We have a number of tips for you that will help you extend the life of your purchased padel racket. You can take the following steps for this:

• Store your racket in a protective cover or racket bag. This cover protects your racket against bumps, scratches or exposure to water or sun. For example, see Orbit's racket cover .
  
  
• Use a protective tape on the edge of your racket. Orbit offers an extra thick protection tape especially for padel rackets. During a match there is a good chance that you will hit the fencing, window or surface with your racket a number of times. Typically, it is usually the edge of the racket that has contact. A protective tape ensures that your racket is somewhat protected against scratches or even worse damage.
  
  
• Make sure you invest in a good quality racket. Carbon rackets are stronger than fiberglass rackets, and also last longer on average.
  
  
• Always make sure you put the string on your hand. This is not only safer for your fellow player and opponent, but it also protects your racket.
  
  
• If you have played outside, make sure you always store your racket in a dry place afterwards. The padel racket materials are usually bad against water.

If you are going to padel, there are various accessories that will come in handy on the court. The following padel items are useful to put in your bag

• Of course padel rackets. Make sure there is a good grip on your racket, which is still sufficiently stiff so that the racket cannot slip out of your hand.
  
  
• Padel balls. Make sure you bring padel balls. These are a bit softer than tennis balls. If you are looking for high quality balls that do not felt after a match, click here
  
  
• Padel clothing and shoes. Make sure you bring comfortable clothes. Padel is a moving sport, make sure you wear sportswear in which you can move easily. Also wear shoes with a good grip, preferably those designed for padel. Otherwise, tennis shoes are also good.
  
  
• Drinking bottle. Bring a bottle to drink. A game of padel usually takes 1.5 hours. That's a long time you're moving. Due to the long and intensive effort you can lose a lot of moisture. That is why it is important to hydrate sufficiently.
  
  
• Overgrips. Overgrips help you improve the grip of your handle. Always take a few extra overgrips with you, if your current grip is worn out. Orbit sells high quality overgrips in 3 different colors
  
  
• Sweatbands. Use sweatbands to protect against sweat in your eyes. said, for example, Orbit's sweatbands
  
  
• Towel. Bring a towel against sweat, or for showering after playing.
  
  
• Sunscreen. If you play outside you can burn quickly in the sun, especially if you also sweat during exercise.

There are several techniques and tips that you can apply to hit your best padel service. In any case, pay attention to the following points:

• First of all, be aware of a few important serving rules. You can only serve underhand. You must first let the ball bounce 1x. And you may only hit the ball if it is at maximum hip height of the serving player.
  
  
• Timing: Try to hit the ball when it makes an upward movement after the bounce. While hitting, try to make a forward motion and supposedly move through the ball. It is often effective to walk directly to the offensive net position in that movement, wherever your teammate is.
  
  
• Ball placement: Try to hit the ball to the corners of the court as best you can, as this will make it difficult to return the ball. Furthermore, the opponent's backhand is often his or her weaker side, keep that in mind. And by serving in the service box and close to the window, you also make it more difficult for your opponent. High-quality balls last longer so that your service remains more consistent. Find premium padel balls from Orbit here.
  
  
• Variation and Spin: Try to vary your strokes by hitting alternate serves. This way you can give backspin, with which the ball bounces less high and gives a slowing effect to the ball. This often has the effect that the opponent hits the ball into the net faster. Or try topspin, this will make the balls bounce higher and get more speed after the bounce. This ensures that the opponent returns the ball too hard faster. Or creates side spin, which can surprise the opponent by bouncing the ball in an unexpected direction.
  
  
• Grip: First of all put the cord of the racket around your hand, so that the racket cannot slip out of your hands. Hold your racket firmly with a proper grip. The most common grip is the 'continental grip,' where you have the blade pointed up with one side, or held vertically, and the handle horizontal at the same time. And then you grab the racket like you would grab a hammer. Looking for an extra overgrip? take a look at Orbit's sticky grips here

Padel locations in Amsterdam: where do you play best?

