HOW TO CHOOSE A PADEL RACKET

SHOPPING TIPS

There are many different types of padel rackets on the market today.

To buy a padel racket you must take into consideration the level of play (experience) and the technical aspects of the racket itself.

Before analyzing the technical aspects of rackets, we must differentiate the different levels of play and experience.

GAME LEVELS

- BEGINNER PLAYER: type of player who needs a racket that is easy to use, light and with enough control to hit the ball with reasonable precision;

- INTERMEDIATE PLAYER: type of player who plays often but with a style that is not yet defined and needs to be improved. A versatile type of racket is definitely ideal. A racket with a good mix of power and control is definitely advisable.

- ADVANCED PLAYER: an experienced player with a consolidated playing style, so depending on his style he will look for good power or great precision.

The key elements to consider when choosing a racket before purchasing it are the following:

• Form;
• Balance;
• Weight;
• Materials.

FORM

DIAMOND SHAPE
This racket is recommended for those who play padel at higher levels, in fact it has a HIGH balance positioned in the upper part of the racket in order to guarantee more power and management. It is undoubtedly the most powerful type of racket that can be found.
It is especially suitable for those with an attacking style of play, unfortunately it lacks a bit in maneuverability.


DROP SHAPE (OR TEARDROP)
This type of drop-shaped racket (or Teardrop) is a mix between the round shape and the diamond shape, it is also called "teardrop" thanks to its shape which is flattened towards the top.
It has a CENTERED balance, between the handle and the opposite end, thanks to which it is very versatile and has a perfect mix between power and control. It is ideal for intermediate level players or for those who do not yet have a well-defined playing style.

ROUND SHAPE

Ideal racket for those who are starting this sport. These rackets are the most maneuverable thanks to the LOW balance closer to the handle.

The round sweetspot is located in the center of the head, they offer excellent control but lack power. Suitable for beginners, occasional players or those who adopt a defensive game.

BALANCE
Each type of racket has a different balance. Knowing the balance is very important because it gives the racket different characteristics, especially maneuverability. Knowing how to distinguish the various types of balance is very important when choosing one racket rather than another.
Let's see the different types of balancing:

LOW BALANCE
The racket is faster to swing and easier to control, but has less power. The balance is positioned close to the handle, under 265mm.

CENTERED BALANCE
A racket that has this balance certainly has the right mix of control and power, therefore very versatile. The balance is positioned between the handle and the opposite end, at about 270mm.

HIGH BALANCE
A racquet with a high balance will certainly have a lot of power but will lose a bit of control and maneuverability. The balance is positioned towards the top of the racquet, above 275mm.

IN SUMMARY:

WEIGHT
Let's analyze the weight of a padel racket and its importance. Let's try to understand which racket will be the most suitable for us based on weight.

Many players initially confuse the weight of the racket with its balance.
There are rackets on the market that are heavier than others with a low balance, that is, towards the handle, which are comfortable and easy to handle.
On the contrary, there are rackets that are lighter than others but with a high balance, guaranteeing a lot of power but more difficult to control.

It is recommended to start playing with a racket that has a low balance, that is, towards the handle, therefore more manageable but not too light. Once you have acquired some experience you can move on to heavier rackets and with a different balance.

Generally speaking, we can say that:

• a racket weighing between 370 and 385g is suitable and recommended for MEN ;
• a racket weighing between 355 and 370g is more suitable for WOMEN ;
• a racket weighing between 280 and 340g is recommended for CHILDREN .
• a racket weighing over 375g is suitable for players who have been practicing this sport for a long time, with a good technical base since these rackets have greater power but less precision and control.

IN SUMMARY:

MATERIAL

A padel racket is made up of different parts, and different materials are used.
The parts that compose it are:

• FRAME, external structure of the racket;
• CORE, internal part of the racket;
• FLAT, impact surface of the ball.

The FRAME of a padel racket has a tubular shape and the materials it is made of must be very light but at the same time very resistant. The materials used to make the frame are CARBON (light and resistant) but also CARBON FIBER (light and resistant) or FIBERGLASS (softer but less light).

The CORE (or internal part) of a racket is made up of two types of materials: FOAM rubber or EVA rubber.
Both types have different degrees of density becoming more or less hard. In fact, when we read the TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS we can come across different formulas such as EVA Rubber, EVA Soft, EVA Ultra Soft , and the same for FOAM Rubber .

EVA Rubber It is an elastic and flexible rubber. Its uniqueness is the little deformation when contact with the ball occurs, for this reason it is necessary to hit with GREATER FORCE to obtain a good ball output. In practice we will have greater control and precision on our shots.

FOAM Rubber is a much softer material than EVA Rubber . In fact, a racket made with FOAM Rubber is lighter, more flexible and will produce more power during the shot even using less force than EVA Rubber .

IN SUMMARY:

The PLATE is a fundamental part of padel rackets because it is from the Plate that you can give the desired effect to the ball. Its surface can be more or less rough or more or less hard based on the materials used.
To build the PLATE of a racket, the same materials are used for the FRAME , i.e. Fiberglass and Carbon Fiber.

FIBERGLASS is a very resistant material because it is composed of a weave of very thin glass filaments. Its most important qualities are greater flexibility and elasticity. In this way, even applying little force in the shot the ball will have a greater output. It is very resistant and also very economical, even if it is heavier than Carbon Fiber.

CARBON FIBER is another material used for the composition of padel racket faces. It is made up of very fine Carbon filaments that make it light but at the same time very hard. It is usually used more for the construction of the FRAME than for the FACE due to its extreme rigidity and lower elasticity. To obtain a good ball output, you must undoubtedly apply more force.
To make this material softer, different combinations of Carbon Fiber are used, in fact you can see in the SPECIFICATIONS of the rackets values ​​such as 1K, 3K, 12K, 14K etc., these values ​​diversify the degrees of hardness. The lower the value, for example 1K, the harder the Carbon Fiber will be, in fact the 14K Carbon Fiber will be much softer. You will find this material in advanced or professional level rackets because it has higher costs than Glass Fiber.

So, if a player is starting to play padel, rackets with a Fiberglass Frame are recommended.
If, however, we are talking about an advanced level player, he will have to go for a racket with a Carbon Fiber Face.

IN SUMMARY: