when purchasing or evaluating a new padel racket surface’s stiffness is relevant aspect. At first, it may seem insignificant, however, it’s worthwhile to consider racket stiffness and to gain an understanding of how it impacts performance.
Depending on the level of flexibility when pressure is applied to the racket, we find two main types of stiffness in padel:
- Soft rackets
These types of rackets are also known as defensive rackets, as the ball bounces off more due to a higher bending of the materials of the racket. Therefore, it will be easier to deflect aggressive strikes only by placing the racket on the ball’s way.
Another benefit of softer rackets is the decrease of vibration, as the racket absorbs most of the energy from the impact with the ball, making it smoother and more comfortable.
They are mostly preferred for amateur players as they are also easier to control.
- Hard rackets
They are also known as attacking rackets. Harder rackets will be more difficult to control. They give the player more power when striking the ball, but as we know, this will result in a lack of control.
However, if you are an experienced player and most of your game is based on volleys and you like to play up close to the net, you should go for harder rackets.
Another benefit of hard rackets is that they tend to last longer than softer options.