Padel
Padel gear & beginner guides
The fastest-growing racquet sport in the world, finally explained in English. Rackets, scoring, and what to wear — built for players trying padel for the first time.
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RacketsPadel rackets by shape, brand and use case.17ShoesPadel shoes and trainers for sand-dressed courts.4BagsPadel bags and racket bags.1ClothingWhat to wear on a padel court.1Basics & rulesNew to padel? Start with the essentials.3
Latest guides
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Padel
Best Asics Padel Shoes 2026 (UK): Picks by Player
See our picksaround £55–85
Padel
Best Padel Bag 2026 (UK): Paletero, Thermal and Value Picks
See our picksaround £35–50
Padel
Best Head Padel Rackets 2026 (UK): Picks by Level
See our picksaround £110–150
Padel
Best Nox Padel Rackets 2026 (UK): Picks by Level
See our picksaround £55–85
Padel
Best Wilson Padel Rackets 2026 (UK): Picks by Level
See our picksaround £55–90How to choose a padel racket
Shape sets the character
Padel rackets come in three shapes and the shape decides who they suit. Round rackets have a low, central sweet spot — the most forgiving and control-friendly, and the right call for beginners. Teardrop is the all-round middle ground. Diamond shapes push the sweet spot high for power, but they punish off-centre hits and are best left to advanced players.
Core and balance
A softer EVA core cushions impact, feels comfortable and is kinder to the arm; harder cores give more punch but less forgiveness. Balance matters just as much: head-light rackets are easier to manoeuvre at the net, head-heavy ones add power at the cost of control. Beginners almost always benefit from a soft core and low-to-medium balance.
Weight, grip and shoes
Most rackets sit between 350–375g; lighter is easier to swing and gentler on the elbow. Because padel handles are one size, add an overgrip to fine-tune thickness and sweat control. Do not play in tennis shoes — padel is on sand-dressed artificial turf, so you want a herringbone or mixed sole that grips without sticking and supports quick lateral moves.