When playing pickleball, you definitely come across various different types of pickleball from different brands. Did you ever wonder what makes indoor pickleball balls different from outdoor pickleball balls? And what are the best pickleball balls to practice or to play with in USAPA-sanctioned tournaments?
In this article, we have everything you need to know about the best pickleball balls for 2023. Indoor and outdoor pickleball balls are different in a variety of ways and the players who play indoor pickleball games choose balls that are different from standard outdoor pickleball balls. As the indoor balls bounce well on the indoor court surface without facing any climate or surface alterations.
Specifications determined by USAPA
Before discussing the best in the list, let us know about the USAPA rules for these balls. The USAPA sets its official rules regarding the specifications of pickleball balls. These requirements are as below:
- The diameter of the ball should be from 2.87” to 2.97”.
- The material of the ball must be a smooth, molded plastic with vibrant and consistent color for better visibility.
- The round of the ball must not be more than 0.02 inches.
- The weight of pickleball balls must be around o,78 to 0.9335 ounces.
- The hardness of the ball must be 40-50 on a Durometer scale.
- These balls can come in various different colors with 26 to 40 symmetrically placed holes.
Now let us take a look at the best pickleball balls for 2023.
Onix Pure 2 Pickleball Balls – Outdoor Pickleballs
Quality features
Pros
Cons
The Onix Pure 2 outdoor pickleball balls are precisely designed to deliver optimal rebound on outdoor courts. The specifically designed smaller holes and ideal weight delivers true flight, high resistance against wind, and authentic bounce across the court. Onix Pure 2 is ranked among the best pickleball balls and its smoothly seamed and symmetrical halves give a straighter, precise, and consistent flight.
The True Flight Authentic Bounce Technology gives outstanding playability and exceptional durability. The perfectly seamed Onix Pure 2 balls with the help of controlled robots, both halves are engineered carefully and are welded perfectly to provide an extra smooth finish.
Main specifications
| Dimensions L x W x H | 6.6 x 5.5 x 3 inches |
| Weight | 0.07 Kilograms |
| Color | Neon Green |
| Size | 3-Pack |
| Ratings | 4.7 out of 5 stars |
Franklin Sports Outdoor Pickleballs – X-40 Pickleball Balls
Quality features
Pros
Cons
The one-piece construction of Franklin X-40 ensures stronger, highly balanced, and premium performance in the court.
This USAPA-approved pickleball ball is known as the best outdoor pickleball ball that is rightly admired by both professional and amateur players. It is precisely designed to deliver a steady flight with tight, consistent, and reliable spin.
The machine-drilled holes and meticulously crafted, seamless design of these balls makes them dent and split-resistant and are less prone to cracks.
Main specifications
| Dimensions L x W x H | 12.2 x 9.57 x 4.13 inches |
| Weight | 1.1 Pounds |
| Color | Pink |
| Size | 12 Pack |
| Ratings | 4.7 out of 5 stars |
Tourna Strike Outdoor Pickleballs
Quality features
Pros
Cons
The Tourna Strike Outdoor ball is the high visibility yellow pickleball ball and is the official Tyson McGuffin Signature Pickleball camp ball.
This 12 outdoor pickleball come in a pack of reusable mesh bags and with their ideal weight, they are perfect for players of all skill levels. The Tourna Strike balls create a well-balanced and straight flight pattern and hence, are perfect for outdoor court surfaces.
Main specifications
| Dimensions L x W x H | 11.34 x 10.55 x 5.24 inches |
| Weight | 10.2 ounces |
| Color | Yellow |
| Manufacturer | Unique Sports Products, Inc |
| Ratings | 4.3 out of 5 stars |
Wilson Tru 32 Pickleball Balls
Quality features
Pros
Cons
With its dedication to delivering top-quality sports equipment, Wilson developed the TRU 32 with a 32-hole injection-molded design.
This uniquely designed high-quality pickleball ball promises good bounce consistency and better air distribution. The unique composition of this pickleball ball amplifies durability and offers unparallel flight across the court.
