The AT10 is NOX's Agustín Tapia line, and for 2027 it has seven rackets: five Genius frames in the Luxury series and two Pro Cups in the Classic series. The Genius rackets keep their faces, shapes and weights. They gain NOX's new VCS anti-vibration handle and a reworked mould that swings noticeably lighter, and two of them get a new core. All seven are on pre-order with us now. The Genius rackets have an RRP of $550 ($500 for the Lite) and are due in early November. The Pro Cups have an RRP of $310 and are due in December. This guide covers which AT10 2027 to buy, what changed from 2026, which one Tapia plays and whether the 2026 runout is the smarter buy.
The short version
| Racket | Shape and balance | Face and core | Weight | RRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genius 18K Alum | Teardrop, medium | 18K Alum carbon, MLD Black EVA | 360–375g | $550 |
| Genius 12K Alum Xtrem | Teardrop, medium | 12K Alum Xtrem carbon, MLD Black EVA | 360–375g | $550 |
| Genius Attack 18K Alum | Diamond, high, 30mm longer handle | 18K Alum carbon, MLD Black EVA | 360–375g | $550 |
| Genius Attack 12K Alum Xtrem | Diamond, high, 30mm longer handle | 12K Alum Xtrem carbon, MLD Black EVA | 360–375g | $550 |
| Genius 12K Alum Xtrem Lite | Teardrop, medium | 12K Alum Xtrem carbon, HR3 White EVA | 350–360g | $500 |
| AT10 Pro Cup Hard | Teardrop, medium | Aluminised fibreglass, HR3 Hard EVA | 360–375g | $310 |
| AT10 Pro Cup Soft | Teardrop, medium | Aluminised fibreglass, HR3 Soft EVA | 360–375g | $310 |
In one line each:
- For the racket Tapia plays, buy the Genius 12K Alum Xtrem.
- For the most comfortable full-weight Genius, buy the 18K Alum.
- To finish points overhead from the left, buy one of the Attacks.
- For a sore arm or a lighter racket, buy the Lite.
- For Tapia's shape at a lower RRP, buy a Pro Cup.
The rest of this guide is the reasoning.
NOX AT10 2027 release date
NOX unveiled the 2027 range in September 2026, and the first European deliveries are due from 19 October. In Australia, our Genius stock is due in early November and the AT10 Pro Cup Hard and Soft in December. All seven are on pre-order now, and each product page shows the current estimate.
Where has the AT10 name gone?
If you search NOX's own website for the AT10 2027, you will not find it. NOX dropped the prefix for 2027, so the flagship is listed as "Genius 18K Alum by Agustín Tapia 2027" and the Pro Cups as "Pro Cup Hard" and "Pro Cup Soft by Agustín Tapia". It is the same line. The Australian distributor and most shops, us included, still call it the AT10, because that is what most players search for.
Which AT10 does Tapia play?
The Genius 12K Alum Xtrem. Tapia moved from the 18K to the 12K during 2026 and plays the 2027 version this season. Sponsored players' rackets can differ from the retail model in weight and balance, so treat "what Tapia plays" as a starting point rather than a recommendation. What rackets do the pros use covers the rest of the tour.
Genius 18K vs 12K: the face is the difference
In 2026 the two teardrops had different cores, but in 2027 they do not. Both now use NOX's multilayered MLD Black EVA, the same mould and the same 360–375g weight band, so the carbon face is what separates them.
- Genius 18K Alum. The face is aluminised 18K carbon, which NOX say gives a solid, comfortable feel. NOX rate it medium-hard, and it is the more comfortable of the two.
- Genius 12K Alum Xtrem. The face is aluminised 12K carbon in a rectangular weave. NOX claim the weave is 50% less wavy than conventional carbon, which gives a stiffer, more direct response. NOX also rate it medium-hard, but it is drier and sharper in the hand.
The reviews agree. On the 2026 versions, Padelful scored the 18K 9.6 for manoeuvrability and 9.0 for sweet spot, and the 12K 9.0 for power with the same 9.0 sweet spot. the4Set tested seven of the 2027 rackets early. The 12K had the longest average smash and came first for volleys, while the 18K was among the easiest to feel comfortable with straight away but slower overhead.
Choose the 18K if you are an all-court player who values comfort and control and makes your own pace. Choose the 12K if you want more bite on the volley and the smash, and your technique is consistent. Now that the cores match, the gap between the two is smaller than it was in 2026. Carbon vs fibreglass explains what the weave numbers mean.
Teardrop or Attack?
The two Attack rackets put the Genius face and core into a diamond head with a high balance. They also add NOX's Oversize Grip, a handle 30mm longer. That gives you more leverage overhead and room for two hands on the backhand, and NOX say it shifts the balance further towards the head. the4Set put the balance of the teardrop Genius frames at about 25cm and the Attack versions at about 27cm.
