Valued at about $100 million in 2022, the global padel racket market will become a $230 million industry by 2028 — with players such as Head, Adidas, Babolat, and others leading the category.
Fairmat is in the process of developing padel rackets for Decathlon, but our contribution to the industry and our expertise in the sport — is limited to the development of sustainable and performant equipment.
However, having studied the padel racket’s specs and materials thoroughly during production, this article is a relay of what we have learned so far about an ideal padel racket and how you can choose one!
A Google search for ‘buy a padel racket’ lands us on online stores with loads of different products and their useful but elaborate descriptions. While each racket is unique, the players are not always interested in the best, but rather in what works best for them.
In this article, you’ll find answers to what combination of padel shape and material suits you best.
The padel’s parts, and the materials they are made from, will decide how it plays and feels. And to be able to compare them without actually testing them, we’ll have to understand the difference between each one of them.
A typical padel racket has two main visibly distinct parts: the head and the handle.
The head of a padel racket is available in 3 different shapes, and there are advantages and disadvantages to each.
| Round-shaped padel racket | Diamond-shaped padel racket | Tear drop-shaped racket | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.) Balance: It is weight distribution between the head and the grip. The balance point affects the power and control of the racket. | Low balance: Weight is distributed evenly around the grip. Has greater control. | High balance: Weight is evenly distributed in the upper part. Has greater power. | Medium balance: Even weight distribution between the grip and the head. Has balanced power and control. |
| 2.) Power | Less powerful than the other two rackets. | They are power padel rackets. More power and speed can be gained with diamond-shaped rackets compared to round rackets. | More powerful than round rackets. |
| 3.) Control: Control is how accurately and easily the player is able to direct the racket into the position they want. | Round-shaped rackets are highly controllable because they have a lower balance. | They have less control than round rackets. It will take more skill and strength to move a diamond-shaped racket, and it can cause arm fatigue in non-trained players. | Less control than round-shaped rackets but still easier to swing than diamond-shaped padel rackets. |
| 4.) Sweet spot: It is the most optimal or effective spot to hit the ball on your racket. | Round rackets have their sweet spot in the middle of the head. It is also wide and forgiving (produces good shots even when the ball is not hit perfectly.) | Has the sweet spot close to the top. They are not as wide and forgiving as round rackets. | Sweet spot is wide but smaller. |
| 5) Expertise-level | Beginners can choose round padel rackets because they are forgiving. and control-oriented. | Diamond-shaped padel rackets are ideal for advanced players. | Tear drop-shaped padel rackets are right for intermediate players. |
Padel racket handles are shorter than tennis racket handles. The handle can have a maximum length of 20 cm and a width of 50 mm. It also has a protective cord that can be put around the wrist while playing. The length of the padel racket itself cannot exceed 45.5 cm.
Now that you know what types of padel can enhance your game, the next step is to understand how the different types of materials affect the outcome.
The head and the handle of the padel can further be separated into three elements: the core, the face, and the frame.
The core is the material used in the head of the padel or underneath the impact surface (or face). Your choice of the core will determine the feel and feedback of your padel racket.
Developers engineer the racket’s core to attain many special properties, but players can primarily focus on choosing between control and power.
The core of padel rackets is essentially made from either of two materials: FOAM or E.V.A., or both (hybrid core).
Types of Core of padel rackets:
| FOAM (Polyethylene) | EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) |
|---|---|
| As the name suggests, a FOAM core is soft and offers comfort, greater control, and rebound. | EVA is not as flexible as FOAM and therefore provides less comfort — but it is rather powerful. |
| Soft padel rackets are ideal for beginners as they absorb vibrations and prevent injuries. | EVA cores are available in many different densities to choose from; Black EVA for higher rigidity and Soft or Ultrasoft EVA for extra comfort. |
| The FOAM core is less precise and powerful than the stiffer alternative, EVA. FOAM racket’s properties also tend to change with changing weather conditions. | These cores are lightweight, durable, and remain stable with changing weather conditions, unlike FOAM cores. |
While the general behavior of the padel rackets depends on the type of core, the impact will be decided by the surface.
The face is the impact surface covering the rubber core, and the frame is the tubular structure that surrounds the face of a padel racket. Most padel racket frames are covered with plastic or metal coating for extra protection.
The face and frame of padel rackets are made from high-strength composite materials such as carbon fiber, fiberglass (glass fibers), or Kevlar composites.
| Fiberglass material padel | Carbon fiber material padel |
|---|---|
| Ideal for beginners, fiberglass is known for its comfort and flexibility. | Carbon fiber material is stiffer than fiberglass and is used by players to play more powerful and precise shots. |
| Usually, fiberglass padels are low-end and aren’t as expensive as carbon fiber padels. | Most advanced padel rackets are made of carbon fiber because the material is a great combination of lightweight and high performance. It is, in fact, the most ideal material for manufacturing power padel rackets. |
| Although not as strong, fiberglass padels are a lot more forgiving than carbon fiber ones. | Another characteristic adding to the popularity of carbon fiber is its wear resistance and durability. |
| The feel of a carbon fiber padel will not change with time, unlike the fiberglass padels. Carbon fiber padels come in a range of rigidities which can be identified by the no. of filaments (1K, 3K, 12K, and 18K) in the materials. The more intertwining filaments there are, the higher the rigidity will be. | The feel of a carbon fiber padel will not change with time, unlike the fiberglass padels. Carbon fiber padels come in a range of rigidities which can be identified by the no. of filaments (1K, 3K, 12K, and 18K) in the materials. The more the intertwining filaments, the higher will be the rigidity. |
To conclude, you can either choose your padel racket from the list of “top padel rackets of the year” or make your choice by understanding its anatomy and how it suits you.
