# Lightweight padel racket, the lightest models and what weight changes

> The lightest padel rackets by real catalogue weight, from 280 g, plus what 340 to 375 g actually means for speed, power and your arm. Eight honest picks.

Source: https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/lightweight-padel-racket
Last updated: 2026-09-29

A lightweight padel racket weighs 345 g or less at the bottom of its range. Most rackets start between 350 and 369 g. The lightest in our 1,418-racket catalogue is the Black Crown Win Ultralight 2025 at 280 to 300 g. For most adults, the better light buy sits at 340 g with a low or medium balance.

By [Ruzgar Yesil](https://padelaiapp.com/about), Padel AI. Updated 29 September 2026.

- Lightest: 280 to 300 g
- Typical: 350 to 369 g
- Light: 345 g or less
- Balance matters as much

## Find a lighter racket that still fits your game

We have set the problem to "too heavy". Answer the other questions and the finder ranks the lighter rackets that suit your level and side.

Try the free racket finder: [seven questions, every racket scored](https://padelaiapp.com/features/padel-racket-finder#finder).

## Eight light padel rackets, chosen on weight and balance

Weights are the catalogue ranges; brands quote a range because rackets vary out of the mould. Prices are euro RRP, and UK street prices are usually lower.

### Best lightweight overall: Babolat Counter Vertuo 2026

340 to 360 g, round, medium-soft Black EVA core, fibreglass face, medium balance, around €180. Rated 8.3 with a 9.1 sweet spot. Light without feeling flimsy.

*Round*

### Lightest in the catalogue: Black Crown Win Ultralight 2025

280 to 300 g, which is 50 g under the typical racket. Teardrop, Soft feel, low balance, around €160. Rated 7.1 and power 5.4: a comfort racket, not a weapon.

*Teardrop*

### Lightest on a budget: Adidas RX Series Light 2026

310 to 330 g, teardrop, medium-soft EVA Soft Performance core, fibreglass face, around €120. Rated 7.1. The cheapest way under 330 g from a major brand.

*Teardrop*

### Quickest at the net: Head Radical Team Light 2026

A fixed 340 g with a low balance, Control FOAM core and a fibreglass face, around €149. Manoeuvrability is rated 9.4. Head lists it as a women's model; it suits anyone.

*Teardrop*

### Best premium light racket: Siux Valkiria Pro 2026

340 to 360 g, teardrop, medium feel, soft EVA under a 24K carbon face, around €349. Rated 8.6 with a 9.1 sweet spot, the top rating of any 2024 or later racket that can start at 340 g.

*Teardrop*

### Light and attacking: Babolat Air Vertuo 2026

The lightest current diamond here, 335 to 355 g, with a medium-high balance, medium-soft core and fibreglass face, around €180. Power 7.5, manoeuvrability 9.1.

*Diamond*

### Light carbon for improvers: Adidas Adipower Carbon Light 3.4 2025

345 to 360 g, round, low balance, 3K carbon face, control 8.9 and manoeuvrability 9.5, around €270. The core is medium-hard, so it is crisper than the others.

*Round*

### Light and gentle on the arm: Oxdog Pure Court Light 2025

A fixed 345 g, round, a true Soft feel, low balance, around €149. Manoeuvrability 9.3. For players who want a light racket because the arm, not the wrist, gets tired.

*Round*

## The eight picks compared on specs

Specs and ratings come from the catalogue. Read weight and balance together: the second number decides how light the racket feels.

