Used Pickleball Paddles
Everybody likes to find a great deal. Gently used pickleball paddles represent a fantastic value for many people who are interested in saving money and upgrading their pickleball game at the same time. But there is way more to the story around used paddles.
Racquet sports in general are constantly evolving with new items and new materials constantly improving the equipment. But with new pickleball paddle prices gradually moving up to the $200 level, affordable paddle options should be explored.
5 Groups Who Benefit from Used Paddles
1) Value Shoppers
Who doesn't like to save money on name brands with special offers? Gently used pickleball paddles represent a great chance to sort through a list of great deals.
2) Novices
New players in tennis or pickleball have a tough time knowing what they want in their racquets and paddles. Gently used paddles allow novices to experiment.
3) People Who Like New Products
Early adopters don't get the benefit of consumer reviews, so they know they are taking a risk when they buy new products. Since gently used paddles are a final sale kind of category, you can buy one of these newer paddles with much less financial risk.
4) New Brand Experiments
Maybe you have never bought Franklin or Wilson products (for example) but hear their paddles are being used by champion players. Gently used pickleball paddles are a great way to get introduced to different sports equipment makers for racquet sports.
5) Occasional Players of Racquet Sports
Maybe you only have the time to play pickleball seasonally or only once in a while. Or maybe you only need pickleball paddles when you are on vacation. A paddle that is gently used is a great option on account of the fact that your involvement does not require champion level products.
Where do used paddles come from?
Demo Paddles
Name brands of pickleball paddles have testers who give feedback to the company and stores like pickleball-paddles.com try out new products too. These are the sort of items that are demo paddles, and they may have been used only once.
Manufacturer Defects
Even the best paddle maker will have an oops in their manufacturing process from time to time. Usually, a paddle like this will only have minor or cosmetic issues that do not impact the performance of the paddle.
These pickleball paddles have never been played with and are seen in the section for consumers who shop by category "used." If the paint job is wrong for some reason they also are in this category.
Exchanges
Sometimes a customer of ours discovers they simply bought a paddle with the wrong size grip, or the weight is not quite they expected on the court. Details will vary but pickleball-paddles.com is fussy about condition and only wants gently used pickleball paddles to take in as exchanges.
Improving Players
Some players find their skills are rapidly improving and may want to move on from a paddle very quickly. A good sign the player is hungry to upgrade comes when they find their paddle is not helping win the tough match or not helping execute a particular shot like a third shop drop.
The reasons will vary here too, but pickleball is a game that can change quickly so these players will head back to pickleball-paddles.com to find the right paddle to take them to the next level.
What to look for in a used pickleball paddle
As you search the pages of the website you will want to examine the photos carefully and sort out the paddles that do not meet your needs. Price is always one of the filters, but you should first sort through paddle weight, grip, and condition that is best for you.
Head Condition
Our Buying Guide will help you search for the kind of paddle best for you, but the head of the paddle should have only minimal scratches on the face. Dents are a sign of a paddle that is well worn.
Edge of the Paddle
You can search night and day for a paddle with zero scratches on the edge guard. But pickleball paddles in almost every game will see some scratching on the guard. If the paddle guard is loose, this is a sign of a lot of wear and is not typically found in a premium paddle like Wilson or Franklin or Vaught.
Minor scratches are normal even in gently used paddles. Remember these are a final sale and conditions do vary.
Grip Size and Condition
Be sure you are getting the right size for you. Again, the amount of wear will vary but the grip should be tight to the handle.
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