Junior padel rackets: sizes by age and what to buy
Updated October 19, 2026. Racket lists on this page update daily from our database.
An adult padel racket is too heavy and too long for most children. It slows their swing, tires the arm, and makes the game harder to learn. Junior rackets are lighter, a little shorter, and have smaller grips, and most cost between $90 and $150 at the US stores we check.
Junior racket sizes by age
Brands size junior rackets by weight and length, and use age only as a rough guide. HEAD says the age lines can shift with a child's strength, ability and height.
| Age (rough guide) | What to look for | Junior rackets we track |
|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | A small junior racket, around 280 to 300 g. HEAD's racket for under-10s weighs 300 g; Babolat aims its Alioth Mini (about 290 g) at beginners under 8. | Babolat Alioth Mini JR, Bullpadel Indiga Boy, Bullpadel Indiga Girl |
| About 10 to 12 | A full junior racket, around 310 to 345 g. HEAD's rackets for over-10s weigh 330 g and are about one finger shorter than an adult racket. | Adidas Arrow Hit Junior, Head Coello Junior, Adidas Metalbone Youth 3.4, Bullpadel Hack 05 Jr, Bullpadel Vertex Jr, Bullpadel Vertex W Jr |
| 12 or 13 and up | A light adult racket. HEAD says children are usually ready for an adult racket at 12 or 13, and suggests starting with a light one. | Light adult rackets |
For comparison, HEAD puts the ideal adult weight between 355 and 375 g, and the rules cap a racket's length at 45.5 cm for everyone.
What else to check
- Shape. A round or teardrop racket is the easier choice for most children: the sweet spot is in the middle of the face. Some brands make diamond junior rackets for advanced junior players; Bullpadel labels its Vertex Jr and Hack Jr that way.
- Materials. Every junior racket we track has a fiberglass face (Bullpadel calls it Polyglass) and a foam or EVA core. Those are softer and more forgiving than carbon.
- Grip. Junior grips are smaller to fit a child's hand.
- The wrist cord. The rules require it, for adults and children alike. Make sure it's tightened around the wrist before every game.
- Room to grow. Buying a heavier racket so a child can grow into it works against them now. Junior rackets are cheap enough to replace when they've outgrown one.
Junior rackets in stock today
2 junior rackets have an in-stock US price with shipping included, from a check in the last 7 days. Lightest first.
- Head Coello Junior 2026
Teardrop · 310 g · Fiberglass face
- Wilson Blade Jr V4 2026
Teardrop · weight not stated · Fiberglass face
Every junior racket we track
Lightest first. Some stores charge shipping on orders under $100 at a rate that depends on the order, so a price there is shown without shipping.
| Racket | Weight | Shape | US price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Babolat Alioth Mini JR 2026 | 280–300 g | Round | Not in stock at the stores we check |
| Bullpadel Indiga Boy 2027 | 280 g | Teardrop | Not in stock at the stores we check |
| Bullpadel Indiga Girl 2027 | 280 g | Teardrop | Not in stock at the stores we check |
| Adidas Arrow Hit Junior 2026 | 310–330 g | Round | $90.00 at Casas Padel, plus shipping |
| Head Coello Junior 2026 | 310 g | Teardrop | $99.95 at Padel USA |
| Adidas Metalbone Youth 3.4 2025 | 330–345 g | Diamond | Not in stock at the stores we check |
| Bullpadel Hack 05 Jr 2027 | 335–345 g | Diamond | Not in stock at the stores we check |
| Bullpadel Vertex Jr 2027 | 335–345 g | Diamond | Not in stock at the stores we check |
| Bullpadel Vertex W Jr 2027 | 335–345 g | Diamond | Not in stock at the stores we check |
| Wilson Blade Jr V4 2026 | not stated | Teardrop | $149.00 at Padel Padel |
How we built this list
We track the junior rackets sold by the US padel stores we check every day, with specs from the brands' own pages where they publish them (some 2027 models only have store pages so far). We have not play-tested them, and no brand pays to be listed.
Sources
- HEAD: how to choose a padel racquet for kids (ages, junior weights, adult weight range)
- Babolat Alioth Mini JR (weight, under-8 beginners)
- Bullpadel Indiga and Vertex Jr (levels, weights, grip)
- International Padel Federation rules (racket length, wrist cord)