The absurdly fast growth of Padel is perhaps best seen in Amsterdam. Jobs have sprung up like mushrooms in recent years. Inside, outside and combinations of.
Amsterdam offers several places where you can play padel. Below we explain a number of jobs and why these are our favorites.
*See the bottom of the article for all jobs in Amsterdam

1. Padel NEXT
All courses at this location are indoor and of high quality. The field doesn't have too much sand so the game can stay nice and fast. The height of the ceiling is also spacious, so don't be afraid of cross balls that get in the way of your high balls.

2.XNRGY
A high quality social padel club! XNRGY has 10 indoor courts, each with a high ceiling of 12 meters, which guarantee beautiful raleys. If you're looking for a place where you can do more than just play a game of padel, check this out.

3. NDSM Padel

The only job in Amsterdam North. For everyone in Noord, book a job here. The location distinguishes this job from all others, therefore a well-deserved place 3. Super nice people behind the counter. In front of the entrance there is another place where you can sit outside with your teammate.

4. Padel Plaza
Discover the newest Padel Plaza location in Amsterdam, equipped with no less than 8 indoor padel courts. In addition, they offer a special 1-vs-1 job and a cozy catering facility. To the left of the bar, Padel Plaze offers players many padel brands and models, always good if you are looking for something new.

5. Frans Otten
With 6 really good indoor padel courts, the Frans Otten stadium offers an excellent location for everyone. The spacious height of the hall, which is no less than 15 meters. Not the most cozy place to drink a beer afterwards if that's what you're looking for.

6. Padelclub Amstelpark, here you can play both indoors and outdoors all year round. The club has 5 outdoor courts. In addition, the club also offers training and clinics for beginners and advanced players.

The padel courts in Amsterdam offer something for everyone. Try out some jobs and see what works best for you.

All jobs in Amsterdam:
ASTPV CHIP & CHARGE
B-Amsterdam
Frans Otten Stadium
NDSM padel
Padel Dam
Padel Next
Peakz Padel Amsterdam - Gumball quarter
Peakz Padel Amsterdam - Olympiaplein
Peakz Padel Amsterdam - Sloterdijk
Plaza Padel Amsterdam
The Padellers - Amstel Park
The Padellers - Amsterdam West
XNRGY

Lifespan of a padel racket

If used incorrectly, a padel racket is quite vulnerable. It is therefore important to have a good padel racket and that you know what and what not to do during a match. With proper use, a racket can last a long time and save a lot of money. With average use, count on a lifespan of 1-2 years.

The lifespan of a padel racket depends on several elements:
1. How often and do you play
+ do you play outside in the rain?
2. How careful are you with the racket
3. Material and quality of the padel racket

It will come as no surprise that the more you play, the sooner your padel racket needs to be replaced. Materials in the racket will then be exhausted faster, causing the racket to slowly lose its damping. As a result, the quality of the racket changes over time. In addition, players sometimes make a mistake and hit the side, for example. This kind of collision can lead to cracks in the frame or top. Orbit supplies specially designed bumpers that protect the top of a racket, see: Orbit protection tape
Rain or other forms of moisture are also bad for padel rackets. The core (a kind of foam) of the racket absorbs the water. The racket will lose its stiffness. As a result, it can break faster and play less well.

We recommend always using a racket cover. This prevents unnecessary damage during transport or storage. For this reason, Orbit Padel gives a free racket cover as standard with the purchase of every racket. We want you to enjoy a new racket for as long as possible.

The quality of the model or brand has a major influence on how long a padel racket lasts. More and more non-padel brands are supplying padel gear to the Dutch market. These products are often very cheaply priced but also of low quality. Remember this when purchasing a racket

Finally, find a racket that suits your playing style. By choosing the right racket you can ensure that you play with a racket for longer. So don't always go for the cheapest option, this can cost more money in the long term.
Orbit has a team of experts who are happy to help you find the ideal racket.

Holes in a padel racket, why?

A padel racket has holes in the blade. But what are these holes actually for? In this article we discuss the function of the holes in a padel racket. It concerns the following properties:

• Weight savings
• Less air resistance
• Better sweet spot
• + less vibration
• + imparting spin

Weight savings
The holes ensure that the racket is less heavy. This is because the material between the holes can be removed, making the racket lighter. A lighter racket can result in more maneuverability and more control for the player.

