Givova Attaco

Pros

• ✓The 3K carbon face over the Black EVA 28 core gives a crisp, predictable response on the block volley — the ball doesn't sink into the face and exits exactly where you aim it The 38mm frame packs mass into the perimeter and shrugs off off-centre hits on cut bandejas, with no noticeable torsion when you open the racket face towards the back glass At 360-370g with an all-round profile, it lets you smash by 3 with confidence without giving up the ability to play deep from the baseline The smooth face keeps ball exit clean and predictable on defensive lifted shots, something players hitting high, deep lobs will appreciate

Cons

• ✗The Black EVA 28 is a firm rubber: on dead or low-pace balls, you have to generate all the speed yourself, because the racket won't hand you any free pop The smooth face trims bite on the vibora and the cut smash; if your game lives on spin, you'll feel less grip than with a rough-textured face The 360-370g weight costs you reaction time at net when the point speeds up, demanding earlier prep on the reflex volley Its distribution through wholesale channels makes it hard to demo before buying, and with a rubber this demanding, testing it first really matters

Givova Attaco Review: 3K Carbon and a Hard Core for Players Who Already Hit Hard

The Givova Attaco (reference RK01) is an advanced-level padel racket with a smooth 3K carbon face, a Black EVA 28 core and a 38mm frame, weighing in at 360-370g. Givova markets it as an all-round racket with explosive but controlled hitting, and that claim holds up on court: there's real pop here, but it's tamed by a rubber that won't forgive sloppy technique.

What does smooth 3K carbon bring versus a denser weave?

3K is an open-weave carbon fabric: fewer fibres per tow, more apparent flex, and a more communicative feel than denser, high-modulus weaves. That choice makes sense on the Attaco, since it offsets the stiffness of the core.

Had Givova paired a tighter weave with the Black EVA 28, the racket would have felt harsh enough to punish the elbow. With the 3K face, the hitting surface gives just enough on impact and feeds back real information about where you made contact.

The smooth finish is the other key call. It cuts down on bite for the vibora and the cut smash, but it keeps ball exit clean and predictable — the ball doesn't grab on the face when you open the angle towards the back glass.

Givova Attaco Specs

Black EVA 28: the core rubber that defines this racket's character

An EVA core with a hardness rating of 28 isn't a beginner's rubber. It's dense, takes a while to warm up, and needs some rallying before it really starts performing.

In practice, that cuts two ways. First: on the flat smash and the smash by 3, the ball flies off the face fast, because the core barely absorbs energy and returns almost all of it. Second: when the ball arrives dead, with no pace on it, the racket gives you nothing back. All the speed has to come from you.

That's the real filter for the Attaco. It's not a racket built for assisted power — it's built for earned power. Players who already generate racket-head speed will find a very direct tool; players hoping the racket does some of the work for them will come up short from the back of the court.

The 38mm Frame: Where It Shows and Where It Doesn't

The 38mm profile does its work on two fronts.

1. **Lateral stiffness**: off-centre contact on a cut bandeja produces no noticeable torsion, so you can close the face and send the ball to the back glass without the racket twisting on you.
2. **Usable sweet spot**: it's not huge, but it sits well in the upper part of the face, right where you want it for the smash.
3. **Stability on the block volley**: against fast balls, the wide profile holds the shot steady without needing a death grip.

What a 38mm profile doesn't buy you is maneuverability. At 360-370g with this level of stiffness, the Attaco reacts with some inertia on the fast volley. When the net exchange speeds up, you need to set up earlier than usual.

Who Is the Givova Attaco Built For?

Short answer: the Attaco is built for an advanced player with a fast arm, who plays at a high tempo and wants an all-round racket capable of smashing hard without losing precision at net. It's not a fit for intermediate level, nor for anyone who needs help generating ball exit.

The player profile that suits it:

• Generates their own racket-head speed and doesn't rely on the racket to accelerate the ball.
• Defends with deep, lifted lobs, where the smooth face gives a clean exit.
• Attacks the side wall with confidence and needs stability more than assistance.

As a doubles pairing, it works best when your partner brings the softer, more placement-based game. Two Black EVA 28 rackets on the same team leaves the point short on pace variety.

Shot-by-Shot Breakdown

Smash and smash by 3. This is its home turf. The combination of firm rubber and wide frame produces a crisp impact, sending the ball out flat and fast. It lacks a bit of bite on the cut smash due to the lack of surface texture.

Bandeja. Comfortable and stable. The frame absorbs the open-face shot well and the ball comes out deep with little effort, as long as you arrive with your body set.

Vibora. This is where its limits show. The smooth face trims the side spin this shot depends on, so the vibora comes out flatter than cut.

Wall exit. Solid once the racket's warmed up, demanding when it's cold. The EVA 28 needs some rallying before it responds well to low balls tight to the glass.

Volleys. Excellent on the block, solid on the put-away, a touch slow on reaction. The reflex volley demands anticipation.

Verdict: Honest but Demanding

The Givova Attaco delivers on what its build promises: smooth 3K carbon, Black EVA 28 and a 38mm frame combine for a racket balanced between power and precision, with more control than its firm core suggests. Its weak point is assistance — it won't give you free ball exit, and it punishes a lack of rhythm.

There's an extra factor worth weighing. Givova distributes the Attaco mainly through wholesale channels, with minimum order quantities and limited presence in specialist padel shops. That makes it harder to demo before buying, and with a rubber this demanding, testing it beforehand matters more than it would with a softer racket.

If you play at an advanced level, generate your own racket speed, and want a direct racket without technological gimmicks, the Attaco delivers. If your game needs the racket to do part of the work, this isn't the one.