Salming Magician S5 Dual Force

Technologies

Pros

• ✓The Eva Feel core paired with the 3K carbon face cushions the impact on low glass exits, where a stiffer rubber would force you to attack the ball — here you can simply guide it back off the glass The low balance lets the racket reset itself after every volley, so in fast net exchanges you can string together two or three shots without losing your hitting plane Salming Vibration Control, built into the heart above the handle, filters out the vibration from off-centre hits; at 350-360 g your elbow will thank you deep into long matches The Extra Large Sweetspot combined with the round shape leaves a genuinely wide forgiving zone: bandejas struck half a hand-width below centre still come off with usable direction The 38 mm frame and the generous ball exit from the Eva Feel core allow deep lobs without a full swing — handy when you're stretched wide on defence and only have your wrist to work with

Cons

• ✗A flat smash demands full arm speed: with no mass in the head there's no heavy ball, and against opponents who lift well off the glass, your finishing shot will slip away on the second or third attempt The vibora loses bite — the smooth face doesn't grip enough to close down angles with sidespin, so the shot ends up as placement rather than a real threat A player used to a stiffer rubber will find the Eva Feel core overly springy on block volleys: the ball sinks in and comes out a hand-width longer than expected Once you reach advanced level the ceiling arrives fast: the racket forgives, but it won't keep up when you want to raise the pace of the point

The Salming Magician S5 Dual Force suits intermediate players who already have a technical base and want to progress without jumping to a too-demanding paddle. Its round shape concentrates the sweet spot in the center of the face, increasing tolerance and favouring control. With a low balance, it gains maneuverability and quick response at the net. With a weight of 350-360g, it sits among the lighter rackets on the market: easier to swing and less stressful on the elbow.

Salming Magician S5 Dual Force review: the lightest round racket in the Swedish range

The Salming Magician S5 Dual Force is a round-shaped padel racket weighing 350-360 g with a low balance, a 3K carbon face and an Eva Feel core, built on a 38 mm frame. Within the Salming lineup it sits at the opposite end from teardrop, attack-minded models like the Salming Hero S21 Attack, or the more hybrid Salming Hero S19: everything here is dialled in for pure control.

This isn't a racket that wants to impress you on the first smash. It's a racket that wants you to still be sharp and on-plane by shot fifteen of the rally, wrist fresh and all.

What do the 3K carbon and Eva Feel core actually bring to the Magician S5?

3K carbon is an open-weave fabric. Compared with denser weaves, it flexes more on contact, which translates into a noticeably softer feel at impact and a ball that stays on the face a fraction longer before leaving.

That extra fraction of a second is exactly what lets you correct direction with your wrist on an awkward ball off the back glass.

The Eva Feel core pulls in the same direction. It's a low-density foam that compresses easily, so you don't need arm speed to get the racket working for you — the material supplies the energy, not your swing.

The flip side is that same springiness means block volleys will sink in and fly a touch longer than you'd expect if you're coming from a stiffer rubber. It takes two or three matches to recalibrate, but it's worth knowing going in.

Salming Magician S5 Dual Force specs

How it plays, shot by shot

Defence and glass exits. This is its home turf. The low balance cuts the swing weight, so the racket reaches balls that a head-heavy teardrop would arrive late for. On shots tight to the glass, the soft core and 3K face combo lets you guide the ball rather than muscle it, and lobs come out deep without needing a full arm swing.

Bandeja. Comfortable and repeatable. The Extra Large Sweetspot widens the usable zone on the face, and on a round shape — which already concentrates the sweet spot around the geometric centre — the real margin for error is generous. Shots struck half a hand-width low still come out with usable direction, even if they lack the weight to hurt anyone.

Vibora. This is where it comes up short. The surface is smooth, and without grip there isn't enough sidespin to close down the angle. The shot works as placement rather than a genuine weapon.

Flat smash. The declared weak point. With 350-360 g weighted toward the handle, there's no mass up top to drive through the ball, so any heavy smash has to come entirely from your own arm speed. Against pairs who lift the ball well off the back wall, the finishing smash tends to go missing.

Volley. Excellent recovery. The racket resets itself to the hitting plane after every shot, letting you string three volleys in a row during a quick net exchange without ever feeling like you're dragging weight.

Who is the Salming Magician S5 built for?

It's aimed at beginner-to-intermediate players who prioritise defence and controlled play over raw power. It's a particularly good fit for anyone still building their bandeja and glass-exit technique who needs a racket that forgives off-centre contact while the technique beds in.

It also suits more advanced players chasing maximum control in every situation who are happy to trade power for precision and a lighter load on the arm.

Salming Vibration Control, built into the racket's heart above the handle, filters out vibration from every impact. Combined with the low balance — which already cuts down on vibration feedback to the forearm — it's a serious selling point for anyone who's dealt with elbow trouble.

Player profile and ideal doubles partner

1. **Baseline defender** who lives off feeding the ball deep and waiting for the opponents' error: this racket is practically built for that role.
2. **Player stepping up** from a generic beginner racket who wants real control without jumping straight to a stiff rubber that punishes imperfect technique.
3. **Player with a history of elbow issues** who needs cushioning without giving up manoeuvrability.

As a doubles partner, you'll want someone who finishes points. If both players are running pure control frames, rallies drag on and you'll end up losing through attrition rather than unforced errors. The natural setup is to take the building side of the court and leave the smash to a partner running more aggressive gear.

Verdict: what you gain and what you give up

You get genuine manoeuvrability, a wide sweet spot, and a racket that won't punish your arm. What you give up is power and spin: with no mass in the head and a smooth face, the Magician S5 doesn't close out points — it keeps them alive.

If your game is built on not missing and waiting the point out, this is a padel racket that's coherent from top to bottom. If what you're after is smashing for the kill and hunting the vibora every time the ball sits up, this model will hold you back sooner than you'd like — and there are more attack-oriented options elsewhere in Salming's own range.

What this Salming model gets right is that it doesn't pretend to be something it isn't: every technical choice — 3K, Eva Feel, 38 mm, low balance — pulls in the same direction, and that coherence shows up on court.