flick weights on the butt cap, how much is too much?

[nyta2]

just bought this... https://www.flickweight.com/collections/tungsten-pro-line-flick-weights/Tungsten
currently my balance is at 3.25" (9.25 measured from buttcap), with a 10g washer on the buttcap.
is it possible to make it too headlight? plan to switch out the 10g washer with the 28g flickweight in the buttcap

current setup: xenon px16 v2, weighted at the corners and buttcap... total weight 9.55oz

hehe, i'm a pb noob, but always bring my paddle when i go practice my tennis serve... (pb courts are next to the tennis courts).

 

[nyta2]

sad... no pb paddle gear nerds in here?

 

[nyta2]

if anyone cares/curious about this in the future, i weighted my paddle up to 10.5 oz..., but with flickweights (28g), it's very headlight
* the weight gives it plowthrough on drives, dinks, defense, etc...
* the flickweight makes it very flicky at the kitchen (eg. "ping pong" shots are easy).
not tiring (especially if you're used to an 11-12oz tennis racquet)
doesn't feel slow (headlight, flicky, etc...)

 

[iLuveKetchup]

I've tried weight at the butt cap. It was a Slyce cap (28g) and it made the paddle too headlight. I couldn't feel (where) the top of the paddle.

 

[Bud]

I didn't like tailweighting a PB paddle with only 6g as It completely changed the feel of the paddle.

 

[Bud]

sad... no pb paddle gear nerds in here?

Many avoid contributing much in this forum because of the obnoxious pickleball haters coming over from the tennis side expressing negative opinions nobody asked for.

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

sad... no pb paddle gear nerds in here?

I started experimenting with Pickleball this year, back in early September 2024. Took a looong 5-month-break off Tennis, didn't miss it. Played some sporadic Padel in-between, also.
I can play Pickleball and Padel with much more people I know (relatives and friends), since these are instant-fun sports, with a quite fast learning curve.

Good thing about Pickleball - amongst other things - is the much less toll on the arm/shoulder joints. Ok, one must develop good sideways footwork, but for recreational purposes, Pickleball is just too good not to try. And once you try it, you can't stop!

I've played a few times with a couple tennis hitting partners. Once they figured out the shorter lateral distance to the hitting zone and the few rules, we got straight into playing points.

Now, I look forward to temperatures dropping below 35 degrees Celsius to hit the court again. It's been 40+ degrees for 3 weeks straight.

I got myself a portable net, some "communist-made" paddles and 3 custom paddles, plenty of plastic balls that last forever and set-up a Pickleball court on volleyball court.

Almost nowone is playing Pickleball in Greece, yet. I'll try get some people involved from September on.

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/project-pickleball.772684/

 

[nyta2]

Many avoid contributing much in this forum because of the obnoxious pickleball haters coming over from the tennis side expressing negative opinions nobody asked for.

that's because most of them (that are obnoxious haters of pb) suck at tennis, and have to make fun of pickleball to make themselves feel better...
it's like watching those talk shows that host outrageous guests/themes (eg. is he my baby daddy).

don't get me wrong, i like tennis more than pb, but i can appreciate pb for what it is.

 

[nyta2]

I started experimenting with Pickleball this year, back in early September 2024. Took a looong 5-month-break off Tennis, didn't miss it. Played some sporadic Padel in-between, also.
I can play Pickleball and Padel with much more people I know (relatives and friends), since these are instant-fun sports, with a quite fast learning curve.

Good thing about Pickleball - amongst other things - is the much less toll on the arm/shoulder joints. Ok, one must develop good sideways footwork, but for recreational purposes, Pickleball is just too good not to try. And once you try it, you can't stop!

I've played a few times with a couple tennis hitting partners. Once they figured out the shorter lateral distance to the hitting zone and the few rules, we got straight into playing points.

Now, I look forward to temperatures dropping below 35 degrees Celsius to hit the court again. It's been 40+ degrees for 3 weeks straight.

I got myself a portable net, some "communist-made" paddles and 3 custom paddles, plenty of plastic balls that last forever and set-up a Pickleball court on volleyball court.

Almost nowone is playing Pickleball in Greece, yet. I'll try get some people involved from September on.

