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How to choose a padel racket: shape, weight, balance and core, in that order

Brands sell you carbon counts and colours. Four things decide how a racket plays, and you can work out which one you need in ten minutes.

Shape first

Round rackets have the sweet spot in the centre and the balance in the hand. They are the most forgiving and give the most control, and almost every beginner and every player with a sore arm should be using one. Diamond rackets put the mass in the head for power, with a small sweet spot high on the face that punishes anything off-centre. They are for strong players who already hit the middle every time. Teardrop sits between, and it is where most club players end up, because it does everything well enough and nothing badly.

If you are not sure, you want a round or a teardrop. Nobody who is not sure needs a diamond.

Weight

Adult rackets run from about 340 to 385 grams. Lighter is quicker at the net and easier on the shoulder; heavier is more stable and adds pace to the overhead. For most people 355 to 370 is the range, with smaller players and anyone with elbow history at the bottom of it. The forty grams between a light and a heavy racket does not sound like much until the third set.

Balance

Where the weight sits. Low balance, toward the handle, feels light and controlled and turns fast. High balance, toward the head, feels heavy and hits hard. Two rackets that weigh the same can feel completely different because of this. Hold one in the ready position for a minute: if the head wants to drop, the balance is too high for you.

Core and face

The core is the foam inside. Soft EVA or FOAM absorbs vibration, gives a bigger sweet spot and more comfort, at the cost of some power on a clean hit. Hard EVA is the opposite. Beginners and sore arms want soft; finishers with clean contact can go hard. The face is fibreglass or carbon. Fibreglass is softer, more forgiving and cheaper. Carbon is stiffer and lasts longer, and the higher the number (3K, 12K, 18K) the stiffer the weave. A 3K carbon face on a soft core is a very comfortable racket. An 18K face on a hard core is a weapon that will hurt you if you are not ready for it.

Budget

Under a hundred euros buys a perfectly good round or teardrop with a fibreglass face, and last season's colours of a better racket are often in this band. A hundred to two hundred buys the mid-range of every brand, which is where the best value is. Above that you are paying for the top-of-range materials and a pro's name, and you will only feel the difference if you are good enough to use it.

In the shop

Hold it. Tap the face with the heel of your hand; a dull thud is a soft core, a sharp tock is a hard one. Check the grip: most rackets ship with a handle too thin, so add an overgrip before judging the feel. Then ask to hit with it. Ten volleys and five bandejas tell you more than any review, including this one.

If you would rather answer questions than hold rackets, the Racket Finder asks twelve and names three that fit.

Practise it

beginner

Your racket slips out of your hand and still hits the ball over. Point?

The racket has to be in your hand when it meets the ball. The wrist strap is a rule, not a decoration.

intermediate

The ball splits during a rally. What happens?

A ball that breaks during the point means a let. A ball that has merely gone soft does not.

advanced

The ball hits a spare racket lying on the court. What happens?

A spare racket on the court is a hindrance nobody meant: let, replay the point, and clear the court.

beginner

Round, teardrop or diamond racket, which for a beginner?

First racket: round shape, medium-light weight, balance in the hand. Control and forgiveness before power.

intermediate

The balls feel dead. Change them or play on?

Dead balls change the game. Agree to change them between games. Tournaments set the interval; friendlies use judgement.

beginner

The racket twists in your hand on volleys. What is the fix?

Racket twisting on volleys: the grip is too thin. Add an overgrip, or two, so the handle fills the hand.

Questions people ask

What racket shape is best for a beginner in padel?

Round. The sweet spot is in the centre, the balance is in the hand, and it forgives the off-centre hits every beginner makes. Teardrop is the next step; diamond is for strong players with clean contact.

How heavy should a padel racket be?

Most adults do well between 355 and 370 grams. Go to the lighter end if you are smaller, prefer quick hands at the net, or have any elbow or shoulder history.

Is a carbon or fibreglass padel racket better?

Neither is better; they suit different players. Fibreglass is softer, more forgiving and cheaper. Carbon is stiffer and more durable, and stiffer again as the K number rises. Beginners and sore arms suit fibreglass or 3K carbon.