What is the best padel racket?

There is not one padel racket that is best for all categories and all players. Instead, padel players need different types of racket depending on their level and style of play. In this article, we will help you go through the most important things you need to be aware of in order to choose the best padel racket for you.

This is something you should keep in mind when choosing the rack

The shape of the racket can make a big difference to the player and there are three basic shapes to discuss: round, drop and diamond-shaped. 

For beginners, a round-shaped racket is usually recommended, as it is easier to swing in the air and often has a larger sweet spot, which is the area of the racket where you get the best impact in your shot.

Diamond-shaped padel rackets are recommended for players with more experience, such as those at an intermediate level who want to advance their game or those who are already at an advanced level, and especially for players who like an offensive game, where more power and speed are needed in the balls. However, these variants are more difficult to play with and their sweet spot is many times smaller than on many other models.

About halfway between round and diamond-shaped, you will find the drop-shaped variants. With this shape there can be room for a larger sweetspot and the balance point is often located in the middle of the racket. Drop-shaped rackets often provide players with both speed and control.

Balance

The balance point is an important factor regarding your level of experience and the style of play you want to adopt. With a high balance point, it's easier to smash with both proper power and speed. It's the high balls that need to be hit, so a high balance point is the best way to ensure control of the shot. More control increases the chances of the ball going in the direction you want it to go.

A low balance point is often good for beginners, those with weaker joints or those who prefer a more defensive game. It is easier to get balance and control with a low balance point, as it is closer to the hand holding the handle. As a result, it is also more gentle on the player's muscles and joints, especially the wrist and elbow.

A racket with a medium balance point is between the top two. It suits those who want a bit of both worlds. And it also depends on the other characteristics of the racket, but it is often a choice to get further in the game. Either if you stick to medium balance or later go for high balance. This depends on whether you want to focus more on offensive play or whether you want to continue to get good support in both offensive and defensive play.

Materials

The materials that the racket is made of determines whether it is suitable for offensive or defensive play, how durable the racket is and what price the racket comes with. The choice of materials can also make a difference in the temperature that the racket is best suited for. Whether it's best for below or above 25 degrees, which can be seen by whether there's a W or an S in the model name.

Carbon fibre is a strong material, often used in the frame. Either alone or combined with other materials. This material can also be found in the hitting surface and it makes for a harder racket, as it is a harder material. A hard racket is better suited for offensive play and many times also for those with more playing experience. The harder the racket, the greater the risk of strain on muscles and joints.

Fiberglass is another material you can find in both the frame and the hitting surface, and this material softens the racket more. So it may be more suitable for defensive play, where you will more often be getting up low balls or receiving slower balls. 

Overall, the recommendation is that beginners should choose a soft racket. It is often gentler and many times has a larger sweet spot. On the other hand, advancing for offensive play will be more difficult with a very soft racket. However, there are racket models that have a combination of carbon fiber and fiberglass, and then it also depends on how hard the core is. The harder the core - the harder the racket and more suited for speed and power.

Weight

A lighter weight padel racket is easier to swing in the air, making it easier to change direction quickly with a lighter racket. It also puts less strain on the player's muscles and joints than a heavier racket, although heavier rackets produce more powerful strokes, but are not recommended for beginners or younger players. Its heavier weight can more easily cause injuries or problems with the wrist and elbow.

As with all factors, it ultimately comes down to all the overall characteristics of a padel racket. For example, there is a big difference between a lighter racket that has a low balance point or a high balance point. A higher balance point requires more strength and experience to be utilized properly.

The best padel racket for you does not have to be the best choice for anyone else

It is important to keep in mind that you as a padel player need a padel racket that is adapted to you, your playing style and your level. This means that the best padel racket for someone is not the same for someone else.

Elitepadel has tested over 70 different padel rackets.

Elitepadel works with testing and reviewing the padel racket to help padel players find the best racket for them. They have tested over 70 different rackets in the last six months.

They have divided the results into several different categories

After testing the rackets, they divided the results into several different categories and listed the best padel racket for ladies, beginners, power, spin and so on.

Read more about the results and reviews in Elitepadel's guide to the best padel rackets. The guide is also available in Swedish and is then called Bästa padelracket by Elitepadel.se.

More criteria you can use

Price

For some, price can be a big factor in the search for a padel racket. However, there are several different models on the market that are in a lower price range and there are also several that can be very suitable for you and give you many enjoyable hours of play on the padel court. However, you can keep in mind that if a budget racket has several good features, it may be made of a cheaper material. So it won't be as durable in case of bumps or malfunctions.

Guarantee

With a longer warranty on their padel racket, we get more or less assurance that it is a quality racket that we have selected. However, we should check what is included in the warranty and perhaps research the brand. 

Delivery time

We all want to get ordered items home as quickly as possible, which can be more difficult with a model that is popular in the market as it may be sold out and the shop is waiting for more copies to arrive. The delivery time, whether the rack is in stock or not, can differ greatly depending on whether it is an online shop that ships their products from Sweden or from abroad.