How to Tell If a Pickleball Is Cracked

The fastest way to tell if a pickleball is cracked is to squeeze it and listen. A healthy ball springs back with a firm, even feel, while a cracked one gives a soft spot, an odd rattle, or a visible split near the seam.

A dead ball ruins rallies, so catching it early saves you frustrating points.

The quick checks that work

Squeeze the ball between your thumb and fingers. If one area caves more easily than the rest, the shell has fatigued or cracked.

Spin it on a hard surface. A true ball spins smooth and quiet, while a cracked or out-of-round ball wobbles and drops fast.

Do the bounce test. Drop it from waist height onto concrete. A good ball rebounds to a consistent height, and a cracked one thuds low or bounces unevenly.

Look and listen at the seam. Hairline cracks usually start where the two halves join, and you can often hear a faint click when you flex it.

Why outdoor balls crack more

Hard outdoor balls use stiffer plastic, so cold weather and hard hits make them brittle. Indoor balls flex more and tend to soften or go out of round instead of splitting, a difference we cover in indoor vs outdoor pickleball balls.

The number and size of the drilled holes also affect durability, which is worth understanding since how many holes a pickleball has shapes both flight and shell strength.

When to replace it

Retire any ball with a visible crack right away, since a cracked ball flies unpredictably and is not tournament legal. Competitive players often swap balls the moment the bounce feels off, well before a crack shows.

If you go through balls fast, buying in bulk pays off. Our roundup of the best pickleball balls covers the most crack-resistant options for your court.