Babolat Counter Origin 2025 Padel Racket Review

REVIEWS

12/14/20254 min read

Overall Rating

8.0 / 10

This rating reflects the racket’s strong performance for its intended audience — new players and those focused on improving fundamentals — balanced against its modest power and simpler design.

Quick Verdict

  • Best for: Absolute beginners and technique builders

  • Strengths: Comfort, forgiveness, large sweet spot

  • Ideal use: Social play, club sessions, learning fundamentals

  • Limitations: Not powerful or aggressive enough for advanced offensive play

Key Details – Specifications

Babolat Counter Origin 2025 – Specs

  • Shape: Round — excellent forgiveness and consistent contact

  • Weight: ~355 g ± 10 g — lightweight and easy to swing

  • Balance: Head-light — helps with easy manoeuvrability

  • Core: Soft EVA — soft feel with cushioning and vibration dampening

  • Face Material: Fiberglass — flexible, comfortable response

  • Frame: Hybrid carbon and fiberglass — strength with flexibility

  • Head Size: Large sweet spot — easier off-centre contact

  • Skill Level: Beginner → early Intermediate

Who the Babolat Counter Origin Is For

The Counter Origin is ideal if you are:

  • Brand new to padel entirely (even without prior racket sport experience)

  • Looking for a racket that helps you stay in rallies more often

  • Wanting to improve shot consistency and placement

  • Playing casually, socially or in club-level matches

Its forgiving round profile removes a lot of the shock and intimidation that new players can feel when moving from basic play into structured rallies.

This racket is not designed for players who already attack with high power or need maximum offensive capabilities.

Performance Breakdown

Comfort & Feel

The soft EVA core delivers a notably cushioned feel at ball contact. It does a great job absorbing vibration, which reduces strain on your arm — something beginners often appreciate as they play longer rallies or practice repeatedly. Combine this with fiberglass faces and you get a racket that feels predictable and comfortable from the first session.

This soft feel also helps players focus on technique and placement rather than reacting to harsh rebounds.

Control & Precision

Control is the Counter Origin’s standout quality. The round head shape expands the sweet spot, meaning even shots off centre aren’t punished harshly. This makes it easier to keep the ball in play and aim for precise placement, rather than battling with power or unpredictable trajectories.

This design philosophy makes it not only beginner-friendly but also confidence-boosting — especially when you’re still refining timing and footwork.

Power & Offensive Play

This racket doesn’t prioritise raw power. With its softer materials and emphasis on control, you’ll find power is generated more through technique than with the racket itself. This is typical for control-oriented beginner rackets — they don’t produce massive pace but reward consistent, well-placed shotmaking.

For players focused on improving fundamentals and keeping long rallies going, this is not a disadvantage — it aligns with the learning curve.

Manoeuvrability

Thanks to its head-light balance and manageable weight, the Counter Origin is easy to manoeuvre at the net and during quick exchanges. Transitions between defence and attack feel natural, which supports players who are still learning positioning and movement fundamentals.

Playing Experience

On court, the Counter Origin feels forgiving and straightforward. Serves, volleys and groundstrokes all deliver consistent results, helping you feel in control even at higher rally speeds.

Its forgiving nature allows you to focus on decision-making — where to place the ball and how to construct points — rather than worrying that a slight mishit will cost you the point. This makes it ideal for both social matches and early competitive play.

Build Quality & Tech Highlights

The Counter Origin pairs a hybrid frame (carbon mixed with fiberglass) with a soft EVA core, giving a balanced combination of flexibility, structural strength and consistent play feel.

Another notable design detail is the oversize sweet spot, which increases your margin for error and improves confidence on off-centre shots — especially important for developing players.

Overall, the materials and construction focus on comfort and forgiveness — not flashy power technologies — making this racket perfectly suited to its intended user group.

Price & Value

The Counter Origin sits in the affordable category for branded padel rackets. Given its comfort, build quality and ease of use, it represents good value for anyone starting their padel journey. It’s the kind of racket you can use through your first seasons without feeling held back too quickly.

For beginners or casual players who play once or twice a week, it’s a sensible first racket and might even serve as a reliable backup model.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Excellent forgiveness and control for new players

  • Large sweet spot makes rallies easier and more confidence-building

  • Comfortable soft feel aids long sessions

  • Lightweight and manoeuvrable

Cons

  • Limited power compared to performance rackets

  • Not designed for players with aggressive offensive goals

  • Fiberglass face is softer and less responsive than carbon in higher-end models

Final Verdict

The Babolat Counter Origin 2025 is a fantastic padel racket for players who are just starting out or want something that supports their technique rather than forcing them into advanced aggression. With a balanced design prioritising comfort, control and reliability, it’s ideal for social play, club matches, and early skill development.

Final Score: 8.0 / 10

If your goal is to build confidence, stay in rallies longer and enjoy learning padel without frustration, the Counter Origin delivers exactly that.

The Babolat Counter Origin 2025 is a highly approachable padel racket tailored for beginners and early intermediate players. With a classic round head, soft feel and large sweet spot, it’s designed to help players develop control, confidence and consistency on court. Its combination of comfort, forgiveness and easy manoeuvrability make it perfect for people taking their first steps in padel or transitioning from basic gear.

Below we look at what this racket offers, how it performs, and whether it’s worth adding to your padel gear bag.

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