What Volleyball is Best to Buy?

  • April 23, 2020
A girls hand on a volleyball

By Pakmen Volleyball research staff

Volleyball is a fascinating sport that gains popularity all over the world. The game is incredibly popular among men and women. The game of volleyball suits athletes of all ages and skill levels. Volleyball is on rise in Canada and in other parts of the world.

Many people play volleyball professionally. If playing professionally, players may participate in various tournaments and persevere to win titles and earn awards. There are also people, who choose to play volleyball for leisure and entertainment purposes. In other words, they choose to play volleyball game just for fun.

Playing this game has many great health benefits. Playing volleyball is a great way to burn calories, lose weight, strengthen muscles and improve the shape of a body if you play on a regular basis. Playing this sport improves hand-eye coordination as well. The list of volleyball benefits could go on and on.

It’s hard to imagine the game of volleyball without a ball, isn’t it? Balls for volleyball are available in a vast variety of brands, materials, colors, types and prices these days. Thus, picking the right type of a ball can be hard. It’s important for you to get ready for selecting a ball in advance.

First of all, you must get familiar with FIVB (Federation International Of Volleyball) volleyball rules. There are certain standards that a ball that’s used in volleyball has to meet. In addition, you have to take into consideration many vital factors when picking a ball.

What FIVB Volleyball Rules Say about Balls Which are Used in Volleyball Sport

According to the FIVB volleyball rules, a ball that’s used in volleyball has to have spherical form.

The rules also say that balls should be made of either flexible leather or synthetic leather. If a ball is used in international volleyball competitions, it has to be made of materials that meet the FIVB standards.

According to the rules, five balls have to be used in a game. All balls must be approved before they can be used in the official volleyball competitions.

A ball has to have a bladder inside. A bladder that’s inserted inside the ball can be made of rubber or similar type of material.

The balls must have and may have a combination of several different colors.

It’s important to buy a ball of the right size and weight. FIVB volleyball rules say the circumference of a ball has to be between 65 cm and 67 cm. The weight ranges between 260 grams and 280 grams and the pressure inside has to be between 0.3 kg/cm2 and 0.325 kg/cm2.

 

What to Look for When Selecting a Ball for Volleyball

There are many important things to consider when buying a ball for volleyball sport. These include: durability, material, weight and size. Now, let’s dig deeper into each of these factors.

Durability. You should aim to purchase a ball that will serve you well for a long period of time. So, what makes a ball for volleyball more durable? Durability of a ball depends a lot on its material. The way you prefer to use the ball also matters a lot. If you buy a ball that is made of high quality materials and use it properly, it is likely to serve you pretty well for many years.       

Material. All materials which are used in a ball should be of good quality.

The ball’s outer shell is usually made of leather. The quality of leather also matters a lot. It  is best to consider smoothness of material so, it wouldn’t be difficult for you to hit the ball during a game or practice.

The bladder is a key element of a ball. In most cases, the bladder is made of rubber. The bladder doesn’t have to make the ball so heavy. If your ball is lightweight, then you’ll find it easy to hit it. The ball will go smoothly after a hit.

The panels are also key elements of the ball. The panels are used in vertical and horizontal parts of the ball. According to the FIVB rules, a ball used in the sport of volleyball has to contain 8 panels. Panels come in many different colors.

Weight. Weight is another important parameter. We all know that the ball is usually located in the air when the game of volleyball is played. That’s why it would be better to pick a lightweight ball. On the other hand, the ball doesn’t have to be too light. If the ball is too light, then you will probably find it difficult to hit it. As we have already mentioned, the ideal weight of a ball that’s used in volleyball is between 260 grams and 280 grams.       

Size. And of course, you need to pay a close attention to the sizes of a ball that’s used in this sport. The question is – what is the right size of a ball that’s used in volleyball sport? In fact, it all depends on the circumstances.

Are you selecting a ball for a young child, who has just started his/her journey in volleyball? In this case, it would be better to pick a ball of smaller size.

There are special balls for beginners. Balls of this type have been designed to make it easy for beginners to master the art of this strategic game. With such a ball, a beginner will find it a lot easier to improve. Later, when a child gets some experience and learns basic volleyball skills, a ball of a normal size can be chosen.

The size of a ball also depends on the type of volleyball competition where it’s going to be used. Balls which are used in indoor and outdoor (beach) volleyball have different sizes. It’s worth noting that the size largely depends on its circumference.

The ball used in standard indoor volleyball has to have a circumference of 65 – 67 cm.

The ball that’s going to be used in youth indoor volleyball has to have a circumference of 63 – 65 cm and for youth indoor, it must

The ball that’s going to be in beach volleyball has to have a circumference of 66 – 68 cm.

And of course, you should choose balls of reliable volleyball brands. Not all companies have built a solid reputation on the market.

The most famous brands include Cosco, Mikasa, Mizuno, Molten, Nivia, Nike, Spalding, Tachikara, Wilson and many others. It’s fair to say that all these brands have gained a huge popularity among volleyball players all over the world and they need no introduction in the world of volleyball.

 

Thank you so much for reading this article. We’ve provided you with some insights into picking a ball for volleyball. Follow our tips to make the right choice and pick the best possible ball for this sport. Enjoy the game of volleyball! Good luck!