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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.
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.
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.
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.
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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