Outdoor Pickleballs
Outdoor Pickleballs: Does it make a difference?
Does using indoor or outdoor pickleball balls really make a difference? The short answer is yes, very much so. First things first, what makes a good pickleball ball? Pickleball balls are unique and specifically designed. Both indoor and outdoor pickleball balls are hallow, plastic balls with holes drilled into them. A wiffle ball would be the closest comparison to imagine. In order to be legally used in tournaments, or to properly play pickleball casually, pickleball balls have certain requirements: number of holes, type of material, size and weight. However, indoor and outdoor pickleball balls are not identical in these requirements, so using the proper one for your games will make a difference. Pickle Ballers Hub only offers the highest quality of pickleballs and are approved by the USA Pickleball Approved.
Outdoor Pickleball Design
About 2.9” in diameter and features a harder plastic build which is designed to withstand rough play outdoors on concrete and any other rough surface. The design is a hallow ball which keeps the pickleball lightweight, nobody would want to use a heavy pickleball. Outdoor pickleballs have 40 holes drilled into the ball, and these holes on an outdoor ball are smaller than those on indoor balls. The size of the hole eliminates the effects of wind slowing the ball and impacting its trajectory.
Outdoor Pickleballs Life Span
In general, outdoor pickleballs have shorter lifespans than indoor pickleballs. Due to their harder design and outdoor use, outdoor pickleballs can crack or lose shape more easily. This can happen after a few games or a few months depending on each players’ style, court conditions and outdoor temperatures.
Pickleball Hardness
Pickleball hardness is measured with the durometer hardness test. This is a test used to measure the hardness of materials, typically polymers (plastics). Materials are measured on a scale of 0-100, with 0 being the softest and 100 being the hardest.
The most commonly used plastics for pickleball balls fall in a range of hardness on this scale. Here are a few of the most popularly used materials and their corresponding hardness.
- Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) – 40-50
- High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) – 60-70
- Polypropylene (PP) – 70-83
- Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) – 85-95
The harder a pickleball ball material (so in this case, the higher the scale rating), the better it will bounce. Since indoor pickleball balls are softer than outdoor pickleball balls, you will find that the outdoor balls have better bounce.
Outdoor Pickleball Specs
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Outdoor Pickleballs |
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Material |
Harder plastic build |
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Weight |
~0.9 oz |
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Size (diameter) |
~2.9” |
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Number of Holes |
40 (smaller sized holes) |
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Drag / Speed |
Less drag, faster ball speed |
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Spin / Control |
Less ability to control & add spin to shots |
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Durability |
Less durable, prone to crack |
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Lifespan |
Shorter lifespan |