Prince Air V2

Technologies

Pros

• ✓The Super EVA Soft core sends the ball back with minimal effort: on defensive lobs from the back court and blocking volleys you don't need to muscle the shot to reach the opposite wall At 335-355 g with a medium balance, it gets there in time for low volleys and lets you correct your wrist at the last second when a crossed vibora catches you off guard The sandy surface with SEF SPIN bites just enough for a cut bandeja to open up towards the back glass without needing already-refined wrist technique The teardrop shape with a 38mm profile pushes the sweet spot up towards the centre: off-centre hits go out with direction instead of dying in the net The Carbon Flex Fiber face adds targeted stiffness without hardening the response, which you'll appreciate in long matches if you're carrying elbow niggles

Cons

• ✗The power ceiling shows up early on the smash by 3: the racket plays along, but you have to supply the kick yourself with arm and timing — the material won't hand it to you The Super EVA Soft gives too much on the flat smash; the ball comes out with more of an arc than you'd like when you're trying to close out the point at the back glass More established players will find the medium balance lacking mass up top: attacking volleys lose depth against an opponent who closes the net well

38mm frame, Super EVA Soft core and a 335-355g range: the Prince Air V2 doesn't hide who it's built for. This is a teardrop-shaped beginner padel racket designed around one simple idea — get the ball out without forcing the player to muscle the shot.

The face combines carbon and fibreglass under the Carbon Flex Fiber name, and the surface carries the SEF SPIN sandy treatment. Those two choices explain almost everything about how it plays on court.

Carbon Flex Fiber over Super EVA Soft: why this Prince cushions rather than fires back

Blending carbon with fibreglass on the face is a touch decision, not a power one. The carbon adds targeted stiffness and stops the face over-flexing; the fibreglass softens the impact and widens the usable hitting area.

Underneath sits the Super EVA Soft, one of the softer rubbers in the EVA core lineup. It compresses fast and sends the ball back on a parabola, which is exactly what a player still lacking arm speed needs.

The 38mm frame rounds off the package. A profile of that thickness gives extra rubber volume beneath the impact point and stabilises the head on shots that miss the centre, at the cost of a bit of bite on the smash.

Put those three elements together and the result is predictable: plenty of ball exit, a friendly feel, and contained power that never runs away with itself.

Who is the Prince Air V2 actually built for?

It's built for a beginner with an all-round game. The teardrop shape, medium balance and 335-355 g weight make it easy to handle, while the soft core makes up for technique that isn't quite there yet on impact. A more established player will find it short on power for the smash.

Some have tagged it as an intermediate-to-advanced racket. The build doesn't back that up: a core this soft paired with a 38mm profile and medium balance is calibrated to forgive, not to demand.

Prince Air V2 spec sheet

Shot by shot: the bandeja flows, the flat smash comes up short

Off the back wall. The racket works in your favour here. The soft rubber pushes the ball through without much follow-through needed, and the medium balance lets you adjust your swing plane when the ball comes back tighter than expected.

Defence and lobs. The deep lob comes out with minimal effort. This is probably the racket's strongest trait: grinding out long rallies from the back court without your arm loading up by the third set.

Bandeja and vibora. The cut bandeja flows nicely, with the SEF SPIN texture biting just enough to open the ball towards the back glass. The vibora asks for more: without concentrated mass up top, you have to make up for it with hip rotation to give the ball weight.

Smash. This is the declared weak point. The flat smash falls short because the Super EVA Soft absorbs part of the energy instead of firing it back crisp. To close points by 3 you'll need to lean on kick more than raw pace.

Volleys. Comfortable on the block, unremarkable on attack. The racket reacts quickly and stabilises off-centre contact, but the aggressive volley at the feet comes out with less depth than a higher-balance racket would give you.

How much bite does the SEF SPIN treatment really add

The sandy texture is the kind you notice without it feeling abrasive. It helps most in two spots: the cut bandeja that needs grip to avoid going flat, and the serve with sidespin aimed at the side glass.

Don't expect the surface to replace technique. You still generate the spin; SEF SPIN just stops the ball skidding off the hitting plane.

Player profile that gets the most out of it

• Beginners still building their game who need the racket to help with ball exit
• Players in long matches who'd rather protect elbow and shoulder than hit hard smashes
• All-rounders with no fixed side: it handles both backhand and forehand thanks to its manageability and wide sweet spot
• As a doubles partner, it pairs well with someone using a harder, higher-balance racket who can take on closing out points at the net

Verdict: does exactly what it promises, no more

The Prince Air V2 is an honest beginner racket. It delivers manageability, tolerance for off-centre hits and ball exit that saves your arm, and in exchange gives up crisp power on the smash.

If you've been playing for two seasons and already generate arm speed, this model will feel limiting within a year. If you're just starting out and want a padel racket that lets you learn without punishing your elbow, it does exactly that job.

Practical tip: go for the lower end of the weight range, close to 335 g, if you're coming from another racket sport and still arrive just in time for the low volley.