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/project-pickleball.772684/

i've found that pb is alot of twisting and lunging... because the action is so fast, so my footwork better be active.
being short in pb helps, don't have to bend down as much...

gl on expanding pb to greece! might need to get tsit or maria to make a cameo playing pb ;P

 

[nyta2]

I've tried weight at the butt cap. It was a Slyce cap (28g) and it made the paddle too headlight. I couldn't feel (where) the top of the paddle.

thx, i came from the opposite angle...
i made the paddle too head heavy, then added the tailweighting to make it mildly headlight

 

[nyta2]

I didn't like tailweighting a PB paddle with only 6g as It completely changed the feel of the paddle.

yeah, needs to be counter balanced at the head

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

gl on expanding pb to greece! might need to get tsit or maria to make a cameo playing pb ;P

Pickleball improves my tennis footwork and net confidence.

Padel is growing fast in Greece, takes several players off the tennis courts. I've already seen some tennis-related people on greek social media crying out loud for the tennis situation in Greece and the Padel-wave taking over. They snob Padel and Pickleball.

Many of them took advantage of the Sakkari-Tsitsipas god-gift, making people (including me) giving tennis a shot, but I feel that those who work "around" tennis want to keep tennis a sport for the "elites", they snob others a lot and buly them a lot in many ways.

Personally, I got snobbed A LOT during the first year of filming myself playing tennis and until now a few local "players" call me "instagramer" and even told me two weeks ago: "why didn't you sign in for the local tennis tournament, so we could win someone in the first round?" That's the level of most people playing tennis.

It's laughable!

 

[PistolPete23]

I use a Friday Fever paddle. It comes pretty light, so I have 8g of tungsten tape on each side and 6 g Flick weight on the butt cap. Plays great.

 

[ByeByePoly]

sad... no pb paddle gear nerds in here?

Did someone call for a paddle nerd? I’m subscribed to a dozen paddle review youtube channels … does that qualify me? I never weighted a tennis racket in 40 years of tennis … current paddle has 10g of tungsten tape. At 2 1/2 year mark, now played all three shapes (standard/wide, hybrid, elongated) … will now be elongated only from here on.

Before TLDR:
- 10 oz way too heavy for pb doubles, pros don’t even do that
- Butt cap weighting doesn’t make much sense for paddles imo … 16.5” levers, buy 8.0 oz paddles and add weight from there as preferred (popular locations 8 and 4, 9 and 3, 10 and 3, tip only if extra power is worth added weight to you.

TLDR:

- first … you are in crazy weight town for pickleball doubles. My racket was 11.5 oz … 2 pts headlight. Been through many paddles now, heaviest I ever weighted to was 8.7 oz, currently 8.3 oz on Agassi elongated. Most pros in doubles play with 8.x oz … think 9.0 max. Problem isn’t baseline for the few tennis shots you get to hit in a point. Problem is kitchen … speedups, counters, firefights … hands gotta be fast.
- balance point, static weight, swing weight … not going to matter as much with a paddle … 16.5” lever vs 27” racket. Also … after all this time I can’t tell you a spec preference like I could with a racket. Too many variables… paddle shapes (standard/wide, hybrid, elongated), tech (construction, power, spin, cores) changing constantly. Typical new paddle can vary .4 oz static weight just from manufacturing variance. Also … paddles can get more powerful after breaking in which might lead to tweaking weight setup/locations.
- just recently switched to 1g per inch tungsten tape instead of 3g strips … can experiment and fine tune easier. I tape the tungsten strip to same length electrical tape … and stick electrical tape to paddle edge. Very easy to move around during a session … even bring scissors to reduce strips if desired. Later .., if you want after you have settled on permanent spots, you can just tape tungsten straight to paddle (you can move tungsten or 3g strips around without electrical tape, just harder because of how sticky).

This is my current paddle spec preference:
- elongated
- static weight 8.3 oz - 8.5 oz
- swing weight … up to 120ish fine
- no fiberglass layer, often 3 or 4 surface layers outside core, and carbon/fiberglass/carbon got popular for springy reasons … I think dwell better without fiberglass layer
- 3 gen honeycomb propulsion power elongated … I am not interested in new foam cores (at least yet)
- 4 1/4 grip + over grip … sometimes you have to take the cheap stock grips off and just add two over grips. No idea why they don’t all have tennis racket grips … grips has been solved.
- not actually sure on balance point preference, but current 8.3 oz elongated slightly head heavy is playing great. I don’t think it’s the same dynamic as liking heavier headlight rackets … light and a little head heavy makes sense to me.

fyi … I have never weighted a tennis racket or paddle at the grip … so take that for what it’s worth. I could see if you knew your preferred specs … say my 11.5 oz 2 pts headlight and I bought a 10.5 oz head heavy racket, adding weight to grip trying to achieve 11.5 2 pts hl. But .. not buying a 11.5 oz head heavy racket, and adding grip weight that achieved 2 pts head light … weighed 12 oz after … not the same racket/spec.

