Why should you change the safety strap on your padel racket?

The safety strap is a crucial component on a padel racket. So much so that regulations require all rackets to have one and to use it during play. Its role is obviously to prevent accidents in the event that the racket slips from your hand and hits another player.

Replacing the strap: a difficult and risky operation

The safety strap on padel rackets is fastened to the structure of the racket itself in the space inside the grip. Replacing it is a difficult operation as it involves tampering with the racket, thus losing the purchase guarantee. In order to replace it, it is necessary to take off the default grip that comes with the racket to leave the bottom cap, which must also be taken off and which is attached to the grip of the racket with a system of staples. Removing these staples is a delicate operation that entails the risk of breaking the racket. Having replaced the strap, putting the bottom cap back on is also difficult, as by having taken out the staples, the cap may be badly fastened and may move during play.

Why may we be interested in replacing the safety strap?

For safety reasons

During play the safety strap gets soaked with the sweat of the player. Over time, sweat gradually degrades fibres to the point that they may end up breaking. Another reason for a possible breakage is that the inner knot that connects the strap to the structure of the racket becomes undone. In either of these cases, if the strap on our racket is broken we are required to replace it as the regulations do not allow you to play without a system for fastening the racket to your wrist.

For hygiene reasons

As we previously stated, the strap on the racket constantly soaks up the sweat of the player which causes bad odours over time. In the case of padel rackets which are shared by more than one person (for example, test or rental rackets, etc...) it is necessary to bear in mind the health risk component. In the case of shared rackets, the overgrip of the racket should also be changed and the strap should be disinfected after every use.

For customisation

Every player has their own preferences. There are those who prefer the traditional cord, those who prefer the wristband type, some prefer more length, others prefer them tighter... Until now players have had to settle for the default system provided regardless of their preferences.

Aside from being able to choose the fastening system, aesthetic customisation can also be a reason for change. For example, a wristband with your name, the flag of your country or a phrase that motivates you in your matches.

For all of these reasons: wouldn´t it be ideal for the safety strap to be another accessory on the padel racket and not a fixed component.

The solution: the new Smartstrap® replaceable safety strap system

Now, all the rackets from the Luxury, Pro and Advanced ranges from the 2022 collection incorporate the SmartStrap® replaceable safety strap system. A system that enables you to change the strap in less than 2 minutes, without tampering the racket or losing the purchase guarantee. Also, all the rackets from these ranges come with two safety fastening systems so you can choose: the traditional cord and the wristband.

Now the strap is another accessory!