Pickleball is one of the cheapest racket sports to start, which is part of why it grew so fast. You need a paddle, a ball and court shoes, and that is genuinely it. This guide covers what to buy in order of priority, and — just as usefully — what you can ignore for the first year.
1. A Paddle (Buy This First)
The paddle is the only thing that changes how the game feels in your hand. Buy a 16mm core in a standard or hybrid shape, with a graphite or fibreglass face. Do not buy a wooden paddle from a net set, and do not buy a $250 carbon paddle as your first purchase — it demands cleaner contact than a beginner can reliably produce.
Onix Graphite MOD Z5
Forgiving, widely available and the most common step-up recommendation in the sport. The widebody shape gives a large sweet spot, and the firmer core gives clear feedback about where you actually struck the ball, which is genuinely useful while you are learning depth control. Not a spin paddle, but an excellent one to develop touch on.
Check Price on Amazon All paddle picks2. Court Shoes (Buy This Second)
This matters more than most beginners expect. Pickleball is lateral, and running shoes roll at the ankle under sideways load. A court shoe sits lower, has a wider base and a reinforced upper. If you are going to play more than once a week, this is the purchase most likely to keep you playing rather than resting an injury.
Skechers Viper Court Reload
Plush enough that it does not feel like a punishment after running shoes, while still being a genuine court shoe with a flat, stable base and non-marking sole. Available in wide fittings. If you are unsure whether you will play enough to justify proper shoes, this is the low-regret option.
Check Price on Amazon All shoe picks3. Balls (Cheap, and You Will Need More Than You Think)
Buy for the surface you play on: 40-hole outdoor balls outside, 26-hole indoor balls in a sports hall. They are consumable — outdoor balls crack, especially in cold weather — so buy a multipack rather than three at a time. A cracked ball flies unpredictably and quietly teaches you to compensate for something that is not your technique.
Franklin Sports X-40 Outdoor Pickleballs
The most widely played outdoor ball in the US and the official US Open ball. Consistent flight out of the pack and cheap enough to buy by the dozen, which is the right way to buy pickleballs. If you play outdoors, start here and only change if you are cracking balls in cold weather.
Check Price on Amazon All ball picks4. An Overgrip (The Best Few Pounds You Will Spend)
An overgrip fixes a slippery handle, lets you build up a grip that is slightly too small, and gets replaced when it wears instead of the paddle. If your hands sweat, a dry-feel grip such as Tourna gets grippier as it absorbs moisture — the opposite of a tacky grip, which turns slick. Replace it every three or four weeks; a slipping handle makes you squeeze, and squeezing causes elbow pain.
Tourna Grip XL Original Dry Feel
The grip most players with sweaty hands end up on. It feels chalky and slightly rough when new, which puts some people off immediately, but it becomes grippier as it absorbs sweat rather than slicker. Thin, so it barely changes handle size. Cheap, and sold in multipacks — which is how overgrips should be bought.
Check Price on Amazon All grip picksA 16mm paddle, a pair of court shoes, a multipack of the right balls for your surface, and an overgrip. That is a complete pickleball setup and it does not cost much. Everything else — bags, nets, covers, sunglasses — is genuinely optional and can wait until you know how often you are actually going to play.
What You Can Safely Skip at First
- A net. Almost everyone plays at a club, park or sports hall where nets already exist. Only buy one if you have a driveway and intend to play at home.
- A tour bag. A sling bag or any small backpack carries two paddles and a bottle. Bag size should follow your routine, not your ambitions.
- A second paddle. Useful for tournaments where a crack ends your day. Irrelevant for social play.
- A paddle cover. Worth it once you own a raw carbon paddle. Unnecessary on a painted budget face.
The Order That Actually Matters
If you have limited money, spend it in this order: shoes, paddle, balls, grip. That is deliberately not the order most people buy in — the paddle is more exciting — but shoes are the item that prevents injury, and an injury costs more playing time than any paddle upgrade ever gains you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to start playing pickleball?
A workable setup — a decent paddle, court shoes, a multipack of balls and an overgrip — lands in the region of $150 to $250 depending on the shoes. You can start for less by using tennis shoes you already own and a cheaper paddle.
What do I actually need to play pickleball?
A paddle, a ball and shoes you can move sideways in. Courts and nets are usually provided wherever you play. Everything else is optional and most of it can wait until you know how often you will play.
Should I buy a pickleball set with paddles and a net?
Generally no. The paddles in those sets are usually wood and heavy, and the nets are the weakest part. If you want a net for a driveway, buy the net separately and buy proper paddles — you will end up replacing the set paddles almost immediately.
Do I need different gear for indoor and outdoor pickleball?
Balls, yes — definitively. Shoes, somewhat: outdoor courts wear outsoles far faster, so durability matters more. Paddles are the same for both. If you play on both surfaces, keep two types of ball and pick shoes based on wherever you play most.
How long does pickleball gear last?
Paddles soften after 12 to 24 months of regular play. Court shoes last six to nine months outdoors. Overgrips need replacing every three or four weeks. Balls are the fastest consumable of all, especially outdoors in cold weather.