 

[ByeByePoly]

@Shroud @travlerajm @nyta2

I have sent out the racket scientist bat call for an important paddle inquiry. My final theory/question at the bottom.

If you read brother @nyta2 original post here you will see this is about butt weighting … who wouldn’t want to discuss butt weighting?

Many of the paddle review youtubers have promoted products (butt cap replacements, stick on weights). They finally all understood this does not change swing weight … only balance point. They think adding weight at butt cap makes the paddle feel easier to swing.

BBP theory:

Balance point measured on a balance board (or in my case sliding paddle over edge of dining room table) and balance with your hand holding paddle at end of grip ain’t equal. I would support my theory/premise with this: none of us would think if I gripped the paddle with a weighted glove that I would change the balance of the paddle during the swing. However … if we put that same glove weight at the butt cap, grip the paddle at end of grip … it will change the balance point during the swing. To me … the hand gripping the paddle is the pivot point, and any weight at pivot point doesn’t change balance or swing weight, but does increase static weight.

Question:

Help out our not brite brother BBP … please clear this up. I realize this is way too basic for you two racket scientists to waste your time on … stooping below your elite level … but the pickleball tribe is in it’s infant stage learning to walk.

 

[travlerajm]

@Shroud @travlerajm @nyta2

I have sent out the racket scientist bat call for an important paddle inquiry. My final theory/question at the bottom.

If you read brother @nyta2 original post here you will see this is about butt weighting … who wouldn’t want to discuss butt weighting?

Many of the paddle review youtubers have promoted products (butt cap replacements, stick on weights). They finally all understood this does not change swing weight … only balance point. They think adding weight at butt cap makes the paddle feel easier to swing.

BBP theory:

Balance point measured on a balance board (or in my case sliding paddle over edge of dining room table) and balance with your hand holding paddle at end of grip ain’t equal. I would support my theory/premise with this: none of us would think if I gripped the paddle with a weighted glove that I would change the balance of the paddle during the swing. However … if we put that same glove weight at the butt cap, grip the paddle at end of grip … it will change the balance point during the swing. To me … the hand gripping the paddle is the pivot point, and any weight at pivot point doesn’t change balance or swing weight, but does increase static weight.

Question:

Help out our not brite brother BBP … please clear this up. I realize this is way too basic for you two racket scientists to waste your time on … stooping below your elite level … but the pickleball tribe is in it’s infant stage learning to walk.

If you put your great grandson on the end of the teeter totter and tell him to jump, he will quickly lose interest.

But if you sit your pickleball butt down near the other end, he will enjoy effortlessly bouncing up and down and complain if you try to get off.

That sums up the reason for the pickleball wave and answers your question in two sentences.

 

[ByeByePoly]

If you put your great grandson on the end of the teeter totter and tell him to jump, he will quickly lose interest.

But if you sit your pickleball butt down near the other end, he will enjoy effortlessly bouncing up and down and complain if you try to get off.

That sums up the reason for the pickleball wave and answers your question in two sentences.

whaaaaaaaat? … speak to me at my not brite level.

omg … @Shroud will know how to talk BBP

 

[Shroud]

whaaaaaaaat? … speak to me at my not brite level.

omg … @Shroud will know how to talk BBP

As your bestest buddy I suggest that its only for the best to change to ByeByePaddle…

 

[ByeByePoly]

If you put your great grandson on the end of the teeter totter and tell him to jump, he will quickly lose interest.

But if you sit your pickleball butt down near the other end, he will enjoy effortlessly bouncing up and down and complain if you try to get off.

That sums up the reason for the pickleball wave and answers your question in two sentences.

I have a 2 oz roll of tungsten tape. Swung a paddle … then held 2 oz tungsten against grip and swung. Zero difference other than uncomfortable gripping.

Now that’s some weird paddle science. Which reminded me of this:

This seems like good butt weighting to me.

 

[nyta2]

@Shroud @travlerajm @nyta2

I have sent out the racket scientist bat call for an important paddle inquiry. My final theory/question at the bottom.

If you read brother @nyta2 original post here you will see this is about butt weighting … who wouldn’t want to discuss butt weighting?

Many of the paddle review youtubers have promoted products (butt cap replacements, stick on weights). They finally all understood this does not change swing weight … only balance point. They think adding weight at butt cap makes the paddle feel easier to swing.

