Giving a padel racket is a fine gift, and a risky one: the person will play with it for months, and an ill-suited racket is felt in the first session. The good news is that you do not need to be a player to choose well. It is enough to answer three questions about the person — their level, their style, their arm — and to know what happens if you got it wrong. This guide covers both, with our delivery and return rules exactly as they are, with no surprises.
Three questions to ask about the person
What is their level?
This is the question that matters most. Someone who is starting out or plays once a week needs a forgiving racket: wide sweet spot, soft foam, moderate weight. Someone who has played for several years, comes to the net and finishes points with a smash can receive a more demanding, power-oriented racket. Giving a competition racket to a beginner is the most common mistake: flattering to unwrap, frustrating to play.
If you do not know, look at their current racket, or quietly ask a playing partner. And when in doubt, choose forgiveness: a good player always gets something out of a control racket; the reverse is less true.
What is their style of play?
More defence, consistency, lobs and returns off the glass? A “control” racket, teardrop or diamond shape with a forgiving carbon, will suit them. More attack, aggressive volleys, smashes? A “power” racket: diamond shape, head-heavy balance, firm foam. Our article on power or control describes the two profiles with concrete examples.
Has their arm already spoken?
If the person has mentioned discomfort in the elbow or shoulder, that settles it: light racket, soft foam, anti-vibration system. It is not a compromise on quality; it is the equipment choice that will let them play for years.
What you do not have to choose
Two things often worry gift-givers, and should not.
Handle size. Unlike tennis rackets, padel rackets come with a standard-sized handle. There is no size to select when ordering. If the person prefers a thicker handle, they will add one or two overgrips, as most players do.
Gender or age. There is no “women’s” or “men’s” racket in any technical sense: what counts is weight, balance and forgiveness, and those criteria appear on every product page. For a teenager the question of weight arises differently; we have a dedicated guide on padel rackets for children and juniors.
Our four models through a gift-giver’s eyes
| Model | Recipient profile | Characteristics | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood S1 | Beginner, regular player, sensitive arm, lover of fine finishes | 12K carbon and fibreglass, soft EVA, teardrop, 350 g, wood finish | €220 |
| White S3 | Regular to advanced player who builds points | 12K carbon, EVA Hard Power, diamond, 365 g, designed in Paris | €240 |
| Black Impact B3 | Experienced attacking player, good arm speed | 18K carbon, EVA Hard Power, diamond, 365 g, designed in France | €240 |
| Mexique M1 | Collector, intermediate to advanced player | 12K carbon, firm EVA, diamond, 365 g, Día de los Muertos artwork | €240 — available January 2027 |
Prices shown are net: B SCUD OÜ is not subject to VAT, and no tax is added at checkout. Every racket includes the AVS anti-vibration system, a honeycomb silicone handle under the grip and a hand-applied sanding of the hitting surface. If you are still torn between two models, our free guide to choosing a racket goes through the criteria one by one, and you can write to us from the contact page.
Limited editions: a gift that will not be repeated
Every SCUD racket is produced as a limited run, and the manual sanding means no two examples are strictly identical. For a gift, that has two consequences. The first is pleasant: the person receives a piece made in small numbers, not a mass-produced item. The second calls for a little planning: once a run is sold out, we do not guarantee an identical restock. If the model you have in mind is available, do not wait until the day before.
The Mexique M1 cannot be ordered yet: it will be available in January 2027. To be told when it goes on sale, leave your address in the newsletter form on the home page.
Delivery: the lead times to allow for
We dispatch every order within 48 working hours of payment confirmation, in a padded box, racket in its cover. Then allow 2 to 4 working days for mainland France and 3 to 7 working days for the rest of the European Union. Delivery costs €15 in France and €20 in the rest of the EU; it is free from €300 of purchases. We do not deliver outside the European Union or to overseas territories.
For a gift with a date attached, a week’s margin in France is comfortable; ten days for the rest of the EU. The confirmation email contains your order number: the site has no customer account, and that number is what lets us tell you where a shipment is, by writing to shop@scud.life.
And if the racket does not suit? The 30-day return
This is the question that makes people hesitate, and our answer is simple: you have 30 days from receipt to change your mind, with no justification. The law grants 14 days; we extend that to 30. The procedure takes four steps, detailed on the delivery and returns page:
- Write to shop@scud.life before the 30 days are up, with the order number.
- We reply with the return address; do not send anything before you have it.
- Return the racket within 14 days, complete, in its cover and padded packaging, by tracked post. Return costs are at your expense.
- We refund within 14 days of receipt, to the original payment method, initial delivery costs included.
Two important points for a gift. First, the period runs from receipt by the buyer, not from the day the gift is opened: if you order three weeks before the date, the person will only have a week left to try it. Second, the racket may be unboxed, handled and examined as in a shop, with a full refund; a racket that has been played, with ball marks or scratches, is subject to a reduced refund in proportion to the loss of value. The right reflex: hold it, weigh it in the hand, read the spec sheet, but do not step onto the court until you are sure.
We do not offer a direct exchange: to change model, the person returns the racket and places a new order, without having to wait for the refund.
In short
- Choose according to the person’s level, style and arm; when in doubt, favour forgiveness.
- No handle size to choose: the grip is standard, an overgrip adjusts thickness.
- Wood S1 for comfort and beginners, White S3 for control, Black Impact B3 for attack; Mexique M1 in January 2027.
- Dispatch within 48 hours, 2 to 4 working days in France; allow a week’s margin.
- Return within 30 days of receipt, racket unplayed for a full refund.
Frequently asked questions
Which racket should I give a beginner?
The Wood S1: teardrop shape, 350 g, soft EVA foam, the most forgiving and manoeuvrable in the range. It stays enjoyable to play long after the first few months.
Do I need to know the person’s grip size?
No. Our rackets have a standard-sized handle; an overgrip lets everyone adjust thickness to their preference.
Can the person exchange the racket for another model?
Not directly: they return the racket within 30 days and place a new order, without waiting for the refund. The return is at their expense.
Can it be delivered straight to the person?
Yes, by entering their address at checkout. The confirmation email is sent to you; remember to pass on the order number if the person needs to write to us.
How do I find out when a sold-out model comes back?
We do not guarantee an identical restock. The newsletter form on the home page announces when the next runs open.
A well-chosen gift gets played for months: take the time to compare our rackets before deciding.
