Most players think of a paddle as a finished object. It is not. The face changes as it collects court dust. The handle changes as the factory grip packs down. Six weeks of play can make a paddle you loved feel dull and slippery, and nothing about the core or the carbon has actually changed.
Three categories fix that: an overgrip, a core grip, and a face cleaner. Proton carries all three in the pickleball gear collection — UDRIPPIN, Hesacore and RESET. Here is what each one actually does, so you can pick the one your game needs instead of buying all three at once.
Overgrips: the fix for sweat and slip
An overgrip wraps over your existing handle. It is the cheapest, fastest change you can make to a paddle, and the one you will notice inside a single point.
UDRIPPIN's Pro DRIP is a tour-grade overgrip built for humidity and long sessions. The surface is tacky and sweat-wicking, which matters most in the exact moment you care about: a long rally, late in the third, hand starting to go. It comes in four colorways — Atlantic Blue, Pure White, Crimson Red and Red.
UDRIPPIN also makes softer Comfort Tour grips if you want more cushion under the hand, and a black-and-white Topo custom-print series if you want the paddle to look like yours.
Reach for an overgrip if: your hand slides during play, your current grip feels glazed or shiny, or you simply want a fresh handle without changing the paddle's shape.
Core grips: the fix for hand fatigue
Hesacore solves a different problem. Instead of changing the surface, it changes the structure underneath. A patented hexagonal core sits under the wrap and spreads grip pressure across the whole palm rather than concentrating it in a few points.
The result is less hand fatigue over a long session and more control when your grip pressure would otherwise creep up. It is a bigger change in feel than an overgrip, and you notice it from the first swing — some players love it immediately, others take a session to adjust.
There are five models to match different handles and preferences:
- Original — the standard build for classic handles.
- Carbon — same core, different surface treatment.
- Gel — added cushioning for players who want a softer hand feel.
- Elongated — sized for longer paddle handles.
- Pink — the same grip, built to stand out.
Reach for a core grip if: your hand or forearm tires before your legs do, or you squeeze the handle harder than you mean to under pressure.
Face care: the fix nobody thinks about
A paddle face is a texture, and texture wears in two ways. It abrades, which you cannot undo, and it clogs, which you can. Skin oils, sunscreen and court dust build into a film that fills the surface and quietly takes your spin with it.
RESET is a spray-and-wipe that strips that film off and brings the texture back. It is the least exciting product on this list and probably the one most players are missing. If your slice has gone flat and your paddle looks faintly polished under the light, clean it before you replace it. One bottle lasts a long season.
Which upgrade first
If you are only picking one, pick by symptom, not by price. Slipping hand: overgrip. Tired hand: core grip. Dead spin: cleaner. Most players end up running an overgrip and a cleaner together, and add a core grip when they know what handle feel they want.
Any of the three works on any paddle in the Proton line — Project Coyote, Peacock (Series Three), Roadrunner and Flamingo. Coyote owners in particular tend to notice face care fastest, because there is more to lose. The most powerful and lightest paddle yet. A fresh grip and a clean face are how you keep it playing like day one.
See current pricing and the full option list in the pickleball gear collection, or browse the rest of the Proton lineup if you are shopping a paddle at the same time.
