Pickleball Players Unveil Their 3D Printed Gear
Last Edited
Sep 10 2024
Category
Community
After we reported on a 3D-printed pickleball, our curiosity spiked. How else can 3D printing benefit the sport and its players?
We asked our Facebook group members to tell us about their own 3D printed pickleball projects.
Turns out that many players are already using the technology to solve problems in recreational play and make their lives just a little easier on the court:
A Solution for Holding a Few Pickleballs
We all need a way to keep a few balls close by. Not everybody has deep pockets, but even those who do know it isn't always comfortable to keep them there.
This clever pickleball hobbyist created a solution to keep them at the ready.
The container stands up on its own and can attach to a fence or net via a carabiner.
A Smaller, Compact Ball Holder
If you don't need to hold multiple balls at the same time, this minimal holder can harmlessly clip a single ball onto a net or your bag.
"A guy I see at open play made these cool little keychain ball-holders. Like a carabiner with a little nub on one end that barely fits into a normal sized hole in a pickleball," says a Reddit user.
"He originally made them to clip on his shorts pocket, but after some trial-and-error he tweaked the design so you can fit it on a bag strap. He gave me a couple after I asked him about how he had a pickleball just hanging on the side of his bag."
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Keeping That Water Bottle Steady
Almost every time I place my water bottle down on the ground during rec play, it ends up spilled over somehow. I don't know who's knocking it down or what errant ball has enough force to do so, but it's really frustrating.
Meanwhile, this pickleballer printed some bottle holders for their pickleball club, ensuring members stay hydrated and the ground is kept clear.
"Some day, I'll get around to modeling my own version with a bigger cup holder for bigger bottles."
Making Ball Pickup a Bit Easier
Saving your back and your wallet at the same time! No need for a ball tube or hopper basket here. Genius.
Pickleball Trophies, Made Easy (& Cheaply)
Tournament directors will love this. One user says his friend printed lots of pickleball trophies like this for local tournaments.
The awesome part is that each trophy's design is only limited by your creativity. Once the size is dialed in, the design is repeatable and easily customizable.
Even if you hired a local artist to improve upon the design, it's still cheaper than having custom trophies cast in metal.
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A 3D-Printed Pickleball Paddle?
Mind blown. But how does it play? (Obviously, the 3D-printed paddle is on the right).
Well, keep in mind that this user printed it specifically for their kindergartener, so peak performance wasn't exactly the intention.
But they both report surprisingly stellar performance for what it is.
"I’ve done wall practice with it. It’s like a cheap paddle, but it makes SUCH a satisfying sound when you hit the ball with it. More satisfying than a regular paddle," the player says.
"I tried printing her a smaller version, but she wants the same sized paddle as her mom."
"If i did it over again, I'd print it with 'fuzzy skin' on that top side because then both sides would feel more like a raw CF face."
An Assortment of Pickleball Keychains & Zipper Grabbers
We've seen our share of badly-rendered pickleball accessories, but these actually look good. We love the range of colors and how clean the pickleballs look.
Have you 3D printed something for pickleball? Send us an email and we'll update this article with it.
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