Black Crown Gladius

Technologies

Pros

• ✓The AluCarbon 18K face paired with Medium Black EVA gives a firm response with real dwell time: your smash carries weight even without a dead-center hit The 5D Extraspin texture genuinely grips on sliced and topspin shots — the vibora comes off with real kick and the bandeja stays low after the bounce The teardrop shape with a medium balance lets you smash without that hollow, disconnected feel, and volley without the racket dragging in fast net exchanges The sweet spot on this teardrop mold is more generous than usual for the profile: slightly low-hit balls off the back wall don't die completely The Gladius Core Balance keeps the weight evenly distributed, so switching from defence to net doesn't force you to reset your wrist grip on every shot

Cons

• ✗Medium Black EVA isn't forgiving on cold days: until the rubber warms up, blocking a flat smash from your opponent sends back more vibration than you'd expect The medium balance is a trade-off: it lacks the head-heavy inertia a pure power hitter wants for finishing off a smash, and it doesn't have the extreme maneuverability of a round shape in defence The heavily textured 18K face rewards players who already generate spin with their technique; if your slice game is short, you'll notice less of a difference than advertised The 355-370g weight range runs high for sensitive wrists — in long matches with heavy net play, fatigue sets in sooner than with a lighter racket

The Black Crown Gladius targets advanced players with consolidated technique who want more performance without yet moving to a pure competition racket. Its teardrop shape shifts the sweet spot slightly upwards, striking a balance between control and power. The medium balance keeps a balanced behaviour between baseline shots and volleys. Its 355-370g weight range places it in the medium-weight group, the most common among amateur players.

Black Crown Gladius Review: The 38mm Padel Racket That Splits Power and Control 45/55

The Black Crown Gladius isn't trying to be the most aggressive racket in the lineup, nor the most forgiving. It plants itself right in the middle with a numerical claim you don't see often in this market: 45% power, 55% control. That slight lean toward control explains everything else about it — teardrop shape, medium balance, an AluCarbon 18K carbon face and a Medium Black EVA core that steers clear of both extremes.

This is an advanced-level padel racket weighing 355 to 370 grams with a 38mm profile. None of that is accidental — every spec on the sheet pushes toward the same type of player: the all-rounder who attacks when the point calls for it but doesn't live and die by the smash.

What does the AluCarbon 18K face bring to the Gladius?

An 18K weave is a tight-knit carbon: more fiber strands per bundle, less surface flex on contact. On court, that translates into the ball leaving the face sooner and with less energy lost on compression.

The AluCarbon variant on this padel racket adds stiffness without turning the face into a plank. You feel it most on block volleys: the racket doesn't cave in when you're absorbing a flat smash, and the ball comes off with real direction instead of dying into the net.

Layered over that carbon is the 5D Extraspin, a three-dimensional texture that's the whole reason this racket bites so well. It's not the typical sandy grain that wears off after a couple of months — it's molded relief, and its effect shows up exactly where it matters most: on the cut shots.

Medium Black EVA: the core that shapes its personality

Black Crown offers this same shape with Hard Black EVA in the Gladius Force, which has a drier, more direct feel. The standard Gladius runs Medium Black EVA, and that's the difference that determines who each one suits.

A medium-density EVA core gives you something a hard core doesn't: dwell time. The ball stays on the face a fraction longer, and that fraction is what lets you steer the shot instead of just returning it. On a cut bandeja, that extra dwell time is what lets you carry the slice through to the end of the swing.

The trade-off is an honest one: you won't get the instant pop of a hard core on your smash. The Gladius gives you power back, but you have to work for it.

Tech specs

Shot-by-shot breakdown

Smash. Comes off with weight but without brute force. The medium balance doesn't hand you head-heavy inertia, so racket-head speed is on you. In return, if the smash isn't clean, the racket doesn't run away from you and you can reset for the next ball.

Bandeja and vibora. This is where this Black Crown model makes its best case. The 5D Extraspin texture bites into the ball on cut shots, and the bandeja stays low after the bounce. The vibora comes off with genuine kick, not just pace.

Ball exit off the back wall. The sweet spot on this teardrop shape is more forgiving than the 38mm profile would suggest. A slightly low-hit ball doesn't die completely — it loses depth, but still clears the net.

Defence and lobs. The evenly distributed weight from the Gladius Core Balance helps the lob go deep without forcing your shoulder. It's not a pure defensive racket, but it doesn't punish you when you're stuck defending.

Volleys. Firm and precise. The stiffness of the 18K face translates into directional control here: the ball goes where you point it, and blocks hold up.

Who is the Black Crown Gladius built for?

Straight answer: the advanced all-round player who wants a teardrop racket with real spin bite but isn't willing to sacrifice control at the net. Its 45/55 split and Medium Black EVA core put it a notch below pure power rackets in aggression, and several notches above them in tolerance.

It's a particularly strong fit for:

1. **Backhand players who lean on bandeja and vibora** — the 5D Extraspin is their best ally.
2. **Players who switch sides regularly** — the medium balance means you don't have to reset your timing.
3. **Anyone stepping up from a round shape wanting more attack** — the jump feels gradual, not jarring.

It's not the right fit if you're after a hammer. For that, within the same family, the Gladius Force with its Hard Black EVA core is the better read.

Verdict

The Black Crown Gladius is a coherent racket: every element — teardrop shape, 38mm profile, 18K carbon, medium EVA, deep texture — pulls in the same direction. There's no spec that contradicts another, and in padel that consistency shows up more than you'd think.

What you gain: genuine spin, a generous sweet spot for this shape, solid volleys and a defence-to-attack transition with no toll paid.

What you give up: the last few miles per hour on your smash, and some comfort in cold conditions until the rubber warms up. At 355-370g and a 38mm profile, it's also not a racket for delicate wrists across three-set matches.

If your game is built on spin and placement rather than raw pace, this is the right pick from the Black Crown lineup.