Less air resistance
Another function of the holes in a padel racket is to reduce air resistance. Holes allow air to pass through the racket. This creates less back pressure and reduces air resistance. The result, a higher racket speed and hard smashes.

Optimized sweet spot
One of the main functions of the holes in a padel racket is to enlarge the sweet spot. The sweet spot is the area on the racket where the ball can best be hit. The holes in the racket allow the surface of the sweet spot to be enlarged or moved slightly. The racket becomes more flexible and therefore absorbs more energy when hitting the padel ball.

When hitting the ball, vibrations are created in a racket, which is as it should be. This is the case with every racket sport. The holes in the blade reduce these vibrations. This ensures more comfort while playing and less chance of injuries.

Another important function is to increase the spin. More grip on the ball when hitting can lead to more spin, the holes offer this extra grip.
All Orbit rackets are equipped with a unique hole pattern to get the most out of the player's game. In this it falls on the rackets in the middle have no holes. This is to enlarge the sweet spot so that you hit more balls perfectly!

Conclusion
The holes in a padel racket therefore have different functions that all contribute to the player's performance.

Good to know that not all rackets have the same hole pattern and/or size of the holes. These differences naturally also result in different types of playing styles.
Find the racket that suits you well by contacting a team of experts from Orbit.

An important part of this sport is the racket with which it is played. But which materials are used to make a padel racket and why? From beginner to pro everyone has their own wishes. We are happy to tell you more about the construction of a padel racket and all the materials that are used, plus the effects on the ball feeling.

In short, you can split a racket into three parts that determine the feeling for the player. The frame, blade and core. All three parts bring unique properties that create the character of the racket.

The frame and blade of a padel racket is usually made of fiberglass, carbon, graphene or kevlar or a combination of these materials. All these materials are processed together with a liquid plastic. This combination is also called a composite

Optical fiber
Fiberglass is often used as a material to make padel rackets. A fiber-reinforced plastic that is lightweight, but not super stiff. In a padel racket it gives a lot of "suspension". The racket has a large sweet spot and is forgiving to the player. It is used in combination with other materials, such as carbon, to obtain the desired properties. The more fiberglass is processed in the racket, the softer and more elastic the racket will be.
However, a higher fiberglass content can also cause the racket to wear out faster and break earlier.

Carbon
Carbon is often used as a material to make padel rackets. Carbon is a lightweight and stiff material that is very strong. The more carbon is processed in the racket, the stiffer and less elastic the racket will be. This can lead to more control and precision when hitting the ball. However, a higher carbon content can also make the racket feel less comfortable and transmit more vibrations to the arm.

The core of the racket can consist of different materials, such as foam or EVA foam. Foam is lightweight and offers great comfort, but has less control than EVA foam and rubber. EVA foam is firmer than foam and offers more control and precision. Rubber is the firmest material and offers the most control, but has less comfort than foam and EVA foam.

The blade of the racket, the blade, can be made of different materials, such as fiberglass, carbon or kevlar. Carbon fiber offers more control than graphite, but less strength. Kevlar is the most durable material, but offers less control and precision than graphite and carbon fiber.

Conclusion:
When choosing a padel racket, playing style, type of player and personal preference play the biggest role. Different materials and the structure of a role play an important role in fulfilling the wishes of a player. It is therefore important to try out different rackets before purchasing one.

Padel and tennis are two popular racquet sports that have many similarities, but also some important differences. One of those differences is the ball used in both sports. In this article, we will discuss the frequently asked question, what are the differences between padel balls and tennis balls.

Size
The size of the ball is a difference between padel balls and tennis balls. Padel balls are smaller than tennis balls. The difference is minimal, but still good to know! A padel ball has a diameter of about 6.35 cm, while a tennis ball has a diameter of about 6.7 cm.

