Old reliable isn’t performing like it used to. You’ve had it for a long time but no pickleball paddle lasts forever. But before you think about finding a replacement for your partner in crime, let’s make sure it’s really time to move on.
Pickleball Paddle Lifespan
This is going to depend strongly upon use and the type of paddle you bought to begin with but almost every pickleball paddle will last at least a year.
Quality paddles made out of graphite or a composite should be good for 2-3 years. But these may last even longer if you take proper care of your paddle or play less frequently. There is a lot of performance research and time put into designing many of these paddles now. With many of these costing more than $100 dollars, we would hope they provide good durability.
Wood paddles are usually the first to go. Typically treated poorly and for more casual players, they have the worse quality to begin with, so you may be surprised at how quickly these need replacing.
How to Tell if You Need to Replace Your Paddle
If you’re reading this you may be feeling like it might be time to get a new paddle. It just doesn’t handle the same. Who knows. It could all be in your head. But if you’ve played with the same paddle for some time you might be due for a replacement. Here are some things to watch out for.
1. Are There Signs of Physical Damage
This one is rather obvious.
Most visible damage will occur along the paddle’s edge. Many paddles come with an edge guard now to ensure that the paddle lasts longer. Still, whether you have one or not you may notice chips and wear and tear around the outside.
Much of this damage is largely unavoidable and just comes with wear and tear on the paddle.
Many players will also notice unevenness in the paddle’s face. This too may be a sign that it’s time for a replacement.
For physical blemishes like these, you can’t really know for sure whether the paddle needs replacing. The most important indicator will be the way the ball comes off the paddle. If it’s affecting your stroke and placement on your shots, go ahead and get a new paddle.
There are other larger physical changes that will force you to buy a new paddle. Do not try to continue playing with a paddle with a broken handle or a crack in the face. This will almost certainly affect performance. You will find the ball no longer leaps off the paddle the way it used to, or you’ve lost control.
2. Check the Sound
Another indication that something is wrong with your paddle is the sound.
If you’ve played with your paddle for quite a while you probably know it has a distinct ring to it, especially when you hit the sweet spot. If the sound when the ball impacts the paddle face becomes increasingly dull your paddle has probably lost its potency.
Given that you play with the paddle regularly, you may not notice a difference due to the gradual change over time. If you think this may be the case, rap on various spots on the paddle with your knuckle.
Every paddle has dead spots. Places where the ball doesn’t react well coming off the paddle, usually near the handle or at the top of the face. When you tap on the paddle, if you can’t hear a clear difference between your sweet spot and these dead spots you know something is wrong.
3. Does it Feel off
Lastly, does the paddle feel different than when you first got it.
While this is the most abstract, it’s also the most telling. Most of the time if you know you know. You can’t put your finger on what exactly the problem is. The paddle just isn’t performing like it used to. The pickleball doesn’t jump off the face anymore, and you know deep down its got to go.
Just make sure it’s the paddle. Don’t think buying a new pickleball paddle is going to make up for poor play!
Best Ways to Care For Your Pickleball Paddle
The best way to avoid replacing a paddle is to take good care of the one you have. And this is actually surprisingly easy to do just following a few key principles.
1. Don’t Turn Into a Big Green Rage Monster
Stop it. Get some help.
I don’t care that hitting it off the dead spot by the handle lost you the rally and therefore the game. Do not go throwing or slamming your pickleball paddle into anyone or anything.
This is without a doubt the number 1 guaranteed way to beat the crap out of your pickleball paddle and wear it down. The paddle’s are meant to make contact with a pickleball, not concrete and asphalt.
If you want your paddle’s lifespan to last longer than 6 months, don’t do this.
You also need to be careful of scraping the edge guard along the ground. This can occur going for low bouncing balls (largely unavoidable), or when trying to scrape the ball to your opponent or teammate to serve at the end of a point. Pick it up and throw it instead.
2. Take Care of Your Grip
Taking care of your grip requires two things. The first is cleaning your grip when you play. These get very dirty when you play mixing it up with your sweaty hand for an hour.
It’s also important to replace your grip. This costs very little and can be done DIY every few months depending on how much you play pickleball.
3. Store your Paddle Safely
Have a designated bag or case to keep your paddle in. This needs to be the first place your paddle goes once you finish playing otherwise it will sit in the back of your car on the floor getting stepped on until you play again.
Make sure you also don’t store the paddle in any extreme temperatures. This can have adverse effects on the material of the paddle.
4. Cleaning the Paddle
Cleaning the face will make the paddle last significantly longer baring any extreme instances of damage.
Taking a wet towel and some simple soap like dish soap and scrubbing the surface of the paddle goes a long way to prevent the general wear and tear replacements that happen.
Make sure you never submerge any pickleball paddles in water because this can compromise the material and cause significant damage. Dry your paddle after you’ve finished cleaning it.
What to Look For When Buying a Paddle
An edge guard is probably the most important feature your pickleball paddle has to have to ensure longevity. Otherwise it’s just a matter of time.
The other improvement to make is investing in a quality material. While wood may do for your family kit paddles, if you plan to play regularly we recommend composite or graphite paddles with a honeycomb interior. This will cost more, but you’ll notice a substantial improvement in performance and longevity.