These balls are brighter in color and are therefore easier to track. The Wilson TRU 32 is rated as the best outdoor pickleball ball that offers a rough and ready finish to give an excellent feel at a pocket-friendly price.
Main specifications
| Dimensions L x W x H | 6 x 3 x 3 inches |
| Weight | 0.07 Kilograms |
| Color | Yellow |
| Material | Composite |
| Ratings | 4.3 out of 5 stars |
FILA Accessories Pickleball Balls
Quality features
Pros
Cons
With 40-precision holes, the FILA Accessories Outdoor Pickleball balls provide greater hit lengths by their enduring force and give them long-lasting wind resistance.
The bright green color makes them the best outdoor pickleball balls to spot under natural light. These balls comprise seamless, durable construction that gives them a premium bounce and hits and superior flight during the games.
These balls are fit for any type of competitive game and help you feel great during the play.
Main specifications
| Dimensions L x W x H | 7.72 x 5.91 x 3.03 inches |
| Weight | 0.15 Kilograms |
| Color | Lime |
| Material | Other |
| Ratings | 4.5 out of 5 stars |
Pro Focus Official Outdoor Pickleball Balls
Quality features
Pros
Cons
The ACCU-Flight Technology of Pro Focus pickleball balls makes them consistent in their flight to deliver a perfect balance during hit after hit.
The precisely and perfectly cut round holes of these balls reduce turbulence and provide a true bounce. Adorned with flawless, symmetrical, and durable design, these balls yield a consistent hit and enable a powerful stroke in the court.
Main specifications
| Dimensions L x W x H | 3.54 x 6.3 x 9.06 inches |
| Weight | 0.21 Kilograms |
| Brand Name | Pro Focus |
| Material | Plastic |
| Ratings | 3.4 out of 5 stars |
Penn 40 Outdoor Pickleball Balls
Quality features
Pros
Cons
The Penn 40-hole outdoor pickleball ball is an excellent option to magnify your performance during recreational or club tournaments.
It provides a high level of quality and control and offers a more forgiving ball without losing its durability. It’s vibrant colors and dirt-resistant material enables higher visibility during natural sunlight.
This USAPA-approved ball enables a revolutionary and premium athletic performance. It gives a softer bounce and makes your pickleball practice session more fun than ever.
Main specifications
| Dimensions L x W x H | 9.96 x 6.14 x 2.99 inches |
| Weight | 0.19 Kilograms |
| Brand Name | Penn |
| Material | Plastic |
| Ratings | 4.6 out of 5 stars |
GAMMA Photon Indoor or Outdoor Pickleballs
Quality features
Pros
Cons
These Gamma Photon Indoor or outdoor pickleball balls are highly visible with their optic green color. The visibility of these balls is factually a game changer.
These balls are USAPA approved for sanctioned tournaments and are great for regulation play. These balls are precisely constructed for consistent performance and reliable balance. These rigid photon balls provide a consistent and excellent bounce and their 2-piece construction outlasts most of the pickleball balls.
Main specifications
| Dimensions L x W x H | 6.57 x 5.83 x 2.99 inches |
| Weight | 0.1 Kilograms |
| Brand Name | GAMMA |
| Material | Other |
| Ratings | 4.4 out of 5 stars |
Indoor and Outdoor Pickleball Balls Guide
There are only a few sports that will give you the luxury of diving in with the least preparation and material like pickleball does. For some of you, it must be vital to know What is pickleball and how is it played? Well, let us give you all the details that you want to know about pickleball. It is a paddled sport that involves a pickleball paddle or racket and a plastic ball.
These polymer plastic balls are perforated and have holes in them. They come in different types from different brands making it quite overwhelming to choose the right one to buy.
To ease out your selection according to your needs, we decided to give you an all-inclusive beginner’s guide to help you with everything you need to know before buying pickleball balls.
This guide comprises the types and features of pickleball balls, and choosing the best one for yourself.
