Pickleball Gear: Paddles, Balls, Shoes, Eye Protection and Recovery

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Walk past any busy set of courts and you’ll see it: paddle bags in every color, a bucket of balls by the fence, a bottle of water on every bench. Pickleball gear is simple and fairly cheap, and that’s part of the appeal. But the right paddle, the right ball for your surface, court shoes and eye protection make the game safer and more fun. This pickleball equipment guide covers what the rules say about paddles and balls (including the USA Pickleball approved list), indoor vs outdoor balls, shoes, eye protection, and the recovery gear many players keep in the bag.

Prices change often. The prices below are what we saw at the maker or a major retailer in October 2026; check the current price before you buy.

The quick checklist: a paddle, balls made for your court (indoor or outdoor), court shoes, protective eyewear, a water bottle, a hat and sunscreen for outdoor play, and something comfortable for your feet afterward.

Our top picks

Paddles and the USA Pickleball approved list

For rec play, any paddle works. For sanctioned tournaments, your paddle must be on the USA Pickleball approved paddle list, and newer paddles must carry the “USA Pickleball Approved” seal or text. The 2026 rulebook sets the rest:

• Length plus width no more than 24 inches, and length no more than 17 inches. No limit on weight or thickness.
• A rigid, non-compressible surface: no rough texturing, sandpaper, rubber or anything that adds extra spin, and no reflective finish.
• Allowed changes are limited: edge guard tape, weighted tape, grip wraps and grip-size inserts, name decals, and swapping the maker’s own interchangeable parts.

Approval involves lab testing (including a “trampoline effect” test and a power test added in 2024) plus the maker’s statements about materials. A paddle can be decertified, usually with an 18-month warning, but that only affects sanctioned play. The pro tours under the United Pickleball Association (UPA) also run their own approval, and some paddles carry both. Before a tournament, check your exact model on the list at equipment.usapickleball.org.

Three paddles for three stages:

• Franklin Activator 4-player set: four wooden paddles and four X-40 balls, all marked USA Pickleball approved, for about $49. A cheap way to find out if the family loves it.
• JOOLA Ben Johns Hyperion: a carbon-fiber paddle with a 16 mm polypropylene honeycomb core and an elongated handle, marked USA Pickleball approved. JOOLA is the PPA Tour’s paddle sponsor. About $120.
• Franklin C45: a thermoformed T700 carbon paddle with a 16 mm core, 16.4 × 7.6 inches, from Franklin’s tournament line; several C45 versions are on USA Pickleball’s approved list, so check the exact model before a sanctioned event. About $230.

A word on elbows: a new paddle won’t fix bad technique. AAOS recommends lessons because poor technique leads to injuries, and in a national survey, players who played more often each week had higher odds of injury. If your elbow starts to ache, cut back and get it checked.

Check the JOOLA Hyperion price on Amazon

Balls: indoor vs outdoor

The rulebook says any approved ball can be used indoors or outdoors. In practice, indoor balls have bigger holes and outdoor balls smaller ones, and players pick by surface:

Ball	Made for	Key facts (maker)	About
Franklin X-40	Outdoor (concrete, asphalt)	40 drilled holes, 26 g, one-piece; USA Pickleball approved; official ball of the US Open Pickleball Championships and the APP Tour	$29
Franklin X-26	Indoor (wood, gym floors)	26 holes, 24 g, 74 mm; approved for indoor tournament play	$22
Onix Fuse Indoor	Indoor	Larger holes, slightly lower bounce; meets tournament requirements; 3-pack	$10

Balls do crack. Under the rules, if a ball cracks mid-rally you play the rally out, and it’s replayed only if everyone agrees the crack affected it. Keep a few spares in the bag.

