Wanting to get as much life out of your paddles is something all pickleball players can all relate to. Even the most well-cared-for paddles will eventually need to be replaced. But, what can players do to help delay the inevitable? Giving your paddles a little extra love and attention when they’re not on the court can help keep them in play a lot longer. Here are some tips on how to care for your paddles to get as much life out of them as possible.

Climate Control:

It might seem ridiculous to imagine protecting your paddles from extreme temperatures, but making sure that when your paddle isn’t in play, it’s kept in a climate-controlled space can increase the longevity of the paddle materials. It’s so easy to leave pickleball paddles in your car knowing how convenient it is to have them there when needed. However, frigid temperatures can make things more brittle and fragile, while sweltering heat can weaken and expand the structure of a paddle’s core. Give your paddle a break and take it inside with you. When you’re inside, make sure your paddle is too!

Grips:

The grip on your pickleball paddle absorbs all the sweat, friction, and grime on your hands after days of intense play. One way to extend the life of your paddle is to replace these grips every other month, if you play more than 3 times a week. The easiest way to do that is to use overgrips on your handles; overgrips can be used to customize the feel and look of your pickleball paddle handles, increasing tackiness, cushion, and/or absorption. Replacing these overgrips on a regular basis can extend the life of your paddle.

Cleaning:

Cleaning the face of your paddle with either window cleaner or isopropyl alcohol is an easy way to keep things looking their best. For textured paddles, a paddle puck cleaner can also help remove residue. And while graphics will eventually fade as is common with any sport where contact with a ball is reoccurring, keeping things clean can help those graphics stay put a little while longer while keeping the paddle face materials at their best.

Treat with Care:

All pickleball players want their paddles to last as long as possible, and the way you treat them will affect how long they last. Apart from the general care off the court, how players treat them on the court matters too! Just remember that your paddles are meant to absorb the impact of a pickleball, not body weight or a heated smack to the ground after an intense point that didn’t go your way.

Vulcan wants to make sure you love your pickleball paddle, how it performs, and how long it lasts. No one has time to be kept from the courts because their paddle isn’t playing to the best of its ability! Depending on how often you play, your paddles should last 1-3 years. Vulcan wants to do its part in delivering you the most cutting-edge and superior paddle technology available, and we want you to do your part in loving your paddle the way it deserves to be loved.