Volleyball is not just exciting to watch, it’s all the more exciting to play the game as it is packed with high energy and fast moves, pushing you to be competitive and at your best. But what makes this game so powerful and exciting is the volleyball ball itself— and it needs to be perfect. If you’ve tried playing volleyball with a football, you know what we mean!
A volleyball ball is specially designed for the exact amount of bounce and speed while being soft enough so that it doesn’t injure the players. The outer cover, bladder, and measurements of the volleyball ball are what determine whether you are playing with the right ball or not. A lot of research goes into producing the best indoor and outdoor volleyball balls for all ages and experience levels, so that you have the best. We hope that our review of the 11 best volleyball balls will help you get the perfect ball for your next volleyball game.
Top Picks
11 Best Volleyball Balls
1. Best Sponge-Backed: Wilson Soft Play Volleyball – White
The size and weight of this volleyball ball is in compliance with those used at the professional level, and is ideal for ages 13 years and above. This sponge-backed synthetic leather volleyball gives you a super soft feel while playing. It has 18 panels, and its machine sewn construction makes it extremely durable. The butyl rubber bladder keeps the ball inflated for longer, minimizing the need to fill in air. Ideal for use on the court, beach, park, or backyard, it’s available in five other colors— yellow, pink, red, green, and blue. This video review will help you understand more about the product.
Trivia2. Best High-Performance: Tachikara Sensi-Tec Volleyball – Blue/White/Black
Tachikara’s Sensi-Tec composite leather volleyball is innovative and durable, and its superior construction is soft to the touch and suitable for all ages and levels of play. Its patented loose bladder construction improves ball flight in tune with its Japanese name which means ‘God of Power’. This product has improved shape, rebound, air retention, and overall durability to make it a high-performance volleyball. This soft touch volleyball ball is suitable for all ages. It is sold and shipped deflated and requires inflation, and the pump needs to be bought separately.
3. Best Textured: Molten Flistatec Volleyball – NCAA Official Red, White, Blue
This is among the best volleyball balls as it has the distinction of being the official ball of the NCAA Men’s Championships, USA Volleyball, NORCECA, and the NAIA. Made with flight stability technology, it has a premium microfiber composite cover and textured surface, and is nylon-wound. These features render it superior touch and grip, enhanced ball control, and exceptional performance. Its contrasting colors of red, white, and blue, and original panel design creates a smoother rotating motion and enhances visibility for players and spectators. This indoor volleyball ball comes with a 2-year warranty which speaks volumes about its quality and durability. For an optimal performance, additional inflation may be required, and a ball pump needs to be bought separately. If you are still unsure, check out this honest review.
4. Best Unique: GlowCity Light Up LED Volleyball
This unique volleyball ball has an LED light which gets activated by impact— once you start playing, it lights up the entire ball in a fiery red glow. It doesn’t require you to keep pausing your game to recharge it as it stays lit for hours together. Once you are done playing, it switches off automatically. Each volleyball comes with pre-installed batteries that last for about 30 hours, with an extra set included, along with a tool and instructions on how to change the batteries. These volleyballs are strong and durable and will last for years. They are water-resistant and so you can play beach volleyball or pool volleyball with your friends and family. They are the ideal size and weight and are great for teams or leagues as well, and the LED light adds a unique touch to the game.
5. Best Leak-Proof: Yanyodo Volleyball – Yellow-White-Blue
This indoor and outdoor volleyball ball places a high priority on quality. The superior PU material of this official size 5 volleyball is light, soft, leak-proof, and easy to clean. It’s sewn with machine sewing technology for uniformity, and has been well-tested for durability. The exterior of the volleyball is made of soft PU for comfort, softness, and to reduce arm pain, while the bladder is made of imported rubber for greater elasticity, wear-resistance, and heat-resistance. It is aerodynamically designed to make the rotating volleyball more stable, and its fun color combination makes the volleyball more visible while playing. With a weight of just 9.8 oz, it is ideal for beginners, middle-aged, and even elderly people. The ball is shipped deflated, and so you need to inflate it with a pump.
6. Best Lightweight: Viemahy Soft Volleyball – White-Blue-Pink
This volleyball ball is the standard official size 5 ball and is about 8.2 inches in diameter, and weighs only 9.8 oz. The lightweight design of the volleyball makes it ideal for beginners, the middle-aged, and the elderly as well. The surface of this beach volleyball ball is made of PU, which is soft, comfortable, and wear-resistant, while the bladder is made of superior rubber which is highly elastic and heat-resistant. This reduces the impact on arms and the chances of arm pain caused by training while maintaining the stability of the volleyball when thrown. This outdoor and indoor volleyball is machine-stitched with reinforced and durable thread to ensure uniform sewing.
