power into overhead smashes and bandejas without requiring the player to force the swing. The Top Spin surface treatment adds genuine grip on slice and spin shots — this isn't cosmetic roughening, and you notice it on angled volleys where the ball can be steered rather than just redirected. At 350–370g, the weight range is wide enough to catch both lighter and heavier builds, and the Custom Weight system lets players nudge the balance toward the handle for faster handling or further toward the head for more punch on overheads — a useful option for attackers who want to fine-tune rather than switch rackets.

Where the Vertex 04 W earns its all-court label is in the baseline exchanges it can sustain. The Fibrix face and MultiEVA combination keep the racket from becoming a one-trick overhead weapon — it generates enough feel on groundstrokes and defensive lobs to remain functional under pressure from the back of the court. The honest limitation: this is still a high-balance diamond, and players without a trained swing path will lose the power advantage quickly. The sweet spot is unforgiving on low volleys hit with a passive arm, and the vibration profile — while better managed than a full-carbon Vertex — is not the racket to pick up after a week off with elbow pain.