What to Wear for Padel: A First-Timer's Gear List

The padel outfit is mostly the tennis outfit. Athletic shorts or skirt, breathable shirt, court shoes, and you're done. The one thing that actually matters is the shoes — and on day one you can rent paddles and skate by with old running shoes, but the shoes you'll want to upgrade fastest.

Here's what to wear, what to avoid, and what's marketing.

What you need

Shoes: the only thing that matters

Padel-specific shoes have a herringbone outsole pattern designed to grip artificial turf with sand infill. They have lateral support that running shoes don't. They have toe reinforcement for the dragging you'll do.

For your first session, tennis court shoes are an acceptable substitute. They have most of the lateral support, even if the outsole is wrong for the surface. Running shoes will get you through one session if you're cautious. Don't sprint or cut hard.

For our full picks, see Best Padel Shoes 2026. Cheap honest answer for someone walking into their first session: borrow tennis shoes from a friend who plays.

Clothing: anything athletic

The padel uniform is loose athletic shorts and a polo or t-shirt. Women's options are athletic skirts with built-in shorts, or shorts and a tank top.

What works:

• Bottoms with pockets for an extra ball during your serve. Shorts with two pockets is the most useful padel-specific feature. Skirts often have side pockets that work fine too.
• A breathable top. Cotton is fine for one session; for regular play you'll want polyester or merino blends that don't get heavy with sweat.

What doesn't work:

• Long pants that catch on the mesh fence — happens more than you'd think, especially when you're lunging for a ball near the side wall.
• Tank tops with thin straps if your paddle bag has padded straps that will rub.
• White shorts/skirts on a dry day — the silica sand from the court surface gets on everything.

Socks

Athletic crew or quarter-length, not ankle socks. The lateral cuts will pull ankle socks down into your shoe, which is annoying and creates blisters. Get socks with cushion at the ball of the foot. $15 buys you a 6-pack of usable sport socks.

A sweatband (optional)

If you sweat heavily into your eyes, get a wristband and a headband. The midcourt back-and-forth in a long rally is when sweat into the eyes hurts you most. A simple terry-cloth wristband solves it. Don't overthink this — the $4 ones are fine.

What you don't need on day one

• A padel bag. Bring a regular gym bag. You'll want a real padel bag (a paddle, two ball cans, and shoes fit in a 30-liter padel-specific bag) but not for session one.
• Wristband sponsorship from a pro tour brand. It's a $4 piece of fabric.
• A collared polo. Some clubs require collars in social play; most don't. A regular athletic t-shirt is fine.
• Special padel socks. Tennis socks work identically. There is no "padel sock" innovation that matters.

What you actively shouldn't wear

Hard-soled shoes

Anything with a smooth, hard sole — leather sneakers, casual sneakers, boots, anything with a flat bottom — is dangerous on padel turf. The lack of grip will cause you to slide on lateral cuts in directions you didn't plan. The most common padel injury is a rolled ankle, and bad shoes are the cause about half the time.

Trail running shoes

The deep lugs catch on the artificial turf. You'll feel like you're stumbling. They also tear up the court surface, which is why some clubs ban them.

Jewelry on your paddle hand

Wedding rings, bracelets, anything on the wrist of your paddle arm. A ring will rub against the grip and create a blister within an hour. Bracelets will catch on the grip.

Loose hair (over a longer session)

If your hair is long enough to fall in your eyes during a rally, tie it back. Padel happens fast at the net; you can't be wiping hair off your face every third point.

Gear by season

Summer / hot indoor

Lightweight athletic shorts, technical short-sleeve shirt, athletic socks. Bring a small towel for between-game wipe-downs. Hydrate before, during, and after — padel is more cardio-intensive than it looks.

Winter / cold outdoor

Long athletic pants (joggers cut at the ankle so they don't catch on the mesh), a long-sleeve technical layer plus a vest, gloves are unnecessary unless it's below freezing. Avoid heavy hoodies — they restrict shoulder movement on overheads.

Indoor, climate-controlled (most US clubs)

Same as summer regardless of the time of year. Indoor courts are kept at 65–72°F.

What to bring in your bag

Five things, every session:

1. Paddle (rented or owned)
2. Two cans of balls (one fresh, one as backup) — a can lasts 4–6 sessions of recreational play
3. Water — at least 32 oz
4. Towel
5. A second shirt to change into after, especially in summer

Optional but useful: spare socks (your feet will be wet), a phone armband if you want to track your activity, and a few spare overgrips ($1–2 each, swap when the grip gets shiny). See Padel Overgrips Guide.

Style notes

Padel has its own aesthetic, mostly inherited from tennis with brighter colors. The pro tour leans toward neon — Bullpadel and Adidas have been pushing electric blues and oranges for years. Most amateur players go more conservative.

There's no dress code at recreational clubs. Wear what you find comfortable. The one social rule: if you're playing in a doubles ladder or a tournament, don't show up in old running gear. It signals you don't take the sport seriously, which can affect partner availability.