The Black Friday Prototypes · Part 2 of 3
“Have you got anything stiffer?” The question our testers kept asking after last Black Friday.
Project_RX is our answer: a stiff, head-heavy attacking padel racket with a high-density Precision Tech LTD foam, built for players who want to finish points.
In Part 1 we told the story of Project_MX, our classic hybrid. Part 2 is about the other end of the court. Project_RX is the second of our three Black Friday prototypes, all launching on 19 November 2026. This is how we built it.
Last year’s stiffest prototype wasn’t stiff enough. Over 40,000 Racket Lab answers showed that attacking players want more stiffness the better they get. We tested three ways to make a racket stiffer, and a denser foam won. 100 are being made: £100, or £85 for our Instagram community.
Project_RX: key facts
| Spec | Project_RX |
|---|---|
| Built for | Players who want a stiff racket and play to win points |
| Feel | Stiff and powerful |
| Balance | Head-heavy |
| Sweet spot | Tight, rewarding clean contact |
| Foam | Precision Tech LTD, a high-density EVA |
| Frame | 100% carbon |
| Matched to | 27% of Racket Lab players |
| Price | £100, or £85 for Instagram community members |
| Units made | 100 |
| Launch | 19 November 2026: 2pm community early access, 4pm public |
Want first access? Only 100 are being made. Join our Instagram community for early access at 2pm on 19 November and the community price of £85.
Why we built it: Project X85 wasn’t stiff enough
Last Black Friday, 300 players in our testing group tried three prototypes: Project Aero, Project Onyx and Project X85. Project X85 was the one we built to be the stiffest and most attacking of the three, using 18K carbon. The feedback was clear: it still wasn’t stiff enough.
So we went back to the start of development. Alongside the tester feedback, we looked at over 40,000 Racket Lab answers to see how many players wanted the same thing.
42% of players want a stiffer racket
A stiffer racket flexes less on impact, so more of your swing goes back into the ball. Overall, 42% of players told us they want a stiffer, more powerful racket. But attacking is the only playing style where most players want stiff: 58%, compared with 40% of balanced players and 29% of controlled players.
Attackers want stiffer as they improve
The better attacking players get, the stiffer they want their racket: 49% of beginners, 62% of intermediates and 72% of advanced attackers. Across all advanced players, 59% want stiffer.
These are also the players on court most. 84% of advanced attackers play twice a week or more, compared with 44% of all players.
The brief, in one line: our most committed attacking players wanted a stiffer racket than anything in the RX range, Project X85 included.
How we built Project_RX: three ways to make a racket stiffer
With a 100% carbon frame, there are three ways to make a racket stiffer. We weighed up all three.
| Route | What it means | What we found | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Change the type of carbon | Swap to a different carbon weave | We already work with 3K, 12K, 18K and 22K carbon, so there was nothing new to learn | Already known |
| 2. Add more carbon | Build more layers into the frame and face | With a soft foam it felt slightly hollow; with a hard foam it was too heavy | Ruled out |
| 3. Use a denser foam | Change the core inside the face | More power and consistency without the extra weight | This is the one |
Route 1: change the type of carbon
We know how filaments per tow and weave pattern change the way a racket plays. Project X85 already used 18K carbon. There was nothing new to learn here, so we didn’t test this route again.
Route 2: add more carbon
More carbon does make a racket stiffer. In testing, though, more carbon with a soft foam felt slightly hollow, and more carbon with a hard foam made the racket too heavy. A denser foam gave us a very similar feel without either problem.
Route 3: use a denser foam
We went back through the foams used in padel rackets, mostly from 2010 onwards, and how each one affected performance. Today we use three:
- Airspring EVA, the foam inside Project_MX
- Precision Tech EVA
- Pro Foam EVA, our newest, which sits between the other two with very good recovery and responsiveness
We found an EVA that had been used in rackets before and is slightly denser than Precision Tech EVA, and we put it to the test. We call it Precision Tech LTD.
What changed in testing
Initial testing showed three changes:
- The racket became slightly more top-heavy, putting more momentum through the ball.
- Shots from the back of the court became more consistent, thanks to a very tight sweet spot.
- Power on overhead smashes went up hugely.
That was the one. Project_RX keeps the 100% carbon frame of our RX range and adds the Precision Tech LTD core.
Tested with the best: Stan Hunt, GB under-18s
Project_RX was tested by Stan Hunt, who plays for GB under-18s (@stanhuntpadel, 27.3K followers on Instagram). Stan tested all three Black Friday prototypes, so he could put the RX up against the softer MX and the round LX.
Is Project_RX right for you?
Project_RX is a specialist racket. It’s a stiffer, head-heavy RX built for players who want a stiff racket and play to win points: bandejas, viboras and smashes.
Project_RX is for you if:
- You want a racket that puts everything into your overheads.
- You like a stiff, powerful feel and you’re happy to work for clean contact.
- You want more momentum through the ball from a head-heavy balance.
Project_RX isn’t for you if:
- You want a softer, more forgiving feel. Project_MX or Project_LX will suit you better.
- You play a controlled game. If consistency and placement come before power, look at Project_LX.
- You like a racket with a very low balance point. Project_RX is head-heavy by design.
Compare all three Black Friday prototypes
| Project_MX | Project_RX | Project_LX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built for | Players who adapt their game | Players who want to finish points | Players who win with control |
| Shape and frame | Classic hybrid, tapered sides, one-piece frame | Built on our RX range, 100% carbon frame | Round, as large as it can be while staying playable |
| Feel | Soft and forgiving, with easy power | Stiff and powerful | Stable on every hit |
| Balance | Mid, brought lower towards the hand | Head-heavy | Mid-to-low |
| Sweet spot | Central, between attack and control | Tight, rewards clean contact | Central |
| Foam | Airspring EVA, compressed | Precision Tech LTD | Pro Foam EVA |
| Key tech | Dual-material end cap | Higher-density foam for overhead power | Torsion Lock throat reinforcement |
| Matched to | 35% of players | 27% of players | 38% of players |
How to get Project_RX
Only 100 Project_RX prototypes are being made. They launch on Thursday 19 November 2026.
| Time | Who | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 2pm | Instagram community members, with the password | £85 |
| 4pm | Everyone, on the public launch | £100 |
Every buyer fills in a short feedback form, and that feedback helps decide which of the three prototypes joins the Y1 range. If you buy one, you’re part of building it.
The 2pm password is shared inside our Instagram community. Join the community before 19 November to get early access and the £85 price.
Project_RX FAQs
What is Project_RX?
Project_RX is a stiff, head-heavy attacking padel racket prototype from Y1 Padel. It has a 100% carbon frame and a high-density Precision Tech LTD foam core, built for players who want power on their overheads.
What makes Project_RX stiffer than Project X85?
The foam. Instead of changing the carbon or adding more of it, we used Precision Tech LTD, an EVA slightly denser than Precision Tech EVA. In testing it made overheads much more powerful without adding the weight that extra carbon would.
Who is Project_RX for?
Players who want a stiff racket and play to win points. In our Racket Lab data, 58% of attacking players want a stiffer racket, rising to 72% of advanced attackers.
Is Project_RX a forgiving racket?
No. It has a tight sweet spot that rewards clean contact. If you want a more forgiving feel, look at Project_MX or Project_LX.
How much does Project_RX cost?
£100. Instagram community members can buy it for £85 during early access at 2pm on 19 November 2026.
Who tested Project_RX?
Stan Hunt, who plays for GB under-18s, tested Project_RX alongside Project_MX and Project_LX.
Previous: Part 1: Project_MX · Next, on 16 November: Part 3: Project_LX