The trade-off is the usual one for a diamond. Padelful's early look at the 2027 Attack 18K scored it 9.4 for power but 6.6 for control and 6.4 for manoeuvrability. It gives heavy volleys and smashes that clear the fence, but it is slow in fast exchanges and harsh on off-centre blocks. Padelful's review of the 2026 Attack 12K scored it 9.9 for power. NOX rate the Attack 18K medium and the Attack 12K medium-hard, so the 18K is the slightly gentler of the two. In the4Set's test the Attack 12K came second for the bandeja and víbora, behind Aimar Goñi's Ventus Attack.
Choose an Attack if you play on the left, finish points overhead and have consistent timing. If you play on the right or win points with placement, the teardrops will serve you better. Round vs teardrop vs diamond explains the shapes, and racket weight and balance explains why 2cm of balance makes a difference.
The Lite: the Genius for comfort
The Genius 12K Alum Xtrem Lite keeps the teardrop and the 12K Alum Xtrem face. It swaps the MLD core for a low-density HR3 White EVA and weighs 350–360g, about 5g less than the 2026 Lite. It is the only Genius that NOX rate soft. Padelful's review of the 2026 version gave it a perfect 10 for manoeuvrability and 9.1 for sweet spot. Reviewers and owners agreed on the cost: less smash power and less bite than the full-weight Genius rackets.
It suits players with elbow or shoulder niggles who still want a premium carbon racket, lighter players, and anyone who wins points at the net with quick hands. Weight Balance lets you add up to 8g back towards the head if you miss the punch. Padel and tennis elbow covers what a softer racket can and cannot fix.
The AT10 Pro Cup Hard and Soft
The Pro Cups are the Classic-series end of the Tapia line: the same teardrop idea at an RRP of $310, with aluminised fibreglass faces in place of carbon. They do not get VCS. Instead they keep NOX's Pulse System anti-vibration and carry the Exclusive Spin texture. They are due in December, about a month after the Genius rackets.
- AT10 Pro Cup Hard has an HR3 Hard EVA core. Padelful's review of the 2026 version scored it 9.1 for control but only 7.9 for sweet spot, so it is precise and firm but punishes off-centre hits. It suits intermediate-to-advanced players with clean technique who want a connected feel without paying Luxury prices.
- AT10 Pro Cup Soft has an HR3 Soft EVA core. Padelful scored the 2026 version 9.1 for rebound, so the ball comes out of defence with little effort, and it is kind on the arm. Flat smashes lack some punch. It suits intermediates and anyone with an elbow history.
Lamperti's round ML10 Pro Cups (RRP $240) are the other Pro Cup family. Our NOX 2027 range guide covers them, along with the Ventus and Equation rackets.
What changed from the 2026 AT10
- VCS. VCS is an elastomer bonded inside the handle, and NOX claim it cuts the impact at your wrist by up to 56% compared with the previous generation. All five Genius rackets get it. The Pro Cups do not.
- A reworked mould. NOX describe the Genius as more aerodynamic and better balanced, with a redesigned EOS Tunnel. the4Set reported larger air channels in the bridge to offset the extra weight VCS adds to the handle, plus extra reinforcement in the sides of the frame.
- New cores on two models. The Genius 12K Alum Xtrem and Genius Attack 12K Alum Xtrem move from HR3 Black EVA to the multilayered MLD Black EVA used in the 18K.
- A lighter Lite. The Lite now weighs 350–360g, down from 355–365g.
- Unchanged. The shapes, the faces and the 360–375g weight band of the main four all carry over. The Weight Balance system (2g and 4g weights, up to 8g in total) comes on all five Genius rackets.
The European retailer PadelShop.com measured a 2026 and a 2027 frame of both Genius teardrops. These are their numbers:
| PadelShop.com measurement | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Genius 18K Alum, swingweight | 158 | 144 |
| Genius 18K Alum, hardness | 62 | 61 |
| Genius 12K Alum Xtrem, swingweight | 154 | 143 |
| Genius 12K Alum Xtrem, hardness | 62 | 60 |
The figures are on PadelShop's own scales, measured on a Wilson Baiardo. A lower swingweight means the racket is quicker to swing, and a lower hardness means a softer feel. The 18K's materials are identical year to year, so its 14-point drop in swingweight comes from where the weight sits, closer to the handle. That fits with the extra weight VCS adds inside the handle. Treat single-frame numbers with care, because production rackets vary by around ±10g.
On court the difference is subtle. the4Set's tester said he would struggle to tell the 2026 and 2027 Tapia rackets apart with the graphics covered, and summed up the range as "an evolution, not a revolution".
