How Padel Gave Me My Social Life Back — and the Top I Wear Every Time I Play

12 de junio de 2026

Apres Padel Tequila Slice Men's Sleeveless Padel Top — lightweight organic cotton vest with bold courtside graphic design, worn on a padel court during a summer match

I came to padel late. I was 38, I'd been meaning to try it for about two years after watching friends post about it on Instagram, and I finally got dragged along to a session by a colleague who'd run out of patience with my excuses. That was eighteen months ago. I've played at least twice a week since.

My name is Dom. I live in Brighton, I work in digital marketing, and padel has done something I didn't expect: it's given me back a social life I'd quietly let slide in my mid-thirties. The sport is inherently social — you play in pairs, you need four people, you rotate partners, you end up talking to people you'd never otherwise meet. And then, crucially, you go for a drink afterwards. That's the Après Padel part. That's the bit I didn't know I needed.

The Kit Problem

When I started playing I wore whatever I had — old gym kit, a running top, whatever was clean. It was fine for the first few months while I was still working out whether I was going to stick with it. Once I knew I was sticking with it, I wanted to dress the part. Not in an expensive, head-to-toe performance gear way — more in the way that wearing something you actually like makes an activity feel more like yours.

I wanted something that worked on court but that I could also wear to the bar afterwards without looking like I'd just come from a gym. The Après Padel concept — the off-court culture of celebrating games with friends, court to café — resonated with me immediately because that's exactly how I play. We finish a session, we go somewhere, we talk about the points we won and the ones we definitely should have won. The kit should be able to do both.

Apres Padel Tequila Slice Men's Sleeveless Padel Top — flat lay product shot showing the bold Tequila Slice graphic print on the lightweight organic cotton sleeveless vest — The Tequila Slice graphic — bold enough to have personality, relaxed enough to wear anywhere.

Why the Tequila Slice Top

I found the Après Padel Tequila Slice Men's Sleeveless Top on ALTOE and it was immediately, obviously right. The graphic is bold and playful without being garish — the kind of thing that reads as a considered choice rather than a novelty item. The sleeveless cut is exactly what I want for padel: full freedom of movement through the shoulders, no fabric bunching under the arms during overhead shots.

The fabric was the detail that clinched it. Lightweight organic cotton, eco-printed with water-based inks, made in an audited renewable-energy facility. I'm not someone who makes every purchasing decision on sustainability grounds, but when the sustainable option is also the better product — softer, more breathable, better for your skin in warm weather — it's an easy choice. Organic cotton breathes in a way that synthetic performance fabrics don't, which matters when you're playing in summer heat.

Apres Padel Tequila Slice Sleeveless Top worn on a padel court — showing the relaxed athletic fit and freedom of movement through the shoulders during active play — The relaxed athletic fit in action — full shoulder freedom for overhead shots, no bunching, no restriction.

On Court

I sized true to size, as recommended, and the relaxed silhouette is exactly right for padel — not so loose it gets in the way, not so fitted it restricts movement. The fabric is genuinely lightweight; on a warm evening session I barely notice I'm wearing it, which is the ideal outcome for activewear.

It's also held up well to the washing. I wash it cool, inside out, hang dry as instructed, and the print is as sharp as it was when I first wore it. I've washed it probably thirty times at this point. No fading, no cracking, no peeling. The eco-printing process clearly produces a more durable result than I'd expected.

Apres Padel Tequila Slice Sleeveless Top styled for Apres Padel — layered under an open overshirt with clean sneakers, showing the court-to-cafe versatility of the organic cotton vest — Layered under an overshirt for Après Padel — from court to café without changing.

After the Match

This is where the Après Padel concept earns its name. After a session I'll throw an open overshirt over the top, swap my court shoes for clean trainers, and we'll walk straight to wherever we're going. The top works. It looks intentional rather than accidental. Nobody looks at you and thinks "he's just come from sport" — they think "that's a good top."

I've had three people ask me where it's from while wearing it post-match. One of them ordered it that same evening.

Apres Padel Tequila Slice Men's Sleeveless Padel Top — close-up detail of the Tequila Slice graphic print showing the eco water-based ink printing quality on the lightweight organic cotton fabric — Eco water-based ink printing — thirty washes in and the graphic is still as sharp as day one.

What I'd Say to Anyone Getting Into Padel

Get the right kit early. Not because it makes you play better — it doesn't — but because wearing something you actually like makes the whole experience feel more like yours. And if you're going to embrace the Après Padel side of things, which I'd strongly recommend, you want something that works in both contexts without requiring a change of clothes.

This top does that. It's become my default match-day top and I can't see that changing.

You can find the Après Padel Tequila Slice Men's Sleeveless Padel Top on ALTOE. Browse the Activewear Tops collection for more options, explore the full Activewear range, or take a look at the Clothing and Apparel & Accessories collections. The Latest Products collection always has something new worth discovering.

See you on court. And at the bar afterwards.

— Dom Ferreira, Brighton