Racket
e.g. Head Vibe
Round, light, soft: it forgives off-center hits.
Rent first, buy by visit four
Shop beginner racketsHow to start playing padel
Here's how to start playing padel: find a club on the map, book an hour or its beginner clinic, and borrow a racket from the front desk. Four of you split the court, so your share is usually $10 to $30. Buy a racket of your own around your third or fourth visit.
- Court
- $10–30 per personAn hour, split four ways
- Racket
- Rent it firstBuy around your third or fourth visit
- First racket
- Round, 355–365 g0.78–0.80 lb, soft core
How to start playing padel in three steps
-
Book a court, a clinic or open playno group of four yet? ask for open play
The desk matches four players of a similar level onto one court.
Find a club near you -
Rent a racket and learn the wallsrentals sit at the front desk
Let the ball come off the back glass before you hit it.
Read the rules -
Buy your first kitaround your third or fourth visit
A forgiving racket, turf shoes and overgrips.
See beginner rackets
Read this section as text
In words: a court for an hour runs from about $40 at 2 p.m. on a Wednesday to $110 on a Saturday morning, split four ways (US club rates, November 2026). Some clubs bill per head instead, so check before you Venmo anyone.
No group? Ask the desk about open play. They match four players of a similar level onto one court, and that's how most Americans meet their first padel partners.
Your first padel kit
Three things, in this order of importance. Balls can wait: the club sells cans at the desk.
Read this section as text
In words: put most of the budget into the racket. With no racket sport behind you, that means round, 355 to 365 g (0.78 to 0.80 lb), soft foam inside; the Head Vibe is a typical example. Ex-tennis players tend to prefer a teardrop.
Shoes come next: turf soles grip the sand-filled grass where running shoes slide. Overgrips are the cheap part, a fresh one every 8 to 12 hours of play. At your level one can of balls lasts two or three sessions.
Shoes
e.g. Head Motion Pro 1.5
Turf soles grip the court; running shoes slide.
Worth it once you play weekly
Shop padel shoes
Overgrip
e.g. Wilson Pro Overgrip
A fresh wrap keeps the handle from turning in a sweaty hand.
Change every 8 to 12 hours
Shop overgripsWhat weight should a beginner padel racket be?
355 to 365 g (0.78 to 0.80 lb) for most adults. A 340 g racket wobbles when someone hits hard at you; a 375 g one is still swinging when the next volley arrives.
Most beginners: 355–365 g
Light
Easy
Stable
Heavy
340 g
0.75 lb355 g
0.78 lb365 g
0.8 lb375 g
0.83 lb380 g
0.84 lb
0.75 lb355 g
0.78 lb365 g
0.8 lb375 g
0.83 lb380 g
0.84 lb
- Light, under 355 g juniors, sore arms
- Easy, 355–365 g most beginners
- Stable, 365–375 g strong intermediate and advanced players
- Heavy, over 375 g advanced players who want maximum weight
Your first hour on court
The court is 20 by 10 meters, about a third of a tennis court, with glass at both ends. You serve underhand: bounce the ball behind the service line, hit it at or below the waist, cross-court into the box.
Everyone's first-day mistake is the same. The ball flies past them toward the back glass and they swing at it early. Let it hit the glass, turn, and play it as it comes back out. Keep the wrist strap on, too; a racket that slips out of a hand and into the glass is how people get hurt.
More questions about starting padel
Is padel hard to learn?
Padel for beginners is easier than tennis: an underhand serve, a smaller court, and walls that hand you a second chance. Reading those walls well takes a season.
Do I need padel lessons to start?
Not to have fun. One clinic in your first month is still money well spent, mostly because a coach fixes where you stand.
Can I use a tennis racket for padel?
No. A padel racket is 45.5 cm of solid foam with holes and no strings. A tennis racket is about 68 cm long and far too big for the walls.
Can I play padel in tennis shoes?
For the first session, yes. Once you're playing weekly, padel shoes are worth it: the herringbone sole grips the turf and keeps your ankles out of trouble. More in can you play padel in tennis shoes.
Should I rent or buy a padel racket?
Rent at first. Rental rackets have usually been played to death, so their foam feels dead and passes more shock to your arm. Buy one once you know you'll stick with it.
Where can I play padel near me?
The Padel USA club map lists every padel club we know of in the US.
When to buy your own racket
Not before your third session, and not after your fifth. By then you know you like it, and the rental is holding you back. The racket quiz narrows it down in ten questions.
