Racket comparison
Black Crown Gladius 2026 vs Black Crown Special Elite 2026
The Black Crown Gladius 2026 scores higher for control; the Black Crown Special Elite 2026 for rebound.
- Season
- 2026
- 2026
- Shape
- Tear
- Tear
- Weight
- 355 - 370 gr
- 355 - 370 gr
- Touch
- Medium-Hard
- Medium
- Core
- Medium Black EVA
- Soft Black EVA
- Faces
- 18K Carbon
- 3K Carbon
- Frame
- Carbon fiber
- Carbon fiber
- Catalogue rating
- 8.0/10
- 8.3/10
- Power
- 8.1/10
- 8.1/10
- Control
- 8.4/10
- 8.0/10
- Manoeuvrability
- 7.8/10
- 7.9/10
- Rebound
- 7.6/10
- 9.0/10
- Sweet spot
- 8.1/10
- 8.3/10
- Strengths
- Controlled back-court transitions
- Stable flat volleys at net
- Reliable *bandeja* and *víbora*
- Fast ball exit on contact
- Lively net volleys
- Forgiving sweet spot
- Tradeoffs
- No free power on defense
- Punishes late off-center contact
- Demanding on sensitive arms
- Less stable versus heavy shots
- Touch shots feel a bit eager
- Needs clean timing for power
Scores are editorial catalogue ratings out of 10 from the source reviews, not customer reviews. Prices and stock haven’t been checked.
Which suits whom
- Choose the Black Crown Gladius 2026 if you value control: its catalogue scores are higher (control 8.4 vs 8.0).
- Choose the Black Crown Special Elite 2026 if you value rebound: its catalogue scores are higher (rebound 9.0 vs 7.6).
- The Black Crown Special Elite 2026 has the softer touch (Medium vs Medium-Hard), which is usually more comfortable and gives easier depth; the firmer Black Crown Gladius 2026 rewards faster swings with more control at pace.