You need a racket and a ball to play padel. The LTA says exactly that on its get-started page, and most UK venues hire both, so your first session can cost as little as the £2-5 racket hire fee on top of your share of the court. Everything else is a question of when it earns its place.
This is the hub for the whole kit list, in the order you are likely to buy it. Each section links to the full guide for that category, so you can go deep only where you need to.
Quick answer and cost table
Prices below come from the ranges in our own category guides, checked against UK stockists at the time of writing. They move with sales and seasons, so treat them as a guide.
| Item | When to buy | Typical UK price |
|---|---|---|
| Racket hire | Sessions 1-5 | £2-5 per session |
| Padel balls (can of 3) | When you book your own court | £3-6 per can |
| First racket | After 5-6 sessions | £60-100 |
| Padel shoes | When you play weekly | £50-120 |
| Overgrips (pack of 3) | With your first racket | £5-8 |
| Bag or racket cover | When your kit outgrows a carrier bag | £10-80 |
| Clothing | Whenever your wardrobe needs it | Whatever you own |
The racket
The racket is the biggest single purchase, and the one most people get wrong by spending too much too soon. Below about £50 the foam tends to break down quickly, and above £100 you pay for firmer, more powerful features that you cannot use until your technique is consistent.
Shape, weight and core material decide how a racket plays. Round rackets are the most forgiving, which is why the LTA recommends them for beginners. Our first racket guide walks through the decision, and the pages on racket shape and racket weight explain each variable in plain English.
If you want a shortlist, see our picks for the best value racket, the best all-round racket and, further down the line, an upgrade racket. For individual model reviews, see the Babolat Air Viper, Babolat Counter Viper and Babolat Technical Viper. Brand pages cover Bullpadel, Babolat, HEAD, NOX and others. Anyone shopping on a budget should read the guides to second-hand rackets and racket sales first.
Be careful with anything sold as a “padel set”. Some listings are solid beach bats, which are not legal for court play. Our padel set guide shows how to tell them apart.
Balls
Most clubs sell cans at the desk, and splitting a can between four players makes the per-person cost small. The main choice is between premium balls such as the HEAD Padel Pro or Wilson Premier Padel, at roughly £5-6 a can, and cheaper options around £3-3.50 that go flat a session or two sooner.
The best padel balls guide compares the main options. If you wonder whether brand matters, we looked at that in padel balls and brand, and the differences from tennis are covered in padel ball vs tennis ball. Once balls lose pressure, pressure and storage explains what to do.
Shoes
Shoes are the item that protects you as well as helping your game. Padel courts use sand-filled artificial turf, and a flat trainer sole can slide where a herringbone pattern bites. Ankles take the strain when grip fails.
For your first couple of sessions, clean trainers are fine, as the LTA suggests. After that, a pair of padel shoes pays back quickly. Our padel shoes guide covers sole types and price tiers, and the best padel trainers page has current picks, including advice for wide feet. There are also dedicated pages for men’s and women’s shoes, plus brand guides for Bullpadel, Adidas, Babolat, HEAD and Decathlon.
Clothing
The LTA is clear that any sports kit works. Padel-specific clothing is a nice-to-have, and none of it changes how you play. Pockets in your shorts or skirt for a spare ball are the one practical feature worth looking for.
Our what to wear guide covers the basics. For specific items, there are pages on outfits, shorts, T-shirts, dresses, socks and hoodies.
Bag and accessories
A bag protects the racket from knocks and heat, and keeps shoes away from everything else. Many players start with a cover, then move up to a backpack when their kit grows. The bag guide lays out each type with prices, and do you need a padel bag is the shorter version. Covers are covered in racket covers and racket cases.
For the rest of the small stuff, padel accessories sorts items into essential, optional and skip. Two worth knowing about are elbow supports if you get arm pain, and gloves if your hand sweats badly.
Overgrips and small extras
The grip that comes on the racket wears out fast. A fresh overgrip changes how the handle feels more than most players expect, and a pack of three costs £5-8. Our overgrips guide compares tacky and dry types, and grip size helps you pick the right handle thickness.
Keep a spare in your bag and replace it when it turns glossy or damp. To keep the racket itself in good shape, see how to look after your racket and the notes on racket protectors.
What to skip
Several popular purchases can wait or be ignored altogether.
- Expensive power rackets: firmer, heavier models reward a level of technique most casual players have not reached yet.
- Boxed padel sets: quality varies widely, and some are beach bats.
- Gadgets and ball machines: nothing here improves your game in year one, and ball machines are a club or coaching tool. Sunglasses help on bright outdoor courts, but any pair will do.
- Premium pressurisers: a premium tube costs around £85, and the maths rarely works if you split cheaper balls between four players.
If you are buying for someone else, the gift guide lists safe choices.
Suggested spend by stage
Month one: hire a racket, share cans of balls and wear your own trainers. Your outlay is the hire fee, a few pounds for balls and the court split. Our cost breakdown shows what that looks like over a month.
Months two to three: buy a round racket in the £60-100 band, a pack of overgrips and a set of padel shoes if you are playing weekly. That brings you to roughly £120-200 in total.
After six months: consider a better bag, a second racket or an upgrade. By then you will know your style, which makes every purchase easier to judge.
If you are brand new to the game, start with how to start playing padel and your first padel session.