{"id":112,"date":"2026-08-13T00:24:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T22:24:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/padel.homexo.pl\/2026\/08\/13\/rakieta-i-buty-do-padla-co-wybrac-na-start\/"},"modified":"2026-10-16T19:17:50","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T17:17:50","slug":"rakieta-i-buty-do-padla-co-wybrac-na-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/en\/rakieta-i-buty-do-padla-co-wybrac-na-start\/","title":{"rendered":"Padel racket and shoes - what to choose when you're starting out"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The first question after your third or fourth visit to the court is usually the same: buy your own racket or keep renting? The answer isn't obvious, because padel gear is chosen differently from tennis gear. Below is everything you need to know before you spend your first money.<\/p>\n<div class=\"art-skrot\">\n<p class=\"art-skrot__tytul\">In short<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>For the first few weeks, play with rental gear - you don't know your playing style yet.<\/li>\n<li>To start, pick a round racket, 355-365 g, with soft foam.<\/li>\n<li>At our club you can take any racket from our partner for a test.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Do you even need your own gear to get started?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"art-wyimek\">\n<p>A racket bought in the first week very often turns out to be the wrong one by the second month.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>No. And that's the honest answer, even though shops will tell you otherwise.<\/p>\n<p>For your first few visits, a rental racket is a better choice than your own. The reason is simple: you don't yet know how you play. You don't know whether you prefer calm volleys at the net or big swings from the back of the court. A racket bought in the first week very often turns out to be the wrong one by the second month.<\/p>\n<p>The right time for your own gear is when you're playing regularly - say once a week for a month - and you start noticing that one rental racket feels better in your hand than another. That's a sign you now have something to compare.<\/p>\n<h2>Racket: shape is everything<\/h2>\n<p>Padel rackets have no strings. They're a solid foam core wrapped in fiber, with holes. It looks simple, but the differences between models are significant and come mainly from the shape, because that's what determines where the sweet spot sits.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/wp-content\/themes\/padel\/assets\/img\/obiekt-recepcja-1200.webp\" alt=\"Recepcja klubu padlowego z rakietami do wypo\u017cyczenia\" width=\"1200\" height=\"689\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption>Before you buy your own racket, test a few rentals. An hour of play tells you more about gear than any spec sheet.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<table class=\"price-table\">\n<caption>Three racket shapes and what they mean for you<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"col\">Shape<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">Sweet spot<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">Who it's for<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">Round<\/th>\n<td>Low, in the center of the head<\/td>\n<td>Beginners. Most forgiving of off-center hits<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">Teardrop<\/th>\n<td>Center of the head<\/td>\n<td>Intermediate players who want control and a bit of power<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">Diamond<\/th>\n<td>High, near the edge<\/td>\n<td>Advanced. Lots of power, but far less forgiving<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>If you're just starting, go round. Not because it's worse - because it has the widest area where the ball goes where you want it to. With a diamond, every hit a few centimeters off the sweet spot ends with the ball landing somewhere you didn't plan, and a jolt in your wrist.<\/p>\n<h2>Weight and stiffness: two numbers worth checking<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Weight.<\/strong> Padel rackets weigh roughly 350 to 385 grams. A lighter one reacts faster at the net and puts less strain on your elbow. A heavier one gives more power on shots from the back of the court. To start, look for something around 355-365 grams.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Foam stiffness.<\/strong> Soft foam holds the ball longer and gives more control; hard foam sends it back faster. Manufacturers label this in different ways - <em>soft<\/em>, <em>medium<\/em>, <em>hard<\/em> - but the rule is simple: the fewer years you've been playing, the more a soft foam will help you. Hard foam requires your own arm speed to get anything out of it.<\/p>\n<p>There's one more argument for soft foam that people mention less often. A hard racket transmits more vibration to the forearm, and tennis elbow happens in padel more often than you might think.<\/p>\n<h2>Shoes: where beginners cut corners most often<\/h2>\n<div class=\"art-ramka art-ramka--blad\">\n<p class=\"art-ramka__tytul\">Beginner mistake<\/p>\n<p>Stepping onto the court in running shoes. Their sole is designed for movement in a single plane, and on a sudden sideways turn it locks your foot instead of letting it slide. That's where most ankle sprains on court come from.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>And they usually regret it. The racket affects how you play. Shoes affect whether you finish the match at all.<\/p>\n<p>Padel is a game of short, explosive bursts: two steps sideways, stop, turn, two steps forward. Running shoes have a sole designed for movement in a single plane, and on a sudden sideways move your foot slips out of control. That's where most ankle sprains on court come from.