If you’re interested in playing pickleball or just the game itself, you might have wondered what equipment you need for pickleball.

Any game has its needs – from actual playing equipment to protective wear, and sometimes even a whole court.

Unlike most sports, pickleball doesn’t require a lot of equipment. The main things you need are a ball, a paddle and the court itself. Unless you’re playing professionally, most times you can use equipment used for other games as a substitute as well.

While there isn’t as much stuff actually needed for the game, there is a lot of variety when it comes to the options that you have. As pickleball becomes more and more important, manufacturers are hopping onto the bandwagon.

We looked into the official rules of pickleball as a game and went through the opinions of experienced pickleballs to determine what equipment is absolutely necessary to play the game.

What Do You Really Need?

For any game, you have things you need to play the game, and things that would help with the game but aren’t really necessary. For pickleball, the most important things are the paddles, the pickleball, and the net. You can set up the court anywhere as long as it’s on a hard surface if you have the net, but you do need the paddles and the ball itself.

What Kind of Ball is Used?

Naturally, the ball you need for pickleball is a pickleball. There are different types of pickleballs, but the ball is generally made of plastic and has holes drilled into it. The ball is similar to a ping pong ball, except for the holes and the fact that it is about the same size as a tennis ball.

You can find indoor balls and outdoor balls. Indoor balls are usually softer and lighter (most likely to avoid accidents and crashes) and have a few large holes. These are usually easier to control.

On the other hand, outdoor balls are generally made of harder plastic and are heavier than indoor balls. This is because outdoor courts will have to account for things like the surface of the court, wind, and the varying temperatures. These balls will usually travel a lot faster than indoor balls, most likely on account of the fact that there are more holes, which are smaller in size.

The color of the ball can vary. There are some colors which are more widely used than others on account of them being easier to see, but the color doesn’t really affect the game itself beyond its visibility.

What Kind of Paddle Do You Need?

Another major component of the game is the paddle! You can’t hit the ball without the paddle, so it makes sense that it’s necessary. The paddles themselves come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and depending on the player, you can find one that works best for you.

Paddles for pickleball are similar to those for ping pong, though pickleball paddles are squarer.

When looking for a paddle, you’d have to consider a number of things. For one thing, the shape of the paddle can make a difference. There are wider paddles and narrower paddles, and this affects how well you can hit the ball as it comes towards you.

There are also paddles of different cuts – for example, some are square, some are round, some are diamond, and even teardrop-shaped. These will also affect how well you play and depend greatly upon your preferences. Some may play very well with round paddles while having trouble with square ones.

The standard, however, is that pickleball paddles are square-shaped.

The weight of the paddle also makes a difference. There are heavier versions or lighter versions, depending on what weight you feel most confident making a swing with. The safer option is to go for a lighter one.

There are also differences in grip. The grip is the circumference around the paddle handle, and can be cushioned or not. There are plenty of customization options when it comes to paddles. In fact, you can even have colorful paddles or those with graphics on the face!

Pickleball paddles are often made of wood or some kind of composite material. Wood is usually heavier and better suited for beginners, but many other kinds of paddles are also available nowadays.

Though a paddle is necessary, there are no rules around what specific kind of paddle you need to use.

What Kind of Court Is Needed?

Pickleball, just like any other net game, will need a court that is divided in half by the net. For players who happen to have a set-up pickleball court somewhere nearby, you can just head over to the court.

But if you don’t have the court, you’ll have to set it up! For this, you mostly just need to draw the lines for the court and set up the net. There are plenty of portable, permanent, or roller nets available that you can use to do this.

The net for the pickleball court is about 22 feet wide and is held lower than in other net games.

The court itself is about 30 feet wide and 60 feet long. At the center of the court, you have the net, and you have to draw lines seven feet on either side of the net to mark the kitchen.

When picking out a net, you want to make sure that the net isn’t so flimsy that it’d blow over by the wind. Ideally, you also want one with enough tension that it stays at the appropriate height instead of sagging.

Most portable nets have a bag and the mesh net, as well as tubes to set it up. These are very easy to assemble, and you can easily turn your backyard or garage into a pickleball court with the help of just a net.

Do You Need Any Other Equipment?

To actually play pickleball, you don’t really need anything beyond these three things – the ball, the paddles, and the net. Many games require protective gear to keep players safe from falls or flying objects, but the ball for pickleball is relatively lightweight in comparison to other games, and the game doesn’t involve enough movement or collision to expect falls.

Still, if you are worried about getting hurt, you can get yourself some knee pads and a hat that can keep your face and head safe from the ball in case it comes flying at you.

One other thing that is usually advised but not necessary is shoes. You can’t play pickleball in a pair of flip-flops and will need an appropriate pair of shoes for the game. For hard courts like concrete or asphalt, tennis shoes work just fine for pickleball, but these can be too slippery on other surfaces. If you’re playing indoors, you may want to consider basketball or volleyball shoes instead.

The shoes you wear should have enough support for you to easily move forward and backward, as well as side to side.

The equipment for pickleball is nothing fancy, and often, these items are offered in sets as well. You can choose to buy them individually if you’re looking for more customization, but pickleball sets work just as well.