StarVie Raptor Pro Touch 2025 technical specifications and build
The reviewer introduces the StarVie Raptor Pro Touch 2025 as a highly anticipated return of an iconic padel racket, now featuring a new Pro Touch core that is less rigid than previous iterations. The racket maintains a classic round shape with a high balance point, offering a blend of power and control that appeals to advanced players seeking a dynamic playing experience. Key specifications highlighted by the channel include:
- Weight: 369g (as tested)
- Balance: 27.2 cm (high for a round racket)
- Face material: Single layer of 12K carbon fiber (more elastic than previous 3K double-layer builds)
- Core: Pro Touch (medium-plus rigidity, more reactive than soft cores)
- Finish: Matte paint, including the Star Balance System
The reviewer notes the handle remains on the small side, recommending players replace the original grip or use overgrips to achieve a more comfortable thickness. The matte finish and updated carbon composition are praised for both aesthetics and performance, signaling a modern evolution from earlier Raptor models.
Comparing Raptor Pro Touch 2025 and Raptor Soft 30
One of the central themes of the review is the direct comparison between the Raptor Pro Touch 2025 and its sibling, the Raptor Soft 30. Both rackets arrived for testing with nearly identical weight and balance, allowing for an accurate head-to-head assessment. While they share the same visual design and general handling, their on-court personalities diverge in key areas:
- Power: The Pro Touch is notably more powerful, delivering a stronger ball exit and higher energy on aggressive shots.
- Sweet spot: The Soft 30 offers a slightly larger and higher sweet spot, making it more forgiving, especially for players who don’t always hit the center.
- Control: The Soft 30 is easier to manage, providing more time to react and a more predictable response, especially from the back of the court.
- Feel: The Pro Touch has a medium-plus touch that is more reactive and less absorbent, requiring quicker hand speed and more technical skill to fully exploit its potential.
In summary, the Pro Touch is the choice for players seeking extra power and a more aggressive response, while the Soft 30 caters to those prioritizing comfort, forgiveness, and easier ball handling.
On-court performance: power, control, and handling
The reviewer describes the Raptor Pro Touch 2025 as a “round, angry” racket with a high balance, offering a unique combination of maneuverability and punch. Despite its higher balance, the racket moves well in the hand and does not feel overly heavy during dynamic play. Its medium-plus core and elastic 12K carbon face provide a lively response, especially when the ball is struck in the central area of the face.
From the baseline, the Pro Touch delivers a more forceful ball exit than the Soft 30, but at the cost of a slightly smaller, more centralized sweet spot. Players must be precise and quick in their preparation, as the racket’s response time is shorter and less forgiving. The reviewer notes that while the Pro Touch is not difficult to use, it does require a bit more technique and timing, especially on defensive shots or when under pressure.
At the net, the Pro Touch shines in volleys, offering a crisp, sincere touch and extra power compared to the Soft 30. However, the Soft 30 remains easier for touch shots and imparts more effortless spin, as its face allows the ball to “sink in” a bit more. The Pro Touch, by contrast, rewards players who can generate their own speed and take advantage of its reactive core.
Spin, smash, and special shots
Spin generation is strong on the Pro Touch, though the reviewer finds it slightly less effortless than on the Soft 30. The Full Plane Effect surface texture provides good grip, but the stiffer core means players need to be more active in producing spin, especially on technical shots.
On smashes, the Pro Touch stands out. The reviewer highlights its impressive power and ball exit, particularly on flat and kick smashes. The racket’s high balance and energetic core allow for explosive shots when struck cleanly in the center. The sweet spot’s central location means that off-center hits, especially higher on the face, are less forgiving, but when timed well, the racket delivers excellent results for aggressive overhead play.
Compared to the previous Raptor Pro and the Triton Pro Touch, the new Pro Touch is more manageable and easier to handle, though it may not reach the absolute peak power of the older, heavier Raptor Pro. The Triton Pro Touch is noted as being more demanding and offering a superior feel, but the Raptor Pro Touch is positioned as the more accessible, “angry round” option in the StarVie lineup.
Reviewer’s ratings for StarVie Raptor Pro Touch 2025
The channel provides detailed ratings for the Raptor Pro Touch 2025, offering a clear breakdown of its strengths and weaknesses:
- Ball exit: 7+ (full, but less easy than the Soft 30)
- Sweet spot: 7 (not small, but more centralized)
- Control: 7.5 (requires attention when activated, more energetic than the Soft 30)
- Power: 8.5 (notably powerful for a round racket)
- Maneuverability: 7 (moves well despite weight and balance)
- Comfort: 7 (medium touch, slightly dry, not harsh)
- Feel: 7.5 (better than Soft 30, but lacks the old 3K double-layer feel)
- Spin: 8.5 (very good, though slightly less pronounced than usual)
- Stability: 7.5 (stable, not granite-like but not unstable)
- Play from the back: 7 (reactive, requires some technique)
- Wall exit: 8.5 (good ball exit, power, and spin)
- Volley: 8.5 (excellent power, spin, and response at the net)
- Flat smash: 8.5 (solid, powerful, doesn’t absorb energy)
- Kick smash: 9 (outstanding, more effective than the Soft 30)
Who should choose the Raptor Pro Touch 2025?
The reviewer concludes that the StarVie Raptor Pro Touch 2025 is a well-balanced evolution in the Raptor line, offering more power and a more reactive feel than the Soft 30, but remaining easier to handle than the Triton Pro Touch or older Raptor Pro models. It is best suited for players who want a round racket with high balance, strong power, and a responsive core, and who are comfortable with a more centralized sweet spot and a slightly less forgiving touch.
For players seeking maximum comfort, forgiveness, and easy ball handling, the Soft 30 remains the better choice, especially for those who play more defensively or need extra help from the racket. However, for those who enjoy an aggressive, fast-paced game and can handle a more technical, energetic racket, the Pro Touch is a compelling option in the 2025 StarVie lineup.
