Black Crown Piton Junior Padel Racket

Retailers describe a round racket with a smooth surface, a fibreglass frame and a soft EVA core. That is the right recipe for a child: forgiving, light and cheap enough that a dropped racket is not a disaster. It is not a scaled-down version of the carbon Piton 14. There is no carbon, no textured face and no pretence of adult power.

For the very youngest, Royal Padel's 260 g junior is lighter still. Weight is the figure that matters most for a child. Listings say about 310 to 330 g, with one shop at exactly 310 g and another saying under 340 g. For comparison, the adult Piton is listed at 355 to 370 g.

One retailer says 7 to 12, a UK seller says up to 10 and a South African shop says up to 12. Thickness varies too, from 34 to 38 mm depending on who you read, and balance is called low, medium or head light. None of the sources gives an overall length.

Our advice is to choose by your child's strength and height and not by the printed age. A tall ten-year-old who plays regularly may prefer a heavier junior racket, such as the Babolat's Alioth junior racket, and a small seven-year-old may want something lighter still. The adidas Arrow Hit Junior and the heavier Drop Shot Axion Attack Junior are other options to compare.

Teenagers and tall, strong children who already hit a full-size racket well, though a small teenager may prefer the lighter Win Ultralight. A junior racket will feel toy-like to them, and the kids padel rackets page lists the next steps. If your child is ready for a light adult racket, the beginner padel rackets page is the place to start.

Fit a racket protector straight away, since children drop rackets and clatter the fence. A tacky overgrip from the padel grips range helps small hands, and softer padel balls are kinder to young players. Proper padel shoes matter on turf, and a padel bag keeps everything together.

Our guide to choosing a padel racket explains weight and balance, and the full padel racket range has adult options.