You're struggling to find the perfect “pala” that will fit all your needs ? Here is a guide to help you make the good choice.
As we discussed before, it is never easy to find the perfect racket. To make it simple, you primarily need to focus on four things : the shape, the foam, the faces, and the weight.
The shape
The first thing you need to take into account is the shape. Brands generally offer three different shapes : diamond, teardrop and round. The diamond shape will give the most power while the round one will be perfect for control, teardrop being the most versatile shape. According to your needs and your game, you will first have to select the shape that seems the most appropriate for you. In order to help you make your selection, at padelusa.com, we offer you the possibility to select the padel rackets by shape.
Always remember that if you suffer from the elbow or the shoulder, you should consider buying a round “pala” since its weight close to the grip will require less strength in the forearm.
The foam and faces
Once you've chosen the shape, it will be time to deal with the foam and the components of the faces. If you are a beginner, if you want to minimize vibrations, or if you like when the racket gives you an extra help with your shots, you should aim for a polyethylene foam (just like the FOAM used in Head rackets) or for a Soft Eva. Same thing with the faces : if you want a lot of tolerance, absorption and bounce, look for fiberglass. On the contrary, if you prefer a dense racket that will maximize your power on attack shots and will give precision to advanced players, seek mid or hard Eva and carbon faces.
The weight
Last very important thing to consider : the weight. Basically, the heavier the “pala” will be, the more power it will give you when you smash, but the more difficult it will be to move, especially in defense. So, if you're very strong and try to take advantage of your powerful shots, aim for a heavy racket (more than 375 grams). On the contrary, if you want extra maneuverability or seek to protect your joints at all cost, then consider buying a light model (360 grams or less). Light rackets are also recommended to juniors and women.
Once you've selected these four parameters, you can consider all the features that make every racket unique, such as extra materials (ex : Carti's carbon/kevlar or Head's Graphene), proper technologies (ex : Bullpadel's MultiEva, Varlion's Diffuser or Adidas' Dual Exoskeleton), anti-vibrators (like on Siux Genesis Power), holes disposition, strap etc.
Now you know everything you need to take into account before to buy a new racket, just remember you should focus on the best brands in the industry and never purchase from an unauthorized dealer !
