Dunlop Galactica Limited By Nisse

Technologies

Pros

• ✓The rough-finish 16K carbon face bites into the ball on vibora and cut bandeja — the kick comes out flat and low, and the ball dies against the back glass after the bounce The 38 mm frame on a teardrop shape with a mid-high balance stacks mass up top and genuinely drives through on the smash by 3 and the flat overhead from mid-court The medium-density Pro EVA core sidesteps the boardy feel you'd expect from such dense carbon: you get more ball exit than you'd guess on blocked volleys and emergency lobs Sonic Core and Control Holes take the sting out of off-centre impacts, which you'll appreciate deep into a long session with a 370 g racket The run of 500 individually numbered units gives it a collector's value no standard-production chassis has, and Nisse's design is nowhere near generic vinyl artwork

Cons

• ✗A fixed 370 g, with no lighter version on offer, costs you on the contradejada and on reaction volleys when the point speeds up at the net and you need to reset your touch fast The sweet spot on a teardrop with a 38 mm frame is unforgiving: a high, off-centre hit off the wall comes back short, and an opponent at the net will punish it The mid-high balance means you have to set up the bandeja earlier than usual; get rushed on a deep lob and the head-heavy feel robs the shot of height Paying €299.99 for a chassis that shares its build with the Dunlop Galactica Pro only makes sense if you value the limited edition — not if you're chasing extra performance

Only 500 numbered units of the Dunlop Galactica Limited by Nisse (2026) exist: 16K carbon, a 38 mm frame, a dead-on 370 g, a Pro EVA core and a rough surface built to bite into the ball. The chassis is pure Galactica; the artwork is by Berlin-based artist Nisse, a former graffiti writer and recreational padel player.

A 500-unit signature series from a graffiti artist who plays padel

Dunlop hasn't just slapped new paint on a random model. The collab with Nisse — born in Hamburg, based in Berlin — brings street-art language to the Dunlop Galactica Pro chassis, and capping the run at 500 individually numbered units puts this padel racket in a different bracket to whatever you're rotating through week to week.

The launch price, €299.99 (£255), backs that up. You're not buying extra performance over the base chassis — you're buying numbered exclusivity on a build that already existed.

Whether that's worth it comes down to whether you're taking it on court or hanging it on a wall. Both are fair calls, but it helps to know which one you're making before you pay.

16K carbon over Pro EVA: where the pop comes from

The 16K carbon face sets the tone. A weave this dense shortens contact time and gives back a dry, low-deformation response that translates arm speed straight into ball speed. It's what lets the smash carry real weight even without a huge elbow snap.

The Pro EVA core sits at medium density, and that's where the racket finds its balance. Pair 16K carbon with a harder EVA and you'd get a stone-like feel with zero ball exit; this combo leaves some give on blocked shots and defensive lobs without losing the solid, planted feel an advanced player wants.

The 38 mm frame and teardrop shape pile mass into the upper half. Add the mid-high balance and you get a racket that drives forward through contact rather than one that forgives you in the handling department.

Sonic Core and Control Holes handle comfort and stiffness distribution: they filter part of the impact shock on off-centre hits and keep the face's response consistent. They don't make the racket plush, but they stop 370 g of dense carbon from turning into a sore elbow by the third hour.

Dunlop Galactica Limited by Nisse: spec sheet

How does this 370 g teardrop play on court?

The smash by 3 is where it shows off. The top-heavy mass and the dry 16K send the ball out on a tight, driving trajectory, and the rough finish lets you close the wrist to hunt the bounce off the back glass instead of a clean winner.

The vibora comes out especially well. Surface texture is the racket's most aggressive trait — it grips the ball just long enough to load it with sidespin, and the kick stays low and awkward to read on the backhand.

On the bandeja, let's be honest: the mid-high balance demands early setup. Get caught out by a deep lob and the head-heavy feel leaves the shot short on height. Given time, the bandeja comes out cut and heavy; rushed, it costs you.

High, off-centre wall exits are its weak point. A teardrop with a 38 mm frame doesn't have the sweet spot of a round shape, and an off-centre hit comes back short — easy pickings for a well-positioned opponent at the net.

At the net it performs better than 370 g suggests: the medium Pro EVA gives enough ball exit to block fast shots without needing to follow through. What's tougher is back-to-back reaction volleys, where the fixed weight makes itself felt when you're resetting quickly.

Who is the Dunlop Galactica Limited by Nisse actually for?

This racket is built for the advanced player with a developed arm and stable technique. The fixed 370 g, the 16K carbon face and the mid-high balance demand early preparation and centred contact; in return, they deliver real smash power and heavy vibora spin. It's not a starter racket, and it's not a transition racket either.

It's a good fit if:

1. You play the backhand side and want power without giving up a face that responds on blocked shots.
2. Your attacking game runs through vibora and the smash by 3 rather than a constant flat overhead.
3. You're already comfortable handling 370 g and don't struggle in fast defensive exchanges.

It's a poor fit if you're coming from a low-balance racket, if your game leans on the contradejada and short rallies, or if you're carrying elbow trouble.

What you gain — and what you pay for — with a 500-unit edition

As a piece of playing kit, this Dunlop is an all-round teardrop with an attacking lean: it hits hard, spins plenty thanks to the rough finish, and keeps decent ball exit courtesy of the medium Pro EVA. Its limits are the limits of the category — a demanding sweet spot and so-so manoeuvrability — and it doesn't hide them.

As an object, it's a different story. It shares its build with the Dunlop Galactica Pro, so if performance is all you care about, the standard chassis gets you the same racket for less money.

The case for €299.99 is the numbering: 500 rackets signed by Nisse, not a routine restock. Anyone paying that premium should know they're buying into the series, not a technical upgrade.