Set Lion

Technologies

Pros

• ✓The 3D Spin Texture isn't just cosmetic grain — on cut bandejas and lifted viboras the ball comes off with a dirty, skidding bounce that makes life miserable for anyone trying to play it off the back glass; the Black Eva Soft Ultra core holds the ball on the face a fraction longer, giving you a really readable touch on block volleys and drop shots off the glass; the 3K carbon face sits at a medium stiffness — it snaps back sharply when you accelerate through a flat smash, but it won't send that jarring shock into your elbow the way a stiffer face does over a long session; the 375g of mass carries your smash down the middle without forcing the arm, letting the weight do work that a lighter racket would dump on your shoulder; the Ultra Grip keeps the hand locked in through the shift from continental to a smash grip, so you're not wrapping overgrip just to find purchase

Cons

• ✗The weight is fixed at 375g with no lighter option — if you're coming from a lighter racket, the arm feels it by the third set and your bandeja starts arriving late; ball exit is fairly contained for how soft the EVA is, so on a defensive lob from the back you need to put your body into it or it comes up short and hands over the net; the teardrop's sweet spot is unforgiving below centre — an off-centre backhand volley loses depth and leaves you exposed at the net; the pronounced surface texture loses bite with wear and starts chewing up balls, so the spin effect from those first few matches doesn't last forever

A 3K carbon face, a Black Eva Soft Ultra core and a fixed 375g — the Set Lion is a 38mm teardrop racket built around spin, not brute force. The 3D Spin Texture surface is its signature, and it shapes how every single shot plays out.

3K carbon meets a soft core: the combo that defines the Set Lion

The 3K carbon weave sits at a middle ground for stiffness. It's firmer than fibreglass, but it still lets the surface flex on contact — something tighter carbon weaves tend to sacrifice for a crisper response.

That face sits over a soft EVA core, the Black Eva Soft Ultra. The ball stays on the face a fraction longer before leaving, and that extra split-second is what lets you actually place your bandeja instead of just riding it out.

The result is a padel racket with a surprisingly gentle touch for its weight. It's not an arm-friendly frame by any means, but it's not a wall either — impact comes through filtered, with just enough feedback to read the height of the bounce.

What level of player is the Set Lion built for?

The Set Lion is aimed at mid-to-high level and advanced players with an already-developed wrist. Its 375g and teardrop shape demand solid technique to find the sweet spot, but in return you get fine control and a textured surface that amplifies spin on bandejas, viboras and kick serves.

Below that level, the weight works against you. A player who hasn't yet grooved a clean bandeja motion will end up pushing the ball with the shoulder, and that's exactly where the Lion stops helping.

Set Lion spec sheet

Where the 3D texture pays off: bandeja, vibora and the chop shot

The raised grain of the 3D Spin Texture is the racket's most tangible selling point. On a cut bandeja the ball comes off with rotation that pins it against the side glass and kills the bounce, instead of sitting up nicely for your opponent.

On the vibora that effect is even more obvious. Hit with an open face and an active wrist, the Lion puts enough side-spin on the ball to bend its path toward the post and force your opponent to defend off the court.

The short chop shot benefits too. With a soft core and a grippy surface, the ball dies low and short — something hard, dense-core rackets simply can't replicate with the same margin for error.

On a flat smash down the middle, the 375g becomes the advantage. The mass drives through without needing to swing all-out, and the 3K carbon gives you a firm, positive response right at the moment of contact.

The fixed 375g: the detail that decides if this racket is for you

This SET model comes in a single weight — no lighter version to choose from. It's a heavy build by today's standards, and that has real on-court consequences.

On the plus side: rock-solid stability on block volleys against fast balls, and inertia that does the heavy lifting on smashes. On the downside: manoeuvrability is decent rather than outstanding, and in fast net exchanges you need to get your racket prep in early.

Defence is where you pay the biggest price. High balls off the back glass are handled well thanks to the soft touch, but a long defensive lob from the back of the court needs body weight behind it — try to muscle it with the arm alone and it falls short.

Which player type gets the most out of it

1. **A backhand player with a well-developed wrist** who builds points through spin rather than raw ball speed.
2. **An all-round player**, equally comfortable defending from the back or closing out points at the net, rather than a pure attacker.
3. **An arm used to a heavier build**. If you're coming from a lighter racket, it's a jump worth measuring carefully first.

As a doubles partner racket, it pairs well with someone who brings quick hands at the net, since the Lion contributes more consistency and spin than raw reaction speed.

Verdict: control with bite, not a pure basher's racket

The Set Lion is better suited to building the point than ending it in one shot. Its character is that of a balanced racket with a clear spin advantage, not a diamond-shaped frame that punishes hard and forgives little.

Its two real limitations are honest ones: the fixed 375g rules it out for anyone chasing a nimble, agile frame, and the teardrop's sweet spot demands centred contact if you don't want to lose depth.

If you play with spin, have the wrist for it, and the weight doesn't scare you off, this is one of the teardrop rackets that best turns technique into results on court.