Check the Franklin X-40 price on Amazon

Court shoes

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) recommends shoes designed for pickleball or tennis, with good support and court grip. Running shoes are built for moving forward, while pickleball is side-to-side shuffles and quick stops. For tournaments, the rulebook also requires soles that won’t mark or damage the court. AAOS fit tips: shop late in the day when feet are largest, wear the socks you play in, leave about half an inch in front of your longest toe, and make sure the heel doesn’t slip. Shoe models change every year and fit is personal, so we don’t push one model. Try them on and pick the pair that feels steady on a hard stop.

Rolled an ankle before? A lace-up brace like the ASO EVO fits inside a court shoe. Our best ankle brace guide compares more.

Eye protection

This is the piece of gear most players skip, and it matters. A study in JAMA Ophthalmology estimated about 1,260 pickleball eye injuries in US emergency rooms in 2024, rising fast since 2021 and more common in players 50 and older, including retinal detachments and orbital fractures. The American Academy of Ophthalmology says the ideal protection is wrap-around polycarbonate safety goggles with front and side coverage. Regular glasses and sunglasses are better than nothing but aren’t made for impact. ASTM’s current eyewear standard for racket sports, F3164, names pickleball. ASTM F803 is a broader sports-eyewear standard that many goggles list.

• Tourna Clear Eye Protection: a wrap-around polycarbonate lens that the maker says meets ASTM F803, with anti-fog coating and a brow guard. About $17.
• Unique Sports RX Specs: polycarbonate eyeguards in adult and youth sizes. An optician can fit the frame with your prescription lenses. About $17.

If you’re hit in the eye, see an eye doctor the same day, even if it seems minor.

Check the Tourna Clear price on Amazon

Recovery gear for the bag

In a national survey of 1,758 adult players, the knee, shoulder, back and elbow topped the list of sore spots. A few things many players keep handy:

• Elbow strap: the McDavid tennis/pickleball elbow strap is a neoprene counterforce band with two Sorbothane pads, about $20. Many players with “pickleball elbow” like the feel. It’s support, not treatment, so get lasting pain checked.
• Knee sleeve: the Bauerfeind GenuTrain is a knit knee support with a viscoelastic pad around the kneecap, about $100 at Bauerfeind. AAOS notes that long sessions can make arthritic knees swell, so shorter sessions are worth trying too. More in our best knee sleeves guide.
• Massage gun and roller: the Hypervolt Go 3 (about $149, 1.6 lb) and the TriggerPoint GRID foam roller (about $40) for calves, quads and forearms. See best massage guns and best foam rollers.
• Recovery slides: the OOFOS OOahh (about $60, washable, APMA Seal of Acceptance) for after a long day on hard courts. See best recovery shoes.

These are comfort tools. If something hurts for more than a few days, swells, or you fell on an outstretched hand and your wrist hurts, see a sports medicine doctor, physical therapist or athletic trainer. Our pickleball recovery page has the full routine.

Check the McDavid elbow strap price on Amazon

Check the OOFOS OOahh Slide price on Amazon

Back to the pickleball hub, or see pickleball rules, pickleball injuries, the best pickleball wearables and youth pickleball. Also play tennis? See our tennis guide.

Pickleball gear questions

Does my paddle need to be USA Pickleball approved?

Only for sanctioned tournaments. For rec play any paddle is fine. If you plan to compete, check your exact model on the USA Pickleball approved paddle list, since decertified paddles can’t be used in sanctioned events.

What’s the difference between indoor and outdoor pickleballs?

Indoor balls usually have bigger holes and outdoor balls smaller ones. Franklin’s indoor X-26 weighs 24 g and its outdoor X-40 26 g. Any approved ball is legal on either surface.

Is there a weight limit for pickleball paddles?

No. The rulebook limits size (17 inches long at most, length plus width no more than 24 inches) but not weight or thickness.

What eye protection is best for pickleball?

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends wrap-around polycarbonate goggles with front and side coverage. Look for sports eyewear tested to an ASTM standard (F3164 now names pickleball; many goggles list F803).

Can I wear running shoes for pickleball?

It’s better not to. AAOS recommends shoes made for pickleball or tennis, which support side-to-side movement and grip the court.