Affiliate disclosure: Padel Mad is a member of the Awin affiliate network. If you buy through links on this page we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our opinions.
Padel skirts have become one of the most-searched items in UK women’s padel kit, and most of what shows up on Amazon and in the big sportswear chains is mass-produced polyester in one of three colours. EXEAT, the British luxury tennis and padel brand beloved by Vogue and Forbes, takes a different approach: British-designed, ethically made in Portugal, and priced like a considered investment piece rather than a throwaway gym buy. We put the Ralph Tennis Skirt — EXEAT’s navy and white pleated skirt, explicitly marketed for padel and pickleball as well as tennis — under the spotlight.
This is our second EXEAT review after the Monte Carlo Dress, and it lets us look at the brand’s separates rather than its dresses — useful, since most UK padel players actually play in a skirt-and-top combination rather than a full dress.
At a glance
- Price: £165 GBP (check current price and any live offers before buying)
- Colours: Navy blue & white pleated
- Sizes: XS–XL (UK sizing; see EXEAT’s size guide, as UK sizing runs differently to US/EU)
- Fabric: 93% recycled polyester (SEAQUAL ocean plastic yarn) / 7% elastane
- Key features: high-waisted “Power Pleats”, “Sculptor Seams” shaping panels, “Leggy Hem” cut, built-in under-shorts with leg cuff
- Made in: Portugal, in an ethically-run atelier
- Care: 30°C delicate machine wash, line dry, cool iron to refresh pleats — no tumble dryer
- Shipping: Free global shipping and returns via DHL Express, all duties/taxes included in the price
Who it’s for
Ralph is aimed at players who want to look properly turned out on court and are happy to pay a premium for British design, sustainable fabric and genuine construction detail rather than a generic polyester skort. It suits club players and social padel groups where kit matters as much as performance — think Saturday morning padel followed by brunch, rather than someone grinding through three matches a day at a tournament. If your priority is the cheapest possible skirt that does a job, this isn’t it; if you want something that photographs well, holds its shape over a season, and doesn’t look like everyone else’s on the next court, it’s a strong option.
On-court performance and feel
The headline feature is the high waistband and “Power Pleats”, which EXEAT designs to hold their shape wash after wash rather than going limp after a few sessions — a common complaint with budget pleated skirts. The recycled polyester/elastane blend has a reasonable four-way stretch for lunges and split-steps, and because the pleats are engineered into the fabric’s weave rather than pressed in afterwards, they should survive UK weather and sweat better than a simple ironed pleat.
Built-in under-shorts with a shaped leg cuff mean you don’t need separate compression shorts underneath, which is genuinely useful for padel given how much lunging and low volleying the game involves. The “Sculptor Seams” shaping panels through the waist are a styling detail rather than a performance one, but they do mean the skirt sits flatter under a fitted top than most mass-market alternatives.
Where it’s less practical than a typical £35 sports-shop skirt is the washing: a 30°C delicate cycle, line drying and a cool iron to refresh the pleats is more careful maintenance than throwing it in with a normal gym wash, which matters if you’re playing (and washing kit) two or three times a week.
Pros
- Genuine British design with couture-style construction detail (Power Pleats, Sculptor Seams, Leggy Hem)
- Sustainable SEAQUAL recycled-ocean-plastic fabric with a stated low-carbon manufacturing process
- High waistband and built-in under-shorts are practical for padel’s low lunges and volleys
- Free global shipping, all duties included, and a 28-day return window on unworn items
- Explicitly designed with padel and pickleball players in mind, not just tennis
Cons
- £165 is a significant premium over mass-market padel/tennis skirts, which typically run £25–£50
- Sizing tops out at XL (UK 18) — no plus-size range currently
- Delicate hand-wash-style care isn’t as convenient as a normal gym wash for players training multiple times a week
- Only available directly from EXEAT online — no UK stockists to try before you buy
How it compares
Against our EXEAT Monte Carlo Dress, Ralph is the more practical, mix-and-match option — pair it with a plain top or EXEAT’s own Frill Seeker Polo, rather than committing to a full dress. If you want to see how EXEAT’s separates stack up against mainstream brands, our Best Padel Clothes for UK Weather guide covers budget and mid-range alternatives for changeable UK conditions. For the rest of your kit, see our guides to the best padel rackets for women, best padel shoes in the UK and best padel bags. If you’re new to reviewing kit on this site, our How We Test page explains our approach.
Verdict
The EXEAT Ralph Tennis Skirt is a considered, well-constructed piece for players who see padel kit as an investment rather than a disposable purchase. The high waistband, engineered pleats and built-in under-shorts genuinely suit the sport’s movement patterns, and the sustainable fabric story is more substantial than most brands’ greenwashing. It won’t be for everyone at £165, and the delicate wash care is a real practical trade-off — but if you want a British-made padel skirt that looks and performs like a premium product, Ralph delivers on that brief.
FAQ
Is the EXEAT Ralph skirt suitable for padel, or just tennis?
Yes — EXEAT markets Ralph explicitly for padel and pickleball as well as tennis, and the high waist, stretch fabric and built-in under-shorts suit padel’s lunging, low-volley movement.
What size should I order?
EXEAT uses UK sizing (XS–XL, roughly UK 6–18). Check their size guide on the product page, as it differs from US and EU sizing — the brand’s own fit model is 5’5″, a UK 6, and wears a size S.
Does it come with shorts underneath?
Yes, Ralph has built-in under-shorts with a shaped leg cuff, so you don’t need separate compression shorts.
How do I wash it without ruining the pleats?
EXEAT recommends a 30°C delicate machine wash, line drying, and touching up the pleats with a cool iron if needed. Avoid the tumble dryer.
Is it true to size?
Reviews and EXEAT’s own guidance suggest it fits true to UK sizing, but always check the size chart on the product page as fit can vary between brands.
