Padel is currently extremely trendy – now in Germany too. Although padel is somewhat similar to tennis, the equipment is quite specific. Here is an overview of the equipment you should get.
Padel is attracting more and more recreational athletes. Many tennis players are eager to trade the tennis court for a padel court. And many sports enthusiasts are also drawn to the padel courts in Germany, which are now being added weekly. The good news: For a first try, you can rent rackets and balls from most facility operators. But once you've caught the bug, you'll be better off with your own basic equipment. The essential equipment for padel is straightforward; here is an overview of the key items:
Padel rackets have very little to do with tennis rackets. Tennis rackets are almost 70 centimeters long and have a hitting surface of approx. 650 square centimeters. The central element of the tennis racket is the strings, which are crucial for the playability of the racket. The padel racket is designed quite differently. The padel racket is made of plastic, which usually consists of several layers such as fiberglass, carbon, or graphite. There are no strings on the padel racket. The hitting surface is made of the same material as the shaft and features perforations. This prevents excessive air resistance when swinging. According to international rules, the rackets may be a maximum of 46 centimeters long and 26 centimeters wide. The racket weight is between 340 and 395 grams. The thickness of the frame must not exceed 38 millimeters. By the way, padel rackets are equipped with a loop at the end of the handle. You should always loosely place this around your wrist when playing, so that the racket does not get out of hand in the heat of the moment and injure your teammate or opponent. Three different head shapes are commonly used: the diamond shape for high shot speeds and fast play, the round head for absolute shot control, or the teardrop shape, a combination of the two variants mentioned above.
The prices for padel rackets are – like tennis rackets – very different. You should invest between 100 and 200 euros in a racket that will allow you to enjoy this fascinating sport for a long time. Once you reach an advanced level, it is also quite useful to consider the different hardness levels of the hitting surfaces. However, this assumes that you already have some padel expertise. By the way: Almost all renowned tennis racket manufacturers (Wilson, HEAD, Babolat, Dunlop, Tecnifibre) also make padel rackets, but adidas and Puma also offer rackets, as do several exciting specialist padel brands. You will find a huge selection of a wide variety of padel rackets in our shop.
While padel rackets and tennis rackets are worlds apart, the balls for both sports are very similar. Padel balls are the same size as tennis balls but are filled with less pressure. As a result, they do not bounce quite as high or aggressively as classic tennis balls. They are required to have a diameter of 6.35 to 6.67 centimeters and a weight between 56 and 59.4 grams. Just like with rackets, the well-known tennis ball manufacturers also produce padel balls. Furthermore, they resemble so-called stage balls, which are used in tennis for children's training. Padel balls are sold in airtight three-ball cans (until first opened) and can therefore be stored for a long time. Just like in tennis, you should replace the balls with new ones after five to ten hours of play, as their bounce and dynamism will noticeably decrease.
Padel shoes – Barely any difference from tennis shoes
The footwork and dynamics in padel and tennis are almost identical. The court surfaces are also similar. A padel court has a textile surface covered with a layer of sand. This type of surface is also very common for indoor tennis courts. On these surfaces, sand court or all-court tennis shoes have established themselves as a very balanced choice. It is important to position your body before every shot so that your racket arm can swing through in a controlled manner. The key to this is many small, spontaneous, and dynamic steps. In principle, the ideal shoes for padel are tennis shoes. However, specialist padel brands also offer “pure padel shoes,” which nevertheless differ very little in construction from tennis shoes. The shoes are generally low-cut, meaning they have a low shaft for optimal ankle mobility. The materials should be breathable yet provide good support. For the soles, the so-called herringbone tread has become the standard, offering good grip on the padel court (important for quick starts). On the other hand, the relatively flat tread also allows you to slide into the ball during particularly dynamic movements. For the first few hours, however, a treaded indoor shoe for conventional indoor sports is also suitable. What is completely unacceptable in padel, as well as in tennis (and will lead to immediate removal from the court), are chunky running shoes or trekking footwear. You can find the latest padel shoe models in our shop.
Once again, there is a slight parallel to tennis: racket, balls, shoes, shower essentials and a change of clothes plus a towel: Padel equipment is not quite as "pack-intensive" as a tennis bag. But even for a padel match, quite a bit of equipment comes together. To store everything "neatly" and clearly, manufacturers have designed padel bags with all sorts of compartments for rackets, shoes or damp clothes to keep things organized. The compact bags also allow you to conveniently store your padel equipment at home and keep things organized wherever you are.
Padel apparel: The main thing is bags for the balls
While etiquette is still important in some tennis clubs, padel is an absolutely laid-back and youthful sport. White polos are just as out of fashion here as any other restrictions. Accordingly, the shirts and shorts worn by padel players of all skill levels are usually quite colorful. However, you will find out on your very first attempt at padel that this sport is very sweaty. Therefore, functional sportswear that is lightweight and quick-drying is recommended. Of course, any tennis outfit is suitable, but shirts from other sports are also fine as long as they allow enough freedom of movement for your racket arm. You should only pay attention to one feature when it comes to shorts or skirts: guys should exclusively choose shorts with side pockets, and ladies should do the same; if you opt for a skirt, you should definitely check if you can secure a ball somewhere. This is because the rule in padel is that the game balls are carried on the body and do not lie around on the court. This is because it quickly leads to costly "slip-ups". You can find padel clothing for every taste here.
Frequently asked questions
Basically, tennis shoes are ideal, especially clay-court or all-court models, as the padel court has a similar textile surface with sand infill. Important are a low shaft (low-cut) for mobile ankles, breathable material, and a herringbone-tread sole for good grip when moving off quickly. Chunky-soled running or trekking shoes, on the other hand, are forbidden and can even lead to being removed from the court.
After about five to ten hours of play, you should replace the balls, as their bounce and dynamism noticeably decrease after that – just like in tennis..
A good shoe only performs with the right sock. Socks with anti-slip elements make sense for extra hold in the shoe, as does a breathable material blend that wicks moisture away, thus helping to prevent blisters.
No. While some tennis clubs still expect proper attire such as white polo shirts, padel is a distinctly casual, youthful sport with no such dress code. Accordingly, the shirts and shorts worn by players of all skill levels are quite colorful.
It’s not strictly necessary, but practical: padel bags offer compartments for rackets, shoes, and damp clothing, helping keep everything organized. They are more compact than traditional tennis bags, but are also ideal for storing your equipment at home.
All prices include VAT. The crossed-out prices generally correspond to the manufacturer’s recommended retail price (RRP). Deviating from this, for the brands Padel-Point, BIDI BADU, Quiet Please, Racket Roots and Tennis-Point, the market launch prices of the current season are indicated.
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