There are tons of paddle classifications designed and manufactured on a regular basis, some corresponding to power while others inclined to provide control and are then characterized and sold under their distinctive brand name and series.
Despite being exceptionally calibrated right off the bat (no pun intended) when shipped from factories, for some individuals, they might still require fine-tuning and that’s where adding a piece of lead tape comes in handy.
But obviously, you cannot just strip a lead tape smack it on your Paddle, and call it a day, as there is indeed some brainstorming needed which might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
To assist you in your endeavors, I have curated this article on “Where To Put Lead Tape on Pickleball Paddle” and how it can benefit you in the long run.
What Exactly is Lead Tape?
A Lead tape, as the name suggests, is a form of specialized adhesive tape that has lead material integrated into it. Although the tape itself comes in many colors, thicknesses, and variations, the most commonly used is in gray color and weighs 1g per inch.
These are perfectly legal “fine-tuning accessory” that enhances or increases various aspect of a paddle, depending upon where it’s used. Lead tape is used in sports such as hockey, tennis, and even Pickleball and while there isn’t any rule that prohibits the usage of Lead tape, players might need to consult with the authority of Pickleball management on the court when playing in Competitive leagues.
Properties Of Lead Tape
Some of the typical properties Of Lead Tape are,
- They are generally available in thickness ranging from ½ inches to 4 inches and come in color schemes of yellow, green, or gray.
- The adhesive is applied on either end so that it sticks firmly to the end of a Paddle.
- Even though they may have lead properties, they are generally flexible and easier to apply.
Placement Of Lead Tape & Its Benefits
Now that you are aware of what exactly is a lead tape, let’s take a look at where to use it and how its placement benefits you,
The Throat
Right across the lining of the Paddle, lies the throat region, where applying 1-2 inches of Lead tape can make a significant difference. In fact, many players overlook this region, expecting not to yield enough results, however, utilizing the space around the throat can help you achieve better arc-based swings, allowing you to form more profound levels of groundstrokes as well as overhead shots.
Furthermore, sticking lead tape on either end allows more stopping power on its other side, minimizing vibration to a great extent, so all your shots seem much more under control.
If you are a beginner or an intermediate player who is looking to fine-tune their Paddle for a much more natural swing, using the throat region might help a lot.
The Face
If you want to achieve more pop and increase the responsiveness of your Paddle, try applying two strips of lead tape on the top of the face of the Paddle or the lower end if you want to balance out the overall surface area.
This will also allow you to locate the sweet spot much more easily since it would become more profound and have more mass, amplifying the overall feedback to the player holding the Paddle, and making your shots seem much more consistent.
Using the face region for your lead tape placement can exponentially increase the rate of spin especially if you are inclined to impart backspin, topspin, and sidespin.
On the other hand, it will also help you create more robust ground strikes and Dinkshots without putting much effort, especially when it’s placed in the middle region of the face, however, don’t apply more than 2 inches, otherwise, it would negatively impact your swing speed.
The Sides
The sides might be one of the trickiest regions, since if you overdo the placement, you may lose balance, especially on lower swinging shots.
However, it’s also considered a high-risk reward region, contributing to enhanced control over angled shots especially during diagonally serves across the court or right beside the net.
It also you to produce much more robust rotational force, so you yield more curvature in your trajectory induced on a ball, making your counter shots less forgiving for your opponent to counter.
In other words, using the tape conservatively can yield plenty of improvements, especially in your Lob or drop shots, however, you may need to accurately account for it and practice a lot in drills, otherwise, it will ruin the swing feel for your Paddle.
Should You Add Lead Tape To Your Pickleball Paddle
As long as you comply with the USAPA official rules and regulations which clearly state that you shouldn’t exceed the 6oz lead tape weight inclusion for Paddles made from fiberglass or carbon fiber material and 10oz for Wooden Paddle, you have the complete liberty to use a Lead tape anywhere you deem fit.
The best and the most optimal way to use a Pickleball Paddle lead tape would be using small chunks of tape and removing each chunk at a time while practicing alone on the court.
Make sure you test out every form of technique and shot variation such as lob, Dink, groundstrokes, splice, drop shots, spin, topspin, and backspin before finalizing the placement of your lead tape.
Where To Put Lead Tape on Pickleball Paddle? – And That’s a Wrap
Using Lead tape is an amazing and surefire method to fine-tune each nook and cranny of your Paddle without replacing it for a substitute, in fact, it is a cost-effective approach and ideal method, however, it certainly requires time and energy during the calibration of your Paddle.
But once you have achieved the perfect sweet spot between control and power, you will certainly dominate the court and get an edge over your opponent.
Speaking of which, make sure you spread the word around or even bookmark the article so that everyone can benefit from it. Stay tuned for more articles like these, as I will be regularly posting more esotericknowledge about Pickleball. knowledge regarding Pickleball.