| Model | Shape | Weight | Balance | Core | Surface | Price band | Level |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Babolat Counter Vertuo 2026](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/babolat/counter-vertuo-2026) | Round | 340 to 360 g | Medium | Black EVA (medium-soft) | Fibreglass | Mid €180 | Beginner to intermediate |
| [Black Crown Win Ultralight 2025](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/black-crown/win-ultralight-2025) | Teardrop | 280 to 300 g | Low | Black EVA SSB (soft) | Ultralight Fiber | Mid €160 | Intermediate |
| [Adidas RX Series Light 2026](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/adidas/rx-series-light-2026) | Teardrop | 310 to 330 g | Medium | EVA Soft Performance | Fibreglass | Mid €120 | Intermediate |
| [Head Radical Team Light 2026](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/head/radical-team-light-2026) | Teardrop | 340 g | Low | Control FOAM | Fibreglass | Mid €149 | Intermediate |
| [Siux Valkiria Pro 2026](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/siux/valkiria-pro-2026) Sofía Araújo | Teardrop | 340 to 360 g | Medium | Soft EVA | 24K carbon | Pro €349 | Intermediate |
| [Babolat Air Vertuo 2026](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/babolat/air-vertuo-2026) | Diamond | 335 to 355 g | Medium to high | Black EVA (medium-soft) | Fibreglass | Mid €180 | Advanced |
| [Adidas Adipower Carbon Light 3.4 2025](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/adidas/adipower-carbon-light-3-4-2025) | Round | 345 to 360 g | Low | EVA Soft Performance | 3K carbon | Premium €270 | Intermediate to advanced |
| [Oxdog Pure Court Light 2025](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/oxdog/pure-court-light-2025) | Round | 345 g | Low | Soft EVA | Composite fiber | Mid €149 | Beginner to intermediate |

Weight is the manufacturer's stated range. Balance is where the mass sits: low means towards the handle, high means towards the head. Price band is the recommended retail price in euros (entry under 120, mid 120 to 200, premium 200 to 300, pro over 300); UK street prices are usually lower. Level is our reading of the shape, balance and core, not a rule.

## How much a padel racket weighs, in four bands

Counted over the 1,401 catalogue rackets that list a weight, by the bottom of each range. Ratings are catalogue averages out of 10.

| Weight band | Rackets | Avg power | Avg control | Avg manoeuvrability |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under 345 g | 64 | 6.5 | 7.2 | 8.0 |
| 345 to 354 g | 448 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 8.1 |
| 355 to 364 g | 691 | 7.7 | 8.1 | 8.0 |
| 365 g and over | 198 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 8.2 |

## What padel racket weight really changes

### How much does a padel racket weigh?

Most padel rackets weigh between 345 and 375 g. In our catalogue, 1,401 of the 1,418 rackets list a weight, and the bottom of the range is 355 g for the median racket. 637 rackets start between 350 and 359 g and 556 start between 360 and 369 g. Only 28 start below 340 g, and 45 start at 370 g or more. The heaviest quoted figure is 390 g.

Brands quote a range, such as 350 to 365 g, because the foam core and the resin vary from one racket to the next. Two rackets of the same model can differ by 15 g. If weight is the reason you are buying, ask the shop to put yours on a scale.

### What counts as a light padel racket

We call a racket light when its range starts at 345 g or less. That is 162 rackets, about the lightest 12% of the catalogue. Under 340 g you are in a small group of ultralight and junior frames, where the choice is thin and the ratings fall. Standard adult rackets sit at 350 to 364 g, and anything that starts at 365 g or more is heavy by padel standards. Most rackets built for the professional tour, like the Head Extreme Pro 2026 at a fixed 370 g, live there.

### Weight and balance are two different numbers

The table above has one surprise. The average manoeuvrability rating hardly moves with weight: 8.0 for rackets under 345 g and 8.2 for rackets of 365 g and more. Lighter does not make a racket quicker on its own. What makes it quick is where the weight sits.

Balance is the distance of the centre of mass from the handle. A **low** balance keeps the mass near your hand, so the head moves fast at the net and your wrist does less work. A **high** balance puts the mass in the head, which adds power on the smash and feels heavier than the scale says. A 360 g racket with a low balance can feel lighter than a 345 g diamond with a high one. That is why the Head Radical Team Light 2026, at 340 g with a low balance, has a manoeuvrability rating of 9.4, while several 345 g diamonds sit at 8.0.

