The Ultimate Guide to Using Lead Tape
Skip the shiny, new paddle. Your current one can be better for just a few bucks.
Lead Tape. Everybody talks about it. Some say they use it. But no one explains it well.
That ends now. This is the only guide you’ll ever need to customize and improve your existing paddle. As a result, your game will too.
Lead Tape Benefits
In nearly every swing sport, adding weight to equipment is commonplace if not mandatory. Pickleball is no different. The benefits of a few strips here and there are invaluable.
The benefits:
Added power.
Enhanced control.
Improved stability (less twisting in the hand).
Increased sweet spot size.
Through all these benefits, lead tape can transform a paddle you dislike into one you enjoy. I know this first hand. In every review, my first impressions of a paddle dramatically change once I’ve added weight to areas it needed some.
The benefits of lead tape are too vast to ignore. This guide will help you avoid the trap of wanting the next best thing when your current has so much potential.
What Lead Tape Should You Buy?
It would be best to remember a few things when choosing what to buy and use.
Lead is toxic.
After applying it to your paddle, you should cover it with electrical tape. If you’d like to avoid this, you can purchase the alternative, non-toxic tungsten tape. It’s safe to touch, and a few companies sell it like Selkirk & Pickleball Effect. My personal favorite right now is Pickleball Effect because you can get it in different weights. However, Selkirk is great if you have a very thin edgeless paddle.
Regarding cost, tungsten is more expensive than lead but could be less of a headache to deal with.
Tape thickness.
Depending on your paddle, the thickness can factor into your decision. The two main options for tape thickness are ¼” and ½”. Any 13mm or thinner edgeless paddles will not work with the wider option. The ½” tape will bleed onto the face of your paddle and won’t look as clean. This is less of a concern if your paddle has an edge guard.
Tape weight per inch.
¼” tape comes in two weights: 0.25 grams per inch or 0.5 grams per inch. I highly recommend that you only consider the heavier option. Choosing the 0.25 g/in requires twice the layers to weigh your paddle up.
½” tape comes in two weights: 1 g/in or 2g/in.
All of the options are great, however as of lately I prefer 0.5g/in because I can spread the weight out further across my paddle and impact more of the paddle. Denser weight like 2g/in concentrates the weight in a very small area.
To make your decision easier, I recommend the following based on your paddle type.
Pre-cut strips.
This option has become more and more popular. Pre-cut strips are great because you don’t have to measure anything and are very easy to add to your paddle. You can buy them here
How Much Lead Should You Add?
I recommend adding as much as you can handle before it’s too heavy. Now, that’s easy to say and harder to practice. So if you don’t know your threshold, then start with a higher weight and tone it down until it feels right. It will be a process, but the payoff is worth it.
My number is 8.7oz total on most paddles. That’s when I start to have issues with the weight. It could be very different for you since it varies for most individuals. Adding to the complexity, location is everything. 9oz on two different paddles can feel the polar opposite. This is due to a paddle’s swing weight.
Swing weight determines where most of the weight is positioned on your paddle. Simply put, it tells you how hard it is to swing through the air. If most of the weight is in the head, then it’ll feel much harder compared to a similar weight but most of it is in the handle. Swing weight is not consistently provided by manufacturers yet, so I’ve compiled my database here.
To give you a reference point, most people notice a significant difference when the swing weight changes by 10 points. For example, 120 vs 110 is noticeable. The higher the value, the harder it will feel to swing and vice versa. So when applying it to your game, remember that lower swing weight means faster hands.
But, there’s balance in all things. Higher swing weights will plow through the ball easier, but it will come at the expense of hand speed. Lower swing weights are faster in the hand, but the ball will push the paddle around more.
So determining the proper value for your game is very important and can take time, which is why lead tape is so useful.
The database of my findings can guide you as a starting point. Here’s what I’ve found to be consistent:
Compared to static weight, swing weight is a far better tool for understanding a paddle without physically holding it. Paddles can be misjudged when having a high static weight when in reality, the paddle is just head heavy.
To easily understand this concept, take a hammer and swing it around. Now, swap your hold using the head and swing it around. The static weight of the hammer didn’t change, but how easily it swings completely flips based on how you hold it.
Where Should You Place The Lead?
Location is everything. Depending on tape placement, the paddle characteristics can be enhanced differently and drastically. There are three primary zones where you can place the weight: the paddle head, sides, and throat. You could add some to the handle itself, but more often than not, this doesn’t enhance as intended.
Adding weight to the head increases power while making it harder to swing.
Adding weight to the sides increases some power while adding stability. This is a great option for paddles that are prone to twisting on off-center shots. It can also make the sweet spot noticeably larger depending on the amount added.
Adding weight to the throat increases stability while making the paddle feel more solid. It won’t increase the swing weight much thus allowing for efficient returns of stability and denseness. Added throat weight is similar to the sides but toned down.
So let’s answer the original question: Where should you place the lead? It’s best to start at the bottom corners or up the sides. You’ll experience a small increase in power and stability without making it drastically harder to swing. But remember, this is just the start of your lead tape journey. Every paddle and player is different, so experimenting is necessary to find your sweet spot.
How Should You Weigh The Lead And Install It?
This may seem like a lot of work, but I’ve made things easier for you through a quick cheat sheet. These are various weights of lead/tungsten tape and how many inches you need to add a certain amount of weight.
Each measurement is for a single piece of lead tape. If you plan to add tape anywhere other than directly at the top, then you’ll need to use two strips. To easily determine how long they need to be, first decide the maximum amount of weight you want to add to your paddle.
Personally, if a paddle is around 8oz and has a swing weight below 115, I default between adding 0.4 - 0.6oz of tape. This means that I would need two strips of lead that weigh between 0.2 and 0.3oz each.
The steps are as follows:
Convert to grams (17g).
Divide by the tape’s g/in value (using 2g/in, 8.5” is needed).
Divide by 2 for either side of paddle (4.25” strips).
Measure and cut strips.
Install onto the paddle at desired locations.
You can skip all of these steps by using pre-cut strips. Like I’ve said before, this is the easiest solution for those doing a ton of experimenting.
How Should You Cover The Lead?
If you’re using actual lead tape, then you’ll want to cover it after installing. It isn’t wise to leave them exposed touching them constantly. The best covers to use are electrical, gaffer, or Prolite Edge Tape (my favorite). Prolite is expensive and doesn’t fit every paddle, but it's worth it and the most durable in my opinion.
Electrical tape is the cheapest option and works just fine. 3M is the preferred brand among the community. It comes in various colors and sticks well. For 16mm or thicker paddles, you’ll want 3/4” electrical tape. For thinner or edgeless, 1/2” electrical tape is the go-to. Various paddle companies also sell their versions of edge tape that fit their specific thicknesses and styles.
To apply electrical tape:
Start at the throat and slowly unwrap the electrical tape while pressing down.
Any misplacements can easily be remedied by pulling up and pressing it back down.
After reaching the end, cut it with scissors.
Take a credit card or something similar to press down on all areas/edges of the electrical tape to ensure adhesion.
Recap
The no-fuss solution to lead tape is precut strips. Versions can come in different weights per strip making it easy to do the math without measuring and cutting.
I recommend adding as much weight as you can handle while maintaining the hand speed desired. The less you add, the less you’ll notice any changes. More tape makes a big impact and allows for experimenting to get your perfect amount and location.
And remember, every paddle and player needs something different. Even my preferred setup on a specific paddle won’t be yours on the same. You need to determine what you think your paddle is missing which will lead you down the right path.