<\/p>\n<p>Look for shoes with an <em>omni<\/em> sole - the one with dense, small nubs in a herringbone-like pattern. It grips on artificial turf and lets you slide in a controlled way instead of locking your foot in place. Good clay-court tennis shoes will work almost as well.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/wp-content\/themes\/padel\/assets\/img\/obiekt-korty-1200.webp\" alt=\"Nawierzchnia kortu do padla ze sztucznej trawy zasypanej piaskiem\" width=\"1200\" height=\"689\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption>Sand-filled artificial turf calls for a sole that lets you slide in a controlled way. Running shoes lock your foot in place.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Balls, edge guard and the other small stuff<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Balls.<\/strong> They look like tennis balls, but they have lower pressure and bounce less. Regular tennis balls can't really be used - they fly too fast and too high. A can of padel balls lasts for several recreational games, although pros change them every match.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Wrist strap.<\/strong> Not decoration, but a rule requirement at most venues. A racket that flies out of your hand mid-swing on an enclosed court has nowhere to go except your partner.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Overgrip.<\/strong> A thin wrap for the handle that costs a few zlotys. It changes your grip more than many pricier pieces of gear, and it wears out every dozen or so hours of play.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Edge guard.<\/strong> Usually included. It's worth replacing, because it takes the contact with the wall and the floor - and it's only a matter of time before you clip the glass for the first time.<\/p>\n<h2>What it costs to get started<\/h2>\n<div class=\"art-ramka art-ramka--uwaga\">\n<p class=\"art-ramka__tytul\">Heads up<\/p>\n<p>A supermarket racket for thirty-odd zlotys will put you off the game faster than you can learn to serve. The same goes the other way: a top-tier league model is designed for technique you don't have yet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>A sensible setup for someone who plays once a week costs about as much as a few court rentals. A mid-range racket will last two or three seasons of recreational play. There's no point buying a top-tier league model - it's gear designed for technique you don't have yet, and for the first few months it will only get in your way.<\/p>\n<p>The opposite is true too: a supermarket racket for thirty-odd zlotys is a piece of plastic that will put you off the game faster than you can learn to serve.<\/p>\n<div class=\"art-przerywnik\">\n<div>\n<p class=\"art-przerywnik__tytul\">Test before you buy<\/p>\n<p>When you rent a court in Warsaw, rackets and balls are included at no extra cost. An hour of play will tell you more than any spec sheet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn--primary\" href=\"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/en\/oferta\/#wynajem\">Book a court<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Quick answers to common questions<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Can you use a tennis racket for padel?<\/strong> No. It's longer, it has strings, and on an enclosed court it simply won't work. The rules don't allow it either.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How long does a racket last?<\/strong> Playing once a week - two to three seasons. The foam hardens over time and the racket loses its responsiveness, even if it looks brand new.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do I need sportswear?<\/strong> A regular T-shirt and shorts are enough. The only thing that really matters is your shoes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Can you play padel with glasses on?<\/strong> Yes, plenty of players do. Consider a strap, because glasses can slide off your nose during quick turns.<\/p>\n<h2>Rent before you buy<\/h2>\n<p>The cheapest way to make the right purchase is to test a few rackets on court. At our club in Warsaw, it costs you nothing extra. You can take any racket from our partner for a test - on <a href=\"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/en\/oferta\/#pierwszy-raz\">Intro Padel with a coach<\/a> and at <a href=\"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/en\/oferta\/#wynajem\">court rental<\/a>. An hour of play will tell you more about a racket than any spec table, including the one above.<\/p>\n<p>If you're still wondering what the game is all about, start with our article <a href=\"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/en\/2026\/08\/12\/padel-co-to-jest-jak-zaczac\/\">on padel rules for beginners<\/a>. And when you're ready to step onto the court, <a href=\"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/en\/kontakt\/#rezerwacja\">leave us your number<\/a> - we'll fit you with gear on site.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When it's worth buying your own racket, which shape to choose to start with and why shoes matter more than gear. A practical buying guide for beginners.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":113,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[13,8,12,10],"class_list":["post-112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-poradnik-gracza","tag-buty","tag-dla-poczatkujacych","tag-rakieta-do-padla","tag-sprzet"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=112"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":201,"href":"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112\/revisions\/201"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alma-padel.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}