Should my first racket be a round-shaped racket? Should I get a hard or a soft racket? How much should I spend? Find out in this complete guide to choosing a beginner padel racket.
How to find a beginner racquet
Searching for your first padel racquet is a truly daunting task due to the sheer enormity of brands and the overwhelming number of entry-level models that each offers. Add to that the lack of any good discovery service, and we have a serious challenge in purchasing our first padel racquet.
Here at padel.fyi, we are obsessed with making the right choice for every purchase, so we’ve done loads of research checking over 70 reviews of entry-level rackets. So we’ve put together a list of the best rackets in reddit’s most-upvoted racket recommendation posts.
nox
Equation World Padel Tour
Players looking for comfort and maneuverability
babolat
Counter Vertuo
black-crown
Pitón 11 Soft
Beginner to advanced players looking for a versatile racket with medium touch
What makes a good beginner racket
The best beginner rackets don’t cost too much, reduce mishits, and prevent injury. A table summarizing how to find a racket that meets those requirements is below.
| What you want | How to get it | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Low price | Limit purchase to options below €150 | Soft surface material |
| Large, low sweet spot | Round racket shape, often called “control” or “precision” | To minimize mishits |
| Soft surface and core material | Surface made out of fiberglass instead of carbon | For ease of use, “trampoline effect” |
| Maneuverability | Low balance, below 26cm | Ease of use, reduced joint strain |
| |
Narrow your options by identifying what kind of beginner you are
In order to provide you with the best recommendations, we would like to break the concept of beginner down further into:
- New beginners, who
- play 2 or fewer times per month and
- have limited exposure to racquet sports - “Old beginners”, who
- play 4 or more times per month
- have experience in tennis, squash, ping pong, badminton or other racquet sports
The first 3 rackets are suitable for “new beginners” and the following 2 are suitable for “old beginners”.
Tip for scoring deals
Many manufacturers new versions of the same racket annually with minor visual changes only, allowing you to scoop up great deals on last year’s racquets. We have listed the current year’s suggested price as well as the lowest deal we could find, including previous years’ versions.Frequently Asked Questions
What padel racket should a beginner play with?
A beginner should choose a soft, round, low balance padel racket due to their comfort and ease of use.
Should I buy a carbon fiber or a fiberglass racket?
Carbon fiber rackets are rigid and durable, yet more difficult to play with for beginners than fiberglass rackets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What padel racket should a beginner play with?
A beginner should choose a soft, round, low balance padel racket due to their comfort and ease of use.
Should I buy a carbon fiber or a fiberglass racket?
Carbon fiber rackets are rigid and durable, yet more difficult to play with for beginners than fiberglass rackets.