Should you buy the 2026 AT10 instead?
Three 2026 Genius rackets are still in stock. PadelShop's verdict on the 18K was that most new buyers should choose the 2027, and that owners who are happy with their 2026 have no reason to change. They added that the 2026 still suits players who like the planted, head-heavy Genius and generate power through the racket's mass rather than head speed.
- 2026 Genius 18K Alum has the same face, core, shape and weight as the 2027, with a heavier swing and no VCS.
- 2026 Genius 12K Alum Xtrem keeps the firmer HR3 Black EVA core that the 2027 drops.
- 2026 Genius Attack 12K is the diamond on the HR3 core, which Padelful scored 9.9 for power.
If your elbow is the deciding factor, wait for the 2027. If you want to play this week, or you prefer a firmer, heavier feel, the 2026 is the better buy.
Rivals worth comparing
If you are shopping at the AT10's level, these are the four we would put next to it.
- Babolat Air Viper 2.6 is a teardrop with a 16K carbon face on a three-layer X-EVA core. At 345–365g it is lighter than the Genius, and it is in stock now.
- Siux Diablo Pro 2026 is Tino Libaak's control teardrop, with a 24K carbon face at 355–375g. It is also in stock now.
- adidas Metalbone 2026 is Ale Galán's high-balance diamond, with aluminised 16K carbon on a soft EVA core and up to 11.2g of adjustable weight. It is adidas's take on the adjustable-weight idea, and our Metalbone weight system guide shows how it works.
- Hirostar Blackstone IV 2027 is another 2027 18K diamond with a high balance and a multi-density core. It is on pre-order (RRP $485) for early December, and our Blackstone IV guide covers it.
Compare puts any two side by side, and our padel brand comparison sets NOX against the other brands we stock.
Pre-ordering the AT10 2027 in Australia
All seven AT10 2027 rackets are on pre-order now, at RRPs of $550 for the four main Genius rackets, $500 for the Lite and $310 for the Pro Cups. You order and pay as normal, and we send your racket as soon as our stock lands. That should be early November for the Genius rackets and December for the Pro Cups, and the product page always shows the current estimate. You can choose free click and collect from our counter at Pacific Fair, Broadbeach, or Australia Post delivery, which is free over $99.
Pre-order Tapia's racket
The Genius 12K Alum Xtrem 2027, RRP $550. Due early November, shipped from Broadbeach or collected free at Pacific Fair.
Frequently asked questions
When is the NOX AT10 2027 released?
NOX unveiled it in September 2026, with the first European deliveries due from 19 October. In Australia, we expect to send the Genius rackets in early November and the AT10 Pro Cup Hard and Soft in December.
Which AT10 racket does Tapia use in 2027?
The Genius 12K Alum Xtrem, the teardrop with the 12K Alum Xtrem face. He switched to it from the 18K during 2026.
Is the AT10 18K or 12K better?
Neither is better overall. In 2027 they share the core, mould and weight. The 18K is the more comfortable of the two, and the 12K is stiffer, more direct and better for volleys and smashes if your contact is clean.
What is the difference between the AT10 2026 and 2027?
The 2027 adds the VCS anti-vibration handle and a reworked mould that one retailer measured as noticeably quicker to swing. It also moves the 12K and Attack 12K to the MLD core, and the Lite is about 5g lighter. Shapes, faces and weights are otherwise the same, and early testers found the two generations very similar on court.
How much is the NOX AT10 2027 in Australia?
By RRP, the four main Genius rackets are $550, the Genius 12K Alum Xtrem Lite is $500, and the AT10 Pro Cup Hard and Soft are $310.
Is the AT10 Genius good for intermediate players?
The full-weight Genius rackets are built for advanced players. A strong intermediate with consistent contact can handle the 18K, but the Lite and the Pro Cup Soft are the more realistic choices. Our racket buying guide covers how to match a racket to your level.
Does the AT10 2027 have adjustable weights?
Yes, the Genius rackets do. NOX's Weight Balance system uses 2g and 4g weights, up to 8g in total, that you can fix towards the head for more power or towards the handle for a quicker racket. The Pro Cups do not have it.
What does AT10 mean?
AT is Agustín Tapia's initials, and AT10 is the label NOX have used for his signature line, as ML10 is for Miguel Lamperti and EA10 for Edu Alonso. NOX's own 2027 names drop the label, but the line is unchanged.
Specifications are from NOX's 2027 product pages and the catalogue supplied by the Australian distributor, checked 10 October 2026. Findings are quoted from Padelful, the4Set (reported by Tennis Tonic) and PadelShop.com. They are those reviewers' opinions and measurements, and most published reviews so far are of the 2026 versions. We have not court-tested the 2027 rackets ourselves. Prices on the cards are live.