Are you looking to get the most out of your Friday Fever Gen 3 paddle? Scott from Friday Pickleball shares his expert tips on how to customize this lightweight paddle for perfect balance, pop, and control.
The Friday Fever Gen 3 comes in at a stock weight of around 7.8 ounces, making it incredibly customizable. Adding weight can unlock its full potential, and Scott demonstrates how to do just that with 3-gram lead strips (approximately 0.1 ounces each).
His goal is to bring the paddle’s total weight to around 8.5 ounces
Where to Add Weight and Why:
- Throat of the Paddle (Bottom): Adding weight here increases the sweet spot and adds stability without sacrificing hand speed. This is a crucial first step for many players.
- Lower Sides of the Paddle: Moving slightly higher up the paddle, adding weight to the lower sides helps with spin and further increases twist weight and the sweet spot.
- Top Corners of the Paddle: This is where you maximize the sweet spot, gain “plow through,” and achieve more power and pop. This creates a truly all-around, well-balanced paddle with power, control, and spin.
Finishing Touches
- Edgeguard Tape: To secure the lead tape, you can add edgeguard tape. However, the Friday Fever’s built-in edge guards may make this unnecessary.
- Overgrip: Scott highly recommends adding an overgrip, especially for players with sweaty hands or those who play frequently. It helps maintain a fresh grip and prevents the paddle from slipping during serves.
- Flick Weight (Optional): For even more stability without sacrificing hand speed, a flick weight can be added to the bottom of the paddle, similar in purpose to the lead on the throat.
By following these steps, you can transform your Friday Fever paddle into a perfectly balanced, powerful, and controlled instrument ready for the courts!
Here are the step-by-step instructions from the video transcript
How to Set Up Your Friday Fever Pickleball Paddle with Weights and Overgrip
Materials Needed
- Friday Fever Gen 3 Paddle
- Lead strips (3 grams/0.1 oz per strip)
- Scissors
- Overgrip
- Grip tape (usually included with overgrip)
- Blue band (comes with Friday Fever paddle)
- Flick weight (optional)
Part 1: Adding Lead Weights
- Determine Target Weight: The Friday Fever paddle starts at approximately 7.8 ounces. Scott aims for a total weight of around 8.5 ounces, which means adding about six 3-gram lead strips.
- Apply First Set of Weights (Throat Area):
- Place one lead strip on the bottom throat area of the paddle, not quite near the grip or on the side.
- Repeat on the other side, ensuring the strips are as even as possible. This helps with the sweet spot and paddle stability without decreasing hand speed.
- Apply Second Set of Weights (Lower Sides):
- Place a lead strip a little higher up the paddle, on the bottom part of the side, leaving a small gap between it and the first strip.
- Repeat on the other side, ensuring even placement. This helps with spin, increases twist weight, and further improves the sweet spot.
- Apply Third Set of Weights (Top Corners):
- Find the midpoint of each top corner of the paddle.
- Place one lead strip on each top corner. This maximizes the sweet spot, provides “plow through,” and adds power and pop for an extremely well-balanced paddle.
- Secure Lead Tape (Optional): If desired, you can throw some edgeguard tape on top of the lead strips to keep them from flying off.
Part 2: Applying an Overgrip
- Prepare the Overgrip:
- Take off the plastic from one side of the overgrip (this side will touch your hand).
- On the other side, pull off the small piece of white tape to reveal the adhesive.
- Start Wrapping the Grip:
- Line up the adhesive end of the overgrip with the very bottom of the paddle’s grip.
- Press it firmly to ensure it’s sticky.
- Place your palm on the grip and pull the overgrip tightly around the bottom, overlapping where you started.
- Wrap Diagonally Up the Grip:
- Once you’ve secured the bottom, start wrapping the overgrip diagonally up the paddle’s grip, following any ridges if present.
- Continue pulling tightly with consistent tension all the way to the top.
- Trim the Excess Grip:
- Once you reach the desired top point (Scott likes to go just under the USA Pickleball approved stamp), cut the excess overgrip diagonally. This creates a cleaner finish.
- Secure with Grip Tape:
- Take the small piece of grip tape (usually included with the overgrip).
- Find the last edge of your wrapped overgrip and place the grip tape over it, wrapping it tightly around the top of the grip to hold it in place.
- Add Blue Band (Optional):
- Place the blue band that came with your Friday Fever paddle on top of the grip tape for a finished look.
Part 3: Adding a Flick Weight (Optional)
- Remove Sticker: Take off the small Friday sticker from the bottom of the paddle.
- Apply Flick Weight: The flick weight has adhesive on the back. Simply place it directly onto the bottom of the paddle. This increases paddle stability without sacrificing hand speed.
Common Questions about the Friday Fever
What is the stock weight of the Friday Fever Gen 3 paddle?
The stock weight of the Friday Fever Gen 3 paddle is around 7.8 ounces.
What is the purpose of adding weight to the throat area of the paddle?
Adding weight to the throat area of the paddle generally increases the sweet spot and adds stability without decreasing hand speed.
What is the approximate weight of each lead strip used for customization?
Each lead strip used for customization is approximately 3 grams (0.1 ounces).
What is the recommended total weight Scott aims for his customized Friday Fever paddle?
The recommended total weight Scott aims for his customized Friday Fever paddle is around 8.5 ounces.
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