BBP theory:

Balance point measured on a balance board (or in my case sliding paddle over edge of dining room table) and balance with your hand holding paddle at end of grip ain’t equal. I would support my theory/premise with this: none of us would think if I gripped the paddle with a weighted glove that I would change the balance of the paddle during the swing. However … if we put that same glove weight at the butt cap, grip the paddle at end of grip … it will change the balance point during the swing. To me … the hand gripping the paddle is the pivot point, and any weight at pivot point doesn’t change balance or swing weight, but does increase static weight.

Question:

Help out our not brite brother BBP … please clear this up. I realize this is way too basic for you two racket scientists to waste your time on … stooping below your elite level … but the pickleball tribe is in it’s infant stage learning to walk.

don't know the science behind any of it, nor did i quite follow all of your theory... that said, my feeling from weighting the butt with 28g, makes the paddle easier to flick (specifically useful/relevant when doing speed ups at the kitchen)
for all other strokes, i don't think it matters.

that said i don't often find myself in dink battles where below the net speed ups are important... mainly because i'm usually losing/winning before i get the opportunity to do a speed up (either my opponents are much lower level than me, and/or i am much lower level than my opponent)

so i'm acknowledging that i pre-optimized my paddle for a shot, i hardly ever use ;P

 

[ByeByePoly]

don't know the science behind any of it, nor did i quite follow all of your theory... that said, my feeling from weighting the butt with 28g, makes the paddle easier to flick (specifically useful/relevant when doing speed ups at the kitchen)
for all other strokes, i don't think it matters.

that said i don't often find myself in dink battles where below the net speed ups are important... mainly because i'm usually losing/winning before i get the opportunity to do a speed up (either my opponents are much lower level than me, and/or i am much lower level than my opponent)

so i'm acknowledging that i pre-optimized my paddle for a shot, i hardly ever use ;P

There are several paddle reviewers, some high level rec players … that believe the butt cap weighting works. I’m someone who has to understand it logically … and have not heard an explanation how weight at your hand attached to grip can change anything other than adding static weight (which I don’t want once a reach 8.4-5 oz.) Maybe someday I will “get it”.

I bet you would flick faster with an 8 oz paddle.

 

[travlerajm]

There are several paddle reviewers, some high level rec players … that believe the butt cap weighting works. I’m someone who has to understand it logically … and have not heard an explanation how weight at your hand attached to grip can change anything other than adding static weight (which I don’t want once a reach 8.4-5 oz.) Maybe someday I will “get it”.

I bet you would flick faster with an 8 oz paddle.

I think your answer will become instantly apparent if you experiment with a tennis racquet, which will amplify the effect.

Some people cannot be explained to. They have to experience it for themselves.

 

[ByeByePoly]

I think your answer will become instantly apparent if you experiment with a tennis racquet, which will amplify the effect.

Some people cannot be explained to. They have to experience it for themselves.

I didn’t understand this explanation.

 

[nyta2]

There are several paddle reviewers, some high level rec players … that believe the butt cap weighting works. I’m someone who has to understand it logically … and have not heard an explanation how weight at your hand attached to grip can change anything other than adding static weight (which I don’t want once a reach 8.4-5 oz.) Maybe someday I will “get it”.

I bet you would flick faster with an 8 oz paddle.

Yeah you’re probably right, should drop back to 8 range…. But mainly went up in weight because it felt like similar heft of a tennis racquet, and returning against big serves was easier with a heavy racquet… that said, returning is not as big an issue as it was…

 

[ByeByePoly]

Yeah you’re probably right, should drop back to 8 range…. But mainly went up in weight because it felt like similar heft of a tennis racquet, and returning against big serves was easier with a heavy racquet… that said, returning is not as big an issue as it was…

Also matters singles or doubles … singles more closely resembles tennis and much less kitchen play where fast hands matters. I know one of the female pros (ex tennis pro Salome Devidze) plays singles with a 10 oz paddle. I only play doubles.

You are right about noticing weight is your friend on returns … actually all baseline shots and overheads. Everything with paddles in doubles is tradeoff … you find you want heavier at baseline and lighter at kitchen. My tradeoff has typically been around 8.4 oz … heavy enough for those harder serves for me (26g wiffle ).

