Adding lead tape to a pickleball paddle is a popular hack to add more power and spin to your shots and take your game to the next level. The tape increases the pickleball paddle weight and adjusts its balance per your personal preference so you can play the game more confidently and get maximum stability.
Many professional pickleball players use lead or weighted tape to increase the paddle weight and enhance the paddle’s performance. In this article, we will share everything you need to know about lead tape, why you should consider adding lead tape, and where and how to add lead tape to your pickleball paddle.
Understanding the Science Behind Lead Tape for Pickleball Paddles
Pickleball is not the only sport where lead tape is a common sight. The tape is also used in tennis and golf and it helps increase the weight and adjust the balance of equipment like rackets or clubs. The added lead tape makes the equipment feel heavier and more stable in hand, improving the overall stability and performance.
The science behind lead tape is simple. You see, force is a product of mass and acceleration. The more the mass or weight of the pickleball paddle, the greater the force it generates. Lead, which is naturally heavy metal, helps add weight to the paddle, increasing its power and enabling you to hit the ball more forcefully.
Besides enhancing your powerplay, the lead tape also helps adjust the swing weight or balance of the pickleball paddles. The tape adds weight to areas where the balance is weak or the weight distribution is poor, giving you increased stability, which means higher shot accuracy and fewer mishits.
Why Put Lead Tape on Pickleball Paddle?
Adding lead tape to the pickleball paddle is a matter of choice. However, if you wish to improve your performance and add additional power to your paddle, it is recommended to tape it up.
In addition to the power boost and improved stability, the tape also enlarges the sweet spot on your pickleball paddle. This gives you more margin of error and makes it easy to play the dink and block the opponent’s power shots.
Moreover, lead tape or weighted tape is your way to customize your paddle and power it up. For instance, if your lucky paddle is a little too light for your liking, lead tape is the simplest and safest way to add weight and make it feel right in your hand.
That said, it is essential to know adding lead tape is a hack to improve the paddle’s performance. And it does make the pickleball game a little risky, as adding weight to the paddle increases the chances of straining your wrist or elbow. So, if you play the game for leisure or exercise, think before you tape the paddle.
How to Put Lead Tape on Pickleball Paddle?
Adding tape to a pickleball paddle is simple. Peel the protective layer off the tape and stick it to the side of the paddle. However, you must use tape strategically to get the desired results.
A four-inch strip of 1/4″ wide lead tape is about 1 gram in weight. Though it doesn’t sound much, a few strips can make a massive difference. However, the real difference comes from where you place the tape. The perfect solution is only to tape the areas where you want more weight or the ones that help you generate more power and increase stability.
Where to Put Lead Tape on Pickleball Paddle?
The effect or enhancement you get with the lead tape depends on where you put it. For instance, placing the tape on the top of the pickleball paddle creates an entirely different effect than placing it on the sides or near the bottom. Here, we will discuss the top configurations of lead tape and the pros and cons of each.
The Sides (3 and 9 o'clock)
Putting lead tape on the side is perfect for players who want a power boost and a broader sweet spot. The larger sweet spot gives you more margin of error and helps you consistently hit the ball in the middle. The placement also helps improve the overall stability and balance of pickleball paddles and has a moderate effect on the hand speed.
The Top (12 o'clock)
The second option is to tape the top of the pickleball paddle. The placement increases the power significantly and enables you to hit the ball with considerably more force. However, it has a significant impact on hand speed and stability. Thus, it is not recommended for pickleball paddles with a high swing weight, as the additional weight at the top only makes it more imbalanced.
The In-Between (2 and 10 o'clock)
Between the sides and the top, the other option is to tape the top corners of the paddle. The configuration helps you get the best of both configurations and generate extra power with a lesser impact on overall stability.
The Throat (4 and 8 o'clock)
The next option is to tape the paddle throat or the lower half. Many professional players use this configuration to add more weight to the paddle without disturbing its balance. As the added weight is close to the handle, it doesn’t affect the hand speed or the overall stability of the paddle.
That said, this configuration is solely for adding more stability and enlarging the sweet spot, and it has minimal impact on power.
The In-Between and the Throat (2, 4, 8, and 10 o'clock)
Also, you can combine two configurations to enjoy double the benefits. Taping the top and bottom corners of the paddle gets you a power boost without compromising the balance or stability of the paddle. That said, mixing two configurations requires using more tape, and more tape implies a heavier paddle, in other words, a decrease in paddle speed.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Applying Lead Tape to Pickleball Paddle
Lead is a toxic metal. Hence, it is recommended to practice caution, apply the tape with care, and keep it away from your face. Mishandling the tape could release extremely harmful lead particles. That said, practicing caution and applying and removing the tape away from your face makes it safe. Also, use gloves and wash your hands after using lead tape.
Moreover, the lead tape is an enhancement hack based on personal preferences. So, it is essential to try and test different configurations to find the right one. Many players follow the trend and add the tape where the majority do. That’s not right, and often it does more harm than good.
Also, it is best to use tape in moderation. Using more tape doesn’t mean better performance. The trick is to use the right amount of tape in the right place.
Is it Legal to Add Lead Tape to Pickleball Paddle?
Using lead tape on pickleball paddles is legal, and USA Pickleball Rules permit applying lead or weighted tape to add extra weight to pickleball paddles. Here, two pickleball rules matter.
2.E.5.a The only alterations or additions that may be made to a commercially made paddle are edge guard tape or electrical tape, lead tape, changes to the grip size or grip wrap, and name decals and/or other identification markings on the paddle face.
2.E.5.b Decals and tape can extend no farther than 1.0 inch (2.54 cm) above the top of the grip nor more than 0.5 inches (1.27 cm) inside the outer edge of a paddle or, if an edge guard is in place, 0.5 inches inside the edge guard.
Do Pros Add Lead Tape?
Yes! Professional pickleball players often add lead tape to customize their paddle weights and fine-tune their performance. Using tape also improves the durability of the paddle and reduces vibration, giving your paddles a longer life and increased stability.
I've been using lead tape on my paddle for years. It's a great way to add a little extra weight and balance to the paddle. It's especially helpful for players who like to hit hard shots and need a little extra power.
I've experimented with lead tape on my paddle and have found that it can make a big difference in how the paddle feels and performs. It's a great way to add some extra power and stability to your shots.
I use lead tape on my paddle to fine-tune the weight and balance. I like to have a little extra weight in the head of the paddle for more power and control. It's a small adjustment that can make a big difference in your game.
Conclusion
Using lead tape is a time-tested hack to adjust the paddle weight per your playing style. The pickleball game allows you to add tape to achieve the right balance and optimize the weight distribution of the paddle. However, it is essential to remember adding tape or increasing weight impacts paddle speed.
Also, adding edge tape is recommended to protect the lead tape from falling off. You can also use electrical tape over the lead tape instead of edge guard tape to keep it in its place.