Weight
The weight of the ball is also different between the two sports. Padel balls are lighter than tennis balls. A padel ball weighs about 56 grams, while a tennis ball weighs about 58 grams. This difference is also almost negligible

Speed
The speed of the ball is another difference between padel balls and tennis balls. Padel balls are slower than tennis balls. This is partly due to the lower weight of the padel ball, but also due to the hard outer layer that has less resilience than the felt of a tennis ball.

Bounce
The bounce of the ball is also different between padel balls and tennis balls. Padel balls generally have less bounce than tennis balls. This is partly due to the material used, but mainly due to the lower pressure. As a result, the ball receives less energy when hitting or bouncing, which results in a slower ball displacement.

Quality
For both sports you will find balls of different quality. Cheap balls will soften sooner and should therefore be replaced sooner. Premium balls keep the bounce longer. In addition, we see that cheap balls are often not 100% round due to poor workmanship. so pay attention to what you are looking for.
Orbit balls are made of 100% natural rubber with a very high percentage of felt to allow the player to enjoy optimally performing padel balls for a long time.

Conclusion
While padel and tennis have many similarities, there are also some key differences, including the ball used. Padel balls are smaller, lighter, slower and generally have less bounce than tennis balls. It is important to understand these differences.

If you are looking for high-quality padel balls, you can find Orbit's Premium balls here

If you buy a padel racket, you will notice that nowadays many rackets have a rough finish on the blade. But why is that and what does it bring the player?

The main reason why padel rackets have a rough finish is to give the racket more grip on the padel ball. The rough finish on the racket surface ensures that players have a better grip, allowing them to make better shots and thus place the ball more accurately.

Another advantage of the rough finish on padel rackets is that it helps to give spin to the ball. When playing padel, it is important to be able to spin the ball, as this can lead to unexpected movements of the ball that are difficult for the opponent to hit back. The rough finish on the racket surface ensures that the blade of a padel racket makes better contact with the ball, allowing players to give more spin. This spin can make it easier to knock a ball out of the playing field. Use the spin to keep the ball low to the ground, anything to make it difficult for the opponent.

There are different types of rough finishes used on padel rackets. Some rackets have a coarser finish than others, depending on the brand and model. Some rackets also have a more sophisticated surface texture, such as pinholes or embossing.

That said, we hear different preferences from padel players. That is why we emphasize that the surface of a racket is strongly personal. Every playing style requires different properties from a racket.

Many people already play padel or are about to try it. Before you start playing, there are some things that are useful to know and have to play a game of padel. In this beginner's guide you will learn what you need to start playing padel.

Padel racket
The first and most important item you need to start playing padel is a padel racket. Padel rackets are slightly smaller than tennis rackets and have no strings, but instead a solid fiberglass or carbon surface. There are many different types of rackets on the market and it is important to choose one that suits you. Choosing a racket with a weight and shape that suits your level and playing style will help you play better. Do you want to pay attention when purchasing a first racket? then read our blog: Important factors for padel racket purchases
As a beginner, we recommend buying a round racket with a large sweet spot. This is the place on the racket where you can best hit the ball for optimal control. The balance of these rackets is a bit lower to give enough confidence to the player. The better you get, the clearer your preference for a type of racket will become. Let an expert advise you which racket suits your playing style. Many courts offer the possibility to test rackets in order to arrive at the perfect racket for you. We at Orbit are always open to advise you or to borrow a racket

Padel balls
Another essential purchase is padel balls. Padel balls are slightly smaller than tennis balls and have a lower bounce, which means that the ball moves a little less quickly. It is important to use padel balls specifically designed for padel, as these balls last longer and are more resistant to the impact of the padel racket. Make sure you replace padel balls regularly to keep getting the most out of your game.

Padel court
To play padel, you need access to a padel court. Fortunately, there are more and more padel courts available in the Netherlands, both indoors and outdoors. In Amsterdam there is even the possibility of public jobs. So plenty of room!

Padel clothing and shoes
Although there is no specific dress code for padel, it is important to wear proper footwear. Be especially careful with soles that are too high, this brings instability to the ankles with a risk of injury. Padel is almost always played on an artificial grass surface, so it is important to wear sports shoes with a good grip and suitable for this surface.

