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How to choose a paddle racket?

Choosing the padel racket that best suits our game is the key factor to improve in padel. A padel racket that suits us well will make us more confident on the court, while a choice padel racket will make us not feel comfortable, reaching the extreme of power until we get injured.

There are many variants that influence the behavior of a padel racket: the shape of the racket, the rubbers, the material of the planes, our level and style of play, the weight, etc.

In this article we will explain how each factor affects the behavior of a racket, helping you to choose the one that best suits your game.

Types of racket shapes/moulds

Within the racket shapes, there are 3 that are the most common:

  • Round shape. Control preference over power. These types of rackets are rackets designed to provide comfort and control, thanks to a wide sweet spot, although they can fall short in the power in the shots.
  • Teardrop shape. A shovel halfway between the round and the diamond, being the most demanded at the moment. A versatile racket with a remarkable punch in shots and volleys and without subtracting much in control and defense.
  • Diamond shape. The racket preferred by attacking players. Suitable for power shots, but it's more difficult to defend with it if you don't have the right technique, and it's not recommended for beginners.
Do you want to know more about the different molds of padel rackets? We'll tell you everything in our gguide on the mold of a racket .

Types of rubbers used in the core

All padel rackets are made with FOAM rubber inside, which refers to the foamy state of the material. Within the range of rubbers available to manufacture a paddle tennis racket, we can distinguish the following rubbers:

  • Polyethylene rubber: is used primarily for players with elbow problems. Soft touch that helps absorb vibrations. It gives us a lot of ball output losing control and power. It has less durability than EVA foam.
  • EVA rubber: This rubber is harder to the touch than polyethylene rubber, achieving greater control and power, in exchange for less ball output from the bottom of the court. Within the EVA rubbers, there are different densities: the EVA Soft rubber would be the softest rubber and similar to polyethylene rubber (high ball output, at the cost of less power), and the EVA Mid or EVA Hard rubber would be softer rubbers. hard, with more power but less ball output.
Do you want to know more about how the rubber affects a racket? We tell you everything in our guide on the rubber of a racket paddle tennis.

Types of materials on the faces/planes of the racket

As we saw in the previous section, depending on the type of rubber we choose, the racket will be more or less soft. There is a second factor that determines the hardness of a paddle tennis racket: the fiber used on its faces:

  • Fiberglass. It is the most used material in mid-range or low-end reackets due to its lower cost. It has greater flexibility than carbon, providing more ball output, but being less resistant and heavier.
  • Carbon fiber. Provides greater strength and stiffness than fiberglass, which helps to have more control and power. It is usually used in high-end rackets. It is lighter than fiberglass and having greater durability. Within carbon fiber, there are different types of carbon (3K, 12K, etc.). The higher the "K" of carbon, the harder the racket will be.
Do you want to know more about the different types of carbon? We tell you everything in our guide on fiberglass and carbon fiber in padel.

The importance of balance in the padel racket

When referring to the balance of a blade, we mean the balance point of the blade. These balances can be divided into three; low, medium and high balance.

The blades with low balance (less than 25.5 cm) provide us with greater manageability, making it easier for us to return the balls at the cost of losing power, especially in the auction.

With medium or medium-high balances (between 25.5 and 27 cm) we can achieve a notable improvement in power shots, losing a bit of manageability and defense.

In high swings (more than 27 cm) we look for power with a weight as close to the blade tip, but a good technique is necessary to counteract the loss of control that this entails.

To measure this balance, you have to put the shovel on the edge of a flat surface with the fist outwards and move the shovel until we see that it falls. At that moment, we measure from the beginning of the fist to the point where we see that the blade falls.

This balance can be modified by adding overgrips in the fist, protectors in the upper part of the racket or small weights where we want either to raise or lower the balance.

Do you want to know more about the balance of a shovel? We tell you everything in our guide on the balance of padel rackets.

The weight of the paddle tennis rackets

During the manufacturing process of the blades, several factors are influenced that make the blades have a final distribution weight. That weight generally ranges between 350 and 380 grams, being able to do more or less depending on the drills you have.

A racket with a lower weight will help you in its handling, but you have to give it more force to hit the ball, while with a racket with a heavier weight, it will be easier for you to give more force to the ball, but on the contrary it will be harder to handle and can put a strain on your arm.

Do you want to know more about the influence of the weight of a racket? We tell you everything in our guide on the weight of a paddle tennis racket< /a>.

Which padel racket do I choose? The final choice

Based on our style of play and level, we must choose the combination of materials, mold and weight that best suits what we are looking for.

Beginners or players looking for comfort should opt for round blades, with soft rubber and a medium-low weight, while advanced players and attack players should opt for teardrop or diamond blades, with harder rubber and a medium-high weight. .

At Alkemia Pádel we have been helping hundreds of players choose a racket for more than 10 years. If you have any questions, we will be happy to help you find your ideal shovel.

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