Babolat Balancer 3*3 Tape

Racket weight and balance decide how a frame swings, and a small change can be felt. Three grams is not much, which is the point: the strips let you nudge a racket you already like rather than rebuild it. Put the weight towards the head and, according to one retailer, the racket gains power. Put it at 3 and 9 o'clock and Decathlon says it reduces twisting on off-centre hits.

Those are the retailers' claims, and neither is a lab result. Treat them as a reason to experiment with one strip, not as a guarantee. Adding 9 g to a racket that already sits at the top of its listed weight range is a bigger change than it sounds, so start small and play a session before adding more.

Ipon Tennis describes the tape as a tool for tennis and padel players, and padel retailers sell the 3x3 pack, so it is used on padel frames. Check the frame first. Padel frames are shaped differently and many carry a protector or a bumper, so you need a clear, clean stretch of carbon to stick to. Our racket protector range explains what sits on the frame, and the padel racket range lists the weights you would be starting from.

If you are not sure whether you need more weight at all, our guide to choosing a padel racket explains weight and balance. A head-heavy diamond such as the Babolat Viper Juan Lebron 3.1 is already at the top of its weight range, so adding tape there needs thought.

Anyone whose racket already feels right. Tape is for a player who knows what they want from the balance (for protection rather than weight, see the Super Tape frame guard), not a fix for a racket that is the wrong shape. If it is the grip that bothers you, a fresh wrap from the padel grips page is a simpler job, and a tacky Babolat VS overgrip is the usual choice. The full padel accessories range has the other small kit.