Head One Ultralight Padel Racket (White)

HEAD's other adult rackets in our range run from 340 to 375 g, and a 40 to 75 g difference is very noticeable in the hand. The One Ultralight comes round quickly at the net, doesn't tire the forearm over two hours, and lets players who are not especially strong swing properly instead of pushing the ball. Padel Addict, which tested the black version, found good ball output at low speeds and a very wide sweet spot.

The cost shows up when you hit hard. In Padel Addict's words, the racket absorbs some force on fast swings, so a full smash carries less than it would with a heavier frame. HEAD rates the balance as high, putting what weight there is towards the head to help on overheads, and the sheet Tennis Warehouse Europe lists gives 265 mm; Padel Addict quotes 27 cm. Either way, it's light at the top too.

Every racket in HEAD's One line replaces the usual grid of holes with a single hole, and on the Ultralight it's 9 mm across, in the lower centre of the face. Fewer holes mean fewer places for the face to crack between them, which Padel Addict notes makes the frame more resistant to breakage. They also mean less bite on the ball, so spin is reduced.

The sandy, rough surface helps a little with that, but Padel Addict found it the more effective type at first and also the more sensitive to wear. Expect it to smooth out with use. Compared with the Extreme One, the review found the Ultralight's carbon softer and less stiff, and the head rounder.

If 300 g sounds too far, HEAD's next step up is 340 g: the round Gravity Team Light and the Radical Team Light, both round, both on fibreglass faces. The Speed One at 345 g is the single-hole teardrop for a player who wants to attack. Outside HEAD, the Nox AT10 Genius Ultralight is a 320 g round alternative.

It suits beginners, players coming back from elbow or shoulder trouble, juniors who have outgrown a kids' frame, and anyone who simply finds standard rackets tiring. Our best padel racket for beginners and women's padel racket pages set it beside other light frames, and the kids' padel racket page covers the step before it.

The handle is long at 13.5 cm, so fit an overgrip from padel grips to set a thickness that feels right before the first session. A strip from the racket protector range costs little against the price of a carbon frame. For balls, the Head One tube shares the name and suits relaxed rallies, and the padel balls page explains the faster options.

Add a court shoe from padel shoes and a bag from padel bags. Every round frame we stock is on the control padel rackets page, the full range is under padel rackets, and our guide on how to choose a padel racket explains weight and balance in more depth.