Types of Pickleball Balls
Pickleball balls commonly come in two types:
- Indoor pickleball balls
- Outdoor pickleball balls
Now, we’ll discuss the features that make these two types differ from each other.
Indoor pickleball
Indoor pickleball balls are soft and comparatively smaller in size than outdoor pickleball balls. They weigh approximately around 0.8 ounces. They are used by groups of people who prefer playing the sport indoors where the weather is constantly freezing cold or too hot to play outside where mother nature is always working against them.
The holes in pickleball balls help them maneuver in the air properly. Indoor pickleball balls don’t need to brace the winds, they are usually made using an injection by a molding process that welds the two halves of the ball together.
They have textured surfaces which make it easier for players of all ages to give the ball more spin, and you can have longer rallies while playing pickleball. But the increased drag makes it difficult to slam or hit power shots with.
Outdoor pickleball
Outdoor pickleball is all about elements. As it is played outside Irregular wind patterns and change in weather or an uneven playing surface also affects the dynamics of pickleball. That’s why outdoor pickleball balls are designed to adapt and lessen the effect of these elementary pressures so they do not ruin the playing experience of an athlete.
Therefore, outdoor pickleball balls are heavier in weight. Outdoor pickleball balls are manufactured using smooth plastic which gives them a harder and heavier body with 40 drilled holes. Their special construction makes these balls less likely to wear and tear. Their heavier construction provides strength to resist the wind.
However, one ball should be used in more than ten outdoor matches. Because outdoor elements became a major reason for the deterioration in its spin and bounce.
Let’s talk about the bouncing quality of outdoor pickleball balls that bounce better and are easier to hit power shots.
As we have discussed above, outdoor pickleball balls are constructed precisely with unique elements. That’s why they have a lot more features with small holes. A standard outdoor pickleball ball has 40 holes drilled into it. The holes fight the impact of wind on the bounce and help the ball from deflecting.
Features to consider when buying the best Pickleball Ball
Whether amateur or professional pickleball players, we commonly looked at the following major factors when buying the best affordable pickleball balls.
1. Material
The material used for pickleball balls is basically plastic. The best pickleball balls, like the ones mentioned, are usually made using only the best thermoset plastics like melamine, acrylics, and epoxies.
These materials are first heated and then subsequently cooled, and the halves are molded into balls. Outdoor pickleball balls sometimes also have virgin plastic in their composition to improve their quality.
2. Durability and longevity
Their longevity generally differs from brand to brand. But you can expect an outdoor pickleball to last at least for up to ten games before it starts to show some cracks. Outdoor pickleball balls have a shorter lifespan than indoor balls as indoor balls face exposure to the elements that never occur. Mostly they do not crack. Indoor pickleball balls develop soft spots with time when played for extended times.
3. Color
Pickleball balls come in a wide range of colors. However, one solid, bright, and easy to see and spot even in the absence of natural light are the best one to have especially when the game is being played in extremely poor light.
4. Diameter
It is important to get the right diameter of your pickleball ball for better performance with an optimum-sized pickleball as it will come off the paddle more efficiently.
An official pickleball is made of plastic and ranges between 0. 78 to 0. 935 ounces and 2.874 to 2.972 inches. You may choose one with a 2.9 inches diameter. The ball must be single and no color restrictions are applied.
FAQ’s
What is the quietest pickleball ball?
For players looking for a quieter game, the Gamma Foam Quiet Pickleball is the right one. Though they are made of foam instead of plastic, they are approved for USAPA-sanctioned tournaments.
What is the easiest to play color in pickleball?
According to expert players, red color is the best and easiest color to play indoor pickleball games.
Are pickleball balls different from each other?
Yes, pickleball balls are different from each other as there are two types of pickleball, indoor and outdoor.
The outdoor balls have to face extreme weather conditions and therefore they are slightly heavier and have thicker plastic while indoor balls are lighter and have thinner plastic.
The holes in outdoor pickleball balls are also larger than that of indoor balls.
What are balls used by pro pickleball players?
The pro pickleball players generally go for Dura pickleball for Championship and USAPA-sanctioned tournaments.