Conclusion
To start with padel you don't need a lot and otherwise you can always rent it to start. Find a group of fanatical friends and you can start with your first padel pot.

Have fun!

A padel court is fenced with walls, glass wall in the back of the field. The field is also surrounded by a wire mesh fence.

It is usually played in doubles, with two players on each side of the net, meaning a total of four players on the court. However, singles can also be played, where there is only one player on each side of the net.

The object of the game is to hit the ball over the net and bounce it onto the opponent's court without them being able to hit the ball back. This can be recognized from many other racket sports such as tennis. Does the ball hit the fence or the glass without bouncing? The ball is then immediately out, point goes to the opponent.

The game begins with a serve, where the server hits the ball diagonally over the net to the other side of the court. The player gets two chances to do this. The ball must first bounce on the ground in the correct box before the opponent is allowed to hit it back. The ball may hit the glassware after the bounce, but not the fence. Often a ball against the fence can be clearly heard because it produces a completely different sound than glass. Then it is played alternately until one of the teams scores a point. What does let mean with a service?
If the ball hits the net first, then the ground and then the glass wall, the service must be taken again. Player keeps his first service. Also, if the ball hits the net band first and then touches the ground twice before the opponent can hit it back, the service must be taken again. If the ball first hits the net, then the ground, then the fence, it is considered a foul. Second serve must be played.

Scoring in padel is similar to that in tennis. The first point a player scores is counted as '15', the second point is '30', the third is '40', and the fourth point is a game-winning point, which wins the player the game.

When both players or teams have scored three points (or '40-40'), it is called 'deuce'. Starting from deuce, a player must score two points in a row to win the game. The first dot after deuce is called "advantage." If the player with 'advantage' wins the next point, he/she wins the game. If he/she loses the point, the score goes back to 'deuce' and the player has to score two points in a row again to win the game.
Who sees that golden point is being used more and more. The first team to score the golden point (40-40) wins the game.

Strict rules apply at the net to ensure fair play and safety during the game. For example, it is not allowed to put your racket over the net, except when the ball has first bounced in your own half. As a player, you should never touch the net.

An important aspect of padel is that the ball can be played through the glass walls. This means that many different strategies are possible and that the game is much more dynamic than tennis, for example. This playing style is recognizable from squash. The glass walls make it possible to play the ball from different angles and ensure spectacular rallies.

Padel originated in Mexico in 1969 and quickly became popular in countries such as Spain and Argentina. The game was created by Enrique Corcuera, who wanted to create a new sport that was easy and accessible to people of all ages and abilities. The first padel court was built on Corcuera's estate in Acapulco, Mexico.

Padel has become increasingly popular in the Netherlands and around the world in recent years. The game is played on a smaller court than tennis, for example, and rackets that are slightly smaller than tennis rackets are used.
We would like to tell you more about the history of this beautiful sport. In addition, a piece about how this sport has developed in recent years.

It didn't take long for padel to cross the ocean to Europe and the sport was introduced to Spain in the 1970s. Padel quickly became popular here and many new courts were built. Spain is now the country where padel is played the most and where many professional padel players come from. The country has the largest padel community in the world and there are thousands of padel courts all over the country.

In the 1980s, padel also began to spread to other parts of Europe, such as Portugal, Italy and France. In the Netherlands it took a little longer for padel to become popular, but the sport has experienced enormous growth in recent years. There are now many padel courts in the Netherlands and more and more tournaments and competitions are being organized. At the end of September 2022, the WPT itself came to the Netherlands for the annual tournament. In addition, the sport is also increasingly being introduced to schools and associations as part of their sports programmes.

The International Padel Federation (IPF) was founded in 1991 and has been organizing world championships and other international tournaments ever since. The Dutch Padel Association (NPB) is also active in organizing tournaments and promoting the sport in the Netherlands.

All in all, padel has undergone considerable development in recent decades and has become a popular and accessible sport for people of all levels and ages. With the growing popularity of padel, many more padel courts and tournaments will undoubtedly be organized in the Netherlands and around the world.