Are you new to Padel? Here is a guide to get you started

10 March 2023 at 08:25

You enter the venue and look around. You and your friends are new to the sport, so you rent a racket. Then you notice those who have played padel for a while, who smash, run, drop the ball into the glass and seem to have full control over the four walls of the court. You notice that they are playing with completely different rackets than you. They have knee-highs, special shoes - bags in different sizes and pockets on their shorts. When you get home, you Google padel and padel equipment to see what this is all about. Where do you start? What do you really need? We have set up a guide for you to get started

Padel Racket There are a plethora of padel rackets out there. How do you know you're finding the right one? Well.. if you're new to the sport, we have some general recommendations. The racket comes in different shapes and a round racket will be best for the beginner. The round shape gives you a larger strike surface and the likelihood of "slicing the ball" decreases. You should also choose one that doesn't weigh too much (350-365 g) if you have no racket or padel experience from before.

Padel Bag Buying a padel bag can be a good investment right from the start. A padel racket is made of foam, which can be affected by weather and temperature fluctuations. That's why we recommend buying a padel bag with an insulated compartment (thermo-lined) that protects the racket from weather variations. It doesn't hurt to have a separate compartment for your sweaty shoes either.

Padel Shoes If you have a pair of tennis shoes, these will certainly do the trick for a while. Padel and tennis shoes have many of the same qualities. However, if you have a pair of running shoes that you think you can use, we recommend you reconsider after reading this. Running shoes are designed to enable you to move straight ahead as efficiently as possible. ‘In padel, the movement patterns are as much sideways as forwards and backwards. Having shoes that support your ankles and knees can save you a lot of pain, injury and discomfort in the future! Talk to our club staff to find your padel shoe.

Padel Clothing Do you really need to buy new workout clothes? We would suggest purchasing one item that, from our experience, is an absolute must; Shorts with pockets. A normal ball tube in padel comes with three balls. Given that the server has two attempts, it is normal for the server to also have two balls. There's nothing that irritates as much as having to hold a ball throughout the point - or even worse; the ball is on the court and you can actually step on it.

Other padel equipment and accessories? Padel balls should be bought new once in a while depending on how often you play. Are you struggling with tennis elbow or want to prevent elbow injury? Then we recommend a grip. This is a "rubber grip" that is placed on the handle of the racket to reduce vibrations. To know more about grips, ask our Rocket Padel staff.

Still unsure of what to choose? Talk to your local staff or drop us an email uk@rocketpadel.com