The under-$100 beginner gear bundle

Here's a realistic, category-by-category breakdown for a complete first-time setup:

Paddle — ~$35–$50

At this price range, look for a mid-weight (7.5–8.2 oz) paddle with a polymer honeycomb core and a fiberglass or composite face. Brands like Onix, Engage, and Paddletek all make solid entry-level options in this range. Avoid ultra-cheap no-brand paddles — they tend to have inconsistent surface texture and poor edge guards.

Balls — ~$10–$15 for a 3-pack

Buy outdoor or indoor depending on where you'll primarily play (see our Outdoor vs Indoor guide for the difference). Dura Fast 40 and Onix Pure 2 are reliable outdoor options; Jugs and Franklin X-40 are popular for indoor.

Shoes — ~$40–$60

A basic court shoe (tennis or volleyball-style) with herringbone tread is enough. Avoid running shoes. New Balance, K-Swiss, and Head all make court shoes in this range with adequate lateral support for casual play.

Eye protection — ~$18

The NoCry EyeArmor+ above. Don't skip this item to save money — it's the cheapest certified option on our list and the one piece of gear that can't be substituted with something you already own.

Free training routines

Gear gets you on the court; these routines get you better once you're there. All of these can be done with just one partner and no special equipment.

Solo wall drill (15 min)

Find any smooth wall and practice controlled dinks against it from 7–10 feet away. Focus on a consistent contact point and low-to-high paddle path. Count consecutive hits without an error — aim to double your record each week.

3-shot pattern drill (20 min with a partner)

1. Player A serves deep.
2. Player B returns deep.
3. Player A hits a third-shot drop into the kitchen.
4. Reset and repeat.

This groove the three most important shots in the game. Rotate roles every 10 reps.

Dink-to-speed-up drill (20 min with a partner)

Both players dink from the kitchen line until one player calls "attack" — then that player hits a speed-up and both play out the point. Calling the attack out loud trains deliberate shot selection instead of reactive swinging.

Skinny singles (30 min)

Play singles but only using half the court (one side of the center line). This forces more precise placement, improves your cross-court and straight-ahead dinking, and gives you twice the reps in the same court time as regular doubles play.