Should You Wear a Glove for Pickleball Play or Not?

During the warm summer months, it's common for players to sweat more than usual if playing outside. In fact, the hot and humid weather may create an issue when you grip the pickleball paddle if your hand is wet and it slips when hitting shots. This can be a frustrating experience so wearing a glove can help alleviate this problem. But what should you look for when buying a glove for pickleball?

First of all if you search for a pickleball glove, you may find the results are full of racquetball gloves. This is because almost every racquetball player wears a glove because when you are playing in a fully-enclosed court you are definitely going to sweat regardless of the level of air conditioning. So do racquetball gloves work for pickleball players? They absolutely do. I can tell you this as I played racquetball for 20 years before changing over to pickleball a few years ago. Not only do racquetball gloves work but so do golf gloves. Just remember with golf gloves that a right-handed golfer wears their glove on their left hand so make sure you choose carefully if purchasing a golf glove.

Whether it is a racquetball or golf glove, you have a couple of options in terms of materials and design. Gloves are either made out of a synthetic fabric or leather. In both cases, you should choose a glove that does not feel stiff as you want to be able to comfortably grip your paddle. Now, gloves will come in different thicknesses, too. I would avoid a padded glove as again it makes it more difficult to grip your paddle. So, choosing a thinner glove whether synthetic or leather is the way to go. 

My personal preference is a soft and thin glove made out of cabretta leather. Look for air holes in the top of the glove to enhance cooling and keep the glove dry. Some gloves are also open at the top of your fingers.  This isn't my preference but it's worth a try if you don't like a glove that fully encloses your hand. One of the drawbacks of a leather glove is it gets worn out over time and it doesn't help to wash it. If you find a leather glove you like, be sure to purchase a few of them as they do wear out over time. The bottom line is that it is worth wearing a glove while playing pickleball if it is difficult for you to keep a grip on your paddle. You may, however, need to experiment with different ones so you find a glove comfortable for you.