You may have heard of “edge tape”, “lead tape” or “grip tape”, but if some of these terms or products have you confused, we’ve explained the differences and why players choose these different types of tape to customize their paddles.

How is Lead Tape Used?

Lead tape provides an easy and inexpensive way to add weight to your paddle and customize the balance point of your paddle so that it feels exactly how you want it. Adding weight can do three things: provide more power and swing speed, change the balance (making it more head heavy or handle heavy), and add stability.

Tourna Pickleball Lead Tape is a self-adhesive lead tape that comes in a 72” long x ¼” wide roll. To use it you simply remove the paper backing and apply the tape to the edge of your paddle. Lead tape is easy to remove, so you can easily experiment with different placement and amounts to create the weight, balance and stability that you prefer.

Our video demonstrates how to add lead tape to your paddle to achieve more power, change the balance, and increase stability.

Why Use Edge Tape?

Edge tape is used to provide extra protection to the outer edge of your paddle, to minimize scratches and maintain structural integrity. Placed along the paddle’s edge, edge tape can help extend the life of your paddle, without adding much extra weight.

If you use lead tape to add weight to your paddle, edge tape can also be used (instead of electrical tape) to cover and secure the lead tape.

Many players also enjoy using edge tape simply to customize the look of their paddles with different colors. Some might coordinate the same color of edge tape to match their grip color, or go for different colors to create an even more bold look.

PROLITE Edge Tape Armor comes in a choice of three colors:  black, red or white. Each 3-pack contains three strips that are 31.5” long and ½” wide, making an ideal size for most paddles that have a ½” core thickness.

Gearbox Protective Bumper Tape 3-pack comes in black or white and two thickness options: 20mm or 30mm, so you can select the width that best fits your paddle’s core thickness.

ProKennex Training Tape has options designed specifically for both the ProSpeed and Ovation paddles, available in black.

What About Grips and Overgrips…Is That Tape Too?

Since some players refer to paddle grips and overgrips as “grip tape” this warrants clarification. Some people use these terms interchangeably, but there are differences it’s important to understand. Grips are designed to cover the core of your paddle and are made of thick materials, intended to entirely replace the grip your paddle game with.

Overgrips are designed to be put on top of your paddle’s grip. Overgrips are typically made of thinner material than grips, and are used to add extra tackiness, moisture absorption and comfort to your grip without adding much weight or changing it’s shape or size.

Grips and overgrips come in a wide assortment of styles and colors, adding another way to customize the feel of your paddle as well as it’s style and look.

A few of our best-selling grips and overgrips include:

PROLITE No-Slip Thin Grip – available in seven colors, provides superior handling with minimal padding.

GAMMA Honeycomb Cushion Pickleball Grip – perforated grip that helps wick moisture while providing a tacky feel, available in four colors.

HEAD Xtreme Soft Pickleball Over Grip – a thinner grip with a soft yet tacky feel, the large perforations provide optimal moisture absorption. Available in six colors.

In our video, pro player Glen Peterson demonstrates how to regrip a paddle and how to add an overgrip.

See all thirty of our grips and overgrips here.