This guide contains affiliate links. If you purchase through our links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we believe in.
Padel rackets do not vary much in weight. Every racket we have rated sits between 340g and 375g, and the difference between the lightest and heaviest is about the weight of a tennis ball. That small range matters more than it sounds: a racket at 340g comes round faster at the net and tires your arm less over a two-hour session, and a racket at 375g carries more mass into the smash and holds steadier against hard-hit balls.
This page lists the six lightest rackets we have scored, from 340g up to 365g. Four are under 360g, which is light for padel. The other two sit at 360–365g and are here because they are the lightest options we rate that add a carbon frame or let you adjust the weight later. Every weight, price and score below is the one the racket already has in our other guides; we have not re-weighed anything.
⚡ Quick Picks
Lightweight Padel Rackets Compared
| Racket | Weight | Shape | Face | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babolat Contact | 340g | Round | Fiberglass | 7.0/10 | $89.95 |
| Adidas Metalbone 3.4 | 345–372g | Diamond | 16K Aluminized Carbon | 7.0/10 | $304.50 |
| Wilson Optix V1 | 355–360g | Round | Fiberglass Weave | 7.7/10 | $109.00 |
| HEAD Extreme Evo | 355–365g | Round (511cm²) | FG/Carbon Hybrid | 7.3/10 | $99.95 |
| NOX Pro Cup USPA Edition | 360–365g | Round | FG 3K Silver | 7.3/10 | $119.00 |
| Adidas Adipower | 360–365g (adjustable) | Round | FG 3K | 7.0/10 | $129.00 |
Weights are the manufacturer ranges we quote in each review. Prices are the Amazon prices at the time of our reviews and can change.
Who should play a lighter racket
New players. A light round racket is easier to get into position and more forgiving when contact is off-centre. The Wilson Optix V1 ($109.00) and Babolat Contact ($89.95) are the two we recommend most.
Anyone with a sore arm. Less weight means less load on the elbow and shoulder on every swing, and the three lightest rackets here also have soft fiberglass faces. Our tennis elbow guide ranks them in detail.
Smaller players and many women. The Babolat Contact is the first pick in our women's racket guide for exactly this reason: at 340g it is the lightest frame we recommend.
Advanced players who want speed at the net. The Adidas Metalbone 3.4 ($304.50) is the only racket in our advanced guide that can be set up at 345g, and you can add the weight back for match days.
The trade-off is stability. A 340g racket can feel twitchy against a hard-hit ball, and none of the round rackets here scores above 6/10 for power; the Metalbone 3.4 is the exception, and it costs $304.50. If you already drive the ball hard and want the racket to add pace, you are better served by our power rackets guide, which ranks frames for the smash rather than for swing weight. Weight is also only half the feel: a head-heavy 360g diamond swings heavier than a 365g round racket with a low balance point. Our racket shapes guide explains why.
The 6 Best Lightweight Padel Rackets in 2026
Babolat Contact
$89.95Best for: Complete beginners, smaller players and anyone who finds other rackets slow to bring round
At 340g this is the lightest racket we have rated, and at $89.95 it is also the least expensive one we recommend. The round shape puts a big sweet spot in the middle of the face, the hybrid carbon and fiberglass frame adds durability without adding weight, and Babolat's Dynamic Stability System uses tungsten reinforcement in the neck to reduce twisting on off-centre hits. The low weight is the trade-off as well as the selling point: against hard-hit balls it can feel less stable than the heavier frames below, and power is 4/10. It is the first pick in our women's guide and the second in our tennis elbow guide. Read our full Babolat Contact review.
✓ Lightest frame we rate at 340g, 9/10 comfort, the cheapest racket on this page
✗ Can lack stability on hard returns, and 4/10 power is a ceiling you will reach
Adidas Metalbone 3.4
$304.50Best for: Advanced attackers who want a 345g racket on practice days and a 372g one in matches
The only racket on this page built for advanced players, and it earns its place through Adidas's Weight and Balance system. Up to 12g of removable inserts seat inside the frame: with them out you are swinging a 345g diamond that moves quickly at the net, and fully loaded you are at 372g with real mass behind the smash. Same frame, different balance. The 16K aluminized carbon face and EVA Soft Performance core keep it firmer than the name suggests, 7/10 control is strong for a diamond, and 8/10 power is the highest of anything here by a wide margin. It is a pick in our advanced guide. Read our full Adidas Metalbone 3.4 review.
✓ Tunable from 345g to 372g, 8/10 power, the most balanced diamond we have tested
✗ $304.50, a diamond shape that punishes off-centre contact, and 6/10 comfort
Wilson Optix V1
$109.00Best for: Anyone who wants the most comfortable, most forgiving racket for about $110
The highest-scoring racket on this page at 7.7/10, and it is not the most expensive one. The Optix V1 is fiberglass through and through, face and frame, which makes it the softest, most forgiving frame we have reviewed: 10/10 for comfort and 9/10 for control. Wilson's Sharp Hole Technology changes the drilling pattern to give the ball a little extra bite for spin. At 355–360g it is 15 to 20 grams heavier than the Contact, and that extra mass is part of why it feels steadier. The cost of all that softness is a 4/10 for power: once you start driving the ball hard you will feel the ceiling. It is the first pick in our tennis elbow guide and our budget guide. Read our full Wilson Optix V1 review.
