Glossary
Dead spot
An area on a paddle face that has lost pop and feels noticeably softer or quieter than the rest of the paddle.
A dead spot is a section of the paddle face, often near the edges or in one particular area, that has lost its usual pop and feels noticeably softer or quieter on contact compared to the rest of the paddle. The ball tends to come off a dead spot with less speed and a duller sound.
Dead spots usually develop over time from repeated hard impacts, moisture getting into the core, or general wear, though a small amount of edge softness compared to the center is normal on most paddles even when new. A dead spot that appears suddenly, especially after a hard hit or a drop, can be a sign of internal core damage.
Players sometimes confuse a naturally softer edge with a defect, when some falloff toward the rim is expected on almost every paddle. A useful check is tapping across the face and listening for a sound that changes sharply in one spot rather than fading gradually, which points to real damage rather than normal edge softness.