Short answer: Paddle noise is driven mainly by face material, core type, surface texture, and court/ball interactions — quiet paddles typically measure in the mid-70s dB (A-weighted) in realistic court tests, while louder designs and conditions push sounds into the mid-to-high 80s dB. You can reduce community complaints by specifying polymer or bamboo cores, carbon-face or damped composite faces, and requiring supplier acoustic test data (LAmax¹ and Leq²) measured with a calibrated sound level meter³ under defined conditions.

---

Why this matters for procurement
Municipal or private facility managers, club owners, and sports retailers must balance player satisfaction and neighborhood noise limits. A few dB of difference affects perceived loudness significantly and can decide whether a court triggers complaints or violates local ordinances. Choosing the right paddle—and specifying measurable acoustic requirements in bids—lets you reduce mitigation costs and secure supplier accountability.

How paddle construction controls sound (what to look for)

• Face material
  • Carbon fiber / graphite faces usually increase dwell time (ball sits slightly longer on the face) and tend to reduce high-frequency “ping,” often perceived as quieter and more pleasant. Carbon options (3K, 12K, T300) vary in stiffness and surface feel; higher thread-density (12K) can create a smoother, sometimes sharper tone if not damped.
  • Fiberglass faces are generally more flexible and can produce a broader, brighter sound — sometimes louder in the high-frequency band that travels farther.
  • Composite faces that combine carbon and fiberglass can be engineered to trade off loudness vs feel.
• Core material
  • Polymer honeycomb⁴ cores absorb impact energy more effectively and typically produce lower peak sound (quieter “thud”).
  • Bamboo core composites give a warm, muted tone and good durability.
  • Nomex honeycomb and aluminum honeycomb cores are stiffer and often produce louder, sharper sounds because they transmit impact energy without as much internal damping.
• Surface texture and coatings
  • Smooth, hard coatings with high rebound can increase high-frequency content. Matte coatings or added resin layers with damping additives reduce sharp peaks.
• Manufacturing process
  • Cold pressing tends to preserve material damping and yields a softer feel — often quieter.
  • Hot pressing can increase structural stiffness and may increase loudness unless the layup includes dampening layers.
  • Thermoforming⁵ allows variable thickness and integrated damping, useful for engineered low-noise paddles.
• Geometry and edge design
  • Paddle thickness, edge guards, and weight distribution change resonance frequencies. Small geometry changes can shift audible frequencies that travel further in open-air conditions.

Quantifying expected noise (practical dB ranges)
Note: dB values depend strongly on measurement method. Below are practical ranges you can expect under common test conditions (A-weighted, LAmax measured during impact strikes on an indoor court):

• Quiet paddles (engineered low-noise): ~70–78 dB LAmax
• Typical recreational paddles: ~78–86 dB LAmax
• Loud, stiff paddles (Nomex/aluminum cores, hard faces): ~86–92+ dB LAmax

Context: many published measurements for general pickleball activity put the sport in the ~70–90 dB range depending on distance and court surface. A 3–5 dB change is perceptible; 10 dB is perceived roughly as twice as loud.

Recommended acoustic test method for procurement (simple, repeatable protocol)
Include this exact protocol in RFPs to compare suppliers fairly.

Test setup

• Environment: indoor hardcourt (gym) or outdoor hardcourt; clearly state which — outdoor tests typically attenuate differently.
• Distance: microphone positioned at 1.5 m from the contact point horizontally and 1.5 m above floor (representative of nearby neighbors or court edge). Also request measurements at 3 m for community exposure context.
• Instrumentation: calibrated Type 1 or Type 2 sound level meter, A-weighted response, fast response setting for peak (LAmax).
• Shots: standardized ball (specify model), standardized swing (robot or trained tester), sample size at least 30 impacts across drives, volleys, and dink shots; record LAmax for each. Provide average LAmax and 90th percentile to characterize extremes.
• Metrics reported: LAmax (peak), Leq (equivalent continuous level over a 5-minute simulated rally), and spectral data (1/3 octave bands or octave bands from 125 Hz to 8 kHz) if available.
• Reporting: raw files, calibration certificate for meter, test date/time, court surface, ball model, ambient noise baseline, and environmental conditions.

Sample RFP acoustic clause (copy/paste)

• Supplier must provide acoustic test report for the paddle model: LAmax and Leq measured with a calibrated Type 1/2 sound level meter using the protocol above. LAmax at 1.5 m shall not exceed 78 dB for average samples (N=30) and the 90th percentile LAmax must be ≤ 80 dB for the supplied lot. Include spectral data and raw measurement logs.

Material comparison table (quick reference)

Component	Typical acoustic signature	Procurement note
Carbon fiber face (damped)	Lower high-frequency content, mid-70s dB possible	Ask for damped layup or composite layer
Fiberglass face	Brighter, can increase perceived loudness	Consider blended faces or add resin damping
Polymer honeycomb core	Muted “thud”, lower LAmax	Preferred for low-noise spec
Bamboo core	Warm, quiet	Good durability + quiet
Nomex / Aluminum core	Sharp, loud	Avoid for noise-sensitive sites
Hot-pressed layup	May increase stiffness and high-frequency peaks	Acceptable if damping layers included
Cold-pressed / thermoformed	Preserves damping, can reduce noise	Preferred for low-noise paddles

Operational and facility-level factors that change measured noise

• Court surface: concrete and asphalt reflect sound and create stronger reflections; cushioned courts (acrylic with underlayment) reduce reflections and perceived loudness.
• Ball type: older, high-rebound balls produce louder impacts. Low-rebound or quieter indoor-specific balls reduce peak dB.
• Surroundings: nearby walls and fences reflect sound; vegetation and barriers absorb it.
• Play style: aggressive smashes create higher LAmax events than recreational rallies.

