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Padel Gear – Essentials for you to get started
Now that padel is beginning to make its mark here in New Zealand, it’s time to gear up and make sure you have all the essentials to feel and play your best out on the padel court. In this article we will go in depth about how to choose the right padel equipment and padel accessories for you, and what you need to get started.
Choosing the Right Padel Racket and the different types
Choosing the best padel racket for your game can be challenging as there are a range of options to suit different players, their playing style, and their skill level. There are a few factors you should take into consideration as you pick your racket including: rackets shape, weight, balance, and materials.
Types and shapes of Padel Rackets
There are 3 shapes of padel racket: round, hybrid, and diamond. Round rackets are suited for those who are newer to padel as the sweet spot is lower in the racket for optimum control over the ball. Hybrid rackets are a great all-rounder racket, the sweet spot is in the middle for a great mix of control and power. Diamond shaped rackets are widely known as a more advanced choice for those who are comfortable on the padel court, a padel pro, or enjoy hard and fast ball striking, as the sweet spot is higher in the racket for optimum power.
Key Features – Weight, balance, and material
A factor when choosing a padel racket is the weight. As a general rule, if your body weight is lighter you should choose a lighter racket, if your body weight is heavier you should choose a heavier racket.
There are also differences in racket balance. High-balanced rackets have the weight distributed towards the top of the racket. This is characteristic of diamond shaped rackets and is useful in adding power and playing with an attacking style. Low-balanced rackets have more weight distributed towards the handle, found in round rackets. Low-balance will make the racket easier to manoeuvre and is ideal for those who play defensively.
Racket materials are also an important factor in choosing the right racket. The frame of most rackets will either be made from 100% carbon, or carbon fibre, and the face of the racket can range in carbon levels: 1k, 3k, 12k, 18k, and 24k variations.
Balls - Which ones should I use?
Quality, types, bounce and pressure
Padel balls are smaller and lighter than tennis balls, meaning they aren’t as bouncy and don’t come off the court surface as fast. This happens because of the lower pressure level when compared to a tennis ball. Padel balls have a thicker layer of felt to allow for better spin and control. Depending on the climate and altitude, you may need a specific padel ball. For example, our Siux Neo Padel Balls are made for high temperatures, dry weather, and medium/high altitude, whereas the Siux Neo Speed Padel Balls are made for low temperatures, low altitude, and humid weather.
Clothing
Sportswear: Suitable attire for comfort and mobility
Suitable padel attire is always recommended when playing for maximum comfort and mobility. Clothing made from quick-dry material will wick away sweat to keep you dry and cool. Always pick clothing you feel the most comfortable in to ensure you are fully mobile and can reach tough balls!
Competition Guidelines: Uniform recommendations for teams
If you are playing in a padel team and this requires uniforms, we always recommend clothing that is highly breathable, and suitable for indoor and outdoor conditions.
Padel Grips – Enhancing Your Hold
Just as in other similar racket sports, making sure you have a suitable racket grip is essential. Factors to check before you head out to play padel include: making sure your grip size is appropriate and feels comfortable to hold, having a new or near new over-grip that still has some tackiness left to it so the racket doesn’t slide around or slip out of your hand, and making sure the grip is put on correctly.
Padel Bag
If you are really starting to get into padel and are playing on a regular basis, one padel accessory you may want to consider is a padel bag or backpack. Padel racket bags come in a range of sizes to fit the desired amount of rackets plus shoes, clothing, snacks, water bottles and more. A backpack with racket pocket that can also hold the essential gear is another great option.
Padel Shoes
Key Features and Importance of Padel Shoes
Wearing the correct padel shoe is important in ensuring good grip, ankle support, lightness, comfort, and injury prevention. You should always wear a high quality shoe, specific to the sport you are playing as they have been designed specifically for that purpose. Padel shoes are designed to be lightweight and flexible, to cope with the quick movements and direction changes.
Top Brands and Recommendations for comfort and grip
There are many brands of padel shoes and most tennis shoe brands will also have a padel range nowadays. Some top brands include Asics, Wilson, Babolat, Head, and Bull Padel. All of these padel shoes have grippy soles to suit beginners who need stability, up to professional padel players with explosive movements and direction changes.
FAQs
Do tennis shoes work for padel?
If you are a tennis player who is playing padel here and there, a tennis shoe will do the trick as they are made in a similar way, but generally more tailored towards the movements of tennis. However, if you are a full time padel player it would be wise to invest in some padel specific shoes! They are made for the precise movements on the padel court and increased grip to keep you stable when direction changing and taking small steps in every direction.
Do you have to be tall to play padel?
Height is generally not a factor in becoming a skilled padel player as there are strengths and weaknesses that come from being taller and shorter. Tall players have the advantage when at the net as they can reach more balls and there is less room to lob them, whereas they will have more difficulty moving around the court and getting to low balls.
Can I use basketball shoes for padel?
If you are playing padel irregularly, basketball shoes are a better option than standard running shoes because they do have some similar qualities to padel shoes. Basketball shoes are made with similar ankle support features, and facilitate quick direction change. The main thing to check is that your basketball shoes have enough grip on the soles. Generally, basketball shoes are not made or optimised for padel, therefore are not the recommended shoe type.