QuestionsGood to know
Is padel the same as pickleball?
No, they are different sports and the equipment is not interchangeable. Padel is played on an enclosed 20 by 10 metre court with glass walls that are in play, using a solid perforated racket and a depressurised tennis-type ball. Pickleball is played on a badminton-sized open court with a flat unperforated paddle and a rigid plastic ball with holes in it. A padel racket is too heavy for pickleball and a pickleball paddle cannot play a wall.
How long do the balls last in this climate?
Less time than you would like. Padel balls are pressurised and lose pressure from the moment the tube is opened, and heat accelerates it. A competitive pair will change balls after a couple of matches; socially they stay usable for longer but go progressively dead. Keep unopened tubes somewhere cool and out of the sun.
How do I know when a padel ball is finished?
When it stops coming off the glass with any life and the bounce feels dull. Padel balls are pressurised and lose pressure whether you play with them or not, so a tube opened three months ago is already soft even if the balls look new. Competitive pairs change them every couple of matches.
Can I use tennis balls instead?
Not properly. A padel ball is slightly smaller and noticeably less pressurised than a tennis ball, which is what makes the rallies and the wall play work. A tennis ball is too lively off the glass and the game becomes unrecognisable.
How should I store unopened tubes?
Somewhere cool and out of the sun. Heat raises the internal pressure and accelerates the slow loss through the rubber, so a tube left in a car or on a sunlit shelf ages far faster than one in a cupboard.
Does the heat here affect the racket?
Yes. The EVA or foam core of a padel racket softens as it warms, so the same racket plays livelier and softer on a hot Dar afternoon than it would in a European winter. That is not a fault. What does damage it is sustained extreme heat - never leave a racket in a parked car boot, where interior temperatures will permanently deform the core.
Round, teardrop or diamond - which padel racket shape?
Round rackets put the sweet spot low and central, near your hand: the most control, the most forgiveness, the least power. Diamond rackets put it high near the tip: maximum power on a smash, a small sweet spot, and unforgiving of a mishit. Teardrop sits between the two and is where most players should be. Start round or teardrop and move to diamond only when your contact point is reliable.
Do you deliver in Dar es Salaam?
Yes. We deliver across Dar es Salaam and send nationwide to Arusha, Moshi, Mwanza, Dodoma, Zanzibar and beyond by courier. Call or WhatsApp us if you need a same-day drop in the city.
Soft Padel Ball - 3pcs