ISPO Award Winner 2023: Extreme One by HEAD

It is called Padel- or paddle tennis. And it is one of the fastest-growing sports in Germany and the DACH-region. In this sense, this award fits in with the trend: HEAD introduces its latest premium padel racquet – the Extreme One. This groundbreaking racquet stands out with its innovative design and cutting-edge construction, setting a new standard for performance and durability. At the heart of the Extreme One is a state-of-the-art 12K carbon see-through hitting surface. This material looks simply cool. Uniting robustness with durability, it's designed to withstand the toughest plays while maintaining its integrity. Extreme One redefines the padel racquet game by being the lightest and strongest contender in its category. At a mere 345 grams, it offers a unique combination of power and consistency that's unmatched in the market. “We wanted to combine a power racquet with lightness, durability and comfort, all on the same racquet, adapting to the new faster padel game", says Daniel Picot, Product Manager Padel Racquets at HEAD.

Players can expect both explosive shots and a reliable feel. Solid racquet-hitting surfaces like the Extreme One are up to twice as strong as their traditional counterparts. This durability not only ensures an improved fatigue life but also significantly reduces the risk of breakage. The undrilled flat surface of the racquet enhances consistency in spin and stroke, offering better ball control.

What sets the Extreme One apart from conventional racquets is its distinct construction, featuring only one drilled hole on the hitting surface. This design choice offers numerous advantages over traditional drilled racquets. With fewer holes, this racquet is engineered lightweight allowing players to accelerate quicker and have a faster swing rate, all while retaining the stability of a heavier model. Moreover, the absence of holes on the hitting surface reduces ball friction, resulting in a remarkable increase in shot speed. Both the R&D team and athletes were involved in the new development of the Extreme One Padel racquet. “We have been working closely to prove the concept and get feedback on every detail”, says Picot.

Winning the ISPO Award can give the sport a further boost in the DACH-region through greater media visibility. Daniel Picot is also aware of this and values the award win highly for this reason: “Seeking HEAD’s vision of providing high-performance products to every player and athlete at all levels, this award gives great recognition to the whole HEAD Padel team for our big effort in being different, pushing our limits and driving creativity and passion.”

The Extreme One is aimed at intermediate-advanced and competitive padel players looking for a diamond-shaped power racquet with additional characteristics, such as maneuverability, durability and comfort. It is a lightweight racquet for improved maneuverability to adapt to the new, faster padel game. On top, it comes with extra comfort and a solid impact feel with a consistent spin.

These features should not only take the gaming experience to a new level. It will be exciting to see how quickly the sport and the versatility of the equipment on offer in Germany develops. Especially for the German market, where padel courts are currently springing up like mushrooms, this is also interesting for retailers. Expert advice is in demand. New sports and products can attract new buyers accordingly. Going well for padel.

• Lightest and strongest racquet
• Durability: unique 12K carbon hitting surface
• Spin and stroke consistency
• -Auxetic technology for an improved impact feel