For me, two shots at the top of the list where a lighter paddle is a benefit is the speedups from below the net where you have to drop the paddle head (to get enough topspin to keep it in) and the backhand flicks with arm extended forwards. In particular the flick is where I feel all of the static weight. My wife’s game just recently improved by going from 8.3 oz paddle to 7.8 oz. She only hit a 2hbh in tennis, and almost all of us will need a 1hbh flick at the kitchen. She developed the skill pretty quickly but I could aways see the struggle with the weight of paddle on that shot (it should not exist in nature ). You could see that shot become easier for her the first day. It would have been a tradeoff of losing some pace from baseline, but we switched to more powerful paddles at the same time. The other alternative to all the paddle purchases and tinkering is just get good … I should try that.

If you end up playing more you will benefit from some of the newer tech in paddles.

 

[ByeByePoly]

If you put your great grandson on the end of the teeter totter and tell him to jump, he will quickly lose interest.

But if you sit your pickleball butt down near the other end, he will enjoy effortlessly bouncing up and down and complain if you try to get off.

That sums up the reason for the pickleball wave and answers your question in two sentences.

Have grandpa sit at fulcrum and see if grandson is happy and get back to me.

 

[Bud]

Slap on a leather grip to move the balance point down slightly. Don't add more than 6g as a tailweight as it makes the paddle feel too wonky. If you want quicker hands, use a shorter paddle or something with a lower SW.

 

[nyta2]

Also matters singles or doubles … singles more closely resembles tennis and much less kitchen play where fast hands matters. I know one of the female pros (ex tennis pro Salome Devidze) plays singles with a 10 oz paddle. I only play doubles.

You are right about noticing weight is your friend on returns … actually all baseline shots and overheads. Everything with paddles in doubles is tradeoff … you find you want heavier at baseline and lighter at kitchen. My tradeoff has typically been around 8.4 oz … heavy enough for those harder serves for me (26g wiffle ).

For me, two shots at the top of the list where a lighter paddle is a benefit is the speedups from below the net where you have to drop the paddle head (to get enough topspin to keep it in) and the backhand flicks with arm extended forwards. In particular the flick is where I feel all of the static weight. My wife’s game just recently improved by going from 8.3 oz paddle to 7.8 oz. She only hit a 2hbh in tennis, and almost all of us will need a 1hbh flick at the kitchen. She developed the skill pretty quickly but I could aways see the struggle with the weight of paddle on that shot (it should not exist in nature ). You could see that shot become easier for her the first day. It would have been a tradeoff of losing some pace from baseline, but we switched to more powerful paddles at the same time. The other alternative to all the paddle purchases and tinkering is just get good … I should try that.

If you end up playing more you will benefit from some of the newer tech in paddles.

ah that's true...
i tend to switch back and forth between singles & doubles...
i don't typically look to play pb, but after playing tennis or serving, i'll check out the pb courts, and if someone's looking or needs a 4th, i'll play...
and now that i think about it (and you mentioning it), i do tend to favor practicing tennis strokes on the pb court (rather than 3rd shot drops, resets, kitchen fire fights, etc...)
so makes sense i customized it for singles without really knowing wtf i was doing ;P

 

[ByeByePoly]

ah that's true...
i tend to switch back and forth between singles & doubles...
i don't typically look to play pb, but after playing tennis or serving, i'll check out the pb courts, and if someone's looking or needs a 4th, i'll play...
and now that i think about it (and you mentioning it), i do tend to favor practicing tennis strokes on the pb court (rather than 3rd shot drops, resets, kitchen fire fights, etc...)
so makes sense i customized it for singles without really knowing wtf i was doing ;P

My friend … ride that tennis as long as you can … you will miss it when it ends. I miss tennis (singles mostly), but surprisingly I don’t miss golf much.

Yeah … you can pick out ex-tennis players on the pickleball court easily by handing them a new paddle to try. I will instantly go to baseline and rally … I can hit a couple of serves and rule out a paddle quickly. Two of our opponents Monday were interested in our Agassi paddles. When we handed them our paddles they went straight to dinking.

 

[langley]

If you have a head racquet, there are 15g head trap door replacements that are cheaper. Anything more than 15g anyway is too much imo. and they are actually head branded as well. but even for my liquid metal radical i just put 15g of lead tape stuck to the trap door. took 20 or so minutes to cut and place that much lead tape but it wasnt bad at all.

 

[travlerajm]

My friend … ride that tennis as long as you can … you will miss it when it ends. I miss tennis (singles mostly), but surprisingly I don’t miss golf much.

Yeah … you can pick out ex-tennis players on the pickleball court easily by handing them a new paddle to try. I will instantly go to baseline and rally … I can hit a couple of serves and rule out a paddle quickly. Two of our opponents Monday were interested in our Agassi paddles. When we handed them our paddles they went straight to dinking.

Maybe it’s not too late for you after all.