Paddle Accessories
1. Paddle Cover and Bag
Paddles are a pickleball player’s most important piece of equipment, so it’s a good idea to protect them from getting unnecessarily damaged or dirtied while traveling to and from the pickleball courts. A pickleball specific bag will often have separate compartments for shoes, paddles, water bottle, balls, and other courtside accessories.
If you want to repurpose a bag that you already own, you can use a paddle cover to protect your paddle from things like dirty shoes, metal water bottles, or keys. Some paddle covers only protect the paddle face, which is fine, but you might like a full-length paddle cover instead to keep the grip clean as well.
2. Overgrips
The handle wrap that comes preinstalled with your paddle is called a replacement grip. When the replacement grip gets dirty or worn down, it’s difficult and costly to replace it. An overgrip, like the name suggests, will go over your existing replacement grip. These can be found for relatively cheap and are easy to switch out.
Some players don’t like the added bulk or the more rounded feel caused by the additional layer, and may prefer to stick with the replacement grip. Some players opt for removing the original replacement grip altogether and using two layers of overgrips instead. Doing so will reduce the circumference of your grip as well as give you a sharper feel of your handle.
Pro tip:
If you are a right-handed player, make sure to match the direction that your replacement grip spirals up your handle. Reverse it if you are left-handed.
3. Paddle Eraser
If your paddle has a raw carbon fiber surface, you may notice that the hitting surface gets dirty after a certain amount of playing. A paddle eraser can be used to restore your paddle to all its shining glory. A paddle eraser is made up of a type of soft rubber that will remove dirt without damaging the paddle face.
Pro tip:
If you’re (pickle)balling on a budget, save a bit of money by opting for any generic abrasive cleaning stick over an official “paddle eraser.” This gets the job done, plus you can chop it up into smaller pieces for longer usage or to share with friends.
4. Edge Guard Tape
Your paddle is inevitably going to hit the ground at some point in the process of playing the game. Players with edgeless paddles will especially want some form of edge guard tape to help protect the paddle from chips and scrapes. Also, if you customize the weight of your paddle with lead tape, you’ll want to secure the lead with edge guard tape. Many pickleball companies make specific tape widths for specific paddle models to make customization easy. Generic gaffer tape or electrical tape will work as well.
5. Lead Tape
Using lead tape to modify the weighting of your paddle can significantly change how the paddle behaves. The amount of weight and specific placement is an entire topic on its own. There are a variety of products that can be used to customize the weighting and behavior of a paddle. Our preferred method is lead tape, as it is the least expensive and easiest to fine tune. There’s a self-adhesive on one side of the tape that allows you to place it on the perimeter of your paddle. It’s removable and somewhat reusable which makes experimenting easy. There’s also tungsten tape which is more expensive than lead tape but less toxic. Many pickleball companies also sell paddle weights that can be convenient and easy to use.
Outfit Accessories
6. Pickleball Shoes
As you get more serious about the game, you should definitely invest in some proper pickleball shoes. While many companies now make pickleball specific shoes, tennis shoes will also do the trick. Tennis and pickleball have very similar requirements when it comes to shoes, so there aren’t many compelling reasons to choose one over the other. A good pickleball shoe is just one that will support lateral movement with a durable outsole. Everybody’s feet are different, so it can take a good amount of experimentation to find the right shoe for you. But our pros really love the Nike Zoom Challenge pickleball shoe.
7. Insoles
If you’re a pickleball addict, you’ll find yourself spending countless hours on your feet, which can lead to plantar fasciitis. This common pickleball injury can be prevented and/or alleviated by investing in an insole. Insoles provide better arch support and shock absorption which help distribute weight and impacts more evenly across your foot.
Finding the right insole for you might take some experimenting, but it can make a big difference. Our head of pickleball, Duy Tran, suggests changing out of your pickleball shoes as soon as possible after you’re done playing. Something like a soft running shoe can help your recovery immensely.
Other Accessories
8. Massage Gun
If you want to get back onto the court as soon as possible, a good massage gun can be very effective in aiding muscle recovery. It can really help alleviate muscle pain and soreness, especially when combined with a good stretching routine.
9. Sunglasses
Sunglasses are the outdoor pickleball player’s best friend. To protect your eyes from harsh rays and rogue balls, invest in a pair of glasses that can double as both sun protection and safety.
10. Pickleballs
You don’t want to be the playing partner that never brings any balls. At the same time, many pickleball players are very picky about which balls they use. With so many new balls entering the market, it can be confusing to narrow down a choice.
The two main categories for pickleballs are “indoor” and “outdoor” — these designations refer to the playing surface. “Outdoor” balls are designed for gritty tennis court-like surfaces, which you actually may often find at many indoor facilities (like ours!). “Indoor” balls are designed for smooth playing surfaces such as basketball gym floors or polished concrete.
The most ubiquitous “outdoor” ball right now is the Franklin x40, likely followed by the Onix Durafast 40. Though, more and more higher quality balls are entering the market today like the Diadem official pickleball. At PKLYN, we chose to use the Diadem ball because it’s a fast ball that has incredible durability while maintaining its round shape throughout the life of the ball. Every pickleball group you encounter will likely have their preferred ball.
