Padel Racket Review - Wilson Blade V3

What the reviewers say

Everyone who handled all three 2024 Blades landed in the same place: this is the versatile one.

Niklas at RacketspecialistenTV played the range on court and put the standard V3 squarely between its siblings, praising the mix but flagging the effort it asks for. "From the back of the court I really liked the combination of pace and control, but I had to work more myself to get speed out of the racket, especially on the softer shots like the lob." At the net, he said, it felt very solid, and he enjoyed the pace more than the touch.

Padel-Point put the change down to the core and the face, noting that "the firmer foam gives a crisper feel than the previous generation of Blade rackets," with the carbon in the weave adding stiffness and the deeper texture adding spin over the LS.

Total Padel framed it as the comfort version of the Pro: "the only difference is the surface, a mix of carbon and fiberglass, to give more comfort and more feel on your shots." Padel Addict agreed on the effect, writing that "the softer feel makes it less difficult to master, and the improved manoeuvrability makes it more versatile" than the Pro it sits beneath.

Where opinion splits is output. Racketguide's lab measured the balance point at 26.9cm, 59 percent up the frame, and weighed a test unit at 372g against Wilson's stated 365g, rating its manoeuvrability medium. Their owner scores sit at 3.5 out of 5 across 32 players, and the dissent is consistent: advanced players wanted more punch. "Not enough power," wrote one. Another, who liked it, still wished it were "slightly lighter and with medium balance."

Our take: Bowe's summary

The teardrop head and the firm core do what the spec sheet promises. Contact is crisp, the feedback is clear, and the deep 3D texture grips well enough that a bandeja or víbora actually bites instead of skidding. What the hybrid face takes back is a little of that clarity, so the feel sits a shade more muted than the full carbon Pro. The bigger caveat is mass: at a measured 372g with the balance just above the middle, it is slower in the hand than an even balance suggests, and players who trade on quick hands and placement will notice that before they notice the extra stability.

Defense is the weakest part of its game, and the reviewers agree on why. The firm EVA core does not hand the ball back on its own, so a lob hit off balance from the back glass needs a full swing to land deep. What it does give you is stability. The frame holds its line against heavy pace and off centre contact stays solid rather than twisting in the hand. Anyone stepping across from a soft fiberglass racket will find they have to do more of the work themselves.

Overheads are where it earns the Blade name. With a proper swing, the firm core and the teardrop head deliver real pace, and the raised texture lets you shape a víbora rather than only hitting through the ball. It does ask for that committed swing. At half pace the ball comes off politely, so this is a racket for players who finish points with technique instead of leaning on the frame to do it.

The net is its best zone. Block volleys stay stable against fast attacks, the hybrid face keeps a heavy volley from spraying, and the sweet spot is forgiving enough during scrambled exchanges. Touch is decent rather than exceptional. Drop volleys land, but the firm core gives less dwell time than the LS, so soft shots need a softer hand than you might expect.

How it compares

Inside Wilson's own 2024 line the choice is clean. The Blade Pro V3 shares the weight, the shape and the firm core, but runs a full carbon face and a higher balance: more explosive, smaller margin, the pick for an attacker with clean technique. The Blade LS V3 drops to 355g with a soft core and a fiberglass face: far more comfortable and much quicker in the hand, with a power ceiling that arrives early.

The standard V3 sits between them. Against control teardrops from Bullpadel or Nox at similar money, its argument is stability and spin rather than pure touch.