7. Best Easy-To-Grip: Vetra Soft Touch Volleyball – Blue/Red/White
Image: Vetra This colorful beach volleyball is one of the most durable volleyballs–it is made of high-quality PVC that holds the air and stays inflated without air leaks. Made with soft-touch technology, it gives the players good grip without being hard. Its durable construction and soft touch help the player handle every serve, pass, and hit. This volleyball ball meets the official standard size and weight, and is designed for indoor, outdoor, and recreational play. The volleyball comes deflated, and can be inflated with any inflator with a pin attachment.
Quick tip8. Best Machine-Stitched: GoSports Xtra Soft Volleyball
You can now enjoy all the time that you want outdoors with this all-weather volleyball ball. The ball’s surface is made of composite leather which is weather-proof and its soft surface makes it the perfect grip-enhanced volleyball for your best performance. The volleyball is of official regulation size so you can use it for team games and recreational play. It has 18 panels which are machine stitched and designed to be durable and withstand rough play. The colorful volleyball comes deflated but includes a premium hand pump for maintaining optimum air pressure, with a needle stored inside the handle.
9. Best Professional-Grade: Mikasa MGV500 Heavyweight Volleyball
Considered to be 16 oz of perfection, this heavyweight volleyball ball can help you develop the featherweight touch you will need to set up the winning shot. Made of the finest materials, it has a premium composite cover so your game will always be at its best. This heavyweight ball builds strength in the back, shoulders, arms, and wrists. This volleyball has been used by Olympic champions, and has been used in the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, London, and games dating back to 1964. If you enjoy playing indoor volleyball and want to develop professional skills, pick up one of these heavyweight indoor volleyball balls.
10. Best Crack-Resistant: Wisdom Leaves Psyche Volleyball – Purple-Yellow-White
This indoor and outdoor volleyball ball is a standard official game ball with a diameter of about 8.22in and weighs about 9.8oz. The surface of this beach volleyball ball is made of high-quality and durable PVC leather which is soft and comfortable, making it ideal for beginners. The bladder is made of butyl rubber, and it has a unique gas nozzle for strong gas density. Machine stitching adds to its durability and ensures that the volleyball does not crack easily and lasts longer. Its bright fun color combination makes it easily visible to both the players and spectators. The volleyball ball is shipped deflated, and it needs to be inflated before use.
11. Best Trendy: Nightmatch Light Up LED Volleyball – Black/Orange
You no longer have to give up on your game just because it’s dark outside with this fun LED volleyball that lights up on impact. It has a fiery glow in the dark, making it visible even from a distance, and switches off automatically if not used for 30 seconds. This volleyball comes with a number of accessories like an LED light, a 6-inch ball pump, and an extra pack of batteries. There is a tool and a manual provided with the extra set of batteries so that they can be changed easily. This volleyball is made from 3 sturdy layers and has a standard circumference of 26 inches, diameter of 8.2 inches, and weighs 9.5 oz. Manufactured with excellent quality material, this product follows the highest quality standards, and is highly durable and waterproof.
How To Choose The Right Volleyball Ball?
Here are a few aspects you should keep in mind while buying one for your team or yourself.
1. Outer cover: The outer shell of a volleyball ball is responsible for the grip, cushion, and flightpath of the ball. Most indoor volleyball balls are made from leather as it’s highly durable and can withstand impact. Beach volleyballs, on the other hand, are usually made from composite materials, and sometimes have leather mixed in for water resistance. These days synthetic microfiber covers are more popular as they can withstand weather better and don’t trap dirt and grime.
Indoor volleyball balls should usually be moulded, while outdoor volleyballs should have separate panels that are stitched together. To summarize, volleyballs coated in soft foam are ideal for beginners as it does not hurt your arms. Synthetic leather covers are best for more experienced players, as they are harder and help to perfect your game. For advanced players, choose professional volleyballs with microfiber coating as it has a dimpled surface, a perfect trajectory, and accuracy.
2. Bladder: The bladder of a volleyball ball is what gives it control and a consistent bounce. The bladder is usually made from butyl rubber or latex and forms the core of the ball. It should have a high tensile strength to withstand the impacts and internal air pressure, and should also be firm enough for serving, spiking, and bumping. It also needs to be flexible enough for forearm passes and cut shots.
