Padel equipment explained
6 min read · Updated
Padel equipment is simpler than the marketing suggests. There are three racket shapes, a narrow weight range, and one thing about shoes that genuinely matters. Everything else is refinement.
Racket shape is the main decision
If you are below about 4.0, buy a round racket. A diamond racket in the hands of an improver punishes every off-centre hit and teaches bad habits. Nearly everyone buys too advanced a racket first.
| Shape | Balance | Sweet spot | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round | Low, in the handle | Large, centred | Beginners and control players — the most forgiving by a distance |
| Teardrop | Medium | Medium | Improvers and intermediates wanting both control and some power |
| Diamond | High, in the head | Small, high on the face | Advanced players who consistently hit the middle |
Weight and balance
Most rackets sit between 340g and 390g. Lighter is easier to manoeuvre at the net and gentler on the elbow; heavier gives more power for the same swing.
As a rough guide: 350–365g suits most women and lighter players, 365–380g most men. If you have any history of tennis elbow, go lighter than feels natural and use a softer core.
Core and surface
Cores are EVA rubber or FOAM. EVA is firmer, more durable and gives more control and feedback; FOAM is softer, more forgiving and easier on the arm, at the cost of some durability.
Surfaces are fibreglass or carbon. Fibreglass is softer and more forgiving, carbon is stiffer and more responsive. Beginners are better served by fibreglass and FOAM; the extra feedback from carbon and EVA only helps once your contact point is consistent.
Balls
Padel balls are the same size as tennis balls with slightly lower internal pressure, so they bounce a little less. Any approved padel ball is fine for social play.
They lose pressure within a few hours of real play. Competitive players change them every match; socially, most people use a tube for several sessions and accept that they get slower.
Shoes — the one thing worth spending on
Most padel is played on artificial turf with sand infill. A herringbone or omni sole grips it properly; a flat gym sole slides, and a running shoe's soft heel offers no lateral support at all.
This is where injuries come from. Ankle rolls in padel are overwhelmingly a footwear problem, not a fitness one. If you are going to buy one piece of proper equipment before a racket, buy the shoes.
Worth having, cheap
- Overgrips — a couple of pounds each, transform how the racket feels, replace every few weeks.
- A head protector — protects the frame from the inevitable wall and floor scrapes.
- A wrist cord — mandatory at most clubs, and it stops a flying racket cracking the glass.
Common questions
- What padel racket should a beginner buy?
- A round racket, 350–370g, with a FOAM or soft EVA core and a fibreglass face. It will have the largest sweet spot and be kindest to your elbow. Avoid diamond-shaped rackets until you are consistently hitting the middle.
- How much should I spend on a first padel racket?
- Around £60–120 buys a perfectly good beginner racket. Spending more mainly buys stiffer, more demanding frames that will not help until your technique is consistent.
- How long do padel balls last?
- Competitively, one match. Socially, a tube of three will do several sessions — they gradually lose pressure and slow down rather than failing outright.
- Can I wear running shoes for padel?
- For a first session, yes. Beyond that, get shoes with a herringbone or omni sole. Running shoes lack lateral support and are the main cause of rolled ankles on artificial turf.