The whole list: court shoes, water, weather layers, and a paddle you probably don’t need to own yet. Nothing on it is expensive, and only one item is urgent.
Shoes: the one thing worth buying first
Running shoes are the most common source of beginner injuries we see. They’re built for forward motion, with soft foam edges that roll when you push off sideways, and pickleball is nothing but sideways. Court shoes have flat, firm outsoles and lateral support; pickleball, tennis, or indoor volleyball shoes all work. If you play indoors at the community centers, non-marking soles are required, and one pair of all-court shoes covers both.
Paddle: borrow before you buy
Every Tacoma community center keeps loaner paddles at the front desk, and we bring loaners to every lesson, so you can play several times before spending anything. When you’re ready to buy, the first-paddle guide covers weight and grip; the short version is a midweight paddle in the $50–$100 range, nothing fancier.
Clothes: this is the Pacific Northwest
Athletic anything is fine; pickleball has no dress code. What matters here is layering. Mornings at the outdoor courts start cold and damp most of the year, and you warm up fast once games begin, so a zip layer you can shed beats a heavy hoodie you’re stuck inside. A brimmed hat earns its place from May to September, when the low evening sun sits right behind some Tacoma courts.
The rest of the bag
- Water. There isn’t always a fountain courtside.
- Balls, if you have them: outdoor balls for outdoor courts, since they’re heavier and drilled differently than indoor balls. At open play someone always has a ball, but bringing your own three-pack is a good way to make friends.
- A towel in the shoulder months. Damp courts get wiped, not waited out.
- Sunscreen for the exposed courts, Vassault and Point Defiance especially.
For a lesson: even shorter
Court shoes and water. We bring the paddles, the balls, and the portable net when the court needs one. What a first lesson looks like covers the rest, or book one and test the loaner paddles before you spend a dime on gear.
We coach private lessons and clinics across Tacoma, Fircrest, and Lakewood. Book a lesson or see pricing.