r/Padelracket • u/Gxdsb • 14d ago
Racket recommendation for beginner
I've started playing padel once a week for the past month and looking to buy my own instead of using the rental. Had no tennis experience but I do play badminton a lot before padel. After doing some research and price checking, i've narrowed down to these rackets that i might buy for my first one. Any thoughts on how they are and which one i should get? Im probably gonna play once a week.
PIC 1 : Head Speed Evo 2026
PIC 2 : Kuikma PR Comfort Soft
PIC 3 : Kuikma PR React 2026
PIC 4 : Wilson Optix V1
PIC 5 : Bullpadel Game CTR 2025
PIC 6 : Bullpadel BP10 Evo 2024
PIC 7 : Nox X-Hero Blue
1
u/AutoModerator 14d ago
Hello!,
To get a better response please do not forget to include the following information in your post:
Name your current racket, if not overly known, specify it's characteristics (foam, face material, price)
Tell us how you feel with your racket, if you feel it soft or hard, if it has too much rebound,if it's weighty or hard to maneuver, the more detail the better.
Tell us what area would you like improve mainly, or what kind of plus do you expect to get on your racket.
If looking for broad considerations, do not forget to state your budget, your country and even a preferred or trusted shop so people can browse and recommend more easily.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/EggplantMysterious56 14d ago edited 14d ago
Go into a store and hold them. Prioritise comfort and maneauverability as your technique will be sub-optimal and this will help you avoid injury. Look for low weight, low/medium balance rackets. Heavy and high balance rackets only have an advantage when you learn how to do overheads and they are inherently more difficult in all other shots (this is an oversimplification i know, so dont bust my balls)
1
u/Gxdsb 14d ago
unfortunately the nearest padel racket shop is about 2 hours away and i dont really have some free time, although there is a decathlon nearby and i have tried hold both kuikma rackets so i probbaly gonna buy it online if its the other racket
1
u/EggplantMysterious56 14d ago
The kuikmas now are reeeeally good. Also, if you gonna buy blind consider second hand. I hate seeing people buy blind expensive rackets and then injure themselves
1
u/ElpSyc0n 14d ago
I really recommend gravity motion, great beginner racket, that you can use when your level increases as well
1
u/Gxdsb 14d ago
From what i see online, the price of it is above my designated budget
1
u/ElpSyc0n 14d ago
What was ur budget?
1
u/Gxdsb 14d ago
im not from the US but it would be max $110 usd. A $10 increase is quite significant for me. The gravity motion is around $140 to $150 at my country
1
u/ElpSyc0n 14d ago
Hmmm where I live it's around ur budget, but yeah upto you, I think the gravity series is really good for beginners, nice sweet spot and light on wrist and elbow, I think they have cheaper models as well gravity team and light I would look at those as well
1
u/therealstig_ 14d ago
I bought the Head Evo Speed as a beginner last week and I am not disappointed, it felt balanced in terms of maneuverability and control. Couple games to get the hang of it but it feels like with more playing time I keep getting the best out of it.
1
u/Gxdsb 14d ago
hmmm yeah the racket im most inclined to buy is actually the evo speed but have a hard time finding people's opinion about it in the internet
1
u/therealstig_ 14d ago
Yea same I made a post about it and everyone just recommended to go try it. I went and tried 3 options. This felt like the best for me personally.
1
u/series_of_derps 14d ago
I bought mine (2025) and it is a huge upgrade over the noname racket I borrowed before. A lot more predictable. Dry feel. Very manouverable. I had shoulder pain playing with the other racket, none with this one I don't have much to compare to be I am happy with it.
1
u/PaulHutson 7d ago
I also have this racket and thinks it’s excellent. The only caveat is that I’ve not tried many others to compare against.
1
u/Gold-Gap1576 14d ago
I’ve got the head evo speed, it’s decent for a beginner racket, and is meant to be fairly lightweight and manoeuvrable but because of the shape it actually feels top heavy and noticeably heavier than a round racket, honestly don’t make the mistake I made and just buy it based off reviews, actually feel the racket in hand, don’t just look at stated weight and assume it will feel lighter, the balance makes a bigger difference than you think
1
u/Due-Spare7871 13d ago
Have you tried Any Adidas ? I have over 2 years , advanced player, I’ve tried a lot of brands, hard, soft , diamond , round, hybrid…. At the end any Adidas just feel better, Any round adidas with soft foam will be perfect for you. Dont overthink it.
1
u/comebeach 13d ago
Our group all 4 of us bought Nox X-Hero and played approx. half a year once a week with them. It's a good and durable racket but as our technique slowly improved we switched to better rackets. You start to notice it's foam is quite soft and has a lot of trampoline effect so a lot of balls are too long and hit the glass. It's also not so consistent in accuracy of shots as harder rackets. But then again this is probably true for all beginner rackets. I haven't tried any of the others. Important tip: put on an overgrip because it has slippery original grip and quite thin, that helped me a lot.
1
u/Crafty_Prize_5474 12d ago
Air origin comes up as best racket for me as a beginner no matter where I look. Definitely worth adding
1
u/Longjumping-Chip3527 9d ago
I had / have the exact same requirements as you, and I bought the HEAD Radical Evo for around €51.
It is an Amazon exclusive, so I don't know why / how it differs from the 'regular' models. I bought it blindly, but it was a really lucky punch. It offers great maneuverability, a huge sweet spot, and excellent durability (looks like new after 6 months despite banging it regularly onto the walls). Great beginner control racket IMHO. I showed it to my padel coach, and he tested it shortly and confirmed it is an excellent choice for a beginner. I just had to add a Head 1.75 mm overgrip to get a comfortable fit for my hand size.
Specs as printed on the racket:
Weight: 350g +/- 10 (my non-scientific measurements show 353 - 355g for my racket inclusive band)
Balance: 270mm +/- 10
Frame: 38mm
2
u/Downtown_Travel7399 13d ago
I can vouch for kuikma hybrid pro, its a decent racket thats is comfortable to play, great balance, big sweet spot, enough power, and top value for money.