What is a Delaminated Pickleball Paddle?

Pickleball is booming! It’s a sport that’s growing super fast, and people of all ages are getting in on the action. Like any sports equipment, pickleball paddles can wear out, and there’s this new talk about something called “delamination. The big players, especially the pickleball champions, are talking about how delamination is causing problems in the game at the top level.

So here’s the deal: In this article, we will look at what is a delaminated pickleball paddle. Why it happens, and most importantly, how to stop it.

Basically, we’re going to help you keep your A-game on the pickleball court. Are you ready? Let’s go！

The USA Pickleball Association did a survey, and guess what the biggest problem in paddle is?  Yep, it’s delamination. That’s like when your paddle starts to peel off. Crazy, right? More than 40% of players have told us they’ve dealt with it. And get this, even the fancy paddles aren’t immune.

It’s like humidity and temperature changes are playing tricks on them. Even the Selkirk said that their super-duper paddles can experience to delamination if they don’t get some care.

Think of a delaminated pickleball paddle as a sandwich falling apart. Yes, that’s when the layers of the paddle start to peel away from each other. Picture this: the inside of the paddle (the core, especially in thermoformed carbon paddles) decides it wants to go its own way and separates from the outer layer.

This happens when the glue that’s supposed to hold the layers together breaks down – either it gets weak, loses its mojo, or didn’t do its job properly in the first place.  You end up with a tiny gap between the core and the outer layers of the paddle. That’s a delaminated pickleball paddle!

Sometimes delamination happens because of not-so-great manufacturing and not-so-great materials used.  But guess what? Things like how humid or hot it is can add to the mix.

The inferior adhesive used to bond the paddle layers together can break down over time, causing the layers to delaminate. The use of inferior carbon fiber or low-density foam cores can also increase the likelihood of delamination.

Want to avoid the delamination problem? Easy-peasy. Give your pickleball paddle some love and care.

Here’s the deal: When you’re not rocking the court, keep your paddle cool in a dry, comfortable place. Extremes of heat or cold are a no-no. And raindrops? Nope, keep your paddle away from those. It’s like giving your paddle a cozy home.

Oh, and here’s a tip: cover it up. Yes, a cover is like a shield against the elements.

Ben John’s, a famous pickleball player (some say he’s the best), shares his thoughts on delaminated pickleball paddles:

You’ve been super careful with your paddle, but sometimes the game gets wild and your paddle might not be feeling its best. How do you find out if it’s going through the delamination  problem?

Well, Chris Olson of The Pickleball Studio has a few tricks up his sleeve. He’s got some cool ways to check if your paddle is delaminating.

Soft spots: Give your pickleball paddle a little push. Yes, gently press on its surface. If some areas feel softer than the rest, uh-oh, that could mean trouble. Those soft spots can tell you that the layers of the paddle are separating.

Sound: Tap your pickleball paddle or hit a ball with it. And here’s the catch – listen! If you hear something strange, like a hollow or not-so-clear sound, your paddle may be in a pickle.Delamination can turn a normal sound into a strange one. It’s as if the paddle is trying to tell you something through its sound. For a clear example, watch the video below.

Pace: Do you feel that your paddle performance has decreased? Well, that sudden drop in power could be a sign that delamination is crashing the party. It’s like your paddle is taking you on a power roller coaster – up, up, and then suddenly down. Watch out for this sneaky sign!

Blistering or peeling:Take a close look at the surface of your paddle. Any blistering or peeling?  It could mean the layers are saying “bye-bye” to each other.

Uneven surface: let your hand explore the surface. If it feels rough or bumpy, pay attention.  This could mean that the delamination is up to some mischief.

The awesome player at Kiwi Labs are here to break it down for us:

A pickleball paddle with delamination is a concern because it causes the pickleball to be hit with more force. Specifically, when you hit a pickleball, the area between the core and the delaminated outer layers acts like a spring.

In other words, the outer layer of the pickleball acts like a trampoline. This resulted in more power than the paddle testing and approval process of the sport’s governing body, USA Pickleball, allowed.

Furthermore, given how close players are positioned to the kitchen line, this extra force can be dangerous on the pickleball court.

It should be noted that delamination of a pickleball paddle usually occurs over time, as it usually takes some use and abuse to wear down the glue that holds the core and outer layers together.

Therefore, due to the bouncy effect, delaminated pickleball paddles actually generate more power and speed over time than most traditional/historic pickleball paddles that would otherwise wear out and degrade.

Therefore, a pickleball paddle may initially pass testing and approval, only to delaminate and deviate from the standards established by USA Pickleball.

Finally, since the pickleball professionals are competing for money and their livelihood, they should be held to the same standards and guidelines.

In order to maintain the integrity of the professional game, it will be crucial to enforce the pickleball paddle laws at all stages of the life of the pickleball paddle, including new and used paddles.

With all the fuss about delaminated pickleball paddles, people are thinking hard about how to solve this problem, especially because it can be risky due to the extra power it gives. Some ideas that have been tossed around include:

Make new rules: Create new rules for how paddles are tested. This could help identify the real problem – how much power a paddle should have – and fix it from the beginning when paddles are made.

Test more: Do more testing on paddles, especially those used by the pros. Maybe do tests right at the pickleball games and events.

Check paddles: Tell players – both pros and regular players – to check their paddles more often. If they see any problems, they should replace their paddles with new ones.

Take care of your paddles: Tell players to take good care of their paddles to prevent them from breaking prematurely. Keep them dry, away from big temperature changes, and don’t put too much pressure on them.

It’s all about finding ways to keep pickleball fun and safe for everyone!

A delaminated pickleball paddle is when the layers of the paddle come apart, making it weaker and not working as well. This can happen because of glue problems, the way the carbon edge strip is applied, mistakes in manufacturing, or the way it’s designed.

You can tell if a paddle has delamination by feeling for soft spots, listening for strange noises, or seeing if the surface has blisters or peeling.

Delamination can mess up different paddles and make them less good. It can make the sweet spot smaller, the paddle not last as long, change the way it plays, and even make it unsafe. Fixing it could mean talking to the company, getting a pro to fix it, or taking good care of your paddle.

The best thing is to get a good paddle and take care of it so you don’t have to deal with delamination problems. That way, you will have more fun and less hassle playing pickleball.

More Information

We hope this guide has helped you find the best carbon fiber pickleball paddle for your needs. If you have any further questions or suggestions, we’d love to hear from you! Please sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date with our latest articles, then visit our Facebook page and Instagram to join the community conversation.

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