How to find the Best Pickleball Balls – Buyers Guide and Reviews (update 2021)

Onix Pure 2 Outdoor Pickleball balls Dura Fast 40 Outdoor Pickleball balls Jugs Lime Green Pickleball balls Pickleball balls Now Indoor Ball
Dimensions: 2.875 inches diameter and 25 grams weight Dimensions: 2.975-inch diameter and 0.92-ounce weight Dimensions: 2.875-inch diameter and 0.81-ounce weight Dimensions: 2.875-inch diameter and 0.77-ounce weight
Material:Heavier grade injection molded plastic Material:Thick grade rotationally molded plastic Material:Soft poly plastic Material:Slightly harder plastic
Color:Orange Colored Color:Yellow, Neon Green, Orange, White Color:Lime Green Color:Apple Green
Durability:Heat-welded seam for super durability and crack resistance Durability:Heavy wall plastic provides high strength Durability:Great durability, suitable for indoor surfaces Durability:Outdoor grade strength
Usage:Outdoor courts, performs admirably under extreme conditions Usage:Outdoor courts, tournaments Usage:Indoor cement, hardwood and tile courts, tournaments Usage:Pale wooden colored indoor courts

If you are an amateur at pickleball it can become a downright headache to choose the right balls for your needs.

Best Pickleball balls are categorized on the basis of color, material, play type, surface, average bounce height, durability, USAPA approval and many other factors; which can be quite confusing

Our buying guide aims to streamline your pickleball buying process by discussing key specs for top balls.

As a bonus, you can also check out our top 5 best pickleball balls reviews at the end of the guide.

 

Pickleball Ball Buying Guide: Pickleball balls

Key Factors For Perfect Pickleball Selection pickleball balls

Play Type: Indoor vs Outdoor: Despite all the confusing terminologies, pickleballs are either indoor or outdoor. Advantages of indoor pickleballs include lightweight, soft plastic, no cracking at seams, longer rallies, less hurtful impacts, bigger air holes, and easier control.

Outdoor balls are made of hard plastics, hit harder, crack at seams by wear and tear, have smaller air holes, harder to control and more suitable for outside courts.

 

Material: All best pickleball balls are made from thermoset plastics like acrylic, melamine, epoxies, etc. Thermoset plastics are molded into product shape while heating and then subsequently cooled down.

Pickleball balls can be made from either virgin thermostat pellets or aged pellets. Virgin plastic is of much higher grade and provides greater wear and durability. Higher grade plastics are suitable for outdoor pickleball  balls.

 

Manufacturing: Pickleball balls are manufactured through either rotational molding or injection molding.

Indoor balls are modeled through rotational modeling and this gives them one complete shape. Outdoor balls are usually made through injection modeling in which two separate halves are glued together at seams.

This is the major reason why indoor balls can become softer and lose shape with continuous play. Outdoor balls are much durable and usually crack at the joined seams in the case of damage.

 

Color: Pickleball balls are available in almost every color; generally, most popular color choices for outdoor balls are yellow, orange and white. Indoor balls can be white, lime green, multi-colored or midnight dyed.

Be sure to check with your local gym and courts to learn about allowed color choices.

 

Weight and Diameter: Weight and diameter are important factors when choosing a pickleball.

If you are choosing an indoor pickleball balls will usually weight around 0.81 oz with a 2.8” diameter. Outdoor balls will weigh a bit more around 0.9 oz with a 2.9” diameter.

 

Brands: As popularity grows, a lot of brands are claiming to provide best pickleball balls at cheaper costs.

However, you should stick to well-renowned brands only. Dura, Top and Onix are the most popular outdoor ball brands while for indoor purposes you should go for Jugs Sports.

 

Best Pickleball Balls Reviews:

Onix Pure 2 Outdoor Pickleball Ball Review: pickleball balls


Designed specifically for outdoor courts, Onix Pure 2 ball is manufactured using a higher grade and more durable plastic.best pickleball balls

Highly favored among outdoor players it gives you total flight, maximum bounce, excellent control and durability in a single package.

Pros

  • Pure 2 Pickleball is different from other outdoor balls as it employs precision drilling for equally sized holes.
  • Perfectly aligned holes combined with heavier plastic gives Pure 2 needed flight for extreme wind resistance and weather conditions.
  • Another advantage of this ball is its heat-welded seam which ensures ball will not crack during games.
  • Onix Pure 2 bounces a lot more than other outdoor balls.

Specifications:

Dimensions: 2.875 inches diameter and 25 grams weight
Material: Heavier grade injection molded plastic
Color: Orange Colored
Durability: Heat-welded seam for super durability and crack resistance
Usage: Outdoor courts, performs admirably under extreme conditions

USAPA Approval:

Pure 2 is approved and recommended by USAPA. You would be hard-pressed to find a better pickleball balls equivalent for tournament matches


Dura Fast 40 Outdoor Pickleball Ball pickleball balls


Originality, fast speed, and durability set Dura Fast 40 apart from other balls. Suitable for rough outdoor conditions and hard ground, Dura 40 is a rotationally molded, thick plastic ball.

With 40 two different sized drilled holes, Dura Fast 40 delivers excellent aerodynamic performance for good bounce and precise flight path.

Pros

  • Developed by Pickleball Inc, this ball has been used in countless tournaments. It is heavy and thus highly suitable for outdoor play.
  • Thick-walled rotational plastic mold can survive sharp impacts.
  • With Yellow, Neon Green, Orange and White color choices, it can be easily used for indoor games.
  • Extraordinary 40 hole engineering design provides superb wind resistance and directed flight paths.

Specifications:

Dimensions: 2.975-inch diameter and 0.92-ounce weight
Material: Thick grade rotationally molded plastic
Color: Yellow, Neon Green, Orange, White
Durability: Heavy wall plastic provides high strength
Usage: Outdoor courts, tournaments

USAPA Approval:

This ball has served as the official ball for countless USAPA national tournaments and complies with all tournament requirements.


Jugs Lime Green Pickleball Ball


If you want high-performing indoor balls, then Jugs balls are undoubtedly top recommendation of countless players. With amazing pop and bounce, these balls are made of softer poly plastic.

The plastic is highly suited for cement, hardwood and tile surfaces.

Pros

  • The whole design of Jugs indoor ball is praiseworthy.
  • Lime green color makes it relatively easy to spot the ball in low visibility indoor conditions.
  • Plastic with slight texture ensures maximum bounce and delivers the desired pop experience.
  • Lightweight in construction, this marvel can perform equally well in indoor as well as outdoor conditions

Specifications:

Dimensions: 2.875-inch diameter and 0.81-ounce weight
Material: Soft poly plastic
Color:Lime Green
Durability: Great durability, suitable for indoor surfaces
Usage: Indoor cement, hardwood and tile courts, tournaments

USAPA Approval:

It is the lightest ball approved by USAPA for indoor pickleball tournaments.


Pickleball Now Indoor Ball


While Jugs are lightweight, these balls are harder and a brilliant alternative for indoor play.

Green color makes it very easy to spot the ball in indoor wooden colored gym surfaces.

Pros

  •  Its greatest advantage is its visibility. Apple green color is highly visible against pale wood gym floors and improves the overall gameplay experience.
  • Slightly textured surface and hard durable plastic makes for easier court grip and improved bounce heights.
  • It has the capability to attain heights of 37”.

Specifications:

Dimensions: 2.875-inch diameter and 0.77-ounce weight
Material: Slightly harder plastic
Color: Apple Green
Durability: Outdoor grade strength
Usage: Pale wooden colored indoor courts

USAPA Approval:

Pickleball Now has been officially approved for indoor games by USAPA.


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