Babolat Counter Vertuo 2.6 2026 Padel Racket

The Babolat Counter Vertuo 2.6 is the comfort-first round racket in Babolat's Counter family: 350g (340–360g) with an even 265mm balance, a fibreglass face, a carbon frame and a soft Black EVA core. Babolat pitch it at players who put precision and comfort first, especially in a defensive, counter-punching game, and say the round head and large sweet spot support control and consistency. They state no level; it suits beginners and developing players.

How it plays. Padelful rates it 8.3/10 (April 2026): rebound 9.2, sweet spot 9.1, manoeuvrability 8.9, control 7.9 and power 6.6. Its write-up praises a huge, forgiving sweet spot, very easy defensive blocks and an arm-friendly feel, and lists limited punch on smashes, little bite at the net and a racket that needs you to supply the pace. padel.how scores it 69/100 (September 2026): comfort 8.5, and defence, sweet spot and power on demand 8, against a power ceiling of 5 and spin of 5.5. It calls it accessible for beginners and developing players, with less precision under heavy pace.

What changed. padel.how found no verified construction change from the Counter Vertuo 2.5: the shape, nominal weight, balance and main materials carry over. Vibrabsorb System puts an elastomer (SMAC) into the core to absorb vibration, 3D Spin is a raised pattern on the face for spin, the Holes Pattern System spaces the drilling to spread impact, and the Smart Buttcap lets you resize or remove the strap. We flag it arm-friendly; no racket is a treatment.

Where it sits. The Counter Origin is Babolat's entry round racket, and the Counter Viper 2.6 is the carbon round racket for stronger players. The Air Vertuo 2.6 is the teardrop with the same face and core. Other comfortable round rackets: the adidas RX Series and the Hirostar Solar.

Is this the racket for you?

• Yes if you are a beginner or developing player who defends from the back, redirects pace rather than creating it, and wants a comfortable racket that forgives mishits.
• No if you like to attack (the Air Vertuo 2.6 or the Technical Origin+), or if you want a carbon face for precision (the Counter Viper 2.6).

Specifications from Babolat's product pages (babolat.com, US and UK), checked 11 October 2026: round, 350g ±10g, balance 265mm, 38mm, fibreglass face, carbon frame, Black EVA core. Babolat state no level. Ratings are quoted from the sites named, with their dates where the site gives one. Those sites score from specifications, published reviews and their own judgement rather than lab measurements, and we have not court-tested this frame ourselves. Manufacturer weights vary by around ±10g.