Dunlop Galactica

Technologies

Pros

• ✓The rough surface with Extra Grip treatment really bites into the ball: the bandeja comes off with high kick and the cut víbora skids short and stays low, no need to muscle the wrist through it You can feel the Tri-Max reinforcement on blocking volleys against heavy pace: the 38 mm frame barely twists on slightly off-centre hits and the ball comes back straight The 365 g, medium-balance teardrop shape gives an unusual poise: it times the wall exit well but keeps enough mass behind the smash to finish points from the back The Injection Bumper protects a frame that's going to scrape glass and fence constantly in low defence, something anyone hitting backhands from mid-court will appreciate The medium-density Pro EVA core holds up through long matches without softening or turning unpredictable in a fourth set

Cons

• ✗Ball exit is on the tight side: on a defensive lob from the back you need to add body weight into the shot, because the racket won't do it for you The teardrop's sweet spot is compact and the response dry; contact high on the face kicks back into the arm and takes its toll on multi-match days 365 g is fixed, with no weight range: anyone after a lighter defensive feel will need to look at the Dunlop Galactica Lite instead The medium balance limits the whip effect on the flat smash compared with a head-heavy racket: it hits well, but it's not a battering ram

12K carbon, a fixed 365 g, a 38 mm profile and a teardrop shape with medium balance. The Dunlop Galactica 2022 sits right in the middle of a three-racket range, between the Dunlop Galactica Pro — Juani Mieres' signature model, heavier and with weight pushed further toward the head — and the Dunlop Galactica Lite, the lighter variant with softer rubber. Not the signature, not the cut-down version: the all-rounder that shares the workload.

Tri-Max, Extra Grip and Injection Bumper: what each piece actually does

The 12K carbon face is what defines the feel. It's a dense weave, and that density shows up as a uniform response: the ball leaves at the same speed off-centre as it does two centimetres higher, with no dead zones.

Underneath sits the medium-density Pro EVA core. It's neither a rigid slab nor a soft cushion: it keeps the feedback you want — you can feel exactly where you made contact — while still offering the touch of cushioning that a hard, power-focused EVA core denies you.

The Tri-Max reinforcement is what holds the whole package together. Its job is structural: cutting down torsion on the 38 mm frame on off-centre hits. On court that means blocking volleys that don't twist open and counters that go where you aim them even when the incoming ball is heavy.

The Extra Grip treatment explains the textured surface, and the Injection Bumper — a moulded protector built into the frame — is pure insurance for a racket that's going to grind against glass and fence in low defence.

How does the Dunlop Galactica play, shot by shot?

The bandeja is where this racket shows its best side. The texture grips the ball just enough to generate kick without forcing the wrist, and the 365 g heft keeps the head stable through the end of the swing. The cut víbora comes off with a short, low bounce.

On the smash it delivers, but it asks for technique. The medium balance trims the whip effect you'd get from a more head-heavy racket: the power is there, but you have to go get it through the shoulder-hip chain — it won't appear on its own.

The wall exit is quick thanks to the manoeuvrability of the centred-balance teardrop shape, and that's where it picks up ground. The honest caveat comes on the defensive lob from the back: ball exit is contained, and you need to commit body weight to the shot, because the racket gives back little of what you don't put in yourself.

At the net, the blocking volley is home turf. The Tri-Max soaks up heavy pace without the frame twisting, and the dry response of the 12K carbon leaves the ball dead whenever you want it dropped short.

Dunlop Galactica specs

What level of player is the Dunlop Galactica 2022 built for?

It's built for advanced players with a clean, consistent stroke. The teardrop's compact sweet spot and a somewhat tight ball exit demand repeated centre-of-the-face contact; anyone still mishitting off-centre will lose pace and feel that dry impact travel up the arm.

The profile it suits best:

1. **All-round player** who moves between defence and net without specialising in either.
2. **Technical hitters** rather than purely physical ones: timing gets rewarded here, not raw power.
3. **Spin seekers**, thanks to the combination of rough surface and medium-density rubber.
4. **Both wings of the court**: it serves a backhand that builds points as well as a drive that closes them.

Where this padel racket will cost you

The weight isn't up for negotiation. There's no range — it's 365 g, full stop. Across a multi-match tournament your forearm will feel it, especially given the dry response of carbon over a medium-density core.

And the teardrop's sweet spot is what it is. It forgives less than a round shape, and a ball caught high on the face comes back with vibration and less pace than you'd expect.

If what you're after is a smash-hunting battering ram, this model's medium balance only gets you halfway there: that's what the Dunlop Galactica Pro, with its head-heavy weight distribution, is for.

Verdict: the middle option that earns its place

What this Dunlop racket gets right is not trying to be two things at once. It's the balanced read of the Galactica range: structural stability from the Tri-Max, real bite from the rough surface, and a weight that neither floats nor anchors you.

If your game lives on building points with bandejas and víboras and closing them at net with firm volleys, this one fits. If you rely on the racket giving energy back on deep defence, the Dunlop Galactica Lite will feel more comfortable, with its softer rubber and lighter weight.

As a doubles pairing, it works best alongside an aggressive partner who finishes points: this Dunlop is the racket that sustains the rally and sets up the ball, not the one that puts it away.