What gear do you need to play pickleball?

Very little: a paddle, court shoes with good lateral support, and a couple of pickleballs. Many community centers and clubs have loaner paddles, so you can try the sport before buying anything. The one upgrade worth getting right early is proper court shoes.

How much does it cost to start playing pickleball?

You can start for well under $100. An entry-level paddle is inexpensive and perfectly good while you learn, balls are cheap in three-packs, and if you already own court shoes you're set. There's no need to spend big up front.

What is the most important piece of pickleball gear?

Court shoes. A paddle is essential, but the gear most worth getting right early is footwear with lateral support — running shoes are built for moving forward and are a common way to roll an ankle on the quick side-to-side movement of pickleball.

Pickleball Gear Guide

Start Here

Pickleball Gear & Equipment

The best thing about pickleball is how little you need to start — a paddle, decent shoes, and a couple of balls. This is the honest, no-upsell guide to each piece: what it does, how to choose it, and where to spend first.

By the VolleyForge team · Reviewed August 2026

Paddles

Your paddle is the one piece you’ll obsess over — but the choice is simpler than the marketing suggests. There is no single “best” paddle, just the one that fits your game. Weight, grip, core, surface, and shape are the five things that matter. Walk through them in how to choose a pickleball paddle.

Shoes

This is the piece most beginners get wrong. Pickleball is a game of quick side-to-side stops, and court shoes with lateral supportprotect your ankles in a way running shoes can’t. If you upgrade one thing first, make it this. See the full pickleball shoes guide.

Balls, and everything else

Pickleballs are cheap and come in indoor and outdoor versions — match the ball to where you play. Beyond a paddle, shoes, and balls, you genuinely don’t need much to start. The complete starter list is in pickleball gear for beginners.

Our approach to gear

We publish buying guidance, not hype— what each spec and feature actually does, so you can choose well for your game and budget. We don’t post fake “best paddle” rankings. When we can point you to specific products honestly, we will.

Got your gear? Now find a game.

The best gear is useless without people to play with. VolleyForge matches you with games near you at your level, so you can actually use it. Free to join.