✓ 10/10 comfort and 9/10 control, the highest overall score of any light racket we rate
✗ 4/10 power; a player who already hits hard will outgrow it
HEAD Extreme Evo
$99.95Best for: Players who want arm protection and the largest sweet spot here for under $100
Five cents under $100 and the best all-round spec sheet in that bracket. The oversized 511cm² head gives the largest sweet spot of any racket on this page, and Innegra in the frame takes a meaningful amount of shock and vibration out of each hit, which is worth having if you play several times a week. The Power Foam core recovers its shape quickly, so the feel stays consistent, and the fiberglass and carbon hybrid face gives it one more point of power than the Optix. At 355–365g the top of its range is a touch heavier than the two rackets above, and that weight is what makes it steadier at the net. It is the third pick in our tennis elbow guide. Read our full HEAD Extreme Evo review.
✓ Largest sweet spot here, Innegra vibration damping, 9/10 comfort for $99.95
✗ Up to 365g at the top of its range, so not the pick if the lowest weight is the goal
NOX Pro Cup USPA Edition
$119.00Best for: Players who want a light racket that still adds some pace to the ball
The official racket of the NOX USPA Circuit, and with the Adipower one of only two round rackets on this page that we rate at 6/10 for power. NOX's HR3 core gives a consistent bounce across the face, the FG 3K Silver surface keeps the forgiveness of fiberglass, and the carbon frame adds the stability you start to want as your shots get harder. That carbon frame is also why it sits at 360–365g rather than 340: it is the lightest carbon-framed racket we rate, not the lightest racket outright. If you know you like to hit through the ball, it is the better buy over the Contact or Optix. It is a pick in our NOX guide, beginner guide and budget guide.
✓ Carbon frame and 6/10 power at $119, with 8/10 control and comfort
✗ At 360–365g it is light only by comparison with carbon rackets, not with the Contact
Adidas Adipower
$129.00Best for: Players who want one racket they can re-weight as they improve
The case for the Adipower on a lightweight page is that you may not need to replace it. Adidas's Multiweight system uses removable inserts, so you can start lighter while you are learning and add weight for more power as your technique develops, the same idea as the Metalbone 3.4 above for a fraction of the price. The EVA Soft Performance core and FG 3K fiberglass face keep it forgiving, and Spin Blade and Smart Holes Curve add spin potential. It scores a point lower for control than the NOX Pro Cup at $10 more, which is why it sits last here. One buying note: the Amazon listing has multiple variants, so select the $129 fiberglass base model, not the carbon upgrade. It is the fourth pick in our women's guide.
✓ Multiweight inserts let you add or remove weight as you improve
✗ With the weights in it is toward the heavy end; 7/10 control is the lowest here
Quick Comparison
| Category | Pick | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightest Padel Racket | Babolat Contact | 340g | $89.95 |
| Best Lightweight Racket for Beginners | Wilson Optix V1 | 355–360g | $109.00 |
| Best Lightweight Racket for Advanced Players | Adidas Metalbone 3.4 | 345–372g | $304.50 |
| Biggest Sweet Spot Under $100 | HEAD Extreme Evo | 355–365g | $99.95 |
| Lightest With a Carbon Frame | NOX Pro Cup USPA Edition | 360–365g | $119.00 |
| Adjustable Weight Under $150 | Adidas Adipower | 360–365g | $129.00 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best lightweight padel racket in 2026?
The Babolat Contact at $89.95 is the lightest racket we have rated, at 340g, and it scores 9/10 for comfort with 8/10 for control. If you want the highest overall score in a light frame, the Wilson Optix V1 at $109.00 weighs 355 to 360g and scores 7.7/10, the best of any racket on this page.
What counts as a lightweight padel racket?
The rackets we have rated weigh between 340g and 375g. Anything at 360g or under is light for padel, and most advanced frames play best at 365 to 375g. Four of the six rackets here are under 360g. The two at 360 to 365g are included because they are the lightest options we rate with a carbon frame or with adjustable weight.
What is the best lightweight padel racket for beginners?
The Wilson Optix V1 at $109.00. It is fiberglass in both the face and the frame, weighs 355 to 360g, and scores 10/10 for comfort and 9/10 for control. If budget matters more, the Babolat Contact at $89.95 is lighter still at 340g. Both are round rackets with a large, centred sweet spot.
What is the best lightweight padel racket for women?
Our women's guide ranks the Babolat Contact first because it is the lightest frame we recommend at 340g and scores 9/10 for comfort. The Wilson Optix V1, HEAD Extreme Evo and Adidas Adipower are the other three picks in that guide, and all four appear on this page.
What is the best lightweight padel racket for advanced players?
The Adidas Metalbone 3.4 at $304.50. Its Weight and Balance system uses up to 12g of removable inserts, so with the inserts out you swing a 345g diamond racket that scores 8/10 for power. No other racket in our advanced guide can be set up that light.
Is there a lightweight padel racket for intermediate players?
Not a dedicated one among the rackets we have rated. The picks in our intermediate guide run heavier: the NOX ML10 Pro Cup Rough Surface, our first intermediate pick, is 360 to 375g, and the Wilson Blade Elite V2 is 360g. The closest options are the NOX Pro Cup USPA Edition at 360 to 365g, which adds a carbon frame and 6/10 power, and the Adidas Adipower, which lets you add weight as you improve.
Is a lighter padel racket better for tennis elbow?
Weight is one factor and the softness of the face and core is the other. The three lightest rackets here, the Wilson Optix V1, Babolat Contact and HEAD Extreme Evo, are also the first three picks in our tennis elbow guide because they combine a light frame with a soft fiberglass face and a high comfort score. That guide covers the trade-offs in more detail.