Padel Overgrip Thickness: What the Numbers Mean and Which to Choose

Overgrip thickness is listed in millimeters and rarely explained. Most product descriptions say "ultra-thin" or "cushioned" without telling you what that means for handle feel, durability, or how the grip performs once sweat gets involved.

Here's what the numbers actually mean.

The thickness range

Padel overgrips run from 0.45mm to 1.5mm. The practical range for most players is 0.5–1.0mm. Here's what each range delivers:

0.5–0.6mm (ultra-thin)

Minimal added circumference — roughly 1mm diameter increase around the handle. Maximum feel transfer from frame to hand. The closest to playing on the base grip alone. Degrades faster under sweat and compression because there's less material to absorb before the surface fails. Correct for players who prioritize feel over durability and play in dry, cool conditions. Also correct if your handle is already at the right size and you don't want to build it up.

0.65–0.75mm (standard)

The most common thickness for padel overgrips. Adds about 1.3–1.5mm diameter. Balances feel and durability. Works across most conditions. This is the right default for players who don't have a specific reason to go thinner or thicker — it handles moderate sweat without sacrificing the feedback you need on soft shots.

0.85–1.0mm (thick)

Adds roughly 1.7–2mm diameter. Noticeably cushioned feel. Lasts longer under heavy sweat because there's more material before compression compromises the surface. Correct for players who want to build handle circumference (if the racket runs small) or for heavy sweaters who need durability over sessions without changing mid-match. Reduces feel slightly on touch shots — the extra layer absorbs some of the feedback that travels through the frame.

1.0–1.5mm (extra cushion)

Primarily for players building handle size or recovering from wrist/elbow injuries who benefit from vibration dampening. Not recommended for performance play — the thickness absorbs too much feel and the grip compresses unevenly under sustained pressure.

How thickness affects handle circumference

Each 0.1mm of overgrip thickness adds approximately 0.2mm to the handle diameter (the grip wraps the full circumference, so radial thickness is what changes the feel in hand). A 0.7mm overgrip adds about 1.4mm diameter vs. bare base grip. A 1.0mm overgrip adds about 2mm diameter.

For reference: the difference between adjacent padel grip sizes (L1 to L2, for example) is about 3mm. An overgrip alone can't make up a full size difference, but it meaningfully affects how the handle fills your palm on short shots where grip pressure is lower.

Which thickness to choose

Start at 0.7mm if you're unsure. It's correct for the majority of players in the majority of conditions. Move to 0.55mm if you consistently want more feel and play in dry conditions. Move to 0.85mm or higher if you sweat heavily or find yourself changing grips more than once per session.

Don't try to solve a handle-size problem with overgrip thickness alone. If your racket handle is genuinely undersized, a thicker replacement grip (base layer) addresses the problem structurally. Stacking overgrips builds circumference unevenly and creates a surface that doesn't compress properly.

Perforated vs. non-perforated at each thickness

Perforated grips allow moisture to wick through the surface, which extends useful life in warm or humid conditions. At 0.7mm, perforated is the right choice for outdoor play. At 0.55mm, perforation matters more because there's less material to absorb before the surface fails — the perforations become more critical for moisture management. At 1.0mm, the additional material provides a buffer; perforated is still better outdoors but the difference is smaller.