To check whether your padel grip is the right thickness, hold the racket with a continental grip and look at the gap between your fingertips and the base of your palm: if the index finger of your other hand just fits in it, the thickness is right. If it doesn't fit, the handle is too thick; if there's room to spare, it's too thin. It's the same test used in tennis, and it works just as well in padel.
The key difference is that, unlike tennis, where the same racket model is sold in several grip sizes, almost every padel racket leaves the factory with a single handle thickness. You don't choose a size when you buy: you adjust it afterwards, with layers. That's why two players with the same racket can end up with very different handles.
How to tell if your padel grip size is right
The finger test, step by step
- Keep the overgrip you normally play with. Test the racket exactly as you play with it, not with the bare factory grip or an overgrip you haven't tried yet.
- Hold the racket with a continental grip, the "hammer" grip you use for volleys and the bandeja. Hold it with normal match pressure, not as if you were about to smash.
- Slide the index finger of your free hand into the gap between the tips of your ring and middle fingers and the base of your palm.
- Read the result. It fits snugly, touching both sides: right. It doesn't fit or you have to force it: too thick. It fits loosely or there'd be room for another finger: too thin.
There's an even quicker check: with the racket in your hand, your thumb and middle finger should sit very close together or barely touch. If they overlap, the handle needs more thickness.
What the court tells you
The test is a starting point. What settles it is how the racket behaves when you play. These are the most common signs:
| Sign | Handle too thin | Handle too thick |
|---|---|---|
| Grip pressure | You squeeze hard so it doesn't turn | Your hand can't close properly |
| Off-centre hits | The racket twists in your hand | It holds, but you lose feel |
| Wrist | Plenty of movement, little control | Stiff; hard to put spin on the bandeja and víbora |
| Grip changes | Fast but imprecise | Slow, especially at the net |
| After the match | Tired forearm | Tired hand |
If you recognise yourself in the thin-handle column, you're not alone: it's the most common case. Plenty of players use the factory thickness and make up for it by squeezing, and that extra tension travels up the forearm without you noticing.
How to build up the handle: overgrip, overlap and undergrip
You have three tools, and it makes sense to use them in this order, from the one that changes least to the one that changes most.
1. The padel overgrip
Every overgrip adds a layer. Fabric ones are usually between 0.5 and 0.7 mm thick depending on the model, so the change isn't huge, but your hand notices it. Most people play with one or two; some players with large hands go up to three. For reference, in tennis, where grip sizes do exist, one overgrip is reckoned to add roughly half a size.
Watch out when you switch material: going from a fabric overgrip to a silicone one, or from one brand to another, changes the final thickness even with the same number of layers. Every time you switch, repeat the finger test.
2. The overlap
With the same overgrip you can gain or lose thickness depending on how much each turn overlaps the previous one. With a 1-2 mm overlap the handle stays slim and keeps its bevels; 2-3 mm is the middle ground; with half the band the handle gets thicker and rounder. We explain it in detail in how to put an overgrip on a padel racket, step by step. The catch is that with a lot of overlap the overgrip runs out halfway up the handle and the feel becomes uneven.
3. The padel undergrip
If you need quite a bit more thickness, don't stack four overgrips: add or replace the bottom layer. The undergrip sits directly on the handle, under the overgrip, and it's what sets the base shape and thickness. Because it's not the layer you touch, it wears much more slowly and you don't have to replace it every few weeks. In overgrip vs undergrip you'll find what each layer does and when you need each one.
Our Helix Pro Invicta silicone undergrip is designed for exactly this: it adds thickness and reduces the vibration that reaches your hand, and you put whichever overgrip you like on top. Besides adding 1.2 mm, it helps prevent tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis): it dampens vibration and lets you grip without over-squeezing, two of the causes that load the elbow the most. If you already have persistent elbow pain, see a professional.
| Tool | How much it changes | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Overgrip overlap | A little | You're just slightly over or under |
| One more overgrip | Some | Your finger fits, but loosely |
| Undergrip | Quite a lot | You need more thickness on a stable basis |
How to slim down a handle that's too thick
It's less common, but it happens, especially with small hands or second-hand rackets that still carry several layers from the previous owner.
- Remove overgrip layers until you're down to one.
- Reduce the overlap to the minimum, 1-2 mm.
- Check what's underneath. If someone added an undergrip or left old layers, that's where the extra thickness is.
What you shouldn't do is strip off the factory grip and leave the handle bare. The overgrip doesn't hold well on that surface and you lose the cushioning that layer provides. If the base grip is worn, replace it; don't remove it.
Three common mistakes
- Copying another player's thickness. Your partner doing well with three overgrips says nothing about your hand.
- Forgetting weight and balance. Every layer adds a little weight at the handle. One won't be noticed; three or four will, and they shift the balance towards the grip. If the racket feels easier to handle but gives you less power, that may be why.
- Deciding in the shop. Thickness is confirmed by playing. Give a setting two or three matches before changing it again.
If you're testing thicknesses, a single grip is the cheap way to do it: the single-unit Helix Pro Grip lets you try the feel of silicone on your racket before buying the pack. And the padel collection has both layers of the system, overgrip and undergrip.
Frequently asked questions
Do padel rackets come in grip sizes like tennis rackets?
Generally, no. Most rackets are sold with a single handle thickness and each player adjusts it with overgrips, the overlap or an undergrip. In tennis, by contrast, the same model is usually sold in several sizes.
How many overgrips do people usually put on a padel racket?
One or two is the most common. Some players with large hands use three, but beyond that it's better to gain thickness with an undergrip than to keep stacking layers, because you add weight at the handle and the feel gets worse.
What happens if I play with a handle that's too thin?
You tend to squeeze harder so the racket doesn't turn in your hand, especially on off-centre hits. That tension builds up in your forearm and takes away the loose wrist you need on the bandeja or the víbora.
If you have pain in your wrist, elbow or forearm that doesn't go away with rest, see a physiotherapist or a sports doctor: adjusting your grip is no substitute for a diagnosis.
Helix Pro Grip is a Spanish brand of silicone grips with a design registered at the EUIPO. More than 100,000 grips sold.