Epic PaddlesDebunk the dwell time debate with scientific evidence from high-speed footage and understand what really happens when your paddle meets the ball.
Is Dwell Time a Myth? What High-Speed Footage Actually Reveals
Walk into any pickleball debate and eventually someone will mention "dwell time." Players and paddle manufacturers claim that the ball stays on the paddle face longer with certain paddles or techniques, allowing for more control, spin, or feel. But what does the science actually say?
High-speed cameras and modern ball-tracking technology have given us unprecedented insight into what happens during the milliseconds when ball meets paddle. The results might surprise you.
What Is Dwell Time?
The Claim: Dwell time refers to the amount of time the ball stays in contact with the paddle face during a shot. Proponents suggest that longer dwell time equals more control, better feel, and increased spin potential.
The Theory:
- Longer contact = more time to direct the ball
- Longer contact = more friction = more spin
- Longer contact = better "feel" of where the ball goes
- Certain paddle materials or designs increase dwell time
The Reality: It's time to separate pickleball lore from physics.
What High-Speed Footage Actually Shows
The Numbers: High-speed cameras recording at 10,000 frames per second reveal that the ball-paddle contact lasts approximately 3-5 milliseconds for typical pickleball shots. That's 0.003 to 0.005 seconds.
To put that in perspective:
- A blink of an eye: 100-400 milliseconds
- Contact time: 3-5 milliseconds
- The ball is on the paddle for roughly 1/30th of a blink
What Happens During Contact: Modern high-speed footage shows the ball compresses against the paddle face, then rebounds. The entire process is elastic—meaning the ball doesn't "stick" to the paddle surface the way dwell time proponents suggest.
The Physics of Ball-Paddle Interaction
Elastic Collision: When the ball hits the paddle, it compresses and then springs back. This is an elastic collision, governed by the coefficient of restitution (how bouncy the materials are).
Key Findings:
- The ball never actually "dwells" on the paddle face
- It compresses and rebounds almost instantaneously
- There's no evidence of the ball sliding or sticking during contact
- The paddle surface deforms slightly but returns to shape immediately
Spin Generation: Spin isn't created by "grabbing" the ball during an extended contact. It's created by the relative motion between the paddle face and the ball at the moment of impact.
- Topspin: Paddle moves up while ball moves down
- Backspin: Paddle moves down while ball moves up
- Sidespin: Paddle moves sideways across the ball
The spin is determined by the angle and velocity of contact, not by how long the ball stays on the paddle.
Debunking Dwell Time Claims
Claim 1: "Certain paddles have more dwell time" Reality: High-speed footage shows contact times are remarkably consistent across paddle materials (carbon fiber, fiberglass, graphite, wood). The differences are measured in fractions of milliseconds—far below the threshold of human perception.
Claim 2: "More dwell time = more control" Reality: Control comes from technique, not equipment. A player with poor form won't gain control from a "high dwell time" paddle. The footage shows that skilled players maintain control regardless of equipment.
Claim 3: "Dwell time creates more spin" Reality: Spin is generated by friction and the tangential force applied at impact. The contact time is too short for "dwell" to contribute to spin. What matters is paddle surface texture and the player's brushing motion.
Claim 4: "You can feel dwell time" Reality: Human reaction time is approximately 250 milliseconds. The ball-paddle contact is 3-5 milliseconds. You cannot perceive something that happens 50-80 times faster than your ability to react.
What Players Are Actually Feeling
If dwell time is physically impossible to perceive, what explains the "feel" differences players report between paddles?
Vibration and Sound: Different paddle materials vibrate at different frequencies when struck. These vibrations travel up the paddle and into your hand. Players interpret these sensations as "feel," but it's actually vibration, not dwell time.
Weight and Balance: Paddle weight and balance point significantly affect how a paddle feels during play. Heavier paddles feel more solid, lighter paddles feel quicker. This is real and measurable—just not related to dwell time.
