We currently notice that many players are wondering the following things: Which padel racket suits me best? Is there a specific racket for my game and what is the best racket shape for my game? Or a question like; do I need a heavy racket or a lighter racket? These are questions we get every day. In this blog we therefore try to help padel players a little further.
With the help of these 3 questions you will find a suitable padel racket
All match players have one thing in common; they often play padel. As a result, as a competition player you are often aware of your qualities and points for improvement on the padel court. However, this does not immediately mean that you know what the perfect racket is for you. Based on the following questions you can find out which padel racket suits you best: 1. How good is my technique? 2. What is my game type and which racket suits it? 3. Do I prefer stiffer rackets or softer rackets?
How good is my technique
Is your technique already perfect or do you still have some changes to make? This is important when choosing the weight and shape of the racket. Suppose you are a good player, but your racket preparation is not yet timely enough, so that you do not always hit the ball diagonally in front of you. In this case you put a maximum load on your arm with a heavy racket and that is why this is not recommended. Especially considering your physical condition in the long term, it is better to choose another padel racket. To check whether you are using the correct technique, ask yourself the following questions: Am I using the correct grip Is my point of impact slanted in front of me Do I have a smooth arm action Is my body turned in correctly If these matters are correct, you can theoretically purchase any weight and any shape of racket. Do you often suffer from your arm? Then make sure you take a lighter racket with a round shape.
What is my game type
Are you an attacking player who scores a lot of points? Or do you win more points because you keep hitting back every ball and no one gets a point when you defend? In any case, it is important to know that about 70% of all points in padel are made up of mistakes. So if you don't make a mistake and can play the ball to the opponent with the right difficulty you would theoretically win a lot of games. Now it is of course true that the qualities of players are not the same. So this is not a watertight theory, but it is good to keep in mind.
Attacking players
Offensive players derive scoring capabilities from momentum, precision and insight. Depending on what capabilities are in your game type, you can look for a racket that suits you well. For speed, players use a teardrop or diamond-shaped racket that weighs at least 375 grams on average. Attacking players who score using precision generally have a blade where the ball comes off the padel racket more directly. For these players we recommend a racket with a higher grade of carbon (12k, 18k or 24k carbon). These rackets are stiff and therefore the ball comes off the racket head very directly. Offensive players who score using insight often make tactically correct choices and anticipate the behavior of the opponent. This means you have to be fast and agile on the track to be able to adjust your choice at the last minute. For this player, a lighter racket or a racket with the balance point lower in the racket helps.
Defensive players
Defensive players win their matches through optimal ball control and minimal mistakes. For these padel players, playing lobs and chiquitas is very important. For optimal ball control, you need to know whether you like stiffer rackets or more flexible rackets. Depending on this, you should choose a hard or soft core/racket blade.
All round players
These players combine attacking and defending. Is there a part of your playing that you really want to emphasize? Then read the advice above. If you want to combine it, you can take a padel racket with which you combine the best of both worlds. For this, please refer to our
racket selection aid , where you choose medium feeling and medium touch.
Do I like a soft or stiff padel racket?
This question is important for how the ball comes off your racket head. With a soft racket you have more comfort because of the trampoline effect that the racket gives (similar to a string at a lower tension in tennis). But it may also be that you find it more comfortable if the ball comes off your racket head more directly (less / no trampoline effect). This gives you extra precision and you can often hit harder. So for the tennis players we can see whether they like a harder or softer string. For non-tennis players, you can only find out by testing. You can also take a medium racket that has a bit of both.
