How long does a Pickleball paddle last? Do Pickleball Paddles wear out?
How Long Does A Pickleball Paddle Last?
Well, a simple answer will be 1-5 years.
But if you are expecting that your paddle will last around this number, then there is less chance of it happening.
Because the longevity of any regular Pickleball paddle depends on various factors such as the quality type of your paddle, how frequently you are using it and how you store the paddle after playing the matches.
And to make your paddle last this much longer, you need all the factors in your favor.
Or it will not last this long. In the case of professional players, it is seen that the average longevity of their non-wooden Pickleball paddle was 3-6 months.
After that, performance drastically drops, and they change the paddle.
So if you are a regular player and using a wooden paddle and also taking care of your paddle after matches, then it will last longer, and may even last more than five years.
How Can You Make Your Pickleball Paddle Last Longer?
To make your paddle last longer, you can follow the following tips.

Tip 1: Maintain paddle grip:
When you are playing, there is a good chance your paddle grip can wear out or tear in some places because of sweat and excess pressure on the grip.
And when it happens, there is a chance that it will fall from your hand, and the paddle can get damaged. So it is better to change or clean the grip when you fill the grip is slippery.
Tip 2: Keeping in the proper place:
A paddle that is made of composite material is more likely to get damaged if you let it stay in an open humid environment.
So it is better to keep your paddle in a bag after you play. A right-size sports duffle bag will be perfect for keeping the paddle safe.
It will protect from humid environment and bot external damages such as drops and damage.
Do Pickleball Paddles Wear Out?
The answer is yes; your paddle can wear out even if you take care of your paddle regularly and properly.
Because when you are playing, your paddle gets slowly damaged. When you make a shot, the ball hits your paddle surface at high speed and creates pressure on the paddle.
And before hitting the paddle surface, balls hit the playing court, which has dust and small hard debris.
And when that rough dust particle impacts your paddle surface over time, it damages the paddle. And this is far more visible if your paddle has graphics on the surface.
And in the initial case, the wear and tear should not be a problem at all, but with time and more damage, it will be better to replace the paddle.
How soon do paddles wear out?
How soon your paddle will wear and tear will largely depend on the quality of the material it is built with.
If you have a better quality paddle, it will last longer and will get damaged, but slowly, you will have pop and power shots for longer periods of play hours.
When Should I Replace My Pickleball Paddle?

There are three basic ways you can know when it is time to replace your paddle, and these are from the sound, from any wear out, and from performance drop.
And as for sound, you can tell when is the time you should replace your paddle from the sound difference you notice when you are playing.
Each Pickleball paddle has some unique sound of its own.
And when you are playing in the early stage of your new paddle, it will bring a sharp and smooth sound in each shot, or it will make a high bass lower decibel sound that is easily recognizable.
And usually, over time, players get used to the sound the paddle makes and can differentiate any change.
So if you see or notice any significant difference in the sound your paddle makes, then look for if the wear-outs on your paddle are too deep or not.
Also, look if the grooves are deep or not in your paddle, and lastly, notice if the paddle has any performance drop or not. Usually, because of damage, you can lose control of the paddle when hitting the ball in the right direction.
And if you notice these things, then it is probably time to change your Pickleball paddle.
How Long Does A Graphite Pickleball Paddle Last?
The average life span of a graphite Pickleball paddle is around 1-5 years. But it will largely depend on two things, how frequently you play with the paddle and if you regularly take care of your paddle or not.
If you play regularly and take care of the paddle regularly, you can expect it to last around 1-2 years.
More than that will be a bonus.
But if you play Pickleball occasionally and after every time you play, you also take care of it, then you can expect a graphite paddle to last around 2-5 years.
A lot of people only focus on the material to see longevity but taking care of the paddle plays a significant role in paddle longevity.
How long does a wooden Pickleball paddle last?
Wooden paddles last longer than any other Pickleball paddles. And you can expect your wooden Pickleball paddle to last more than 5 years.
A good thing about wooden Pickleball paddles is that no matter if you are a regular player or an occasional player if you take proper care, wooden paddles will outlast any paddle.
This is because wooden paddles do not have empty space and honeycomb-shaped cores, so they don’t get that much damage from playing.
But over time, wooden paddles also can give you less pop and power when you are playing if you don’t take proper care of the paddle.
FAQ on How Long do Pickleball Paddles Last?
-
How to check dead spot hobe?
Dead spot is a common problem for Pickleball paddles that are old. There is a good chance you can locate a dead spot above the handle, the corners, and the very top of the paddle.
And to locate a dead spot, you can tap your knuckle around the paddle; you will hear a different sound in the dead spots. -
Does frequent and rough playing reduce pickleball paddle life?
Playing hard and rough definitely affects the life of your Pickleball paddle.
Because when you are playing roughly, you will make more power shots with the paddle’s sweet spot, and when you do that, the paddle will more easily get worn out and damage its surface.
That will reduce the life of the paddle.
Conclusion:
Pickleball paddle will last depending on how you use it, using a Pickleball paddle cover can drastically increase the life span of you Pickleball paddle.
Learn how to DIY you own Pickleball paddle cover at home.
.You may also like: