Series 1: Build Up Your Own Padel Brand — Part 6
Part 6 : Weight, Balance, and Swing Feel — Why 365g Can Feel Completely Different
On paper, many padel rackets look almost identical:
- 38 mm thickness
- 365 g weight
- Similar shape
But when you actually swing them on court, you immediately feel:
“This one feels heavy and tiring.”
“This one feels too light.”
“This one feels just right.”
How is that possible if they all say 365 g on the spec sheet?
In this article, I’ll break down:
- The difference between static weight, balance and swing feel
- Why two “365 g” rackets can feel totally different
- How to choose the right weight & balance for your target player as a brand
1. Static Weight vs Balance vs Swing Feel
First, we need to separate three concepts that often get mixed up:
- Static weight — what the scale shows (e.g. 365 g)
- Balance — where the mass is distributed along the racket
- Swing feel — how heavy or light it feels when you actually swing it
Two rackets can both be 365 g, but:
- One has more mass concentrated towards the head → feels sluggish, powerful, more demanding
- One has more mass towards the handle → feels quicker, easier to maneuver, less powerful but easier on the arm
What the player really experiences on court is swing feel, which is strongly influenced by balance (and technically by swing weight / moment of inertia), not just by static weight.
2. Why 365g Can Feel Heavy for One Player and Light for Another
Think about two players:
- Player A: 70 kg female
- Player B: 90 kg male
Both of them might use a 365 g racket — and both can absolutely play well with that number.
But if the balance is very head-heavy:
- After 15–20 minutes of fast rallies and overheads,
the 70 kg player may start to feel the racket is too demanding, especially on the shoulder and elbow. - The 90 kg player with more strength might be totally fine and enjoy the extra smash power.
It’s not only about gender or body weight — it’s about:
- Strength level
- Technique
- Frequency of play
- Existing arm/shoulder issues
The same spec on paper can land in very different places relative to each player’s personal “limit”.
3. The “Threshold Point” — Where Power Is Highest (and When It Starts to Hurt)
Here’s a simple way I like to explain it to players and brands.
For each player, there is a personal threshold point of weight & balance.
- Below that point → the racket feels easy to swing, but you might be “leaving some power on the table”.
- At that point → the racket feels almost at your limit, but still under control. This is often where your smash power is maximized, without destroying your arm.
- Above that point → the racket starts to feel like a hammer:
- Your swing slows down
- Timing becomes inconsistent
- The arm, shoulder and wrist take too much load
- You get tired very quickly
In other words:
- Heavier or more head-heavy is not always better.
- The goal is to find the heaviest / most head-biased setup you can still fully control over a full match.
For any racket sport — padel, tennis, pickleball, beach tennis — choosing suitable weight and balance is critical.
My recommendation:
Choose a setup that is right at your controllable limit, not beyond it.
That’s where you usually get the best combination of power and consistency.
Once you go beyond your own limit:
- You might gain some “theoretical” power, but in reality you’ll swing slower, mishit more, and fatigue much faster — especially in the second hour of play.
4. From the Field: How This Shows Up in Real Projects
In my times working on-site with padel racket factories and following more than 15 new racket development cases, I see this pattern again and again:
- A brand insists on very aggressive specs (heavy and head-heavy) because they want “power”.
- On court, their real target players (club-level, not pros) get tired, lose control, or feel discomfort.
We then adjust:
- Slightly lower weight
- Slightly more neutral balance
- Or keep the static weight but improve maneuverability by changing balance
…and suddenly the feedback changes to:
“Now I can use it for a full match and don’t feel sour on my arm.”
5. How Brands Should Think About Weight & Balance
When you’re designing your own padel line, think in terms of who will actually play with each model.
Very rough guidelines (you can refine per market):
Entry / lower intermediate players
- Weight: ~355–365 g
- Balance: even or slightly head-light
- Goal: easy to swing, forgiving, protect the arm
Strong intermediate / advanced club players
- Weight: ~360–370 g (depending on physical strength)
- Balance: even to slightly head-heavy
- Goal: mix of control and finishing power
Aggressive advanced / tournament players
- Weight: 365 g and above
- Balance: more head-heavy, but only if the player has the technique and strength
- Goal: maximum power, and the player accepts higher physical demand
These are not hard rules, but they give you a starting point.
The key is: don’t design only for the first 5 minutes of hitting the ball — design for two full sets, including when players are already a bit tired.
6. Communicating Weight & Balance in Your OEM Brief
Linking back to Part 5 (how to brief your OEM factory), here’s how you can talk about weight & balance in a way that helps your factory and respects real swing feel:
Instead of:
“We want 365 g, good power and control.”
Try something like:
“Target weight: 360–365 g including endcap, without plastic.
Balance: even to slightly head-heavy.
The racket should feel powerful on smashes but not tiring after 2 hours of play for a 70–85 kg strong intermediate player. Comfort and maneuverability are still important.”
You’re not just giving a number — you’re giving context:
- Who is the player?
- What do they weigh (roughly)?
- How long do they usually play?
- What do you prioritize if there is a trade-off?
That’s what turns “365 g” from a random spec into a designed experience.
✍️ By SHIH-NUNG (Snow Hsu)
OEM padel racket developer & bilingual project manager at Greenbird Sport
— Supporting brands and clubs with custom padel racket development in China.
If you’re building a Padel brand or evaluating OEM/ODM partners,
Greenbird Sport works with clubs, startups, and brands to develop custom padel rackets with reliable partner factories in China.
For project discussions or OEM inquiries,
📩 snow@greenbirdsport.com
⚡ Coming Next
Next in the series:
“Surface, Spin, and Feel — Varnish, Sand, and 3D Texture Myths.”
→ I’ll talk about how different surface finishes really affect spin, feel, and durability — and what’s marketing vs what actually matters.
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