Guides
What to Pack for a Padel Holiday
Packing for a padel holiday is mostly common sense, but there are a few things people forget every time — and a couple of things they lug along that they never needed. Here's a practical, honest packing list for a padel trip to Spain, Portugal or Italy, sorted by what actually matters on court and what makes the rest of the trip easier.
The one thing that matters most: shoes
If you get one thing right, make it your shoes. Padel is played with sharp changes of direction on a sand-dressed artificial surface, and the wrong footwear will let you slip, wreck your grip and risk a rolled ankle. Proper padel or clay-court tennis shoes — with a herringbone or similar patterned sole — are worth prioritising over almost anything else in the bag. Regular running trainers, with their smooth heel-strike soles, are the classic mistake.
Bring a spare pair if you have them, or at least be ready for your shoes to pick up sand and dust across the week. Comfortable, broken-in shoes beat brand-new ones you bought the day before — a fresh pair on day one is a reliable route to blisters. Get the shoes right and the rest of the kit is easy.
Kit and clothing
Pack light, breathable sportswear you can play and sweat in, and bring enough that you're not rewashing kit every night — a set for each day of play is ideal, since it dries slowly in humid coastal air. Moisture-wicking shirts, shorts or skorts, and proper sports socks do the job. A cap and sports sunglasses are genuinely useful on outdoor courts in strong sun, and a lightweight layer is worth having for cooler evenings, especially in spring, autumn or winter.
You don't need to bring a racket for a first trip — clubs rent them — but if you own one you like, bring it, along with a couple of grips if you get through them. A few of your preferred balls are a nice-to-have rather than a must, since courts supply them. The rule of thumb: bring what makes you comfortable, rent the rest.
The sun and recovery kit
Southern Europe's sun is stronger than a lot of visitors expect, and a padel court offers little shade. High-factor sun cream, a refillable water bottle and something to keep you hydrated between games will do more for your week than any gadget. Playing dehydrated in the heat is the fastest way to turn a fun session into a miserable one.
For recovery, keep it simple: a small supply of any tape or supports you normally use, a couple of blister plasters, and basic painkillers if you're prone to stiffness after a heavy session. If you're playing several days in a row for the first time, expect some ache — it's normal, and a bit of stretching morning and evening goes a long way.
The easy-to-forget extras
A few small things make the non-padel part of the trip smoother: a quick-dry towel, a dry bag or spare bag for sweaty kit, a portable charger, and the right travel adapter for Spain, Portugal or Italy. If your accommodation and courts aren't in the same place, comfortable everyday shoes and clothes for the evenings matter as much as your court kit — a padel trip is a holiday, not a training camp.
It's also worth carrying anything valuable or essential — rackets, medication, one set of kit — in your hand luggage, so a delayed bag doesn't cost you day one on court. Beyond that, don't over-pack: most destinations have shops for anything you forget, and travelling light makes the airport far less painful.
Let the trip shape the list
Exactly what you pack depends on where and when you go — a summer week on the coast needs more sun kit and less warm clothing than a winter break, and a coaching-led trip might mean more court time and more changes of kit. It's always worth checking what's included and how the days are structured before you pack; our how it works page explains what a trip covers, and you can see the range of trips across our destinations. Pack for the padel first, keep the rest light, and you'll have everything you need.
Related pages
Read more: See how a trip works