Padel equipment must be legal, safe, and consistent with fair play.

How to check equipment

1. Start with the competition notice, because events can specify the ball brand, number of balls, clothing rules, footwear requirements, and ball-change policy.
2. For the racket, check the overall size, thickness, hitting surface, holes, attached objects, and safety cord.
3. For the ball, confirm it is an approved padel ball for the event and has not become broken, lost, or obviously unsuitable for play.
4. For clothing and shoes, ask whether the item is safe, suitable for sport, allowed by the event, and appropriate for the court surface.
5. If the issue appears during a point, decide whether the point is already lost, must be replayed, or should be handled before the next point.

This page covers standard padel equipment rules

The core racket and ball standards come from the International Padel Federation rules and apply broadly to organized padel. Local clubs and competitions can add operational details, especially around dress codes, sponsor marks, shoe soles, approved ball lists, and match procedures.

That distinction matters. A recreational player usually needs a safe padel racket, a proper padel ball, and suitable shoes. A tournament player may also need to follow event-specific ball-change, clothing, identification, and equipment inspection rules.

A padel racket is solid and perforated

Padel is not played with a strung tennis racket. A legal padel racket has a head and handle, with a solid hitting surface perforated by holes. Both sides of the racket must be flat, although the surface may be smooth or rough.

The rules allow normal differences in racket brand, shape, balance, weight, grip size, and surface feel, provided the racket remains within the official design limits and does not create confusion, distraction, or an unfair device-based advantage.

The racket has maximum dimensions

The total length of the racket, measured as head plus handle, may not exceed 45.5 cm. The maximum width is 26 cm, and the maximum thickness is 38 mm. When officials control racket measurements, the rules allow a 2.5% tolerance in thickness.

The handle itself has limits too: maximum length 20 cm, maximum throat width 50 mm, and maximum thickness 50 mm. A racket does not become illegal simply because it is light, heavy, round, teardrop-shaped, diamond-shaped, or customised within those limits.

The holes have their own rules

The central hitting area is perforated by cylindrical holes measuring between 9 mm and 13 mm. Around the edge, in an area no more than 4 cm from the outside of the racket, the holes may be larger or differently shaped, but their length or width may not exceed 20 mm.

The practical idea is simple: the racket can have the normal perforated padel design, but it cannot be turned into a strange hitting surface that changes the nature of the game.

The safety cord is mandatory

A padel racket must have a non-elastic cord fixed to the handle, with a maximum length of 35 cm. The player must put the cord around the wrist as protection against accidents.

This is more than a recommendation. Under FIP rules, if a player breaks the safety cord or drops the racket during the point, that player's pair immediately loses the point in dispute. Throwing the racket at the ball is also a lost point. For the broader live-ball consequences, see padel faults and lost point rules.

Attached items must have a permitted purpose

Objects or devices attached to the racket are allowed only when they are specifically used to limit deterioration, reduce vibration, or distribute weight, and only when they are reasonable in size and position. Normal grip tape, protective tape, and balance adjustments can fit within that idea.

Attachments should not confuse or disturb other players. Reflective surfaces, sound elements, or devices that modify the normal development of the game can be disallowed. The racket also may not have a visible or audible device that communicates, warns, or gives instructions to the player during the game.

Official padel balls have defined specifications

Official competitions use balls approved by FIP for padel. The ball is a rubber sphere with a uniform exterior surface and a color that contrasts clearly with the playing surface. White and yellow are standard examples, but the current rule wording also allows another clearly contrasting color when approved.

The official size range is 6.35 cm to 6.77 cm in diameter, and the weight range is 56.0 g to 59.4 g. A new ball must bounce between 135 cm and 145 cm when dropped from 2.54 m onto a hard surface. Its internal pressure must be between 4.6 kg and 5.2 kg per 2.54 square cm.

High-altitude balls can be different

When play is above 1000 m above sea level, another type of ball may be used. In that situation, the specified bounce range is lower: more than 121.92 cm and less than 135 cm.

This is why a ball that feels normal at sea level may not behave the same way at altitude. Organized events should state the approved ball type rather than leaving players to guess from a casual comparison with tennis balls.

Competitions announce the ball-change policy

Event organizers should announce the brand and type of balls, whether two or three balls are used in the match, and the ball-change policy if there is one. Ball changes may be set after an established odd number of games or at the beginning of a set, depending on the competition's procedure.

If a ball is lost or damaged, it should be replaced as soon as possible with a ball of the same type. A broken ball during a rally can create a let, while a normal ball that simply feels slower from wear is usually handled under the event's ball-change policy rather than by replaying points.

Attire must be suitable, but details can vary

FIP rules require suitable sports clothing and footwear. Swimwear is not allowed in competition. Players may generally use the footwear, clothing, and rackets they want, provided the equipment is regulation and any event-specific requirements are met.

In practice, shoes matter for safety and court protection. A club or tournament may require non-marking soles or shoes suitable for artificial grass and sand-filled padel surfaces. A dress code, team uniform recommendation, or sponsor-mark rule should be treated as an event rule, not as a universal rule for every casual match.

Legal equipment can still cost the point

Even if a player's clothing, hat, watch, or accessory is legal to wear, the live ball touching that item can still decide the point. During play, the ball must be struck with the racket in a legal stroke. If the ball hits a player, their clothing, or equipment other than the racket in the proper contact, that player's pair normally loses the point.

The same logic applies near the net. A racket, clothing item, or carried object touching the net while the ball is live is normally a lost point. For related net-contact situations, see padel net rules and interference.

How officials enforce equipment rules

Officials usually act when an equipment issue is visible, raised through the proper procedure, affects safety, causes delay, or violates a clear regulation. They do not need to measure every recreational racket before every point, but they can require illegal or unsafe equipment to be corrected before play continues.

If the problem occurs during a point, the live-ball rule controls first. A dropped racket, broken safety cord, thrown racket, body contact, net touch, or broken ball is handled under the point rules. If the issue is unsuitable clothing, an illegal attachment, racket abuse, delay, or a conduct problem, the response can include correction, warning, point loss, disqualification, or another competition-specific sanction.

Misunderstandings to avoid

• "Any tennis ball is fine for padel" is wrong in organized play. Official padel balls must meet padel specifications and event approval.
• "The wrist cord is optional" is wrong. The cord is mandatory, and dropping the racket or breaking the cord during a point can lose the point.
• "A rough racket face is illegal" is too broad. Both sides must be flat, but the surface may be smooth or rough.
• "Smart technology is always allowed if it is attached to the racket" is wrong. Communication, warnings, or instructions to the player during the game are not allowed.
• "Clothing rules are identical everywhere" is wrong. The basic rule requires suitable sports clothing and footwear, while detailed dress codes usually come from the event or venue.

Practical rulings

• Player starts a point without putting the safety cord around the wrist: the equipment is not being used as required and should be corrected immediately.
• Player drops the racket during a live rally: under FIP rules, that player's pair loses the point.
• Ball splits during the point: the point is normally replayed as a let.
• Ball is lost after a long period of use: replace it with a used ball of similar wear if the event procedure calls for that approach.
• Club requires non-marking shoes: follow the venue rule even though detailed shoe-sole requirements are not the same in every competition.

Source material

• International Padel Federation documentation
• FIP Rules of Padel
• LTA padel rules and guidance