Kombat Galeras 2026 By Manu Martin

Pros

• ✓The low-density Black EVA core softens impact on bandejas and defensive lobs, giving you more margin for error than the high-density 2024-2025 model. The 38mm frame supplies the structural stiffness that keeps the softer core from feeling mushy on power shots. The rough, matte-finish Carbon 18K face grips the ball well on spin shots, especially cut bandejas and sliced wall exits. At 350-360g with a medium balance, quick grip changes between volley and bandeja come easily without sacrificing maneuverability at net.

Cons

• ✗The teardrop shape paired with medium balance demands early preparation on defense; getting to the ball late costs you more here than with a round-shaped racket. The softened core leans into control over raw power, so players who lean on the smash as their main weapon may miss some direct punch. There's no published data on sweet spot placement or balance in millimetres, making it hard to compare the true sweet spot against other advanced-level rackets.

The 2026 Kombat Galeras, Manu Martín's signature padel racket, arrives with a core swap that rewrites how it plays compared to the 2024-2025 generation: a low-density Black EVA replaces the previous high-density EVA, built onto the same 100% carbon tubular frame and the rough, matte-finish Carbon 18K face.

Why the low-density Black EVA core is the big story on the Galeras 2026

The 2024-2025 version of this racket ran a high-density Black EVA core, designed to fire energy straight back on contact. The 2026 edition flips that approach: low density, a softer feel, and a response that puts precision ahead of raw power. It's the same move other brands make when they want to widen the pool of players who can handle a premium racket through long matches without arm fatigue setting in.

The frame itself hasn't changed — it keeps its 38mm profile, which supplies the structural stiffness needed so the softer core doesn't cost you solidity on power shots. The Carbon 18K face, with its rough texture and matte finish, remains the piece generating spin and ball grip on shots with a cut, sliced exit.

How the Galeras 2026 plays in different match situations

On defense and wall exits

The softened core buys you more margin for error on defensive shots: bandejas and lobs come off with less residual vibration, which makes it easier to stay in control when the ball arrives fast and you have to improvise a wall exit. The teardrop shape puts a touch more weight up in the head, so it pays to anticipate the shot rather than react late to the ball's path.

At net

At 350-360g with a medium balance, the racket moves quickly through fast volley exchanges, without the extra inertia of a pure head-heavy racket. That 38mm profile helps you hold firm on blocks when your opponent is attacking with pace from the back of the court.

On the smash and the bandeja

This is where the core change shows up most: the remate por 3 loses some sting compared to the high-density version, but gains directional consistency — the ball comes off with less margin for error on placement. The rough Carbon 18K face still lets you generate spin on cut bandejas and víboras, though final power now depends more on the player's arm than on the racket itself.

Tech specs

Who should buy it — and who shouldn't

Buy it if: - You're an advanced player already comfortable with a teardrop shape and want more control without giving up all your pop. - You're an all-round player who splits time between baseline and net and wants a core that forgives you on defense. - You played the 2024-2025 Galeras and found the high-density core too demanding on the arm over long matches.

Skip it if: - You're a pure power player who relies on the smash as your main weapon: the softer core takes away some of that punch. - You're an intermediate player who hasn't mastered the teardrop shape yet, where the medium-to-head-heavy balance punishes late preparation on defense.

Verdict

The Kombat Galeras 2026 is Manu Martín's answer to anyone who found the previous version too stiff: the same 38mm frame and Carbon 18K face, but now with a low-density Black EVA core that puts control and arm comfort ahead of raw power. Its biggest strength is that defensive consistency; its biggest tradeoff is losing some of the direct smash power that defined the 2024-2025 generation. Recommended for advanced all-round players — less so for anyone who lives for the kill shot.

What's the difference between the Galeras 2026 and the Galeras 2024-2025?

The main change is the core: the previous version ran a high-density Black EVA, while the 2026 model switches to low density for extra precision and a softer impact. The Carbon 18K face carries over unchanged between both generations.

How much upkeep does the rough Carbon 18K face need?

The rough matte finish loses grip with heavy use on abrasive artificial-turf courts, so it's worth checking the surface every few months of frequent play to catch premature wear on the texture and any drop-off in spin on cut shots.