Hirostar
Andromeda 26
The Hirostar Andromeda 26 is an all-round teardrop with an 18K Carbon Fiber face, EVA Black Soft core and medium balance, 345-360g. Forgiveness and defence 8 for experienced KNLTB 5-8 players.
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Top 15% of 267 reviewed rackets
Agile • Control focused • Forgiving
The Hirostar Andromeda 26 is a teardrop all-round racket with an 18K Carbon Fiber playing surface and EVA Black Soft core. Weight (345-360g) puts it on the lighter side, while mid-high balance provides character supporting both control and attack. Suitable for experienced players seeking versatility at KNLTB 5-8 level.
Teardrop shape, 345-360g, mid-high balance. Face: 18K Carbon Fiber. Core: EVA Black Soft. Frame: Carbon.
Hirostar Andromeda 26 comparison:
| Hirostar Andromeda 26 | Adidas Metalbone CTRL 3.4 | Bullpadel Hack 03 Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shape | Teardrop | Teardrop | Teardrop |
| Weight | 345-360g | 355-375g | 350-365g |
| Balance | Mid-High | Low | Low-medium |
| Face | 18K Carbon | Fibreglass Carbon | Carbon 3K |
| Core | EVA Black Soft | EVA | Eva Soft |
| Control | 8.0/10 | 8.0/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Overall | 7.9 | 7.9 | 8.0 |
Technologies:
- 18K Carbon Fiber face, high-weave carbon gives good ball stability and placement sensitivity
- EVA Black Soft core, soft EVA foam cushions vibrations and provides comfortable feel during intensive play
18K Carbon Fiber and EVA Black Soft combine in a considered material balance. 18K carbon is a stiffer weave than common 3K or 12K carbon, resulting in more direct ball stability and better placement precision. The EVA Black Soft core offsets face stiffness with softer cushioning in the core.
345-360g is light for an experienced-player racket, benefiting manoeuvrability. Mid-high balance gives more character than a purely low-balance control racket without the extreme head-heavy dynamics of a power diamond.
Quick at the net, with enough ball stability for control players and enough balance for attacking shots. Not specialised in smash or defence, but versatile.
Andromeda 26 suits experienced KNLTB 5-8 players. Teardrop shape and EVA Black Soft core offer forgiving character for all-round play. Beginners are better off with a cheaper, purely defensive entry-level racket.
18K refers to the number of filaments per carbon bundle. The higher the number, the denser the weave and the stiffer and more control-rich the playing surface. An 18K carbon face gives more ball stability and placement precision than standard 3K or 12K carbon, but also vibrates more on off-centre contact.
EVA Black Soft is a soft variant of the standard EVA foam used in most padel racket cores. Softer EVA cushions vibrations better and gives a more comfortable feel in the hand, at the expense of slightly less direct ball feedback.
Hirostar is a premium padel racket brand focusing on high-quality materials such as 18K carbon fiber. Andromeda 26 has a strong material package: 18K carbon face with EVA Black Soft core. As a new brand in the Dutch market, retail coverage remains limited; check availability before buying.
Advantages
Manoeuvrability 8.5: 345-360g makes it quick in exchanges and defence
18K Carbon Fiber face: high carbon quality gives good ball stability and placement sensitivity
EVA Black Soft core: softer than standard EVA, more ball feel and comfort during repetitive play
Teardrop shape: a broad, forgiving sweet spot, accessible to a wide range of experienced players
Considerations
Smash 7.0: teardrop shape and mid-high balance are not a smash specialism, choose diamond for maximum overhead power
Power 7.5: a deliberate trade-off, this is a control/all-round profile, not a power racket
Price unknown: not yet available through Dutch retailers; verify availability before buying
What you will notice as a player
At the net you react very quickly: blocks and fast volleys feel almost effortless.
The racket helps in defense: a calm swing sends balls off the glass deep again.
The sweet spot offers forgiveness: slightly imperfect contact loses little accuracy.
No pronounced weakness, but no single shot where the racket particularly stands out either.
Which shots are affected most?
| Situation | What will you notice? |
|---|---|
| Defense | Plenty of help: the low balance and generous sweet spot return balls off the glass calmly and deep. |
| Volley | Crisp and agile: aiming feels effortless and late adjustments remain possible. |
| Bandeja | Very easy to control: the ball stays low and predictable, ideal for controlling the court. |
| Vibora | Very explosive: plenty of speed and bite, a natural shot for this racket. |
| Smash | Enough power, but you still need to put considerable effort into the swing. |
| Block | A strong point: the racket is ready very quickly and returns the ball with control. |
| Off-center ball | Reasonably forgiving: outside the sweet spot you lose some speed, while accuracy is largely maintained. |
This racket suits a broad range of players.
Well suited to
This racket is likely to suit you if you…
are often a little late on fast balls
want plenty of help from your racket
want an agile, fast racket
want more comfort and cushioning
You will probably appreciate this racket if you…
- •play often at the net and like quick hands;
- •want a racket that helps in defense;
- •want a forgiving racket with a generous sweet spot;
You may run into limitations if you…
- •want a pronounced specialist rather than an all-round racket;
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Indicatieve marktprijs
€200 ·