How to tell if a pickleball is worn out
A pickleball is worn out when it cracks, goes out of round, develops soft spots or no longer bounces evenly. The official test drops a ball from 78 in (198 cm) onto granite and it must bounce 30 to 34 in, measured to the top of the ball. Hard outdoor balls often last only a handful of competitive games.
The official pickleball bounce test
USA Pickleball drops the ball from 78 in (198.1 cm) onto a granite plate at about 70 °F. It must bounce back 30 to 34 in (76 to 86 cm), measured to the top of the ball.
An approved ball also has 26 to 40 round holes and weighs 0.78 to 0.935 oz. Hardness is still recorded but is no longer a pass or fail test.
Signs a pickleball is done
- A crack, even a small one, near a hole or the seam.
- It wobbles in flight or does not roll straight: it has gone out of round.
- A soft spot you can feel when you squeeze it.
- The bounce changes depending on where it lands on the ball.
- It sounds different off the paddle: duller, or with a rattle.
How many games does a pickleball last?
Outdoor balls are harder and have smaller holes, so they are fast but crack more easily, especially in the cold. One independent test of a popular outdoor ball found it lost about 10% of its stiffness per hour of play and developed soft spots after about three hours. That is roughly 4 to 8 games at tournament level and up to 12 in club play.
Indoor balls are softer, with larger holes, and usually last longer but play slower.
Bounce is not the whole story
A softer pickleball can still bounce within 30 to 34 in, so a ball can pass a drop test and still play differently. Check for cracks and soft spots as well as the bounce. BallCheck flags a ball whose bounces are uneven from drop to drop, which is often the first sign of a soft spot.
Questions
Why do pickleballs crack?
Hard plastic outdoor balls get brittle in the cold and take a lot of force off the paddle. Retailers warn they can crack below about 40 °F.
Do pickleballs lose pressure?
No. Pickleballs are hollow plastic with holes, so there is no pressure to lose. They wear by cracking, softening and going out of round.
Can I test a pickleball at home?
Yes. Drop it from 78 in onto a hard floor and check it bounces about 30 to 34 in to the top of the ball. Or drop it with a new ball from the same height and compare.
Sources
- USA Pickleball: Equipment Standards Manual (check the current edition on usapickleball.org)
- Pickleball Science: How many games will a pickleball last?
- Pickleball Science: Why do new pickleballs have more pop?
- Pickleball Central: Best pickleball balls
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