The lifespan of a pickleball paddle can be anywhere from 1 to 5 years, and some paddles can be an investment, so we want every second of that! With some easy care and protection methods, you can ensure that your investment is going to last! Let’s go over some basic and easy ways to care for and protect your paddle.

Paddle Edge

You could have been going to hit a ball a little too close to the ground, dropped your paddle, or maybe missed a shot and sent your paddle across the court (please don’t do this!). Either way the edges of your pickleball paddle are not safe from scuffs and scrapes, but there are products out there to help minimize them. You can get creative and use some electrical tape to cover your edges, or you can shop around for some unique designs to personalize your paddle. Like these from PKLD OUT. In addition to covering your edges, using lead tape to add weight can increase stability, avoid mishits, and give you a bigger sweet spot. You can also add your edge tape on top for added protection.

Facing/Surface

The surface of your paddle will hold on to dust and debris and eventually hinder your paddle’s performance. To keep it clean, all you need is a lint-free cloth and warm water to wipe away any grime from your paddle. Cleaners are not necessary and may even ruin the paddle’s surface, water is all you need for fiberglass and graphite paddles. Make sure to never drench or submerge your paddle in water, this will cause it to warp, and completely dry the paddle before storing. If you have a carbon fiber surface on your paddle, we suggest using a carbon fiber cleaning block, such as this one from Selkirk. This will keep your paddle facing clean and smooth to maintain your sweet spot precision!

Grip Tape for your Pickleball Paddle

Keeping the grip of your paddle in order is important to the success of your game. Grip tape should be tacky in feel and not require you to handle the paddle too tightly to keep from slipping. To extend the life of your grip, wipe it down with a lint-free towel and warm water so sweat and dirt do not build up. There is no hard and fast time frame for replacing your grip tape. A search will tell you as often as 12 hours of play time, to once a month. It all comes down to how often you play and the feel of your tape. As long as it has that tacky feel, and you aren’t overcompensating by gripping your handle too tight, you should be in good shape!  

Protecting the Pickleball Paddle Handle

Like with the paddle’s edge, your handle is just as vulnerable to dings and scrapes. While the grip tape offers some protection to the edge if the handle, we feel it could be better. Paddle hands are an awesome way to cover your handles edge while still being low profile to not inhibit your game play. They come in 8 colors to match a variety of paddles, or you can pick your favorite color to personalize it! There is also the added benefit of the celebratory fist bump. As you can tell we are all about protecting your paddles, and we hope, with Paddle Hands, long gone are the days of tapping paddle faces after a great play! (I shudder just thinking about it!)

We hope this helps you see that not only is upkeep as simple as warm water and a towel, but there are plenty of products on the market to help you protect and care for your paddle! Let us know your favorite products and if you’ve tried any we’ve linked!