How to Demo a Padel Racket In Store - Try Before You Buy at PH Tennis

Choosing a padel racket is harder than it looks.

The market has grown fast and the range is wide - different shapes, different balances, different core materials, different face textures. On paper, the differences between rackets can sound technical and abstract. On court, they’re immediately obvious.

That’s why we offer an in-store padel racket demo service. You come in, choose from our demo stock, leave a deposit and take a racket away for up to a week. Play with it properly - in your regular sessions, at your usual venue, against the players you normally face. Then come back, tell us what you thought, and either buy it or swap it for something else.

No pressure. No guessing. Just a proper trial before you commit.

Quick Summary

Full deposit required · Up to two rackets at a time · Up to one week per loan · £25 fee per racket if nothing is purchased

Browse our padel demo stock in store, leave a deposit equal to the current sale price of the racket and take it away to test. Return within a week. If you buy, the deposit becomes your payment and there’s no demo fee. If you don’t, we return your deposit minus £25 per racket tested. You can come back and try more rackets as many times as you need.

How the In-Store Padel Demo Works

Step 1 - Come in and browse

Visit us in store and speak to a member of the team. We’ll talk through what you’re currently playing with, your level and what you’re looking for, then show you what’s available in our padel demo stock.

Demo availability changes regularly - rackets are in and out constantly - so if you’re travelling specifically to try a particular model, it’s worth calling ahead or dropping us a message first.

Step 2 - Choose your rackets

You can take up to two rackets at a time. Padel rackets are ready to play straight out of the bag - no stringing required - so there’s no setup needed before you get on court.

Step 3 - Leave a deposit

A deposit equal to the full current sale price of each racket is required before anything leaves the shop. This is held while you have the racket and either returned or applied to your purchase when you come back.

Step 4 - Get on court

Take the rackets away and play with them properly. A full week gives you enough time to test across different sessions and different situations - far more reliable than a single hit for assessing whether a racket genuinely suits your game.

Step 5 - Return within a week

Rackets must be returned within seven days. If we don’t receive a racket back within that window, we reserve the right to refuse the return and retain the deposit - so it’s worth keeping track of your loan date.

Rackets must come back in good condition. If a racket is returned damaged or in an unacceptable state, we reserve the right to issue a reduced or no refund.

Step 6 - Decide

When you return the rackets, you have a few options:

Buy one of the rackets you tested - your deposit becomes your payment, and there’s no demo fee for any of the other rackets you tried during the same visit cycle
Return without buying - we refund your deposit minus £25 per racket tested
Swap and try something else - return what you have, leave a fresh deposit and take out a different racket for another week

There’s no limit on how many times you can come back and try something new. The only restriction is two rackets out at a time.

What Does It Cost?

If you buy a racket, the deposit you left covers the purchase price. There’s no additional demo fee.

If you test rackets and don’t buy anything, we charge £25 per racket tested and refund the rest of your deposit.

Borrow two rackets, buy neither

Deposit refunded minus £25 per racket
Total demo cost: £50
Free to come back and try something else

Borrow two rackets, buy one

Deposit on purchased racket becomes payment
No demo fee charged on the other racket tested
You leave with the right racket and nothing extra to pay

Can I Test More Than Two Rackets?

Yes - just not all at once.

You can borrow up to two rackets at a time. Once you’ve returned them, you can come back and borrow more. There’s no limit on how many you test in total, and if you end up buying on a later visit, the fee structure applies to that visit’s borrowing.

It means you can work through a longlist methodically - two at a time - until you find the right one.

A Note on Demo Stock Availability

Our padel demo stock moves quickly. Rackets are out with customers regularly, which means availability changes day to day.

If you’re travelling to the shop specifically to try a particular model, contact us first to check it’s available. Walk-in customers are always welcome, and we’ll do our best to find suitable options from whatever is in stock on the day.

Who Is the Padel Demo For?

This service works well for:

Players new to padel who want to find a racket that suits them without committing blind
Improvers looking to step up from a beginner racket and wanting to feel the difference properly
Players who’ve been borrowing club rackets and are ready to buy their own
Anyone who’s shortlisted a couple of options and wants to settle the decision on court rather than online
Club players who want to test in their regular sessions against the players they normally face

The week-long loan is the key advantage. One session with a new racket can be misleading - you’re still adjusting. A week of proper play gives you a much more honest picture of whether something works for you.

Why Demo a Padel Racket Before You Buy?

Padel rackets vary significantly in how they play. Round shapes tend to offer more control and a larger sweet spot. Diamond shapes put more weight higher in the head and generate more power. Teardrop shapes sit somewhere between the two.

Beyond shape, differences in core material and face texture affect how the ball feels on impact and how much spin you can generate. Those differences are real, but they’re hard to assess without actually playing.

A week on court tells you far more than any specification sheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

**How much is the deposit?**

The deposit is equal to the full current sale price of the racket. It’s held while you have it and either applied to your purchase or refunded (minus the demo fee if applicable) when you return it.

**How many rackets can I take at once?**

Up to two at a time.

**Can I test more than two rackets in total?**

Yes. Return what you have and borrow more on a subsequent visit. There’s no limit on how many you try in total.

**How long can I keep the rackets?**

Up to one week per loan.

**What happens if I don’t return the racket within a week?**

If we don’t receive the racket back within seven days, we reserve the right to refuse the return and retain the deposit.

**What if I return a racket damaged?**

Rackets must be returned in the same condition they left. If a racket comes back damaged or in an unacceptable state, we reserve the right to issue a reduced or no refund.

**Do I have to pay a demo fee if I buy a racket?**

No. If you purchase one of the rackets you tested, there’s no demo fee charged.

**What if I test two rackets and only buy one?**

If you buy one of the rackets you tested in the same visit cycle, no fee is charged on the other.

**Do I need to book in advance?**

No booking required. Walk-ins are welcome. If you’re coming specifically to try a particular racket, contact us first to check availability - demo stock moves quickly.

Come In and Try One

If you’re based in North London or travelling to us specifically, our in-store padel demo is one of the most straightforward ways to find a racket that suits your game.

Come in, speak to the team and take something out for the week.

Check Out Padel rackets here!