Varlion
Maxima Prisma Carbon Soft
A teardrop that plays lighter than most pro-level frames — built for advanced all-court players who switch between defence and attack rather than camping on the left.
Where to buy
As an Amazon Associate, Padelhost earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. This never affects our recommendations.
Amazon
Check price & availability
Link opens in a new tab · we may earn a commission
Full spec breakdown
Listing checked at publish date
Highlights
What makes this racket stand out
Semi-hard SOFTCOLOR EVA core paired with a 20K carbon-fibreglass laminate — power on demand, softened touch on resets
Summum system adds a 14.5cm handle and extended hitting surface, favouring two-handed backhands and players who want more reach
Medium balance and 345–360g weight range keep it manoeuvrable — closer to an attacking control racket than a pure power frame
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
345–360g
Year
2025
Shape
Teardrop
Level
Professional
Style
All Around
Balance
Medium
Core
SOFTCOLOR Core EVA semidura
Face
Fiberglass and carbon fiber Carrera 20K
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 Prisma Carbon Soft is the racket for the advanced player who refuses to pick a side — versatile enough for right-side resets, fast enough for left-side attacking sequences, with a longer handle that makes a real difference for two-handed backhands. The trade-off is honest: you give up the raw overhead power of a head-heavy diamond in exchange for a frame you can actually swing at full speed all match. Avoid it if you're still developing technique — the 20K carbon face is direct enough to expose mishits.
Strengths
Advanced all-court players who want a single racket for both sides without committing to a diamond
Two-handed backhand players who benefit from the extended 14.5cm Summum grip
Keep in mind
Beginners or players still building consistent technique — the 20K carbon face transmits feedback that punishes off-centre hits
How it's built to play
The Maxima Prisma Carbon Soft 2025 sits in an interesting spot for Varlion: a teardrop with pro-level construction but a weight window that starts at 345g, which is lighter than most rackets in this tier. Varlion markets the shape as 'hybrid' between round and teardrop, and on court that translates to a sweet spot that feels closer to the geometric centre than a typical attacking teardrop. The result is a frame that rewards aggressive play without forcing it.
The face is a fibreglass and Carrera 20K carbon laminate — 20K being a denser, more elastic weave than the 12K or 18K carbons used on most pro-line rackets, with a rhomboid pattern that gives the surface a touch more flex on contact. Underneath sits a SoftColor Core in semi-hard EVA, pigmented to match the cosmetics, which sets the response firmly in the medium-firm range rather than the rocket-hard EVA you'd find on a Galán-tier diamond. The Prisma Frame, Varlion's patented hexagonal-prism profile, cuts air resistance by roughly 10% versus a conventional round frame — you feel it on quick volley exchanges where the racket doesn't get caught moving through the air.
The Summum package is the headline structural choice: a 14.5cm handle (2cm longer than standard), an extended hitting surface, and the Diffuser Wings bridge at the heart. ErgoHoles uses a progressive drilling pattern that enlarges toward the frame, expanding the sweet spot, while ErgoSlice adds a soft 3D texture to the face for slice and bandeja work. The AB System bumper is glued rather than drilled, shaving about 11g from the protector and keeping vibration out of the frame walls.
"AB System drops 11g from the protector — on a medium-balance 360g racket, 11g at the tip is not cosmetic, it changes how the head accelerates through the swing."
Pick it up and the first thing you notice is the handle — at 14.5cm the Summum grip is noticeably longer than standard, which is genuinely helpful if you hit a two-handed backhand or like to choke down for control on bandejas. The second thing is the swing weight: medium balance plus the Prisma profile makes it feel faster than the 360g top end suggests, and right-side players will appreciate that on quick volley swaps at the net.
"Prisma Frame plus AB System bumper plus Diffuser Wings: three drag and weight reductions that make the racket feel fractionally faster than a racket at this price and spec has any right to."
Where it earns its price is the contact feel. The semi-hard SoftColor Core combined with the Carrera 20K carbon laminate gives you a crisper response than a soft-foam control racket but stops well short of the harsh feedback of a diamond with hard EVA. Smashes carry weight, but you're working for them. The honest limitation: if you're a pure left-side finisher who lives off bandeja-to-smash sequences, you'll feel this racket asking you to generate the pace yourself rather than handing it to you.
FAQ
How does the Maxima Prisma Carbon Soft 2025 compare to a traditional Varlion diamond like the Bourne Summum Prisma?
The Bourne diamond carries weight high in the head for finishing smashes and is built around left-side attacking specialists. The Maxima Prisma Carbon Soft keeps a medium balance and teardrop shape, so it sacrifices some overhead bite for far better manoeuvrability and a more usable sweet spot — the right pick if you don't camp on the left.
Should I choose the Maxima Prisma Carbon Soft or a hard-EVA attacking teardrop at the same price?
Hard-EVA teardrops give you more pop on flat drives but punish your arm and your mishits harder. The Prisma Carbon Soft's semi-hard SOFTCOLOR core lands between the two — slightly softer touch on resets and lower vibration through the handle, but you'll need to swing through the ball to get top-end power.
Is this racket suitable for players with elbow problems?
It's a lower-risk profile than most pro-tier rackets — the medium balance, semi-hard rather than hard EVA, and AB System bumper that isolates vibration all help. That said, the 20K carbon face is still stiff, so anyone actively recovering from epicondylitis should look at a round shape with full soft foam and a fibreglass face instead.
What does the Summum system actually do for my game?
Summum bundles a 14.5cm handle (vs. the standard 12.5cm), an extended hitting surface, the Wings Diffuser bridge and ErgoHoles drilling. In practice: more room for a two-handed backhand grip, more reach on stretched volleys, and a slightly larger sweet spot — useful if you hit off-centre under pressure.
Can a strong intermediate player use the Maxima Prisma Carbon Soft, or is it strictly professional level?
Varlion labels it professional, but a strong intermediate with clean contact can absolutely play it — the medium balance and softer-than-typical EVA make it more forgiving than the label suggests. Where it's wrong: players still figuring out positioning or who shank regularly will get harsh feedback from the 20K carbon face.
Made for elbow-conscious players.
A teardrop that plays lighter than most pro-level frames — built for advanced all-court players who switch between defence and attack rather than camping on the left.
Link opens in a new tab · we may earn a commission