You're looking for a brand new padel racket, but you don't know why some use 3K carbon, and others have 12K or 18K carbon on their faces? This article is for you!
Why do padel brands use carbon in their rackets?
If you've read our last post about the materials used for the faces of palas, you probably already know that carbon is used on padel rackets to add rigidity and toughness. On the faces, carbon brings a harder touch than fiberglass. So if you seek primarily comfort and elasticity, you better choose a racket with fiberglass such as Bullpadel Vertex 03 Comfort. On the contrary, if you need precision and power, then carbon is what you need!
The more K the more rigidity!
Here is what you must remember, the more K the carbon will have, the more rigidity it will bring to the racket. So, basically, 3K carbon will be softer than 12K, himself softer than 18k carbon. Always remember that a softer touch will bring you more comfort, elasticity, and forgiveness, while hard faces give more power and precision if you already have a good technique!
3K, 12K, or 18 K?
So, you will have to ask yourself what matters most to you. If you are an offensive player, with a very powerful smash, then you can aim for the hardest possible faces. For example, Nox AT10 Genius Attack 18K could be a perfect option.
But if you prefer having a little bit more comfort, then you could decide to choose a pala with 3K carbon like Siux Fenix 3K.
As you can imagine, 12K carbon will be the most versatile of the three, that's why it is often used on all-around palas such as Bullpadel Vertex 03.
Even though 3K, 12K, and 18K are the most common, they are not the only types of carbon. For example, Babolat uses 16K carbon on its Air Viper, which is just a little bit softer than 18K.
Now you know everything about carbon, you should remember that it is far from being the only component that will define the "behavior" of your racket. Check our guide to find the perfect racket ! Furthermore, before being a pala, never forget that the coldest it gets the hardest the racket will be. So for example, an 18K carbon won't bring the same sensations in winter as in summer!
