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Hey Padel enthusiasts welcome to Padel Smash Academy, I am Cesc and I am here with Julian and we're all about Padel! Whether you're new to the sport or an experienced player, you've come to the right place. Our goal is to provide you with the best tips & tricks, news, and weekly lessons to help you improve your game and take your Padel to the next level. So grab your Padel Racket and let's get started with all things Padel on Padel Smash Academy.
Welcome to Padel Smash Academy.
We
are all things Padel.
Welcome back guys to Padel Smash Academy
and today we're talking about balls.
So we went out and tested these
balls at, uh, Wynwood Padel Club
and, uh, tested all the balls
there at Wynwood Padel Club.
And we're going to talk a little
bit about the characteristics, um,
and when you should use a certain
ball or a certain place, right?
And also the difference between
a Padel ball and a tennis ball.
And let's go there.
I mean, what's the difference between
a Padel ball and a tennis ball?
I think a lot of people Have you
seen people use A tennis ball?
Well, initially Padel and if you go
back in history Padels that we started
to play with with tennis balls and in
the late 90s, there was a they came out
with a new rules and basically they made
a Padel ball just a tiny bit smaller.
If you can compare the two,
they're going to be the Padel was
going to be a tiny bit smaller.
And it's also it will be a less
pressurized than an actual tennis balls.
So supposedly, supposedly, A tennis ball
should bounce higher than a Padel ball.
That's pretty much what it is.
And it's pretty much just
more pressure in that ball.
And I think the main reason why they've
done that is just because the ball
is just going to be way too fast.
You know, and some of these professional
players, they're hitting the ball so hard.
They use a ball that has high
pressure, like a tennis ball.
That ball, they're going to be able
to put that ball out of the court
every single time, every single smash.
So, let's talk about the first
ball that we, um, that we used.
Uh, I think, uh, we're going
to go back to our trusty, um,
Dunlop, uh, uh, Dunlop Pro Padel.
Please raise the bag.
This is the one I originally started
playing with, um, and I think they
used this over at one with Padel.
It's a great ball.
I mean, what did you think about the ball?
I think, I mean, I use that
ball pretty much every day.
I mean, it's a great ball.
The only thing that also we have to
take in consideration, it's weather.
Weather can change the way
the balls are playable.
Humidity also changes.
Altitude also changes.
So, uh, the, the pro, the
Donald pro Padel ball, I
think it's a fantastic ball.
Uh, when it's a little bit
humid, it gets a little bit
heavier and a little bit hairy.
Um, so it loses that real
power for you to really get.
The ball out of the court, you
know, it takes some muscles and
strength, but overall, I think
it's a fantastic, fantastic ball.
So let's go back to what you said
about, you know, uh, the characteristics
changing based on, on the weather.
And, and that's a key factor that the last
part too, is actually the actual court.
You know, some courts for some reason are
slower than others, depending on the turf.
If you have a thicker turf,
thinner turf or the brand turf.
So each one of these, uh, companies.
Makes their regular balls and we've
used all just the regular balls and
they use what they call an s or like
a plus Or something that's faster that
has a little bit more pressure Uh for
those situations that you may need
the ball to bounce a little higher.
So when you're gonna go
buy a ball Just look at it.
You see two of them.
You see one.
Let's just say this was Dunlop Pro
Padel and you see one Let's say Dunlop
Pro Padel S or plus or speed That's
gonna be one that that's gonna have
more pressure and it's gonna bounce
a little bit more So if you go if you
know the court and you know It's a slow
court or you're in an area where it's
a very humid Then that's when you would
choose that type of ball, but if you're
regular humidity and in the you know
a court That's that's a normal court.
You use just a regular regular ball.
Yes.
I mean and just to clarify that
I mean all balls are great.
I mean there is The difference is
it's minimal you might feel it You
might not some balls are faster
than the other ones but going back.
We were the same whether it's
very important I'm what I mean
by that is The hotter it is, and
I'll give you an example, the
glass gets very, very hot, right?
