Pickleball Equipment: The Only Guide You Need

You can walk onto a court with $100 in gear and be fully equipped. Here's what to buy — and what to skip — organized from most to least important.

Paddle ($60–$250). This matters more than anything else. Beginners should look for a mid-weight paddle (7.6–8.2 oz) with a polymer honeycomb core and a fiberglass or graphite face. Selkirk SLK Halo, Joola Ben Johns Hyperion CFS, and Paddletek Bantam are all safe first paddles under $150. Skip carbon-fiber pro paddles ($200+) until you're 3.5+ — you can't use what they offer.

Shoes ($90–$160). Do not play in running shoes. The lateral movement will roll an ankle within a week. Buy court shoes designed for tennis or pickleball: K-Swiss Express Light, ASICS Gel-Rocket, or the pickleball-specific ACACIA line. Indoor court? Non-marking soles required.

Balls ($3–$5 each). Franklin X-40 for outdoor, Onix Fuse Indoor for indoor. Buy a sleeve of six. Balls crack — plan on replacing them every 5–15 hours of play depending on temperature.

Eyewear ($20–$80). Non-negotiable at the kitchen line. Pickleballs are hard, exchanges are fast, and eye injuries are the most-reported injury in the sport. Cheap safety glasses from a hardware store work; wraparound sport lenses are more comfortable.

Bag ($40–$100). Any tennis bag works. Look for one with a fence hook and a ventilated shoe compartment.

Apparel. Anything moisture-wicking. Skip the branded pickleball apparel until you know you love the sport — a $15 dri-fit shirt performs identically to a $60 branded one.

Optional but nice: overgrips ($3 each — replace every 10–20 hours), a portable ball hopper for solo practice, and a Franklin BallCaddy for warm-ups.

What to skip entirely: weighted paddles for 'training,' expensive lead tape until you know your paddle, and any product marketed with a pro's face for 3× the material cost.