Babolat Premura 3 Lebron Padel Shoes (Men)

Babolat's page calls it the third generation of the Premura, developed with Juan Lebron, and lists the parts. The outsole is a full padel sole with 360-degree flex grooves, redesigned with Michelin. The upper is Matryx Micro, a woven technical fabric, with lateral reinforcement around the forefoot. The moulded insole is Ortholite Hybrid Plus Bio, and Babolat says 57 per cent of it is recycled material.

The headline claim is 7 per cent more support than the previous generation, from Babolat's own Human Fab testing. That is a brand figure, not an independent one, and Babolat does not say what was measured. Treat it as the maker's belief that this shoe holds the foot better than the Premura 2, which is plausible for a revised upper and nothing more.

Weight is where the sources split. Babolat Canada lists 335 g. Tennis Warehouse Europe gives 365 g for a US size 10.5 and Tennis Warehouse's US site 12.9 oz for the same size, about 366 g. Babolat's UK page gives none. Two of the three agree, but we cannot say which is right, and the gap may come from a size or measuring difference.

On fit, Babolat calls it standard, and retailer descriptions run to slightly narrow with medium arch support and little need to break them in. If your feet are wide, that is a warning. Sizes run in half steps from UK 6 to 12.5, and some are shown as out of stock at times, so check before you fall for a colour.

The Jet Premura 2 Lebron is the shoe it replaces. It does not publish a drop or a support figure, so a like-for-like comparison is impossible, but the Premura 3 is the one with a Babolat sheet behind it. If you want more cushioning and a sturdier build over light weight, the Movea 2 is the one to look at, and the Jet Viva is the cheaper entry shoe, with K-Swiss's Court Express 2 Clay as another, and K-Swiss's K-Frame as the sturdier alternative.

Younger players in the family have the Jet Premura 2 Junior, which is the same line in kids' sizes. Our padel shoes for men page puts the other brands alongside, and Babolat's slimmer-lasted Jet Ritma is the women's shoe from the same family.

Players with wide feet, and anyone who wants a very cushioned shoe for several hours of play a week. A snug, light shoe gives you quick feet and less padding, and that trade is not for everybody.

Juan Lebron's racket is the Viper Juan Lebron 3.1, and the padel racket range has others if you want something less demanding. Fresh balls help every racket, such as the Babolat Court balls, and our padel balls page explains how fast pressure fades.

A padel bag with a shoe compartment keeps sand away from the rest of your kit, the padel grips page covers overgrips, and our guide to choosing a padel racket helps if the racket is next on the list.