Let's say in the middle of the
summer in Florida, or anywhere in
the summer, the glass gets very hot.
So what happens when
the glass gets very hot?
You get a higher bounce heat on the glass.
So it's a more lively board,
regardless of what molds you use.
So same thing on the reverse, when it's
very, very cold, I don't know if you
had an experience to play very early
morning, the glass is, it's very, very
cold, that ball just drops there, you
know, you have to get really close to the
glass to really get it out of the glass.
So all those things will change the
feel and the playability of the ball.
I mean, all balls are fantastic and
but it's weather is very important.
The other one is altitude
and I'll give you an example.
Um, I had to play, I played, I
played in a club in Las Vegas.
You've got altitude and you've
got very dry, dry weather.
That ball was flying all over the place.
I'll give you another example.
They play a few world Padel tours
in Mexico, in Mexico City, which is
a very high altitude, uh, tournament.
They play with a specific
ball, which we didn't try.
It's called a Tretton, uh, Tretton.
It's a brand called Tretton Padel Ball.
It's created for altitude.
Those are very heavy.
Less pressurized ball because
the ball will take, it will
just bounce all over the place.
It will be literally unplayable
when you play in such altitude.
So you got to take all
things in consideration.
If you are, let's say you're in the
Northeast, you're in Connecticut, in
the middle of the winter, that ball
is going to just, it will bounce
very softly out of the back glass.
It will be, the ball will
get really, really hard.
So going back to my thing, all balls are
great, but the weather, the conditions.
are things to consider
when, when you're playing.
So if you don't know, uh, if you're
using the right ball, I think
one of the best, uh, best ways to
figure that out is at the back wall.
Uh, when the ball comes over and hits
that back wall and bounces out really
fast, then you know you got a fast ball.
If the ball comes over and hits the
ball, hits the back wall and kind of
almost dies and you can't defend it,
Then you need to use a faster ball.
So that's kind of how I,
uh, how I tested the balls.
If the ball is correct for that
court and for the temperature.
So that's, that's a, you know,
that's a kind of a hack there that
you guys can use to figure out if
you have the right ball or not.
Yeah, and you will see that some of
these balls, our tests that we did.
They feel, they feel harder than other
balls and some balls they feel softer, but
that's more like a, like a personal feel
and you have to test them all at the same
time for you to make, feel the difference.
Um, I'll give you an example
at the professional level.
Every tournament plays with a
different type of ball and that's why
professional players like to get to
the tournament a couple of days before.
Um, play with those specific balls
because each ball has a different
characteristics of playability.
So they're very important for you
guys to be adapted to that ball.
They were not only trying to,
uh, be adapt, you know, uh,
get used to the court, but also
to the balls they're using.
And that's why.
Everybody's trying to get out
of the professional level two or
three days before the tournament
starts to get a feel on the balls.
Yeah.
And when it comes to more of amateur
playing, some days you'll be like,
man, I'm getting to that ball
really easy and it's really good.
And other days you're like, man,
I can't defend this ball at all.
Yes.
And it's usually because of that.
I mean, the professionals there, they have
to adjust and pivot based on the court.
You know the temperature humidity and
the balls that they're playing but
they're at a professional level and
they can make those those adjustments
Yeah, and also it's very important.
It changes a lot if you play
indoors or outdoors, right?
So when you're playing indoors, it's
less humidity ac, you know controlled
environment So controlled environment
is going to be a mud dryer So the
ball is going to it's going to be
more livelier here in south florida.
The humidity is very high Sometimes
the courts are a little bit wet when
that ball gets wet and humid becomes
heavier, even though, you know,
you're, you're, you're playing outside.
So all those things you have to take also
in consideration, but, uh, I think every
ball is great, uh, you know, but you have
to test them and, and, and try them out.
And for me, most of these balls
characteristics were pretty much the same.
Uh, there's a couple that stood out and
we're going to talk about those, but let's
move over onto the next, uh, next one.
Um, the, the.
And this is not too much of a
popular, uh, brand here in, in Miami.
