A normal booking is an hour. A tournament day is different. You might play three or four short matches spread across a whole day, and spend more time sitting by the court than standing on it.
That changes what goes in the bag. This list is built around the gaps: what to change between rounds, what to keep warm, and what has to be within reach because you can't pop back to the car.
Last checked: 19 October 2026, against the LTA's 2026 padel organiser guide, the LTA Competition Regulations and the FIP Rules of Padel.
Know your format before you pack
How many matches you play decides how much kit you need. The LTA's organiser guide sets the format and daily match limit for each grade. If you're new to the system, here's how the LTA grades work.
| Grade | Draw | Each match is | Main draw matches in a day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 (Local) | Compass | One tie-break set | Up to 3 |
| 4 (County) | Compass | FAST4 | Up to 4 (allowed with FAST4) |
| 3 (Regional) | Knockout with consolation, or round robin | FAST4 | Up to 4 (allowed with FAST4) |
| 2 (British Tour) | Knockout with consolation, or compass | Two tie-break sets and a match tie-break | 2, or 3 in exceptional cases |
| 1 (British Tour) | Knockout with consolation, or compass | Two tie-break sets and a match tie-break | 2 |
FAST4 is first to four games, with a tie-break at three games all and a match tie-break at one set all.
The big one for packing is the compass draw. At Grade 5, the LTA guarantees every pair at least three matches. Win or lose, you keep playing, so pack for the whole day.
For dates near you, our UK padel events calendar lists what's coming up.
How long the gaps really are
The LTA sets a minimum rest between matches: 30 minutes if you played 20 games or fewer, 60 minutes if you played more.
Here's a sum worth doing. One tie-break set can't go past 13 games (7-6). A FAST4 match can't go past 14 games plus a match tie-break. So at Grades 3, 4 and 5 your minimum rest will almost always be 30 minutes. At Grades 1 and 2, two tight tie-break sets can pass 20 games, which means 60.
That's the minimum, not the plan. The real gap depends on how many courts the venue has and where you sit in the order of play. A Grade 5 can run on a single court.
The rule that changes your bag: you can't nip out
LTA events run under the LTA Competition Regulations. Three of them matter more for packing than anything about rackets:
- Sign in every day. You're treated as absent until you sign the attendance sheet or tell the referee you've arrived.
- Once signed in, you stay. You can only leave the site if you have no more matches that day, or with the referee's permission.
- You have 15 minutes. It's your job to know when you're on. If you're not ready within 15 minutes of your match being called, the referee can treat you as not turning up. Running late? Phone the referee.
So the long gaps happen at the venue. Lunch, dry clothes, a charger: all of it comes with you.
The day, start to finish
The night before
- Find the first match time email and confirm it. Referees send these and chase anyone who hasn't confirmed.
- Save the referee's phone number.
- Fit a fresh overgrip at home, not in the car park. Our overgrip guide walks through it.
- Pack dry kit in its own bag, so it stays dry next to the wet stuff later.
Arrival
Sign in first, then listen to the referee's briefing. It covers the scoring format and the number of matches, which vary by grade.
Turn up in your warm layers, with playing kit underneath. The LTA regulations allow a warm-up of up to five minutes on court before a match, so do the body part beforehand with the hoodie still on.
Match one
On court: playing top, shorts or leggings, grip socks, court shoes, fresh overgrip. Water and a towel at the bench. The FIP rules don't allow food or drink between points, so sip at the changeovers.
One detail people miss. Under the LTA regulations, you can only leave the court to change clothes at the end of a set, and each pair gets two toilet or change-of-attire breaks per match. At Grade 5 a match is one set, so in practice you change between matches, not during them.
The gap: your 10-minute routine
Do this straight after you come off, before you sit down for too long:
- Check the draw. In a compass draw, find out which way you went and who's next. Note your rough time.
- Top off, towel down, dry top on. Wet kit goes in the wet bag.
- Fresh socks. A new pair before every match is the cheapest pick-me-up in the bag.
- Hoodie and joggers on. Loosen your laces.
- Eat and drink something small and familiar. A tournament is not the day to try something new.
- Set a phone alarm for 20 minutes before your likely start. Remember the 15-minute rule.
On a long gap, sit somewhere warm, watch the courts so you see yours coming free, and start moving ten minutes before you think you're on.
Matches two, three and beyond
Check the grip before each match. If it feels slick, change it.
The FIP rules allow extra time, within reason, if clothing, shoes or equipment has to be replaced because of something unforeseen, like a snapped lace. That only helps if the spare is courtside, not in the boot of your car. If you own a second racket, bring it.
The last match and the drive home
Keep winning and your last match can be late in the day, which in winter means cold and dark on outdoor courts. Picking an event? Our guide to indoor courts in winter helps. Save one complete dry outfit, socks included, just for the drive home.
The full kit list for a three-match day
| Item | How many | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Court shoes | 1 pair | The pair you always play in. Not new ones |
| Grip socks | 4 pairs | One per match, one for home |
| Playing tops | 3 | A dry one for every match |
| Shorts or leggings | 2 | One spare |
| Overgrips | 2 to 3 spares | Fresh one fitted the night before |
| Racket | 1, plus a spare if you own one | Breaks happen |
| Towels | 2 | One for court, one for changing |
| Water bottle | 1 large | Refill between matches |
| Food | Small snacks for the day | You can't nip out |
| Hoodie | 1 | Warm between rounds |
| Joggers or loose trousers | 1 | Over shorts in the gaps |
| Wet kit bag | 1 | Keeps the dry stuff dry |
| Phone and charger | 1 of each | Match calls, running late |
Balls are the organiser's job, not yours (see the FAQ).
Where Padelism fits
Padelism makes clothes for the bit either side of the game, and a tournament day is mostly that bit. Two things we make are for the court. The rest is for the gaps.
- Grip socks, £14. Non-slip grip to reduce movement inside the shoe, in UK 4-7 and UK 8-11. The grip socks guide covers sizing and washing.
- Overgrips. Sweat-absorbing. The 3 pack is £7 and the 6 pack is £12. On a tournament day, the 6 pack covers the night-before fit plus spares.
- Hoodies, £75. The Mk1 Box Hoodie is 350 g/m2 with a fleeced interior, an oversized boxy fit and a drop shoulder. It ships free in the UK on its own.
- Bottoms, £60. The Heavyweight Fleece Joggers are a 345 g/m2 cotton blend with an elastic waist and a pocket, so they go on over shorts in seconds. The Straight Leg Pants are 87% cotton, 365 g/m2 and loose.
The hoodies and bottoms aren't made to play in. They're for the 30 minutes, or three hours, in between.
Everything is made to order, so allow 7 to 10 working days for UK delivery and order at least two weeks before your event. UK delivery is free on orders of £75 and over.
FAQ
How long does a padel tournament day last? It depends on the grade and the draw. At Grade 5 every pair plays at least three matches, with at least 30 minutes' rest between them. Gaps are often longer, so plan for most of the day.
Can I leave the venue between matches? Not freely. Under the LTA Competition Regulations, once you've signed in you can only leave if you have no more matches that day, or with the referee's permission.
What happens if I'm late for my match? If you're not ready within 15 minutes of your match being called, the referee can treat you as not turning up. Running late? Phone the referee with an arrival time. They can choose to delay the match.
Do I need to bring my own balls to a padel tournament? No. Organisers are responsible for balls, and the LTA supplies them at Grades 1 and 2. Check the event fact sheet to be sure.
