Guide
Padel vs Tennis Overgrip: What Is the Difference?
If you play both sports, or you are moving from tennis to padel, you might wonder whether you need a different overgrip. Usually you do not. Here is why, and what does change.
In short: an overgrip is the same kind of product for padel and tennis: a thin, tacky wrap that goes over the base grip. The difference is the racket. Padel handles are shorter and usually thinner and have a wrist cord, so you wrap a little differently and many players use two overgrips.
Padel vs tennis at a glance
| Padel | Tennis | |
|---|---|---|
| Handle length | Short, so an overgrip has length to spare | Longer, an overgrip covers most or all of it |
| Handle thickness | Often thin; many players add one or two overgrips | Comes in several grip sizes; most players use one overgrip |
| Wrist cord | Yes, start wrapping just above it | No |
| Where to finish | Where the handle meets the frame | At the top of the handle |
What stays the same
In both sports the overgrip does the same job: it absorbs sweat, gives you tack so the racket does not turn in your hand, and protects the base grip. That is why one good overgrip works for padel, tennis and pickleball.
What to look for
- Tack: a slightly sticky feel so you can hold the racket without squeezing hard.
- Absorption: it matters most in heat and humidity, which is most of the year in Houston.
- Thickness: a thin overgrip (around 0.6 mm) keeps the feel of the handle and lets you build it up with a second one if you want.
Court Pro Series overgrips are 0.60 mm polyurethane, tacky, with high sweat absorption, and they are made to fit padel, tennis and pickleball. To put one on, follow how to wrap a padel overgrip.
And pickleball?
Pickleball paddles also have short handles, so wrap them like a padel racket: start at the bottom, keep the overlap even and finish where the handle ends.
