What to Wear for Padel: Complete Guide for Beginners

Most beginners spend too long thinking about the racket and not enough time thinking about their shoes.

Padel is easy to start, but it is not played like a gym session, a road run or a casual knockabout in old trainers. The court is smaller than tennis, the surface is usually artificial turf, and the movement is lateral. You stop, turn, split-step, recover and move again.

What you wear should help you do that without getting in the way.

Footwear matters first

The most important item is footwear.

Running shoes are made to move forwards. Padel asks you to move sideways. That difference matters. On an artificial turf court, a running shoe can grip at the wrong time, roll under pressure, or feel unstable when you push out wide for a volley or recover from the glass.

Padel-specific shoes are the best choice. They are designed for lateral movement, short acceleration and grip on sanded or textured turf. Tennis shoes can also work, especially clay-court tennis shoes with a herringbone sole. They give enough grip without locking your foot to the surface.

For a first session, you do not need to buy specialist shoes immediately. But avoid soft running shoes if you can. Choose a court shoe with side support and a flatter sole. If you decide to play regularly, shoes should be the first piece of kit you upgrade.

What to wear on court

Padel clothing should allow easy movement through the shoulders, hips and legs.

For tops, choose a t-shirt, polo or vest that lets you serve, volley and reach overhead without pulling across the shoulders. Heavy cotton can work for casual indoor sessions, but technical or lighter fabrics are more comfortable when rallies get longer.

For shorts, skirts or leggings, the key is movement. You need to be able to lunge, turn and recover. Padel is not as physically brutal as squash, but it is more stop-start than many beginners expect.

Outdoor UK courts need layers. A light hoodie, sweatshirt or windbreaker is useful before and after play, especially for evening bookings. You warm up quickly once the match starts, but you can cool down fast between games or when waiting for a court.

Indoor clubs are simpler. A breathable top, shorts or leggings, and court shoes are enough.

What beginners overthink

Beginners often worry about looking like a padel player before they have played a point.

You do not need a complete outfit. You do not need wristbands, branded socks, a tournament bag or the same racket as a professional player. You need footwear that is safe, clothing that moves, and enough layers for the conditions.

The game will tell you what to upgrade. If your feet slide too much, start with shoes. If your shirt feels heavy after twenty minutes, choose a lighter top. If you are playing outdoors in winter, add a proper warm-up layer.

Most kit mistakes are practical, not stylistic.

What to bring beyond clothes

Bring water. Padel looks relaxed until you are twenty minutes into a long social match with no drink nearby.

Bring a small towel if you sweat heavily. Bring a spare top if you are playing indoors and heading somewhere afterwards. If you are hiring a racket, check whether balls are included. Many clubs sell balls, but it is better not to rely on it.

A cap can help on outdoor courts when the sun is low. It is less about style and more about seeing the lob early.

You may also want a simple bag for shoes, water, a spare layer and keys. Padel does not require much equipment, but carrying it loosely becomes annoying quickly.

The simple first-session checklist

For your first game, wear court shoes or stable trainers, a breathable top, shorts, leggings or a skirt you can move in, and a light layer for before and after. Bring water, balls if the club does not provide them, and a racket if you are not hiring one.

Do not make it complicated.

Padel is a club sport. The best kit is practical, comfortable and understated. It should help you play, then still feel right when you sit down afterwards and talk through the points you should have won.

For the full first-session guide, read our complete beginner’s guide to padel.