Varlion in the History of Padel

Since 1993, Varlion has been at the forefront of innovation in padel equipment. Now, with our sights set on 2025, we are taking a bold step forward by applying our technological advances to new sports such as pickleball and beach tennis. This expansion includes the launch of our Hyperluxe sub-brand, Rega, which represents the pinnacle of our innovations in design and performance in premium sports equipment.

Varlion Timeline

• 1993 - 1998

  Varlion was founded in 1993. A year later, we opened our first factory in order to develop our own design and production know-how. In 1995 we designed the world's first oversize padel racket with a front width of 26cm (all others were 24cm), but keeping the market weight and core thickness: the LETHAL WEAPON. Over time, players fell in love with its shape and it became a best seller (later copied by all the brands). This meant the beginning of the sale of the brand in South American countries and in Spain with the Lethal Weapon Ti-B.G. and the LW Pro through distributors until 2001.

• 1999 - 2001

  In 1999 we moved the factory from Argentina to Spain. This meant a great advance in technological investment and revolutionary design. At this time we began to design the rackets using 3D design programmes, achieving a totally symmetrical and unique product worldwide. This meant a qualitative leap in the materials used, the manufacturing processes were more automatic and perfect, thus notably improving the quality. We then took control of Varlion's distribution in Spain, coinciding with the launch of the first carbon fibre racket on the market: the Lethal Weapon Carbon. This racket underwent several evolutions, with the mythical LW Carbon 3 becoming the best-selling racket in the history of padel tennis (more than 60,000 units sold at its RRP between 2004 and 2012). 012).

• 2002 - 2005

  During this period the successors to the LW Carbon were launched on the market: the LW Carbon 2 and LW Carbon 3. The first CAÑON model was designed with the Cañon 5, which set the trend for its technical and radical design with 5 windows between the frame and the core. And for the first time a shovel with a core thicker than the profile was launched: the LW and Avant Overframe. As with other models of the brand, these generated changes in the FIP regulations on the racket, to legislate technological developments that surpassed the current legislation.

• 2006 - 2011

  In 2006 we positioned ourselves as a comprehensive padel tennis brand with the launch of products in other lines such as textiles and footwear, thus becoming the first brand to design and produce everything the player needs. Furthermore, in 2009 we launched a new racket, the AVANT, the first teardrop-shaped racket that represented the perfect balance between Lethal Weapon (round) and Cañon (diamond) and we introduced HEXAGON technology in its frames through the Avant and Cañon Carbon Hexagon, thus giving rise to the first rackets with a hexagonal frame and heart. During these years there was also a significant investment in robotics for painting the rackets, CNC for numerical control drilling and automatic decoration.

  These years involved the introduction of the brand into motorsport through F1, designing and producing technical textiles for the teams (overalls, gloves and boots for drivers and mechanics). It also involved the launch of the first padel racket with DIFUSOR, a technology also inspired by motorsport, which marked a before and after in the aerodynamics of rackets. The Diffuser technology was applied to the 3 formats (LW, Avant and Cañon), and was added to other existing ones, such as the 100% carbon construction and the Hexagon frame structural design. In addition, to lead the footwear market and culminate Varlion's introduction into padel tennis, we launched the first trainers with the V-Hexagon concept, whose design is associated with the Hexagon rackets of the same generation. This launch broke the basic norms of existing brands with strong, flexible and comfortable footwear, with the best grip and durability on the market.

• 2015 - 2017

  From 2015 onwards we decided to commit ourselves even more to the environment and looked for alternatives to continue maintaining quality without sacrificing the care of our Ecosystem. For this reason, we created the new Econaked aesthetic, with which we managed to reduce the use of paints and solvents by up to 80% by not using them for the decoration of the rackets. From that moment on, the Super Pro rackets began to show themselves as they are, without covering their aesthetics with paints or stickers.

• 2018 - 2019

  In 2018 we celebrated 25 years of history, innovation, research, experience, of living for and through padel. In April of that year, the 2018/19 collection was launched with one of the biggest innovations we have ever made: manufacturing the same model of racket in two different versions; one racket for playing in temperatures below 25°C (W), and another for playing in temperatures above 25°C (S). This innovation was applied to all the rackets in the Summum and Super Pro ranges of the collection. And, as if that were not enough, we introduced another innovation with the creation of SUMMUM technology, a concept that encompasses two aspects: a longer than usual handle to provide a more comfortable and professional grip; and a greater number of holes in the surface, distributed to generate a wider hitting surface and sweet spot. This technology was applied to two new padel racket shapes, BOURNE born from the fusion of the Avant (teardrop) and Cañon (power) and MAXIMA, created by the fusion of the LW and Avant shapes.

• 2020 - 2024

  2020 was a difficult year for the brand, as it was for all professional sectors, but even so we were able to continue and move forward with the 20.1 Collection. Due to the pandemic, we had to close our factory in Paraguay and open a new one in Spain in record time, without having the machinery and raw materials, in order to continue manufacturing and offering products to our customers. It was another stumbling block on the road, which we managed to overcome with great effort. But, in addition, important technological innovations were introduced in this collection, such as the launch of the new PRISMA frame to counteract the overwhelming copying of the Hexagon frame by the competition.

  The 2022 collection revolutionised the market with the launch of the first racket in history that does not require drilling, thanks to the new RADIO technology. We also innovated with AIRFLOW, a technology that influences aerodynamics and clearly improves the racket's mobility. The complexity of these technologies led to the development of a manufacturing patent registered in Europe.

• 2025 - 2027

  Varlion is re-founded, in the midst of difficulties and frauds that its founder must face, Varlion GmbH is born, a company founded in Switzerland and from here, we design and will design the future collections of padel rackets, pickleball, beach tennis and ping pong, and those of tennis, badminton and squash rackets, to offer the player of racket and racquet sports the evolution, innovation and quality that the brand has always offered in padel tennis until 2024.