How to Keep Your Padel and Tennis Balls Pressurized

How to Keep Your Padel and Tennis Balls Pressurized

When you open a new can of padel or tennis balls, you hear the characteristic “psst” sound. That’s the sound of pressurized air escaping—and it marks the beginning of a process where the balls gradually lose their pressure. Flat balls are frustrating for any player: they bounce poorly, feel “dead,” and ruin the fast-paced game.

In this post, we’ll explore why balls lose pressure over time, how it affects your gameplay, and how a pressurizer like PressureBox can bring your balls back to life.

Why Do Balls Lose Pressure?

Simply put: because the rubber core of the ball is not completely airtight.

A new tennis ball is inflated to an internal pressure of 12-14 psi, while a padel ball has an internal pressure of 10-12 psi, giving them their bounce. However, rubber is a porous material that gradually lets air escape. The moment balls are exposed to normal atmospheric pressure, air begins to slowly seep out through the rubber.

After each match, and even during storage, a little more air disappears. Several factors accelerate this natural pressure loss:

  • Frequent play (impacts and compression force air out)
  • Temperature (heat makes air escape faster)
  • Humidity and sunlight (which degrade the rubber)

Over time, even unused balls lose pressure on their own. It’s simply inevitable that a traditional ball will go flat over time.

What Do Flat Balls Do to Your Game?

When a ball has too low internal pressure, it bounces lower than it should. The ball “flattens out” on impact and loses its rebound height. The result is a slower ball with unpredictable bounce, making it harder to play precise shots.

You have to hit harder to get the ball moving, disrupting the rhythm of the game. In padel, especially, a ball without its lively bounce loses the fun factor.

Tennis regulations require that a new ball, dropped from 254 cm, must bounce between 135-147 cm—otherwise, it’s considered flat. A ball that has lost a lot of pressure won’t meet this requirement.

That’s why balls are replaced frequently in tournaments, and recreational players can easily feel when balls become sluggish after just a few matches.

Beyond the frustration of playing with “dead” balls, it also means you have to constantly open new cans and throw away the old balls.

How Does PressureBox Work?

PressureBox is an innovative solution that restores lost pressure by storing balls under pressure between games.

Think of it as an advanced version of the pressurized can balls come in—but reusable and automatic.

The idea is simple: by placing balls in a sealed high-pressure chamber, air is gradually forced back into the rubber core.

PressureBox reverses the natural pressure loss process, ensuring that balls don’t continue losing air. Instead, they regain their pressure.

How to Use PressureBox

Using PressureBox is incredibly simple:

  1. After playing: Place your used balls in the PressureBox and seal it tightly.
  2. Automatic pressurization: Press the button, and the built-in pump will increase the air pressure inside the chamber to the optimal level and maintain it automatically.
    • You don’t have to manually pump before every storage session.
  3. Storage between matches: Leave the balls under pressure until your next game.
    • A built-in sensor monitors the pressure and adds more air if needed, ensuring the chamber always maintains a higher pressure than the ball’s interior.
  4. Ready to play: When you're ready for your next match, release the valve, hear the satisfying “psshh” of escaping air (just like opening a new ball can), and take out your repressurized balls—ready to play like new again.

Does It Really Work?

Yes! PressureBox restores the internal pressure of balls.

A ball normally loses about 20% of its pressure after just one hour of play.

However, if you store them in PressureBox between matches, their pressure stays at the same level as new balls—even after multiple games.

  • The only visible difference might be some wear on the felt (logos fading and slight surface wear), but the bounce and playability remain the same.
  • Balls feel just like new, providing a consistent bounce and speed every time you play.

Play Longer, Save Money

With PressureBox, you can significantly extend the lifespan of your padel and tennis balls.

No more losing bounce after just a few matches. No more wasting money on new cans every time. Just fresh, high-performance balls—every game. 🎾