What to Wear Playing Padel: The Complete UK Beginner’s Guide (2026)
Last updated: May 2026 | Reading time: 6 minutes
One of the most common questions before a first padel session is simply — what do I wear? The good news is you don’t need specialist clothing to get started. But there are a couple of gear choices, particularly footwear, that genuinely affect how you play and how safe you are on court. This guide covers everything from shoes to clothing, what to avoid, and what’s worth investing in when you’re ready.
The Most Important Thing: Shoes
If there’s one thing worth getting right before anything else, it’s your footwear. This isn’t just about performance — it’s about safety.
Padel is played on artificial turf, and the movements involved — quick lateral steps, sudden changes of direction, short sprints — put real demands on your grip. The wrong shoes can cause you to slip, and ankle injuries from sliding on padel courts are common among beginners wearing the wrong footwear.
What to wear: Padel-specific shoes or clay court tennis shoes. Both have herringbone or small-dot patterned soles designed for grip on artificial turf and sand-dressed surfaces. They allow you to slide slightly when needed while still giving you control.
What not to wear:
- Regular trainers or running shoes — the soles are designed for straight-line movement and will feel unstable on court
- Hard court tennis shoes — the flat soles don’t grip artificial turf properly
- Grass court tennis shoes — wrong surface entirely
- Football boots or any shoe with studs — not allowed on padel courts and will damage the surface
Most UK clubs will turn you away or ask you to change if you arrive in the wrong footwear. Don’t risk it.
Recommended padel shoes for beginners:
Adidas Defiant Speed — around £75–£90. One of the most popular all-round padel and clay court shoes. Lightweight, good grip, comfortable for long sessions.
Head Sprint Pro — around £80–£100. Excellent lateral support, great for beginners who are still developing their movement patterns.
Wilson Rush Pro — around £65–£85. Strong value option, reliable grip, good durability for regular play.
Budget option: If you already own clay court tennis shoes, these will work fine for padel. No need to buy new shoes until you’re playing regularly.
Clothing: What to Wear on Court
The good news — padel clothing is just comfortable sports clothing. There’s no dress code at most UK clubs beyond basic sportswear.
For men:
- Lightweight sports shorts or tracksuit bottoms
- Moisture-wicking t-shirt or polo shirt
- Compression shorts underneath are popular for comfort during lateral movements
For women:
- Sports skirt, shorts, or leggings — all work well
- Moisture-wicking top or sports shirt
- Many female players wear padel-specific skirts with built-in shorts, similar to tennis
Layering for UK weather: This is worth thinking about. Most UK padel is played indoors, but even indoor courts can be cold in winter. A lightweight zip-up or thin sports jacket you can remove once you’re warmed up is worth keeping in your bag.
For outdoor courts in autumn and winter, a thermal base layer under your top makes a real difference.
Do You Need Padel-Specific Clothing?
No — at least not when you’re starting out. Standard sports clothing from any retailer works perfectly well.
As you play more, you might find padel-specific clothing more comfortable — it’s designed for the movements of the game and tends to be lighter and more flexible. But there’s no reason to spend money on branded padel clothing until you know you’re going to stick with it.
Brands like Adidas, Bullpadel, Nox, and Head all produce padel-specific clothing ranges if you want to go down that route later.
Accessories Worth Having
Padel bag: Once you own a racket you’ll want something to carry it in. A basic padel bag or racket cover protects your racket from knocks and, importantly, from temperature extremes — leaving a padel racket in a cold car overnight can affect the foam core. A decent beginner bag costs £20–£40.
Grip tape / overgrip: Padel rackets come with a factory grip, but many players add an overgrip for extra comfort and sweat absorption. A pack of three overgrips costs around £5–8 and makes a noticeable difference during longer sessions. Easy to apply yourself.
Wristband: Optional but useful if you sweat heavily. Keeps your hands drier and your grip more secure.
Sunglasses: For outdoor courts only — padel-specific sports sunglasses with wrap-around frames are worth it if you play outside regularly. Standard sunglasses can slip or fall off during play.
Water bottle: Obvious but worth mentioning — padel is more physically demanding than it looks. Bring water.
What to Bring to Your First Session
If you’re heading to a club for the first time and hiring a racket:
- Clay court tennis shoes or padel shoes (essential)
- Comfortable sports clothing
- Water bottle
- Small towel
- Hair tie if relevant
That’s genuinely all you need. Most clubs provide rackets and balls for hire. Don’t spend money on anything else until you’ve had a few sessions and decided you want to keep playing.
Building Your Kit Over Time
Once you’re playing regularly, here’s a sensible order of priority for what to buy:
- Shoes — buy these first, before anything else
- Racket — once you’ve had 3–5 sessions and know you want to continue (see our best beginner rackets guide)
- Bag — to carry and protect the racket
- Overgrips — cheap, make a noticeable difference
- Clothing — last priority, regular sports kit works fine
Quick Summary
| Item | Essential? | Budget Option | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Padel/clay shoes | Yes — before anything | Clay tennis shoes you own | Adidas Defiant Speed |
| Sports clothing | Yes | Any sportswear | Any moisture-wicking kit |
| Racket | Not for first sessions | Hire from club | See racket guide |
| Bag | Once you own a racket | Basic racket cover | Bullpadel beginner bag |
| Overgrip | No but recommended | Any brand 3-pack | Wilson Pro Overgrip |
| Water bottle | Yes | Any bottle | Any insulated bottle |
Getting ready to play? Check out our guides on best padel rackets for beginners UK 2026, padel rules explained, and how much does padel cost in the UK.