Padel Racket Maintenance: Avoid These Mistakes to Protect It

We are sure you have made more than one of the following mistakes with your padel racket, which causes it to lose performance and thus shortens its lifespan.

There are small details that you have likely seen more than one person repeat both on and off the court, which causes their racket to lose its potential and its maintenance to be incorrect.

What not to do with the racket

Beware of sudden temperature changes

A racket is made of sensitive materials like rubber, whether EVA or FOAM, and carbon or glass fibers on the faces, which react significantly to thermal variations. Heat expands these materials, while cold contracts them, creating internal stress that can cause irreversible damage.

Risk situations:

• Leaving it in the car trunk, especially on sunny days, where the internal temperature can be very high.
• Exposing it directly to the sun for long periods on the court, causing overheating.
• Taking it from a warm environment to a cold one suddenly, like going from the hot outdoors to a car with strong air conditioning.
• Transporting it in an airplane hold, exposed to extreme temperature and pressure changes.

Consequences:

• Loss of elasticity and bounce in the rubber.
• Permanent softening or hardening of the core.
• Separation of internal layers (delamination), cracks, or breaks.

Solutions:

Using racket bags with a thermal pocket (the silver inner lining) helps insulate it and maintain a more stable temperature. Avoid leaving it in places with extreme temperatures.

Protect your racket from humidity

Humidity is another factor that can severely affect your racket. When water penetrates its core, the racket loses bounce capacity and becomes heavy.

Risk situations:

• Playing in rain or drizzle.
• Using wet or damp balls during play.
• Accidents that directly soak the racket.

Consequences:

• Increased weight and loss of bounce.
• Irreversible deterioration of the internal core.
• Feeling of a “dead” racket with inadequate response.

Solutions:

It is important to try to avoid playing in heavy rain if you want to preserve your main racket. If you play in humid conditions, it is essential to dry the racket very well afterward (with a towel and letting it air out of the bag), but without applying direct heat (like radiators or hairdryers at high temperature, which would lead to the first problem we mentioned). Some players have an “old” racket for these days, which is a very good solution to avoid damaging our racket while still taking advantage of the opportunity to play on that day.

The wet cord also affects

The safety cord accumulates sweat and moisture, which may seem harmless, but could cause problems in the handle if not dried properly.

Risk situations:

Finishing playing, especially if you have sweated a lot, and putting the racket directly in the bag without drying or airing the cord.

Consequences:

The moisture from the cord transfers to the overgrip/grip and can remain in the closed environment of the racket bag. This can generate bad odors, mold on the grip, and, in the long term, the moisture could affect the internal structure of the handle or even seep into the core through the base.

Solutions:

When storing the racket, leave the cord hanging outside the racket bag to air dry. Another option is to use rackets with interchangeable cords (as shown with models from Nox) and wash or change them periodically.

Avoid unnecessary hits

Your racket is designed to withstand only impacts with the ball. Hitting it against hard surfaces can severely damage it.

Risk situations:

• Frustration: Hitting your thigh, hand, or even head with the racket after missing a point.
• Picking Up Balls: Using the racket to hit the ball against the ground or net to pick it up.
• Collisions: Hitting the racket against the glass, fence, ground, or net post (although sometimes unavoidable in play).
• Celebration: Hitting the racket with your partner’s (“high five” with rackets).

Consequences:

These hits can cause anything from paint chips and small nicks to cracks, fractures, or the total and immediate breakage of the frame or faces. Even hits that seem mild can weaken the structure and cause the racket to break later with a normal hit.

Solutions:

• Stay calm and control your emotions on the court.
• Always pick up balls with your hand or a ball tube.
• Celebrate by shaking hands and avoid hitting rackets.

Rotate the hitting face to prolong its lifespan

Always using the same face for powerful shots (forehand, smash, víbora, etc.) creates uneven wear, accelerating deterioration.

Risk situations:

Many players, due to the way they grip (sometimes influenced by the grip/overgrip) or simply out of habit, tend to unconsciously hit most of their strong shots with a specific face, while the other face is used more for control shots or the backhand (which are usually less powerful or frequent).

Consequences:

The face that constantly receives the strongest impacts suffers much greater wear. It loses its properties sooner, can soften, develop “dead zones,” or even crack, while the other face remains almost new. This unbalances the racket and shortens its overall lifespan, as it will fail on one side even if the other is fine. Manu suggests that looking at the racket from the side can reveal if it is “bulging” (delaminated), which could be a consequence of this uneven stress (perhaps combined with temperature issues).

Solutions:

Try to be aware of this and occasionally rotate the racket while playing or holding it, so that the impacts are more evenly distributed between both faces. Don’t obsess over one face being for the forehand and the other for the backhand.

How to protect your padel racket

Besides avoiding the most common mistakes that wear out your racket, there are specific actions that make the difference between a racket that lasts a season and one that accompanies you for years. Here are the best tips for its maintenance:

Always store your racket in a thermal racket bag

Not all racket bags are the same. Choose one with a thermal compartment (recognizable by its silver inner lining), as it regulates the internal temperature and protects your racket from impacts, sun rays, and sudden climate changes. Especially useful if you tend to leave your backpack in the car or train outdoors.

Change grips and overgrips regularly

The handle undergoes constant wear from sweat, friction, and bacteria buildup. If the grip is slippery, torn, or has lost adhesion, it’s time to renew it. A good grip not only improves your performance but also prevents wrist and elbow injuries. Extra tip: if you sweat a lot, always carry a spare overgrip in your backpack. Here is a guide on when to change the overgrip in padel.

Use a frame protector from day one

Just like we do when we get a new smartphone by putting on a tempered glass, we recommend doing the same with your racket if keeping it in good condition is most important to you. A simple hit against the glass can cause a crack in your racket’s structure. Adhesive protectors prevent these direct damages, absorb part of the impact, and extend the life of the frame. They are lightweight, cheap, and easy to apply. Many players ignore them… until it’s too late. It’s true that it can change the balance of the racket and make it a bit more head-heavy, here is a guide on what balance is in a padel racket and how to measure it.

Check your racket frequently.

Periodically check the racket in detail. Look for cracks, soft spots, layer separation, or changes in feel. Detecting these signs in time can prevent a major break or help you decide when to change it before it affects your game.

Are you interested in the topic of padel racket repairs? Don’t miss the video by the great Manu Martín where he dissects this topic like no one else:

By following these detailed tips, you’ll keep your racket in very good condition much longer than you imagine, enjoying every game to the fullest and ensuring consistent and lasting performance. Remember that your padel racket is an investment that reflects your style and technique in the game. Taking care of it properly not only optimizes your performance but also allows you to fully enjoy each match without worries, avoid injuries, etc.