Bullpadel Vertex 04 Review: Tello's Softer Diamond

The Vertex 04 fits one specific player profile: advanced power players who refuse to sacrifice forgiveness for the last 5% of power. Specifically:

• Player level: 3.5+ advanced amateur through 4.0+ tournament play.
• Style: Aggressive front-court player who wants to finish points decisively but also plays defensively from the back wall.
• Mechanics: Established swing but not flawless - acknowledges that mishits will happen and wants a racket that doesn't punish every one.
• Strength training: Good shoulder/wrist conditioning - 360-370g is heavier than most.

If you're a tour-level player chasing the absolute maximum power - the Babolat Air Veron edges out on raw output. If you're an intermediate-level player without consistent swing fundamentals - look at the Bullpadel Hack 04 (around £195) or the Head Coello Vibe (£140) instead.

Three things the Vertex 04 genuinely excels at:

1. Larger forgiving sweet spot. The 475 cm² head is meaningfully bigger than the 465 cm² Babolat Air Veron and 470 cm² Head Coello Pro. The effective sweet spot is correspondingly larger - mishits that would shank with the Air Veron stay in play with the Vertex 04. For advanced amateur-level competition, this difference shows up across a full match.

2. Premium power without harshness. The combination of head-heavy balance, Tricarbon 24K faces, and soft Black EVA core delivers tour-grade smash power - close to the Air Veron's output - without the harsh hand-feel some players find on the harder-core Coello Pro. The Pulse System frame transmits clean feedback on contact.

3. Vibration management. The Black EVA soft core absorbs more vibration than the Hybrid Rough cores on competing flagships. Useful if you have any elbow concerns; if you want maximum feedback, the harder-core alternatives win.

The Vertex 04 sits at the premium tier - that means real cost trade-offs:

• Full RRP is £297.99. Since the Vertex 05 superseded it, street prices sit around £160 - three years of court time at £160 ÷ ~600 hours works out near £0.27/hour - but pay anywhere near RRP and the value case weakens sharply against the £140 Coello Vibe.
• Still demanding compared to round-shape rackets. Diamond head means head-heavy mechanics; the Head Delta Pro or Adidas Metalbone Court Control are easier to play if pure control matters.
• Tello's playing style biases reviews. Most reviews focus on the power side. The control players in his style group don't get featured - test before buying if you're a touch-first player.
• UK availability has moved on. UK shops now lead with the Vertex 05 (2026) successor, so the Vertex 04 sells as a discounted last-generation model - strong value, but you're buying outgoing tech.

Three direct competitors to weigh up:

vs Babolat Air Veron (£280). Same diamond category, but the pricing gap has opened right up: since the Vertex 05 superseded it, the Vertex 04 sells around £160 at current street prices. Air Veron has 5% more peak power; Vertex 04 has 10-15% larger effective sweet spot. Choose Air Veron if you're at solid 4.0+ tournament level and can absorb the smaller sweet spot; choose Vertex 04 if you want a softer transition into the diamond category.

vs Head Coello Pro (around £257). Coello Pro is the harder-core, more demanding alternative - more raw power, less forgiveness, smaller sweet spot. Choose Coello Pro if you've already mastered diamond mechanics and want tournament-grade output; Vertex 04 if you're still building up to that level.

vs Bullpadel Hack 04 (around £195). Same brand, one tier down - though the usual price gap has inverted now the discounted Vertex 04 sits around £160. The Hack 04 delivers ~80% of the Vertex 04's performance; choose it if you want current-generation kit, or the Vertex 04 if you want flagship spec for less.

Is the Vertex 04 good for intermediate players? Borderline. The 475 cm² sweet spot makes it more usable at intermediate level than typical flagship diamonds, but even discounted to around £160 it's a demanding racket before you reach 4.0 level. Most 3.5-level players get more value from the £140 Coello Vibe or the Hack 04 at around £195 - migrate up once you've established consistent diamond-shape mechanics.

How does it compare to the older Vertex 03? The Vertex 04 has the Pulse System frame (new for this generation) and slightly larger head (475 cm² vs 470 cm²). The 04 is meaningfully more forgiving but not radically different in raw performance. If you own a Vertex 03 in good condition, don't upgrade for the sake of upgrading.

Is the Vertex 04 worth it over the Bullpadel Hack 04? The maths has flipped: since the Vertex 05 superseded it, the Vertex 04 (around £160) now sells below the Hack 04 (around £195). The Hack 04 delivers ~80% of the Vertex 04's performance, so at current prices the Vertex 04 is the stronger value pick if you can handle its flagship-level demands; the Hack 04 remains the easier racket one tier down.

Where can I buy it in the UK? UK shops have largely moved to the Vertex 05 (2026) successor, so the Vertex 04 (2025 Juan Tello edition) now sells at a deep discount to its £297.99 RRP through retailers such as Padel Market. Compare the discounted 04 against Vertex 05 UK pricing before ordering.

What grip and overgrip work best? The Vertex 04 ships with a Bullpadel base grip. Most players add a Wilson Pro Overgrip or Bullpadel Overgrip Comfort. Single overgrip is the most common setup; double overgrips dampen feedback noticeably.