Equipment Physics & Laboratory TestingReference #08 · V2.6 Facet Verified
How does USA Pickleball test paddle surface friction and roughness?
Core Takeaway: USA Pickleball uses automated Starrett SR300 surface roughness profilers to measure average peak-to-valley micro-inch roughness (Ra) across multiple angles.
Dink Digest Intelligence DeskVerified 2026-09-20
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To prevent paddles from acting like sandpaper, USA Pickleball Rule 2.E limits surface roughness to 30 micro-inches Ra and 40 micro-inches Rz. Equipment testing technicians move a diamond-tipped stylus across six designated zones on the paddle face. If friction readings exceed the threshold, the paddle cannot be approved for sanctioned tournament play.
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category Id:equipment-physics-gear
topic Index:8
verified Year:2026
Topic Tags & Keywords
equipment-physics-gearcoefficientknowledgestandardstesting-labregulation-court