The external wrapping on the volleyball bladder should be preferably cotton or synthetic. Some of the balls may also have a sponge wrapping for a softer feel and more efficient shot selection.
3. Indoor vs. outdoor: Indoor volleyball balls are usually slightly smaller than outdoor beach volleyballs, though the weight of both is pretty much the same. Indoor volleyball balls are harder than outdoor beach volleyballs as the court in indoor volleyball has a much harder surface, and so the ball needs a higher PSI.
The ball circumference of an indoor volleyball should be between 25.5” and 26.5” as compared to an outdoor volleyball where the circumference should be between 26” and 27’. The standard weight range of both an indoor and outdoor volleyball should be from 260 grams to 280 grams. Internal air pressure for an indoor volleyball should be between 4.6 PSI and 4.3 PSI, while generally it is between 2.5 PSI and 3.2 PSI for an outdoor volleyball.
4. Youth vs. adult players: Youth volleyballs are smaller than adult volleyballs. Going for a slightly smaller size volleyball with a lower PSI helps a young player to palm the ball over the net. So, a youth volleyball ball is usually 63 to 65cm in circumference while an adult volleyball ball is 65 to 67 cms. Both youth and adult volleyball balls weigh between 260 to 280 grams. The PSI of youth volleyball balls should be set at 4.3 PSI, while for an adult volleyball ball it should be set between 4.3 to 4.6 PSI.
5. Size of the ball: This is completely determined by your level. If you are looking for training volleyballs, get a size 4 ball which is between 18 to 20cm in diameter. But a size 5 ball is the standard size ball used for matches, and has a diameter between 20 to 22cm.
6. Pro touch vs. super touch: Read the label to see whether it says ‘pro touch’ or ‘super touch’. Super touch balls are usually light, and have less bounce, so require some force behind each pass. Pro touch balls are denser and have more bounce, though they may take a toll on your arms. Most beach volleyballs tend to be softer, so go for a super touch ball if you are playing on the sand, while a pro touch works better for indoor volleyball.
Why Trust MomJunction?
Keeping user convenience, safety, and quality parameters in mind, we have compiled a list of the best volleyball balls for you. We have highlighted the unique features of each product, including the size, durability, and material. These products have been chosen based on user reviews and in-depth research and analysis to ensure high quality and efficiency. You can even check the buying guide that helps you make an informed choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long does a volleyball ball last?
It depends on the durability of the ball and how well you take care of it. For better care and longevity, you can clean the ball after every use. Just dip a cloth in a solution of warm water and detergent, and use this damp cloth to wipe out all the dirt and debris from the ball, then wipe it clean with regular water and let it air-dry.
2. Does water damage a volleyball ball?
Yes, excessive contact with water can damage your ball. Exposure to water can fade the color, and prolonged exposure can eventually damage the material and cause the panels to peel off.
3. How do I store a volleyball ball?
You should always clean your ball before storing it in a clean, dry storage closet. Cleaning it before storing it prolongs its shelf life to some extent.
4. How do I know if a volleyball ball is real?
You should check the size, stitching, and dimples to ensure that the volleyball ball is real. The circumference of the ball should be 25 to 27 inches in diameter, each panel of the ball should be stitched over the ball’s carcass, and there should be dimples if it is a real volleyball ball.
The Bottom Line
Playing volleyball has various benefits, like improving fitness, teamwork, and hand-eye coordination. When picking from the list of the best volleyball balls above, it is important to check if it conforms to the standards set by the regulatory authorities of the game to ensure durability and quality, as they may undergo a lot of wear and tear. We recommend the Tachikara Sensi-Tec Volleyball featuring loose bladder construction that provides balanced ball control and enhances ball flight. You can also consider the Molten Flistatec Volleyball for its flight stability technology and textured surface and the GlowCity Light Up LED Volleyball for its durability and impact-activated LED feature for nighttime play. Also, indoor volleyballs are comparatively smaller than their outdoor counterparts but may weigh the same, so don’t forget to keep an eye on the size and the bladder to ensure it gives a consistent bounce. If you are looking for ways to rev up the way you play, you can look for additional features, such as vibrant colors on the outer cover.
Infographic: Difference Between The Balls Used For Indoor And Outdoor Volleyball
Indoor and outdoor volleyball balls differ in design and construction to make them suitable for their respective environments. Indoor volleyball is played on a closed court away from moisture and wind, whereas outdoor volleyball is usually played on the beach. To understand the difference between these balls, read the following infographic.
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
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