Padel gear we recommend

Round head - 365 g - EVA (medium) core - even balance

Who it's for: Your first paddle, if you want to spend as little as is sensible.

Round head means the sweet spot sits in the middle of the face, which is what forgives the mishits every new player makes. It is the cheapest paddle here that still comes from a real racquet brand rather than a generic import, and it lands at the bottom of the $80-150 band our buying guide recommends.

Round head - 365 g - EVA core - head-light balance

Who it's for: A first paddle you will not outgrow at the end of your first season.

Same forgiving round head as the Dunlop, but the head-light balance makes it quicker to swing and puts less strain on the elbow -- worth the extra $40 if you expect to play weekly. If you already have a season behind you and want more power, the teardrop Head Vibe 2025 (about $130) is the natural step across.

3-ball pressurised can - padel specification

Who it's for: Everyone. Buy two cans.

Padel balls are a little smaller and lower-pressure than tennis balls, so tennis balls bounce too high off the glass and ruin the rallies. This is the ball most Ontario clubs put out for league play, so practising with it means no adjustment on match day.

Padel-specific outsole - lateral support - men's Movea, women's Sensa

Who it's for: Anyone playing more than once a week, especially indoors.

Padel is played on sand-dressed artificial turf, and running shoes simply slide on it. A padel outsole grips the sand and lets you plant for the sideways push-off the sport is built on -- which is also the movement that rolls ankles in the wrong shoe.

Duffel - fits two paddles plus shoes and kit

Who it's for: Anyone who has started leaving a paddle in the car.

Two paddles, a pair of shoes and a can of balls, and it still fits in a locker. A paddle carried loose in a backpack gets its face scuffed against everything else in there, and a scuffed face loses grip on the ball long before the paddle is actually worn out.