No.
But I was surprisingly, you
know, impressed with the ball.
It felt kind of like the head ball.
It wasn't too fast to give you a
little bit of time in the back.
Um, so I enjoyed playing with,
with, with, with that ball.
Yeah, it's, I think it
was a fantastic ball.
It's, it's more on the softer side.
It feels really good on the racket.
Um, This one is one of
my favorite Schlesinger.
Schlesinger, probably if you don't
know, it's one of the oldest brands.
It's a more than 100 years old brand.
They started in England.
It started as a tennis racket brand.
Schlesinger has been around in England.
If you go, if you go, if you play the
Wimbledon championships in tennis.
They will play with
Schlesinger tennis balls.
Uh, Schlesinger's been around.
It's a brand, um, you know, brand
that has been around forever.
And now they're moving
into the Padel world.
And they're doing some
very good, good, uh, balls.
So I looked at this as more of
a, a little bit softer of a ball.
Yeah.
And, uh, um, you know, kind of
the slow to medium, uh, ball.
Yeah.
Really, really nice.
Okay.
So, uh, the next one we used is, or tried.
Is the Wilson, uh, portress times three.
This is what they use over ultra.
Um, and for me it was, uh,
a little hard, you know?
Um, so I looked at it as more of
a medium to fast ball, you know?
Yeah.
I felt the same way.
It's, it's, it's a really,
it's a faster ball.
Uh, for someone who is more aggressive
and likes to hit hard, it will be
a very favorable ball to play with.
Uh, great ball too.
I mean, I love it.
You know, you gotta just get used to it.
But, uh, it's, it's, it's,
yeah, a little bit, uh, faster.
And the next one here is probably
my favorite, um, to be honest.
See, I like the, the Head Padel Pro.
It is a little slower, okay.
It is a little slower.
Um, and that's for me, if you're
defending a lot in the back, this,
you know, it'll give you a little bit
more time, you know what I'm saying?
To defend that ball, you're not going
to be able to take, put the balls out
as much, uh, and this like a portrait
super quadro, uh, just because it's
not as, uh, has a lot of high pressure
and they use this It's typically in the
World Padel Tour and the main reason
why is because these guys are hitting
so hard that if they, you know, if they
use anything higher pressure, they're
going to put the ball every single time.
So this is just, I would say
a little bit, um, uh, slower.
Um, you know, I would
say softer and slower.
Um, you know, so what
do you think about this?
Uh, I mean, going back to his quote
that he can't hit it, he cannot
hit it by three, by four, but that
happens with every single ball.
It doesn't matter if he's hit or not.
Um, you know, he thinks he's, you
know, he's the next Coelho or Tapia.
The reason, the reason why he
can't, you know, he can't take it
out by three and you have to use
the other balls at high pressure.
That's why you don't like this one.
For me, this one, it's really,
it was really, really slow.
soft and it felt like a little bit
less pressure than the other ones.
Uh, it's too soft for me.
And, uh, but I can hit it by 3
or by 4 easily with this one.
I've never seen him do it.
I would have to have proof.
I have proof.
You can, you know, visit me
on my Instagram if you want.
Alright, uh, so what do you got?
What else do we got here?
What other balls do we have?
Let's do the bubble eye.
Do you already know what
type of player you are?
One of my favorite brands.
I've never used that before.
So that was the first time I used it.
Yeah, this is more on the harder side.
It's a livelier, faster ball.
They're not, you know, as
widespread out everywhere, but
it's a great, great ball for me.
I really like it.
It's a fast ball.
So it's sometimes when you get, when
you're getting used to it, it's hard to
get used to it because it's really fast.
Uh, but like I said, you know, you've
got to be adaptable to every single ball.
Sure, sure.
You know, I looked at it, it was
the first time I played with it.
Um, it was very similar
to some of the others.
And I looked at it as more of a
medium to a little bit faster ball.
Yeah.
You know, so good for maybe indoors.
Yeah.
Uh, Technifiber.
