After your racket and shoes, there is a whole world of padel bits and bobs waiting to relieve you of your money. A few are genuinely worth it and cost very little. Others are nice to have, and some you can happily ignore. Here is an honest run through, with rough UK prices as of 2026.
Worth buying
Overgrips (about 2 to 4 pounds each, cheaper in packs)
The single best value item in padel. An overgrip wraps over your existing grip to improve feel and soak up sweat, and it is cheap enough to replace regularly. A fresh grip stops the racket twisting in your hand, which helps your shots and takes strain off your elbow. Brands like Wilson, Head and Bullpadel all do good ones, and a pack of three or so works out at a couple of pounds each. Buy them in bulk and change them when they go slick.
A ball pressuriser (about 25 to 35 pounds)
Padel balls lose pressure fast once the tube is opened, going dead within a few sessions. A pressuriser tube, such as the Pressureball or Tuboplus type, stores your balls under pressure and keeps them lively for much longer. If you buy balls regularly it pays for itself. Worth it for anyone playing weekly. If you are still working out which balls to buy in the first place, our ball finder and the guide best padel balls 2026 will sort you out.
A decent water bottle (about 8 to 20 pounds)
Not glamorous, but padel is sweaty work and you will want water on court. An insulated stainless bottle keeps things cold through a session and lasts years. Nothing fancy needed, just something that holds enough and does not leak in your bag.
Racket protector tape (about 3 to 6 pounds)
A strip of protective tape along the top edge of your racket frame guards against the scrapes and chips that come from clipping the ground or the glass. Rackets are not cheap, so a few pounds of tape to protect the frame is easy maths. We cover this properly in our guide to looking after your racket.
A small towel (about 5 to 10 pounds)
A compact gym towel for wiping your hands, face and the racket handle between points. Sweaty hands are how grips get slippery and elbows get overloaded. Cheap, useful, done.
Situational, buy if it suits you
Wristbands and sweatbands (about 4 to 8 pounds)
If you sweat a lot, especially in summer or on indoor courts, wristbands stop sweat running down onto your grip. Not everyone needs them, but if slippery hands are your issue they are a cheap fix and worth trying alongside a fresh overgrip.
Sun protection for outdoor courts (sunscreen a few pounds, cap around 10 to 20 pounds)
Manchester is not famous for its sunshine, but outdoor and covered courts still catch you out on a bright day. A sweat-resistant sport sunscreen and a cap are sensible if you play outdoors in summer. Sunglasses are trickier because they can affect how you track the ball, so try before you commit.
You can skip these
You do not need a premium padel bag on day one. A normal sports holdall carries a racket and your kit perfectly well until you are playing several times a week. Vibration dampeners, borrowed from tennis, do very little on a padel racket and are largely pointless. Novelty gadgets and gimmicky training aids can wait until you actually know what your game needs. And an expensive smartwatch is lovely but it will not make you a better player, so do not feel you need one to start.
Where to get it
You can pick up most of this from our shop, where we point to gear worth owning rather than everything under the sun. For the bigger buys, use the racket finder and shoe finder so you spend on the things that actually change how you play, and treat the accessories above as small, sensible top-ups rather than the main event.
The rule of thumb is simple. Spend on the cheap things that protect your kit and your body, the overgrips, tape, a bottle and a towel, and be more careful with the pricier extras until you know you need them.
FAQ
What is the one accessory every padel player should own?
Overgrips. They are cheap, they improve your feel and control, and a fresh one reduces strain on your arm. Buy them in a pack and change them often.
Are ball pressurisers worth the money?
If you play weekly and buy balls regularly, yes. Keeping your balls lively for far longer easily pays back the cost of the tube over a season.
Do I need a special padel bag?
Not to start. A normal sports holdall is fine until you are playing several times a week and carrying more kit.
Is sun protection really necessary in Manchester?
On outdoor and covered courts in summer, a sport sunscreen and a cap are worth having. You catch more sun on court than you expect on a bright day.