Mitigation strategies (buy + site)
Short-term (procurement decisions)

• Specify paddles with polymer honeycomb or bamboo cores and carbon or damped composite faces.
• Require acoustic test reports per RFP.
• Buy a mixed fleet: assign quieter paddles to residential-facing courts.

Medium-term (facility changes)

• Use lower-rebound balls on neighbor-facing courts.
• Install acoustic barriers: sound-absorbing wind screens, perimeter vegetative berms.
• Schedule peak activity to minimize complaints (time-of-day).

Long-term (policy)

• Include acoustic performance in vendor scorecards.
• Pursue contract clauses allowing return of batches that exceed acoustic specs.

Supplier quality control and auditing
Ask suppliers for:

• Batch acoustic testing plan and baseline acoustic certificates.
• Process control documents describing hot pressing, cold pressing, or thermoforming steps and material certificates (face fiber type, core material).
• Repeatability data across production lots (mean LAmax ± standard deviation).
• On-demand print and customization process — ensure printing/resin additives do not increase surface hardness and therefore noise.
• Acceptance testing at random lot intervals (e.g., 1 paddle per 200 units measured).

Buy/no-buy decision guide (procurement checklist)

• Are you in a noise-sensitive location? If yes, require LAmax ≤ 78 dB and prefer polymer/bamboo cores.
• Is player performance critical for tournaments? You might accept slightly higher LAmax if paddle delivers distinct competitive benefits—balance with quiet models for community courts.
• Do you need mass-production cost efficiency? Hot-pressed paddles are cheaper at scale but demand damping layers or design choices to meet acoustic specs.
• Supplier transparency: if a supplier cannot provide measured acoustic data with raw logs and calibration certificates, treat as high risk.

Case example (typical selection pathway)

1. Shortlist manufacturers with polymer-core and carbon-face options.
2. Ask for a 10-unit sample set and acoustic test report following the RFP protocol.
3. Field-test samples on your court, measure LAmax and Leq at 1.5 m and 3 m, and solicit player feedback.
4. Decide: if sample set meets LAmax spec and players accept feel, proceed to order with batch testing clause.

Summary — what to require from suppliers right now

• Explicit acoustic performance targets in RFPs (LAmax, Leq, 1.5 m and 3 m).
• Detailed test protocol and calibration proof (Type 1/2 meter).
• Preferred materials: carbon-face with damping + polymer or bamboo core. Avoid Nomex/aluminum cores for noise-sensitive courts.
• Production process notes: favor cold-press/thermoform or hot-press with integrated damping layers; require batch testing.
• On-site mitigations: lower-rebound balls, court surfacing, and sound barriers as complementary measures.

Next steps (actionable)

1. Add the acoustic clause (sample above) to your next RFP.
2. Request 10-unit acoustic-tested samples from shortlisted suppliers.
3. Run on-site LAmax/Leq checks during a 1-week trial; require supplier follow-up if values exceed spec.

People Also Ask
Q: What are quiet pickleball paddles?
A: Quiet paddles typically combine a carbon or damped composite face with a polymer or bamboo core. These designs increase dwell time and internal energy absorption, reducing high-frequency “ping.” In field tests, such paddles commonly show lower LAmax values (mid-70s dB) compared with stiffer faces and Nomex/aluminum cores. When specifying, request acoustic test data and a description of the layup and core materials.

Q: What decibel level is pickleball?
A: Measured levels vary with paddle, ball, court surface, and distance. Typical LAmax readings for pickleball contact events fall between about 70 and 90 dB. Quiet paddle and ball combinations on an indoor court often measure in the low-to-mid 70s dB (A-weighted) at ~1.5 m, while louder setups and hard reflecting surfaces can push peaks toward the high 80s or low 90s dB. Use A-weighted LAmax and Leq for standardized comparisons and community impact assessments.

1. LAmax: Learn why LAmax (A-weighted maximum sound level during an event) is the right metric for specifying peak impact noise in procurement—how it’s measured, how to set reasonable thresholds (e.g., 78 dB at 1.5 m), and how to interpret single-impact peaks versus averaged exposure. ↩ ↩

2. Leq: Read about Leq (equivalent continuous sound level) to understand overall exposure during rallies or operational periods, how to collect Leq over defined intervals (e.g., 5 minutes), and how Leq complements LAmax for community-impact assessments. ↩ ↩

3. Sound level meter: Review guidance on instrument selection (Type 1 vs Type 2), calibration requirements, response settings (A-weighting, fast), and chain-of-custody and raw-file practices so RFPs demand traceable, repeatable measurements. ↩ ↩

4. Polymer honeycomb: Explore the construction and acoustic behavior of polymer honeycomb cores—how cell geometry and polymer damping reduce transmitted energy, typical acoustic performance benefits versus Nomex/aluminum, and procurement specifications to request. ↩ ↩

5. Thermoforming: Understand thermoforming as a manufacturing option—how variable thickness and integrated damping layers are produced, why that affects paddle resonance and noise, and what process-control evidence to request from suppliers. ↩ ↩