Oxdog Ultimate Nxt-gen 2026

Technologies

Pros

• ✓Soft foam under the 6K carbon face cushions blocks and defensive volleys, soaking up hard-hit balls at the waist without kicking the shock back into your elbow The DSH system enlarges the holes in the face and keeps the response lively on off-centre hits, which is rare for a diamond shape The PowerRibs push extra depth into your defensive lob, so you can find length from the back of the court without having to muscle the swing At 345g with a medium balance it whips through the wrist fast, which pays off on repeated bandejas and blocking volleys when the point speeds up The extra-long grip leaves room to slide your second hand up for a two-handed backhand, a real plus for players coming over from tennis

Cons

• ✗The smooth face doesn't bite the ball much: viboras and kick shots come out flatter than expected, leaving spin almost entirely down to your wrist technique The soft rubber takes the edge off a flat smash by 3; the ball lands deep but without the crisp crack that a hard-hitting closer is chasing 345g is a light build for a diamond shape: on blocks against fast incoming balls it can lack mass, so you need to compensate with positioning The sweet spot, while forgiving, sits high due to the shape itself; hits near the throat lose a lot of pace, and DSH can't rescue you there

A 345g diamond that doesn't punish your arm: that's the pitch behind the Oxdog Ultimate NXT-GEN 2026, built with a 6K HES Carbon face, a soft foam core, and a 36mm frame — slimmer than usual for the Ultimate line. The medium balance rounds out the package.

That combination — aggressive shape, soft materials — explains almost everything this padel racket does on court.

6K carbon over soft foam: why this diamond doesn't hit like a diamond

The 6K HES Carbon face uses a relatively open weave. It flexes on impact and returns the ball with an elastic touch, a long way from the dry, sharp rebound of a stiffer surface.

Underneath, the Soft Foam core pulls in the same direction: it absorbs, keeps the ball on the face a fraction longer, and rounds out the strike. The result is a genuinely soft racket, not a "soft" in name only.

That's where the PowerRibs come in — the ribbing running across the face. They stiffen the plane lengthwise so all that flex doesn't cost you ball control: the surface gives, then snaps back fast and drives through. It's the main reason ball exit is the standout trait of the whole package.

Vibradamp filters out residual vibration. With an already-soft rubber, the effect shows up most on off-centre hits: they arrive muted in the hand instead of travelling up the forearm.

What level of player is the Oxdog Ultimate NXT-GEN 2026 for?

It's built for the intermediate player after a versatile, comfortable racket. At 345g, medium balance, soft core and the DSH system, it forgives off-centre contact and doesn't demand pinpoint timing — but it also won't deliver the raw power of a heavy, hard diamond. It's a diamond with the edges sanded off.

How the DSH system reshapes the sweet spot

Double Size Holes are larger-diameter holes across the striking face. Less material means more surface area free to flex, and in practice, a more forgiving sweet spot.

You feel it on the ball struck a hand's width below centre — the classic mistimed wall exit: it still comes off with enough depth to keep you in the point. On a conventional diamond, that same ball dies in the net.

The trade-off is well known: the sweet spot sits high, close to the head. Contact near the throat bleeds a lot of pace, and that's where DSH's forgiveness runs out.

Spec sheet

Shot by shot: where it delivers and where it falls short

Smash. The flat smash comes out deep with a good trajectory, but the feedback into the hand is soft. Players who smash to kill the point and need to feel exactly where they made contact will miss a crisper response. For the smash by 3 looking to force the exit, the PowerRibs' drive does the job without forcing your shoulder.

Bandeja. This is where it shines brightest. The contained weight and medium balance let you repeat cut bandejas point after point without the head dropping late in a third set.

Vibora. The smooth face limits bite. The ball comes out fast and tight, though how much side spin you generate depends more on your wrist speed than on the surface.

Defence and wall exits. The soft rubber keeps the ball on the face longer, which translates into long lobs even when you're just scraping the ball back. This is where this Oxdog racket steals points off harder-hitting opponents.

Volley. Comfortable, vibration-free blocking at mid-height; on the attacking volley it lacks a touch of mass to close out the point in one shot.

The extra-long grip and the two-handed backhand

The extended handle isn't just cosmetic — it gives you real room to place your second hand. Players coming from tennis who still play a two-handed backhand gain stability off the back wall and on wall exits down the left side. Oxdog also offers a Women's version of this same model.

Verdict: who it suits and who it doesn't

It suits the intermediate player after a manageable, forgiving racket with strong ball exit, drawn to the diamond shape's high-attack potential without wanting to pay for it in demanding technique.

It won't suit the hard hitter after a crisp, defined response on the smash, nor the player who lives off heavy topspin: neither the rubber nor the smooth finish caters to that style.

As a doubles partner, it works well in the hands of the backhand-side player who needs margin on defence and wants to move forward for a bandeja that drops fast and true.