Bullpadel Vertex 02 Control Proline 2020

Technologies

Pros

• ✓The dual-density MultiEva rubber reads ball speed differently: it locks down and places on slow balls, and hands back real pace when a strong defensive smash comes your way The XTendCarbon 12K delivers a crisp, no-flex response that shows up as cortadas hugging the glass and viboras leaving at whatever height you choose, not whatever the racket dictates The sandy surface really bites: pinchadas and kick serves grip properly, and cut shots stay low even with a worn ball Being round with a wide sweet spot takes some of the edge off: off-centre volleys still hold their line, even if they lose pace The CustomWeight system takes up to three 3 g plates in the Metalshield bumper, so you can shift the balance up for smashing or leave it stock for defending

Cons

• ✗At 360-385 g with a medium-high balance it's not nimble: in fast net exchanges and reflex volleys you'll arrive just in time only if you're set before your opponent strikes Ball exit is modest for the weight you're swinging: without real arm speed the defensive lob from the back falls short and gifts the net The feel is hard and demands a trained arm; over long sessions it shows in elbow and shoulder despite the Hesacore and Vibradrive Not a racket to grow into: intermediate players will struggle to unlock the power this package promises

Fede Chingotto put his name to the Bullpadel Vertex 02 Control Proline in 2020: a round-shaped racket at 360-385 g, an XTendCarbon 12K face and MultiEva rubber, sold on control, precision and a firm, no-nonsense feel. That word *firm* isn't marketing fluff. It's the first thing you notice off the very first bounce.

That season's Vertex 02 range actually split into two distinct builds; this is specifically Chingotto's version, not Maxi Sánchez's.

XTendCarbon 12K over MultiEva: where that crisp feel comes from

12K is a thick-yarn carbon weave: it adds stiffness without needing extra layers, and that stiffness translates into a fast, low-flex response. The ball leaves before you even feel the racket load up, which is exactly what a player who places the ball rather than muscling it wants.

Underneath sits the dual-density MultiEva rubber. The outer layer is denser and answers fast balls with pace of its own; the inner, softer layer kicks in on slow, low balls, and that's where control lives.

That build explains the racket's split personality. On anything arriving with pace — a smash you're defending, a blocked volley — it gives you back more than you put in. On a slow, low ball, it hands you nothing: you have to supply the power yourself.

The sandy finish rounds out the package. This isn't spec-sheet texture: pinchadas and kick serves genuinely grip, and cut shots stay low even once the ball's gone soft.

Hesacore and Vibradrive handle the other side of the equation — vibration filtering and pressure distribution through the hand — hardly a footnote on a padel racket that can tip 385 grams with such a hard feel. Nerve adds structural stiffness to the frame.

Who is the Bullpadel Vertex 02 Control Proline actually for?

Advanced players with solid technique and a trained arm. Pairing 12K carbon, firm MultiEva rubber and a medium-high balance in a 360-385 gram frame demands your own arm speed — this racket won't generate power for you. In return, it rewards anyone who can strike the ball with pinpoint bandeja, vibora and deep volley placement.

It's a good fit if:

• You live at the net and thrive on placed bandejas and viboras rather than a constant smash down the line.
• Your arm is match-ready and you want a racket that plays the same on point one as on point forty.
• Trampoline-effect soft rackets bother you and you'd rather know exactly where the ball's going.

It's the wrong call if you're coming from a soft, beginner-friendly racket, if you're carrying elbow issues, or if your game leans on the racket helping you lift a defensive lob from the back of the court.

Shot by shot: the bandeja shines, defence demands anticipation

Bandeja and vibora. This is the racket's whole argument. The stiff face and medium-high balance let you cut well underneath the ball and drop it tight against the side glass. The vibora comes out flat with real spin thanks to the surface's grip.

Smash. It delivers, but on your terms. With the stock balance the flat smash is solid and the down-the-line smash comes out clean once you commit to the swing; the racket supports the shot rather than powering it for you.

Volley. Firm, highly directional blocking. The sweet spot, generous given how demanding this racket otherwise is, bails out off-centre volleys: they lose pace, but not direction.

Defence and off-the-back-wall exits. The weak link. Ball exit is muted and maneuverability doesn't back you up: arrive late on a wall exit and the lob falls mid-court. You need to set up the shot before your opponent even makes contact.

The Vertex 02 Control Proline: specs at a glance

CustomWeight: nine grams to dial the racket into your game

The system takes up to three 3-gram aluminium plates housed in the Metalshield bumper. That's 9 grams that noticeably change how the racket plays:

1. **No plates.** The most manageable setup this racket allows. Worth it if you defend a lot or you're stepping up from a lighter racket.
2. **One or two plates in the head.** Pushes the balance up and beefs up the smash and vibora, at the cost of net reaction time.
3. **Plates spread toward the throat.** Adds mass without shifting the balance as much; useful if you want more stability against fast balls without sacrificing maneuverability.

Few control rackets let you reshape the profile like this, and on a racket that's already demanding out of the box, the tuning isn't a gimmick — it decides whether you end up with a playable racket or a hammer.

Verdict: demanding control, not comfortable control

The Bullpadel Vertex 02 Control Proline belongs to that breed of control rackets that don't coddle you — they obey you. It delivers precision, a crisp feel and a bandeja that wins points on its own, but it collects the toll in arm fatigue, anticipation and court mileage.

If your partner covers the back of the court well and you live up at the net finishing points, this racket gives back everything you put into it. If your game is built around defending and waiting for the error, this brand has options with more generous ball exit that will tire you out a lot less.

Bought second-hand today, it's still an honest racket for the technical player: it ages well because its main strength — precision — never depended on the rubber keeping its day-one punch.