Raqueta Drop Shot Essence 1.0

Technologies

Pros

• ✓The TeXtreme + Cubicarbon LCP combo delivers a crisp, direct response: flat smashes and viboras come off with a tight, penetrating trajectory, without that springy rebound that throws off your aim. The teardrop shape with even balance keeps the head right where you need it to attack, without sacrificing the blocking volley or the setup bandeja during transition. The Twin Tubular System and Power Beam Heart tighten up the throat area, and it shows on off-centre hits toward the top of the frame: the racket vibrates less than its stiffness would suggest. The rough surface bites into the ball on the pinchada and cut smash, an effect you'll notice most when going for the exit off the back glass. The Ergo Pro Protector and 38mm frame absorb the impact on the flat smash, one of the shots where this padel racket really shines.

Cons

• ✗The EVA Pro core doesn't do much on its own: on low defensive balls or lobs from the back you have to supply all the power yourself, since the racket won't hand you any free ball exit. The sweet spot is on the small side for a teardrop shape; hits low on the face feel muted and lose a fair bit of depth on attacking volleys. At up to 375g with a hard EVA, the arm feels it in long matches unless your bandeja technique is well grooved. It's a discontinued model, so availability depends on outlet stock and there's no direct successor to move up to once it's gone.

The Raqueta Drop Shot Essence 1.0 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 360-375g weight range places it in the medium-weight group, the most common among amateur players.

Drop Shot Essence 1.0: the stiff 2022 teardrop that demanded a trained arm

The Drop Shot Essence 1.0 landed in 2022 as the brand's flagship, launching at around €230, with a teardrop shape, a 38mm frame and a hitting face combining TeXtreme with Cubicarbon LCP over an EVA Pro core. Weight ranges from 360 to 375g, the surface is rough, and the balance sits medium: an advanced racket with an all-round profile, but all-round in the demanding sense of the word.

This isn't a forgiving racket. It's a racket that gives back exactly what you put into it.

What do TeXtreme and Cubicarbon LCP bring to the hitting face?

TeXtreme is a flat-tape carbon fabric: because the fibres don't cross over each other like in a conventional 3K weave, the sheet ends up thinner with less internal waviness. On court, that translates into a face that barely flexes and returns the ball with minimal delay.

Cubicarbon LCP adds structural stiffness to that layer. Together they produce a crisp, almost metallic feel on the first few hits, which softens up once the EVA Pro core warms up during the knock-up.

The practical upshot is twofold. You gain directional control on the flat smash — the ball goes where you aim it, not where the racket decides — and you lose the safety net on emergency shots, where a softer EVA would have bailed you out.

Drop Shot Essence 1.0 specs

How it performs shot by shot

Flat smash and smash by 3. This is home turf. The stiffness of the TeXtreme + Cubicarbon LCP combo keeps the trajectory tight, and the 38mm frame absorbs the impact with barely any noticeable twist. If your technique is dialled in, the ball comes off heavy.

Vibora. The rough face bites well and the medium balance lets you snap the wrist through on the last stretch. It comes off with enough spin to open up the court off the side glass.

Bandeja. Solid but not effortless. The stiffness means you need to guide the shot through more than usual; try to muscle it with wrist alone and the ball falls short.

Ball exit off the back wall. This is where the trade-off shows up. The EVA Pro core doesn't store or return energy on its own, so you need to arrive with your body set and really commit to the hit. Arriving late and just touching the ball doesn't work with this padel racket.

Volleys. Blocking is straightforward thanks to the medium balance and decent maneuverability for a teardrop of this weight. The deep attacking volley, on the other hand, demands a centred hit: miss the sweet spot and the ball dies mid-court.

What level of player is the Drop Shot Essence 1.0 for?

For an advanced or mid-to-high level player with solid technique and the arm strength to swing 360-375g for an hour and a half. The combination of a hard EVA Pro core and limited ball exit punishes anyone who still relies on the racket to finish the shot for them.

The ideal profile is a net-rushing player who closes points with the flat smash and doesn't need extra help in defence. As a doubles partner it pairs well with someone running a softer racket who can take on the lob game and point construction.

If you're coming from a soft EVA racket, budget two or three sessions to adapt before passing judgement.

What the four technologies actually do

1. **Twin Tubular System** — a tubular reinforcement in the frame structure that spreads impact load and limits twisting on off-centre hits.
2. **Smart Holes System** — a perforation layout designed to fine-tune stiffness by zone across the face rather than leaving it uniform.
3. **Power Beam Heart** — a reinforced throat that transmits more energy to the face and gives that direct, connected feel on the smash.
4. **Ergo Pro Protector** — an integrated top protector that soaks up impact on the smash without adding dead weight to the head.

None of the four make this racket comfortable. All four push in the same direction: firmness and direct energy transfer.

Verdict: power ahead of control, though the control is there

The Essence 1.0's character comes down to a deliberate imbalance. The power on tap outstrips what its teardrop shape suggests, and the control is high but conditional on nailing the centre of the face.

What gives it away is the limited ball exit and a sweet spot smaller than you'd expect from a teardrop shape. That's the price of the stiffness.

It's discontinued now and only turns up in outlets at a steep discount, which makes it an interesting buy for a player chasing this exact recipe — stiff teardrop, 38mm, rough face — and who knows precisely why they want it. For everyone else, there are newer, more forgiving options out there.

Drop Shot built a racket here that's honest about its own approach: it doesn't promise ease, it promises response.