### What you give up with a lighter racket

Mass is what drives the ball. Rackets that start under 345 g average 6.5 for power, against 8.1 for the heaviest band. A light racket also has less mass to hold its line against a hard ball, so a fast smash or a heavy volley pushes it back. Control drops too: 7.2 on average under 345 g against 8.6 over 365 g. Part of that gap is the kind of racket that tends to be light: cheap fibreglass frames and junior models, not pro carbon. Still, the pattern is clear. A lightweight padel racket buys speed and comfort and gives away some punch.

### Who should buy a lightweight padel racket

Players whose arm tires before the match ends. Players who spend most of their points at the net and need the racket head back up fast. Juniors and smaller adults. Players coming back from a shoulder or elbow problem, who should also read our guide to the [best padel racket for tennis elbow](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/best-padel-racket-for-tennis-elbow). Many women choose a light racket too, though the right weight depends on strength and swing, not on gender. Our [women's padel racket](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/womens-padel-racket) guide covers that in detail.

Players who should not go light: a strong left-side player who finishes points overhead. In a right-handed pair the left-side player hits most of the smashes, and a 330 g racket will not put the ball over the fence. That player wants the [best padel racket for power](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/best-padel-racket-for-power), and can find a lighter one there too.

### Can you make a racket lighter or heavier?

You cannot take weight out of a racket. You can add it: lead or tungsten tape on the frame raises the weight and moves the balance, and each overgrip adds a little at the handle, which lowers the balance. If a racket feels head-heavy, one extra overgrip is the cheapest fix. If a racket feels too light and unstable, a strip of tape at three and nine o'clock adds stability without making the head heavy.

### Finding the right weight for you

Hold the racket at your side for a minute, then play ten volleys and ten bandejas with it. If your wrist bends back on the bandeja, it is too head-heavy for you now. Our [AI padel racket finder](https://padelaiapp.com/features/padel-racket-finder) scores every racket in the catalogue from seven answers. The version in the app starts from a filmed match: [padel video analysis](https://padelaiapp.com/features/padel-video-analysis) measures your real technique scores, so the shortlist uses how you actually swing, not how you think you swing. Beginners who want a light racket should also read the [best padel racket for beginners](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/best-padel-racket-for-beginners), and the [Head](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/head) and [Babolat](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/babolat) brand pages list every light model they make.

## Every current racket that can start at 340 g

Rackets from the 2024 season onwards whose weight range starts at 340 g or less, highest rated first.

| Model | Shape | Weight | Balance | Core | Surface | Price band | Level |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Siux Valkiria Pro 2026](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/siux/valkiria-pro-2026) Sofía Araújo | Teardrop | 340 to 360 g | Medium | Soft EVA | 24K carbon | Pro €349 | Intermediate |
| [Siux Valkiria Elite 2 2026](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/siux/valkiria-elite-2-2026) | Teardrop | 340 to 360 g | Medium | Soft EVA | 3K carbon | Premium €269 | Intermediate |
| [Babolat Counter Vertuo 2026](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/babolat/counter-vertuo-2026) | Round | 340 to 360 g | Medium | Black EVA (medium-soft) | Fibreglass | Mid €180 | Beginner to intermediate |
| Head Gravity Team Light 2024 | Round | 340 g | Low to medium | Control FOAM | Fibreglass | Mid €160 | Beginner to intermediate |
| [Head Radical Team Light 2026](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/head/radical-team-light-2026) | Teardrop | 340 g | Low | Control FOAM | Fibreglass | Mid €149 | Intermediate |
| [Babolat Air Vertuo 2026](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/babolat/air-vertuo-2026) | Diamond | 335 to 355 g | Medium to high | Black EVA (medium-soft) | Fibreglass | Mid €180 | Advanced |
| [Adidas RX Series Light 2026](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/adidas/rx-series-light-2026) | Teardrop | 310 to 330 g | Medium | EVA Soft Performance | Fibreglass | Mid €120 | Intermediate |
| [Black Crown Win Ultralight 2025](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/black-crown/win-ultralight-2025) | Teardrop | 280 to 300 g | Low | Black EVA SSB (soft) | Ultralight Fiber | Mid €160 | Intermediate |
| [Siux Astra Hybrid Air 2026](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/siux/astra-hybrid-air-2026) | Teardrop | 340 to 360 g | Low to medium | EVA (medium-soft) | Fibreglass | Mid €149 | Intermediate |
| [Star Vie Nyra 2026](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/star-vie/nyra-2026) | Round | 340 to 355 g | Low | S-EVA Flex (soft) | X Glass Tech | Mid €150 | Beginner to intermediate |
| [Siux Beat Hybrid 3 Air 2026](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/siux/beat-hybrid-3-air-2026) | Teardrop | 340 to 360 g | Medium | EVA (medium-soft) | Fibreglass | Entry €99 | Intermediate |
| [Drop Shot Kibo 5.0](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/drop-shot/kibo-5-0) | Round | 330 to 350 g | Low | EVA Soft | Fibreglass | Entry €79 | Beginner to intermediate |