And they use this, I've seen
this a lot at Real Padel.
Yeah.
Um, that's kind of what they use there.
For me, this is the
hardest out of all of them.
Um, Yeah.
Yeah.
It's a really hard, fast ball.
Um, I play with some friends.
They love the Technic fiber
because they like to hit hard.
Um, it's, it's for me, it's
difficult to control, but overall
it's a fast, hard ball for me.
Definitely.
I think in real Padel, the court's a
little bit, um, Uh, slower than normal.
So I think that's why they use these.
This is kind of like
a medium to fast ball.
So if you have a court that's, uh,
or you're in a weather where things
are just a little too slow, this is
probably the, the, the ball to use.
I don't know if you realize why my
glasses, they look exactly the same color.
So, they go the same color.
It goes, you know, glasses
go with the occasion.
Watch out when I get a
Padel here, you know.
I might sock you one in the head.
The next one, the Sioux.
Sioux is doing some
They had improved a lot.
They had improved a lot.
The last, previous balls,
they were not really well.
Not really good.
Uh, Sioux Neo.
Now they have it at reserve.
And, uh Very impressive.
Very impressive what they came out with.
I mean, they're very good balls.
I was very surprisingly happy
with this ball, the Sioux Neo.
Um, way to go Padal I mean, you guys
did a good job with these balls.
Uh, I have to say the same thing.
Uh, you know, uh, this is
probably one of the balls that I
like the most besides the head.
Um, it is a slow to medium
for, sorry, not slow to medium,
medium to fast, uh, for me.
Um, this, they also use
this at Open Padel.
And then the reserves.
So I'm liking the Siouxs New.
I tried the previous one.
Um, I didn't like it too much.
Yeah, but this one is really good.
The Siouxs New.
I kind of like that one.
Yeah, very good.
So what is your top three?
Top three.
I will be in between Schlesinger.
Uh, will be number one, number two will
be Sioux, Neo, number three Dunlop.
Okay, I mean, fair enough.
I'm kind of almost the same there.
I like the Sioux, uh, I like the
Schlesinger and I like the head.
So those are, those are the three I like.
And honestly, if I don't know, like
how the court is, it's a different
type of court or I'm not too sure.
Honestly, I always go back to the Dunlop.
You know, um, it's kind of a neutral ball.
It's not too soft.
It's not too hard It's easy to play
with and then then I go from there
Then if I see if that ball's not
moving then I may have to go with
something a little bit faster If the
ball is moving too much, then you
know, I would have to adjust as well.
But I tend to usually do that Yeah.
And remember not all
balls are created equal.
Very important to get used to it.
That's why every ball
has something different.
They're faster, they're slower.
You got to play with the weather.
You got to play with the conditions.
You're indoor, you're outdoors,
you're altitude, you're at sea level.
Everything counts and everything
will bring you a different experience
with those balls, but all the
balls, they were, they were great.
So, so let's talk about,
you know, durability.
So, um, how long, I mean, honestly,
I buy balls and that's it.
I always use them once and I
tend to see that more and more.
Um, and when, when I play tennis, I
seen people hold the balls and play them
until they're like almost flat, you know?
So in padel, it seems to be a little
different, like they, they, they
use it once and then that's it.
They just leave them on the court.
Um, but I believe you can get
two or three times, uh, play.
Yeah, at least I will say three matches.
Um, yeah, it's going
back to what Seth says.
It's, it's, it's true here.
People are accustomed to just
one match and then, you know,
get new balls in the next match.
If you go to Europe, if you
go to Latin America, they will
use that ball, I mean, forever.
They even, they even sell them used.
Yeah, they sell you,
they sell you used balls.
And even though they sell you two
used balls for you to play, because
they said you don't need three.
Right, right.
To save some money.
To save some money.
Yeah.
So, uh, durability.
I mean, they're all of them.
They're pretty good.
Uh, going back to the same
thing, I mean, here in Florida,
it's weather, weather related.