Surface Texture: Rougher surfaces create more friction, which can increase spin. Players might mistake this increased spin for "dwell time," but it's actually just better ball-paddle friction.
Sweet Spot Size: Paddles with larger sweet spots feel more forgiving. Off-center hits are less punishing. Again, this is real and measurable, but it's about the paddle's construction, not dwell time.
Sound: The acoustic signature of different paddles affects perception. A "thwack" vs. a "ping" creates different psychological associations, even if the physics are similar.
The Science of Spin
How Spin Actually Works:
- Friction: The paddle surface grips the ball through friction
- Angle: The paddle face moves across the ball at an angle
- Velocity: The relative speed between paddle and ball creates spin
- Contact Point: Where on the ball the paddle makes contact
High-Speed Footage Evidence: Frame-by-frame analysis shows that spin is imparted instantaneously at impact. The ball leaves the paddle with its spin already determined. There's no "building up" of spin during a dwell period because there is no dwell period.
Factors That Actually Affect Spin:
- Surface roughness (USAPA regulates this)
- Player technique (brushing motion)
- Ball condition (worn balls spin differently)
- Environmental factors (humidity affects friction)
Why the Dwell Time Myth Persists
Marketing: Paddle manufacturers need selling points. "Increased dwell time" sounds technical and desirable, even if it's scientifically dubious.
Confirmation Bias: Players who buy expensive paddles want to believe they perform better. They attribute improvements to dwell time rather than practice, technique, or other paddle characteristics.
Lack of Education: Most players don't study the physics of ball-paddle interaction. Dwell time sounds plausible if you don't know the numbers.
Placebo Effect: If you believe a paddle has special properties, you'll play differently. The improvement is real—it's just not caused by dwell time.
What Actually Matters in a Paddle
Instead of chasing dwell time, focus on these measurable characteristics:
1. Weight
- Lighter (7.0-7.5 oz): Quicker hands, less power
- Medium (7.5-8.2 oz): Balanced performance
- Heavier (8.2-8.5+ oz): More power, slower hands
2. Balance
- Head-heavy: More power, less maneuverability
- Handle-heavy: More control, less power
- Even balance: Versatile
3. Core Thickness
- 14mm: More power, less control
- 16mm: More control, less power
4. Surface Material
- Carbon fiber: More control, softer feel
- Fiberglass: More power, harder feel
- Hybrid: Balance of both
5. Grip Size
- Too small: Lack of control, potential injury
- Too large: Reduced wrist action, fatigue
- Just right: Comfort and performance
6. Sweet Spot
- Larger sweet spot: More forgiving
- Smaller sweet spot: More precision required
Practical Takeaways
For Players:
- Don't buy paddles based on dwell time claims
- Focus on technique over equipment
- Test paddles for weight, balance, and feel—not marketing buzzwords
- Remember that practice beats equipment every time
For Coaches:
- Teach proper technique as the foundation
- Explain the physics in simple terms
- Help students understand what they're actually feeling
- Focus on measurable improvements
For Manufacturers:
- Be honest about paddle characteristics
- Focus on measurable specs: weight, balance, materials
- Educate consumers instead of misleading them
- Innovation is good; pseudoscience is not
The Bottom Line
High-speed footage provides clear evidence: dwell time, as commonly described, is a myth. The ball-paddle contact is too brief for players to perceive or benefit from any "dwelling."
That doesn't mean all paddles are the same. Weight, balance, surface texture, and construction genuinely affect performance. But these differences are measurable and explainable—they don't require appealing to magical dwell time properties.
The next time someone tells you their paddle has "more dwell time," you'll know the truth. The real differences between paddles are in their physical properties, not in marketing myths.
Focus on finding a paddle that feels good in your hand, suits your playing style, and helps you execute proper technique. That's where real improvement comes from—not from chasing phantom milliseconds that don't exist.
Science wins. Dwell time loses.