A padel racket is a foam core sandwiched between two hitting faces. The face material decides how the ball feels at impact; the core decides how much it gives. Those two choices explain most of the price difference between a ₹5,000 racket and a ₹30,000 one.
The face: fibreglass or carbon
Fibreglass flexes more. The ball sinks in a little, comes off with less effort and off-centre hits feel softer. It is cheaper to make, which is why most rackets under ₹13,000 on our price lists have a fibreglass face. For beginners that is not a compromise; it is the right material.
Carbon is stiffer. It sends the ball where you aim with less bend, and rewards a fast, clean swing with more power. It also forgives less: a mistimed shot feels harsher and goes less far. Many mid-priced rackets mix the two, with carbon in some layers and fibreglass in others.
What 3K, 12K and 18K mean
The K stands for thousands of carbon filaments per bundle in the weave: 3K is 3,000 filaments, 12K is 12,000. It describes how the cloth is woven, not how good the racket is. Some brands market higher K as stiffer and more powerful, others claim the opposite. How a racket plays depends just as much on the resin, the number of layers and the core. Don't pay extra for a number alone.
The core: EVA or foam
EVA is a dense rubber foam. Hard EVA gives control and a solid feel but needs a fast swing to get the ball moving. Soft EVA and the lighter foam cores compress more on impact, so the ball comes off easier on slow shots and less vibration reaches your arm. Each brand gives its cores its own name, like Control Foam, Power Foam, X-EVA or MultiEva. Our racket pages list the name the manufacturer uses.
| Combination | Feels | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Fibreglass face, soft EVA or foam | Soft, forgiving, easy power on slow balls | Beginners and casual players |
| Carbon and fibreglass mix, medium EVA | Firmer, more precise, still manageable | Players with a year or two behind them |
| Full carbon, hard EVA | Stiff and direct, punishing when you mistime | Advanced players with a fast swing |
Rough or smooth face
Many rackets have a sandy or 3D-textured face to grip the ball for spin on slices and viboras. It helps once you hit those shots on purpose. For a beginner it changes little, and the texture wears off with use anyway.
Heat: an Indian problem
Foam and EVA get softer as they warm up, so the same racket plays livelier on a hot afternoon court than in an air-conditioned indoor club. That part is normal. A car parked in the sun in May is another matter: it gets far hotter than any court, and that is not what the core or the resin holding the face together is built for. We would never store a racket there. Take it inside, or keep it in a bag with a thermal compartment.