The U.S. Open tennis tournament may not be happening for another few months but many casual and frequent tennis players alike are turning in their rackets for paddles in order to play a sport of smaller proportions: pickleball. According to the USA Pickleball Association (USAP), this low-stakes game is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, with a reported 4.8 million new players since 2021.
Pickleball has caught on for a number of reasons, but mostly for the fact that it’s a fun way to exercise and easier to play than tennis because it requires less court space. There’s even evidence to indicate that playing pickleball can increase muscle strength and hand-eye coordination.
If you want to try it out for yourself, it’s fairly inexpensive to do so. Gameplay only requires a paddle and a ball, and you can make a court just about anywhere (including on a public tennis court). Before you pick up the paddle, download the official rulebook from the USAP site and take a look at some pickleball gear and accessories that you might need once you hit the court.
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A pack of paddle grip tape
If the handle of your paddle is uncomfortable or just worn down, this grip tape adds another layer of padding and tackiness. Then, you can play for longer and get more power behind your swing. The grip material is also moisture-wicking.
A two-paddle pickleball set approved by USA Pickleball
A 9-pack of official outdoor pickleballs
Durable, balanced and made from a one-piece construction to ensure they last, these outdoor pickleballs are the official size and weight for tournament play, according to USAP.
A pair of lightweight pickleball shoes
These lightweight and breathable shoes by K-Swiss, the first brand to introduce court shoes specifically for pickleball, are highly rated and work well on both hard and clay courts.
A court-marking kit to convert a tennis court into a pickleball court
Pickleball uses less court space than tennis, and this marking kit allows you to transform any existing tennis court into one for pickleball. The removable and reusable markers also come with a measuring tape so you can quickly lay out accurate boundary lines.
A pair of pickleball-retrieving attachments
These soft rubber accessories attach to the bottom handle of a paddle to make ball retrieval easier, no bending over required. They feature a suction-cup design that grabs onto the ball and can be used during play, with no interference.