Weight is the manufacturer's stated range. Balance is where the mass sits: low means towards the handle, high means towards the head. Price band is the recommended retail price in euros (entry under 120, mid 120 to 200, premium 200 to 300, pro over 300); UK street prices are usually lower. Level is our reading of the shape, balance and core, not a rule.

## Signs your racket is too heavy for you

### Your volleys arrive late

If a fast ball at the net beats your racket, the head is too slow. A lighter racket or a lower balance brings it up in time.

### Your forearm aches after an hour

The forearm muscles hold the racket head up between shots. A heavy head keeps them working all match. Stop and rest if it hurts; see a physio if the pain stays.

### Your bandeja drops into the net

When the wrist cannot hold a head-heavy racket above the head, the bandeja loses height. Watch your wrist on video: if it bends back, the racket is too heavy for you.

### You play well for one set, then fade

Fatigue shows first in timing. If your level drops in the second set every week, 15 g less or a lower balance can hold it up.

## Questions about light padel rackets

### What is the lightest padel racket?

In our 1,418-racket catalogue, the Black Crown Win Ultralight 2025 at 280 to 300 g. The next lightest current adult model is the Adidas RX Series Light 2026 at 310 to 330 g. Below that, only junior rackets go lighter.

### How much does a padel racket weigh?

Most weigh 345 to 375 g. The median racket in our catalogue starts at 355 g, and 1,193 of 1,401 rackets that list a weight start between 350 and 369 g.

### Is a lighter padel racket better?

It is quicker to move and easier on the arm, but it hits with less power: rackets under 345 g average 6.5 for power against 8.1 for rackets from 365 g. Balance also matters. A low balance feels light even on a heavier racket.

### What weight padel racket should I buy?

Most adult club players do well at 350 to 365 g. Choose 345 g or less if your arm tires, if you play mostly at the net or if you are recovering from an injury. Choose 365 g or more only for a strong, attacking game.

### Are light padel rackets only for women?

No. Weight suits strength, swing and fitness, not gender. Several light rackets are sold as women's models, like the Head Radical Team Light 2026, but anyone can play them, and many women play standard unisex rackets.

### Does a light racket help tennis elbow?

It can help, together with a soft core and a low balance, because the arm does less work. It is not a treatment. If your elbow hurts, see a physio before you buy anything.

## More racket guides worth reading

- [Best padel racket for tennis elbow](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/best-padel-racket-for-tennis-elbow): Soft, round, low-balance rackets that send less shock up a sore arm, and what to avoid.
- [Women's padel racket](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/womens-padel-racket): What a women's model really changes, eight picks, and when a unisex racket is the better buy.
- [Best padel racket for beginners](https://padelaiapp.com/rackets/best-padel-racket-for-beginners): Seven round, soft, low-balance rackets that forgive a first season, all under €200.
- [Padel racket finder](https://padelaiapp.com/features/padel-racket-finder): Seven questions, 1,400+ rackets, matched to how you actually play.