Padel Racquets
Quick Answer
A padel racquet is the same thing as a padel racket: a solid, stringless, perforated frame, much shorter than a tennis racquet and usually 350 to 375 g. Tennis players switching over should start with a teardrop or round frame and a compact swing, not the stiffest diamond they can find. Prices start at $69.
- Biggest change from tennis: no strings, a short handle and a shorter, firmer-wristed swing.
- Best crossover shape: teardrop for all-round players, round for players who rely on touch.
- Familiar brand: Babolat makes both, with padel frames from $239 to $259 in this guide.
Key Takeaways
- Racquet or racket, same frame: the spelling changes, the padel frame does not.
- Your tennis swing is too big: padel rewards short preparation and a firm wrist.
- Heavier than it looks: a padel racquet is shorter than a tennis frame but can feel heavy in the head.
- Do not buy the power frame first: strong tennis players still volley long in their first month.
- The walls are new: balls you would chase in tennis come back off the glass.
Quick Links
- From tennis racquet to padel racquet
- A first month with ex-tennis players
- Babolat padel racquets compared
- How tennis players should choose
- Where to buy
- FAQ
From Tennis Racquet to Padel Racquet: What Changes
If you spell it "racquet", you probably came from tennis, like most of my adult students in the US. The spelling does not matter: a padel racquet and a padel racket are the same frame. What matters is how different it is from the tennis racquet in your bag.
No strings, much shorter. A solid carbon or fibreglass face over a foam or EVA core, drilled with holes. The ball comes off lower and slower.
A different weight. Many padel frames weigh 350 to 375 g, more than a lot of modern tennis frames unstrung. A high-balance diamond can feel heavy by the end of a session.
A different swing. Compact strokes, lots of slice, firm volleys and a controlled overhead called the bandeja. The padel racket weight guide explains why a lighter frame helps while you relearn the swing.
A First Month With Ex-Tennis Players
I run a four-week block for tennis converts. The notes barely change.
Week one. Every forehand flies into the back glass. The swing is built for a 23.77 metre court and a strung racquet. With half a backswing, balls start landing.
Week two. The walls. They rush the ball before it hits the glass. We practise turning and letting it come off the wall.
Week three. The overhead. A flat tennis smash from the wrong place bounces back off the glass for an easy return. We learn the bandeja instead.
Week four. Racquet choice. Students on stiff diamonds are still framing volleys. Students on teardrops like the Babolat Technical Veron 2.5 2025 ($239) have settled. That is why I tell tennis players not to buy a power frame first.
Babolat Padel Racquets Compared
Babolat is the brand most tennis players already know: Viper for power, Veron for all-round play, Counter for round control, Air for lighter builds. Specs are as published, with a NOX AT10 Attack for reference.
| Model | Shape | Weight | Balance | Core | Face | Player level | Price at Padelnox |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babolat Technical Veron 2.5 2025 | Diamond | 355 - 375 g | High | EVA, soft | Carbon Flex (carbon fiber and fiberglass) | Amateur | $239 |
| Babolat Air Viper 2.5 2025 | Teardrop | 345 - 365 g | Medium | X-EVA multilayered densities, medium | 16K carbon fiber | Competition | $259 |
| Babolat Counter Viper 2.5 2025 | Round | 355 - 375 g | High | X-EVA multilayered densities, medium | 3K carbon fiber | Competition | $259 |
| Babolat Technical Viper 2.5 2025 | Diamond | 355 - 375 g | High | X-EVA multilayered densities, medium | 12K carbon fiber | Competition | $249 |
| NOX AT10 Luxury Genius Attack 12K Alum Xtrem 2026 | Diamond | 360 - 375 g | - | HR3 Black EVA | Carbon Fiber 12K Alum Xtrem | Professional | $329 |
As a rough guide from my lessons: players who love the Babolat Pure Drive ($199) in tennis tend to enjoy the Viper once their volleys are reliable, and players who rely on touch settle faster on the Babolat Counter Viper 2.5 2025 ($259), which is round. The Babolat Air Viper 2.5 2025 ($259) is the light teardrop at 345 to 365 g, and the Babolat Technical Viper 2.5 2025 ($249) is the stiffer diamond to graduate to. My Babolat Viper vs Veron comparison goes into more detail, and the Babolat padel guide covers the whole range.
How Tennis Players Should Choose a Padel Racquet
- Ignore your tennis rating. In racquet terms you start as a beginner or improver.
- Choose teardrop or round. Diamond frames can wait until your volleys and bandeja are consistent.
- Stay between 355 and 365 g at first. A lighter frame helps you shorten the swing.
- Pick a medium core. Very soft feels mushy to tennis players; very hard punishes mistimed shots.
- Build the grip. Padel handles are thinner than tennis grips, so add overgrips.
- Protect the frame. Fit a protector before you play near the glass, and carry it in a cover such as the Babolat Padel Racket Cover ($29.99).
Where to Buy
Every padel racquet here is genuine brand stock, never replicas, from a US-based store with 221 frames and bags in stock. Browse all padel rackets, the Babolat padel and Babolat Veron ranges, or the tennis rackets if you are keeping both games going. Every order is inspected before dispatch and ships tracked, free over $99 and $9.95 flat under that. Unused items can be returned within 30 days, and every racket over $150 ships with a free overgrip 3-pack and frame protector. See the shipping and returns page and the automatic offers. New to the sport? Read what padel is and my overview of padel rackets in the USA. I am Tomás Reyes, and questions go to helppadelnox@outlook.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it spelled padel racquet or padel racket?
Both spellings are used, and both are correct. "Racket" is more common in padel, while "racquet" is the traditional spelling many tennis players use. Either way, the word describes the same solid, stringless, perforated frame, usually weighing 350 to 375 g. You will also hear padel paddle in the US and "pala" in Spain.
Can I use my tennis racquet to play padel?
No. A tennis racquet is strung, much longer and designed for a different ball, court and swing, and padel rules require a padel racquet. Even if a club allowed it, the long frame would hit the walls and your partner. Borrow a demo padel racquet for your first sessions, then buy a teardrop or round frame once you know you enjoy the game.
Which padel racquet is best for tennis players?
A teardrop frame between 355 and 365 g with a medium core suits most tennis converts. It gives enough power for a player used to hitting hard, while forgiving the timing errors that come from a long tennis swing. Round frames suit touch players. Leave stiff diamond frames until your volleys and bandeja are consistent, usually after a few months of regular play.