So when it's too humid, the balls
will get really puffy and hairy,
and they will get very slow.
And if the court is a little
bit wet, that ball, it becomes
so, it becomes very, very heavy.
And it becomes unusable
after, after a match.
You know what I mean?
It's, it's, uh, so I never tried, um,
using, uh, fastball like an s you know, a
lot of these have like, uh, the fastball?
Yeah.
When it, when it's raining, have you?
No.
No.
And that, that improved?
Uh, no.
I'm assuming it would, right?
Because it's, uh, yeah, the s stands for,
it's, it's, uh, same thing in tennis, you
know, the, the, uh, the fast, the fast
core, the, the hardcore balls compared
to the clay courts is the same thing.
They have less.
Um, so it will become a little bit
faster than, than, uh, than a clay
core ball or, or a regular Padel ball.
So it comes down to, to, to that, but
it's, it's, there's a big difference.
So technically if it's raining,
it has a little less felt on it.
It would hold a little bit less.
Yeah, exactly.
Exactly.
But when you, when you move into
that, I mean, and I'll tell you in
the tennis world, it's same thing.
They're trying to, you know, give you a
different ball for different surfaces.
Yeah.
Here you play always in the same surface.
There is not much difference.
I mean, uh, you know, Padel boat is a
Padel ball, but I'm just, you got to
get used to it, you know, 90 percent
of the people, they just go, whatever
they sell at the club, you get them.
I think the more and more, uh,
experience you get, uh, you, the more
you'll be able to notice a little bit.
Yeah, of course you
will adjust and change.
But, uh, if, you know, obviously if
you keep continue playing there, you'll
know, Hey, look, this is a ball that
it's better on this court, but most
clubs will are already adjust to that.
And so you shouldn't
have much of an issue.
Yeah.
And the cost of the balls here
in the United States, they go for
about, um, And we would sell it for
8, in between 8 to 10, depending if
you're on the East Coast, West Coast.
Uh, in San Francisco, they're
selling, uh, kennel balls for 10.
Um, that's pretty much the average range.
Uh, so to avoid kind of the higher
retail price, I mean, a lot of these,
uh, the clubs will obviously, you
know, charge a little bit more.
But, you know, if you go online, uh,
you know, you're looking at from 5.
99, probably to about 8.
99 or 9.
99 at the most.
The cheapest ball, let's talk about,
is the Dunlop, uh, pro Padel ball.
And you can even get these by a case,
and it'll probably only cost you like 3.
99 if you buy them by a case.
Um, but if you buy individually, about 5.
99.
All the other ones are
gonna be, you know, 6.
99, 7.
99, 8.
99.
If you buy them at a club,
you might have to pay 9.
99.
My suggestion, if you get to, if
you play two, three times a week,
uh, a Padel, just buy a case.
You know, 24 cans, they will
last you for a month or so,
and, and you will be good to go.
You know, every time you go to the club,
you spend 10 bucks instead of paying Four
or five bucks for a, for a can of balls.
I mean, that makes a big difference
if you're playing a budget.
And I'm glad you say that
because you never bring balls.
Never.
Never.
Why do you not bring balls?
Because I'm too good.
There's always somebody
that never brings the balls.
There's always that guy.
Who is that guy?
Put in the comments who that person is.
There's always one person
that doesn't bring balls.
Never.
I mean, never.
And if nobody brings
balls, he's a Hawaii one.
He doesn't want to go
out and buy the balls.
Exactly.
I mean, uh, I try to avoid these
guys, you know what I'm saying?
As much as possible, you know, but,
uh, okay, so let's wrap it up here.
Um, anything else we have about
balls or no, I think all balls
are not created equal, but every
ball, uh, it's, it's pretty good.
I mean, all the bolts are excellent.
So, um, that's our personal selection.
You might feel something different about
it, but I think it's good to do reviews on
balls and what's on the market nowadays.
These are pretty much all the
balls that you will find in the
market here in the United States.
Thank you for listening.
Let's go Padel.
Let's take your Padel
game to the next level.
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