A padel racket is a foam core glued between two carbon skins. Almost everything that kills one early is avoidable.
1. The car is the enemy
The single fastest way to ruin a frame is to leave it in a hot car. The EVA core expands, the bond between core and face is stressed, and the racket comes back softer and duller. Nothing you do afterwards brings it back.
Take it inside. Every time.
2. Replace the protector before it wears through
The protector is a sacrificial plastic strip around the head. It costs a few dollars and it is designed to be destroyed instead of your frame.
Check it monthly. The moment you can see through it at any point, replace it. Once the wall scrapes carbon, the damage is permanent and no repair is worth the money.
3. An overgrip is a consumable
When the grip stops feeling tacky you start squeezing harder to hold the racket. That tension travels straight to your forearm, and it is a common cause of what people call tennis elbow.
Change it every 15 to 20 sessions, or sooner if you play in heat.
4. Do not store it under tension in a full bag
A racket crammed under shoes and water bottles takes a permanent set. Use the cover it came with, and keep it flat.
5. Rotate if you own two
The foam core recovers between sessions. If you play four or more times a week and own two frames, alternating them noticeably extends both.
How long should a racket last?
For a club player at two or three sessions a week, eighteen months to two years before the core softens enough to notice. Play daily and it is closer to a season.
The tell is not a crack - it is the ball starting to leave slower on the same swing. When you find yourself hitting harder for the same result, the core is done.