Last pala to have passed into the hands of Stéphane Penso, Wilson bela. A unique test that dissects one of the most popular palas most sold in 2020.
Last racket to be passed through my hands (remember the tests of the Babolat air Viper, Nox AT10 Arena and Tecnifibre Wall Master 365), The Wilson bela pro was eagerly awaited by all fans of “the legend of Pehuajo”.
The American brand with a turnover of more than 800 million euros acts as a steamroller in the sports world. The padel is no exception, and the Chicago company made no mistake about its representative by signing the best player of all time still in activity, Fernando Belasteguin himself.
The Argentinian, who has remained world number 16 for 1 consecutive years, and who is currently teaming up with one of the most promising players of the new generation, Agustin Tapia, had carte blanche from the sprawling manufacture to give birth to a racket in the image of the character, alongside a team attentive to their every wish, having access to exceptional materials, endless resources and irreproachable know-how.
Will all this human and technological debauchery make this pala an epic object? This is what we will see from now!
Cosmetics are a key element in buying a racquet. The brand did not go there by four ways by offering one of the most sober palas on the market!
99.9% of the frame is deep black, the barely noticeable red watermark logo is present to remind which brand we are dealing with. Red is blood and passion, black is death and mourning, did the American firm want to convey a subliminal message? (it's going to be war on the land, weapon of mass destruction ...)
Anyway, the bet seems successful, and this pala, almost monochrome, is of a simplicity and flamboyant classicism (red is also fire).
The premium Primero Carbon face produces a blend of power, responsiveness and exceptional speed. Firm EVA foam ensures secure, crisp hits for faster ball release and excellent control. Ideal for expert players who enjoy playing at a fast pace with less margin for error.
The Arrow-Grip texture features an arrow-shaped pattern on the surface of the pala for excellent feel and an extra degree of rotation. The Shock Shield grip consists of a unique blend of PU and Iso-Zorb to generate an exceptional combination of grip, comfort and cushioning. The padded wrist strap provides control and enhanced security.
Note the inscription above “Belasteguin nunca se rinde” (a Belasteguin never gives up).
Balance is obviously in the lead, without this being obvious. The racquet is manoeuvrable and the weight fairly well distributed. Still, it must be remembered that the main feature of this pala is attack-oriented, and those looking for rock-solid maneuverability will look to other models.
Diamond size, composed of a hard foam and a weight of 370 ~ 375gr, the power should be there. Indeed, from the first balls played, it goes really strong, too strong. You have to moderate your fervor in order to avoid sending the balls directly onto the opponent's plexiglass. Without a certain control, the punishment will be final.
The phrase “hold back” therefore takes its place when playing with this kind of device, and some adaptation time will be necessary in order to properly understand how to tame this pala.
The heavy weight and the head balance are not elements favoring control and maneuverability. The foam of a higher density works wonders, however it is advisable to hold your arm in order not to unscrew on each strike. It is therefore necessary to plan and volley knowingly; this pala is so powerful that the weighting and the dosage must be applied to each shot, otherwise, as in the baseline, the penalty will be immediate.
Here we are ! So those who do not have a lot of power and who dream of sending cartridges with all their arms will be delighted to learn that we have here a quite simply extraordinary racket (and those who already have power, will still have more. more). The color was announced, the radical character of the designer, the technologies employed, the smallest details exploited and the factory parameters make this pala an indisputable evidence based on the lightning and the exaltation.
I was able to chain smashes for long minutes, and especially to compare it in real time with the other models available: the result is final. In this section where one must express (most of the time) his outburst and his ardor, this pala obtains the gold palm.
Therefore, anyone looking for raw power, without fuss or artifacts, will be excited and unleashed to annihilate all forms of finesse in favor of unbridled, volcanic power.
This racquet was made by Bela, for Bela. It is an exceptional racquet from every point of view, but which seems tedious to tame and reserved for a certain elite. The vibrations are nonexistent and the tolerance to the decentering acceptable.
To the question: "Are you over 30 years old? padel and the arm of the best player in the universe? », The overwhelming majority will answer no.
It will therefore be necessary to sacrifice other precious parameters for the benefit of a power almost unusable at 100% if you are not an excellent player. It is obvious that those who are starting out will move towards a less boring pala.
The materials used and the positioning of the brand being clear, those who are looking for more homogeneous and accommodating palas will turn (always at Wilson) to the Bela Elite and Bela Team models. For all the others who want to send bags in an intoxicating way, bordering on narcotics, they will be charmed by the strong character of this pala and the eruptive assets that it offers.
Staggering power
Successful design
Premium wrist strap
Binding
Rebellious
View comments
Hello Mr Laborie, you write "Chez Head, he had the balance in mind, out on the Wilson there is not at all contrary to what is marked ”.
While in the article it is written "Balance is obviously in the lead, without it being obvious perceptibility".
Then "At Head, his rackets were up to 380g, on the Wilson a minimum of 10g is missing. "
I agree with you, but just a point to clarify, the rackets that are released in stores do not have the same grammage as some rackets from the WPT players.
At Nox, for Lamperti and Tapia, all rackets leaving the factory that weigh more than 377 grams are automatically set aside for these 2 players.
LeBron uses titanium plates on the top of his racquet to add weight in the lead and Galan has him downright a 420 gram model!
As a result, a pro player will choose a heavy racket in order to have a higher impact, because the precision they have (they are pro players), and the maneuverability is put aside, because their arms look like my thigh.
And to conclude, you answer Xan “this racket that you intend for advanced / expert players that you describe in your answer, they must be rare in France. The clientele is therefore limited ”. This is exactly what was mentioned in the article “This is an exceptional racquet in every way, but which seems tedious to tame and reserved for a certain elite.
Yours.
Stéphane PENSO
OK for all your comments.
Now all that remains is to train players to be able to use this type of racket.
That's another story.
Looking forward to meeting you, I go to Eze from time to time.
Michel Laborie
- From Michel Laborie
For having tried this racquet and for having tried it on French attackers who are super well ranked in France, this racquet seems to have imperfections which provide bad sensations, which generate annoyance.
Its obvious lack of maneuverability does not match the padel From now. Handling takes precedence over power.
The references of this racket do not correspond at all to what Bélasteguin had at HEAD.
At Head, he had the balance in mind, outside on the Wilson there is not at all contrary to what is marked.
At Head, his rackets were up to 380 g, on the Wilson a minimum of 10 g is missing.
When going to the Wilson site, all references to this racket are hidden.
Strange .. for a racket offered at 350 €, sorry 349 € on the Wilson site.
Hello, thank you for your comment, but I must point out a certain inconsistency in your comments. You say that the handling is not there and that the racquet is lighter and less in the lead than the Belasteguin models Head of the time.
However, the more weight in mind a racquet is and the heavier it is, the less manoeuvrable it is ... Finally, what references are you talking about? On the Wilson site it is well written, Weight: 370g, Balance: 265mm, Length: 445mm
You say that today handling takes precedence over power at padel... This does not necessarily apply to good / high level players with an offensive profile who are looking for rackets that allow them to be as efficient as possible in scoring points.
The Bela Pro is a versatile racquet intended for advanced / expert players, in the shape of a drop of water, with a slightly balanced head (265mm against 270 on the latest Belasteguin model at HEAD, the Bela X) and which benefits from a much more rigid foam that allows you to gain precision and power, provided you already have a powerful strike!
To conclude, this racket that you intend for advanced / expert players that you describe in your answer, they must be rare in France. The clientele is therefore limited.
He will sell it anyway because it is Belasteguin's racquet as the BELA X is sold with its weight of 380 gr in mind.