Padel racket quiz
How much do you know
about rackets?
Nine questions about shapes, balance, cores and materials. After every answer you see why. No tricks, no sign-up.
Which shape gives the biggest, most forgiving sweet spot?
A round head keeps the sweet spot low and in the middle of the face. That gives you the most margin when you hit off-centre.
What does a high (head-heavy) balance give you?
With more weight in the head the racket swings through harder, which helps overheads. The price: slower at the net and more strain on the arm.
How long can a padel racket be at most under the official rules?
The FIP rules allow at most 45.5 cm long, 26 cm wide and 38 mm thick.
Which core is usually kinder to your elbow?
A soft core absorbs more of the impact. Hard EVA gives more control and power at high speed, but passes more vibration to your arm.
What does the 12K in "12K carbon" mean?
The K stands for thousands of filaments per bundle in the weave. It says something about the weave, not directly about how hard or good the face is.
Compared with carbon, a fibreglass face usually feels...
Fibreglass flexes more. The ball comes off easier on slow shots and it is gentler on the arm, at the cost of some precision.
What is a rough (3D or sanded) face mainly for?
The texture grips the ball a little longer, which helps with spin on bandejas, viboras and serves.
What usually happens to a racket after hundreds of hours of play?
The foam in the core slowly loses its liveliness. That is a gradual process, not something you notice after a few months.
Who fits a diamond-shaped racket best?
A diamond puts the sweet spot high and the weight in the head. Great for smashes, unforgiving on everything else.