The Ace Edit is where we put together the things worth knowing about. Gear, brands, kit. Curated without the noise. Issue one.
If you read the last Journal piece, you already know the argument. Australian pickleball players are taking their game seriously but the kit has not caught up. That is starting to change. A handful of Australian brands are building things worth paying attention to, and the court wear conversation is getting more interesting.
Here is what we think is worth knowing about right now.
The Upside
The strongest Australian brand in this space right now. Sydney-based, luxury positioning, and a genuine commitment to court as an aesthetic context rather than just a functional one. The Upside has built court-specific collections inspired by the golden era of Australian tennis, think Evonne Goolagong Cawley and the considered elegance of that period, translated into modern performance fabrics.
The pieces move well on court and hold up off it. Skirts, dresses, separates in breathable fabrics with silhouettes that feel intentional. The price point is premium but the quality justifies it. If you want one Australian brand to anchor your court wardrobe around, The Upside is the answer.
Women only.
Rallee
Byron Bay designed, pickleball and padel focused, built by people who actually play. Rallee is the most directly relevant Australian brand for the pickleball community, and the fact that it exists at all is a sign of where the sport is heading culturally.
The aesthetic is more relaxed and Australian than European and restrained, which puts it in a slightly different register to Ace, but the pieces are considered and the performance quality is genuine. Their shorts and training tops move well on court. The community focus is real rather than marketed. Worth knowing about and worth supporting as an Australian brand doing something interesting in this space.
Men and women.
Lorna Jane
Mainstream activewear brand, but the court collection specifically sits in a more considered register than the broader range might suggest. Tennis skirts, skorts, and court dresses in breathable fabrics with flattering cuts that work from the baseline to wherever you are going afterwards.
Worth looking at for pieces that do not scream activewear while still performing on court. Accessible price point, widely available, and genuinely functional for the lateral demands of pickleball.
Women only.
Nagnata
Not a court brand. Worth knowing about anyway.
Nagnata is a premium Australian fashion and lifestyle brand built around movement, using organic and renewable fibres including Australian Merino wool. The aesthetic is minimal, considered, and sits closer to the high fashion end of activewear than anything else made in Australia. The pieces blur the line between technical sportswear and fashion in a way that almost nothing else does locally.
For court, Nagnata works best as the layer you put on before and after you play. The movement knitwear pieces, sweaters, track pants, and knit separates are exactly the kind of off-court kit that completes the overall aesthetic without trying too hard. Think of it as what you wear from the car to the court and back again.
Men and women via their SAMA Genderless collection.
LSKD
Different aesthetic register to the brands above. Louder, more graphic, more gym than padel club. But the performance quality is genuine and LSKD has been actively involved in the Australian pickleball community, which counts for something.
If restrained is not your thing and you want Australian-made performance pieces that prioritise function with a bolder look, LSKD delivers. Their polo collection in particular moves well on court and sits in a more court-appropriate register than the rest of the range.
Men and women.
One thing most players still get wrong
The shoes.
Running shoes on a pickleball court is the single most common kit mistake regardless of what brand you are wearing above the ankle. Running shoes are built for heel-to-toe forward movement. Pickleball demands lateral support, grip for quick pivots, and a sole that does not slide on hard court surfaces.
There is no Australian brand making court shoes specifically for pickleball yet. That gap will close as the sport grows. For now, court-specific shoes from Asics, K-Swiss, Salming, and New Balance are available at most Australian sports retailers and the difference is immediately noticeable. This is the upgrade that costs the same or less than most apparel decisions and has the most direct impact on how you move and how your body feels at the end of a session.
Worth knowing about internationally
The Australian market is catching up but the most considered court aesthetic references are still coming from overseas. A few worth following.
Sporty and Rich is the clearest international reference point for the lifestyle-meets-court aesthetic. US-based, not a sport brand in the traditional sense, but the court as a visual context runs through everything they do. Restrained, considered, the kind of kit that looks as good walking to the court as on it.
Palmes out of Copenhagen is the most relevant international brand for pickleball players who want the sport to feel like it belongs in the same world as the rest of their wardrobe. White, navy, dark green, soft grey. No loud logos. Designed to be worn on and off the court without changing.
Jacques out of New York takes a similar position. Minimal, neutral, no visible branding. The kind of pieces that look considered without announcing it.
All three are worth following for the aesthetic direction they are pointing in. The local market will get there.
And the paddle
Everything above is about how you show up to the court. The paddle is how you play once you are there. The Ace range was built around the same idea as the brands in this edit. Considered design. Nothing unnecessary. Equipment that performs and looks like someone thought about it.
The X1 All Court in Forest, Maroon, or Navy. The X1 ProPower for players who want to feel the difference. Browse the full range at acesportinggoods.com.au.
Further reading
If this piece resonated, the Journal article that prompted it is worth reading. It covers the broader cultural argument behind why the court aesthetic gap exists and why it is closing. The court, the kit, and the gap nobody is talking about.
The Ace Edit publishes fortnightly alongside The Ace Playbook and The Ace Journal. Subscribe at acesportinggoods.com.au.