Most serious pickleball players do not wear gloves, and there are good reasons for that. But for sweaty palms, recurring blisters, cold-weather play, and certain skin conditions, a glove can be the difference between a comfortable session and a ruined one. Here is when to wear one — and when to skip it.

Players often report that a new paddle feels different at fifty hours than it did on day one. Some of that is real — and some is not. This article separates the measurable changes that occur early in a paddle's life from the considerable role that player adaptation plays in that perception.