Acquire a shovel of padel is never easy. There are hundreds of them on the market. We will try to help you make this pala an extension of your arm; a formidable weapon.

Buy a pala from padel always gets easier. There are physical stores, pro-shops of your clubs and online stores. Discover our partner shops HERE.

In a few seconds you can acquire a pala ranging from a few tens of euros to several hundred euros. But does the price really reflect the quality of the pala for your game?

If we focus on the best known and “oldest” brands on the market, we will see that there are several styles of palas. Palas with hard and soft gum, palas in different formats etc. Why ? For two reasons. The first because all the players have different choices and different desires. Then, because it's a business, and you have to appeal to everyone and to all budgets.

So we are not going to talk about money but rather about palas in themselves so that you can, when it comes time to make your next purchase, make the right choice.

The form

This is the very first thing you need to think about. What game do you like and especially what game do you play? If you are a pure attacker, aggressive, looking to put an end to the point in two strokes, the diamond palas are for you. If, on the contrary, you prefer to play precise, place the ball, make the point long, opt for a round pala instead. Finally, there is the compromise between the two, the pala in the shape of a drop of water. Today we are starting to find palas with new shapes, but these three are the most used.

The tires

The rubber or foam present inside the pala will bring more to your game. We talk about Eva or Foam, but in the end it doesn't matter. What is most important when buying a pala is whether the gum is hard or soft. A hard foam will give you power during big impacts, but little ball output during slow play. On the other hand, a soft rubber will allow you to strike the ball effortlessly for slow play and will offer you comfort, but which at the time of big hits, it will absorb a little more force and you will therefore have less impact. .

The feeling

We come there. After having chosen the shape and the eraser, the time has come to take charge of the beast. Some are based primarily on aesthetics. The pala could be the best in the world for them, if the aesthetics don't go… they give up.

But we will say that this is not our case. Pala in hand, we enter the track. From the first keystrokes you should feel at ease. Forehands, backhands and volleys are the most used moves, so if you enjoy making these moves, keep the pala, otherwise change without dragging.

Time

This is the last step and certainly the most important. Tell yourself that you are not a Fernando Belasteguin who had a pala made according to his wishes. Also tell yourself that you will not be able (unless a stroke of luck) to find the perfect pala that adapts 100% to your game and your physique.

Fernando Belasteguin public view WPT Valladolid Master 2021

So take the time to get to know your pala. Don't get stuck in the idea that your previous pala was better. Today's palas all have something to offer you. You just have to take the time to discover them. Tell yourself that a pala is the extension of your arm, and that if you want the best from your equipment, you will have to “let it work”. To discover all these new facets, focus on your work which is the placement, preparation and reading of the ball. Once ready, let the pala do the rest and you will see that it has a lot to offer you. But it comes with time, practice, experience.

Our little tip

You may have noticed that there are palas at all prices. The cheapest palas are often less demanding and are more suited to beginner players. They allow the ball to be returned without forcing, and widely accept off-center impacts.

The more we go upmarket, the more demanding the palas will be. Extreme hardness, a striking surface with high-tech materials, a sweet-spot placed more or less high and more or less small, so many criteria that influence the game. So it is certainly interesting and rewarding to play with a pala. top-of-the-range, but above all, it must make you shine on the track.

Take the time to make your next purchase. Ask for advice, educate yourself, give yourself a budget, and if possible, test.

Julien Bondia

Julien Bondia is a teacher of padel in Tenerife (Spain). Columnist and advisor, he helps you play better through his tutorials and tactical/technical articles padel.

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