If you have been following our columns for a while, you probably know Stéphane Penso, our official tester. The one who recently offered us his ultimate guide to choosing a racket padel”, explains his journey with snowshoes padel.

“The mistake of buying a heavy, head-heavy and stiff racket”

After several years of practice, I managed to perfectly adjust my preferences and find the ideal racket that suits my style of play and my technique.

Early on, I made the mistake of purchasing a heavy, top-heavy, extremely stiff racquet, which triggered tendinitis and limited me for several months. Subsequently, I opted for a round fiberglass racket. I played with it for about six months, but quickly felt its limitations in terms of power.

I then chose to go back to a diamond format with a stiff core, as I switched from right to left. Although the head balance no longer bothered me – on the contrary, it allowed me to make more powerful shots – I still couldn't play with a racket with a hard rubber and an intolerant sweet-spot.

Find the right combination

So I adjusted my expectations and identified the combination that was best suited to my current needs: a teardrop racquet with an intermediate hardness rubber. I used these features for some time.

This is why at the start of 2023, I opted for a rigid core in order to improve my overall level. This choice proved to be fruitful, as I noticed that my playing is now even more powerful and precise. Thanks to the opportunity to try different rackets each season and my technical progression as well as the growing confidence in my shots, I have noticed that it is now with hard foams that I express myself best , because over the years of playing I have acquired the skills necessary to exploit this rigidity optimally.

Today, my ideal preference for a racquet would be as follows: a round shape, lacquered and smooth faces, a stiff core, a head weight, an extended handle and a padded wrist strap.

Xan is a fan of padel. But also rugby! And his posts are just as punchy. Physical trainer of several padel, he unearths atypical posts or deals with topical subjects. It also gives you some tips to develop your physique for the padel. Clearly, he imposes his offensive style as on the field of padel !

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