Best Volleyball – Top Indoor and Outdoor Volleyballs 2021 – Buyer’s Guide

What are the Different Types of Volleyballs You Can Choose From?

Depending on where you plan to play volleyball, you will need a different type of ball made from different types of materials! If you’re a beach volleyball player, then you’ll want to grab a ball built for the outdoors. However, if you typically play in a recreational center, you’ll want to buy and indoor volleyball. 

Indoor Volleyball Vs Outdoor Volleyball 

Indoor volleyball

Indoor Volleyball

Outdoor and Beach volleyball

Outdoor Volleyball

Molded Indoor Volleyballs

A major difference between indoor volleyballs and outdoor volleyballs is indoor balls are “molded” together whereas outdoor balls are stitched together. Furthermore, indoor balls have panels that are glued to an inner lining. This causes indoor balls to have a smooth and consistent surface. This makes it suitable for indoor use because there are no outside elements for the ball to deal with in a controlled indoor environment.
 

Stitched Outdoor Volleyballs 

If you look closely on an outdoor volleyball you can see there are threads that hold the ball together. The reason outdoor balls are stitched instead of molded is that outdoor balls need to be tougher. They need to be durable enough to withstand constant exposure to the elements! Furthermore, outdoor volleyballs are slightly heavier than indoor balls. They’re made heavier so that during gameplay, the ball won’t be too heavily influenced by wind.
Example of Stitching on an outdoor volleyball

Materials of Indoor and Outdoor Volleyballs

Indoor volleyballs are typically made of leather because leather is a very durable material. This allows indoor balls to last a really long time. Beach volleyballs usually made of a composite material to help the ball withstand water and any damage that can occur from the constant friction of sand.

What Volleyball Brands Should You Buy?

There are many different brands that you can buy from. If you’re looking for a ball that will last you a long time AND make volleyball more enjoyable than you want to invest in one of the official volleyball brands.

What are The Official Brands? 

There are three big volleyball manufacturers all of which are known to produce high quality and long lasting balls. The first is Molten, who makes official volleyballs for indoor men’s and women’s NCAA championships. The second is Tachikara who creates the official balls for the NAIA and NJCAA championships and other international affiliations. The last is Mikasa, who produces volleyballs for Olympic games.

What About Wilson and Spalding? 

If you’ve searched for a volleyball online than you might have run into Spalding and Wilson volleyballs. These two brands are also very big, but the most notable ball manufacturers are Molten, Mikasa, and Tachikara, which is why I didn’t include these two in the previous section. However, that doesn’t mean Spalding and Wilson are bad. They’re actually two very official brands. Wilson is the official sponsor of the AVP outdoor volleyball tour and Spalding is the USA beach volleyball official sponsor. So rest assured,  they produce very good volleyballs as well.

Best Volleyballs 2021

Enough of the technical stuff, here are my top 5 volleyballs (plus a bonus). 

For each I’ve described what I think are the most important things to note: handling, durability, and difficulty of use. 

Handling is how it feels to use the ball (i.e is it grippy or slippery?) 

Durability is a measure of how well it stands the test of time. 

Difficulty of use is a measure of how hard it is to get used to playing with the ball. Some balls have a learning curve, and if they do then I’ve noted it down below. 

Note: Our recommendations haven’t changed much since 2019. The updated versions of these balls are either the same or worse in our honest opinion.  

Mikasa MVA200 Volleyball

Mikasa MVA200 Volleyball

I’ve used this ball in games many times and I love it. The ball almost seems smaller than most balls, but it’s really the official size. 

Setters will either love or hate this ball. The small dimples on the surface of the ball add much needed texture to a rather slick surface. When receiving or passing this ball you’ll notice that it’s quite hard to get used to at first. 

I’ve used this for months and the ball still looks brand new. Sometimes I take it out to play outdoor volleyball on asphalt and the ball is still holding up very well. 

Many beginners and women’s volleyball players don’t particularly like this ball because it feels very hard when receiving. I also felt the same when I first used this ball but after a few games you should get used to handling it. In general though, I would say this is a pretty difficult ball to get used to especially for passing. 

Molten FLISTATEC Volleyball

Molten Flistatec volleyball

Molten’s FLISTATEC volleyball has to have the best handling out of ALL the balls on this list. I absolutely love setting, passing, and hitting this ball. The hexagonal surface gives this ball superior grip.  

In general I feel like this ball is harder than most balls, so spikes can come down very fast and digging spikes can hurt.

The outside of this ball feel premium, but does not seem like it can last as long as the Mikasa MVA200. The material it is made out of feels like rubber (I believe it is a synthetic composite), so it’s definitely durable but might not do well in outdoor situations. If you’re just using this for indoor, then you will be happy with how long it will keep up. 

This is the easiest ball I’ve ever had to use. The texture on the ball is the main selling point for me. 

The hexagon pattern on the ball allows for buttery smooth sets and since this ball is much bouncier than others spiking this ball is great. 

Tachikara Sensi Tech Composite Volleyball

Tachikara Sensi Tech Composite Volleyball

The Tachikara SV-5WSC is great with handling and is soft to the touch. This ball is easy to set and easy to control with its leather feel that is neither slick nor sticky. 

Another great thing about this ball is that it does not hurt a lot when passing. Even on hard digs and constant play it does not hurt as a much as the other balls I have spoken about above.

Overall this ball is great with handling and is perfect for all levels, especially beginners not used to the sting that comes with digging harder hits.

I have used this volleyball or both indoor play and outdoor play and this ball is one of the best volleyballs for durability. I even used this on an outdoor volleyball court with asphalt for hours and it still holds up to this day! 

This ball has taken a beating over the last two years and I still buy this specific ball since they are so durable. It is great for indoor use and outdoor use making this ball a great ball to start with for most volleyball players. 

This is the first volleyball I ever owned and I still love it. Its great for all levels with its non slip grip and great durability over the years. It is no surprise why many high schools use this ball for indoor volleyball practice and volleyball games. 

Another bonus about the Tachikara SV-5WSC is that it comes in a wide variety of colors. There are many great colors and so you can play in style. 

Tachikara SV-MNC Volley-Lite Volleyball

Tachikara SV-MNC Volleyball

The volley Lite is definitely a very interesting ball. This ball weighs in around 7.5 ounces where normal regulation balls weigh in around 9.2 to 9.9 ounces. This ball is nice and light and is easy to handle. It almost feels like a sponge so it’s easy to receive and easy to set. 

The ball does not leave a stinging sensation when you play with it. The spongy composite feel of the ball makes passing the ball less painful for those just getting used to playing the sport. This is a great ball for young beginners who are first learning how to play, but if you’re an older adult learning to play then this ball will likely be too light for you. 

Even though the ball is light weight the durability for this ball is still pretty good. It is similar to the Tachikara SV-5WSC but I have not given the volley lite the same beating I have to the SV-5WSC.

Many say great things about the durability of this ball and how durable it is. Some coaches I know use this during indoor play and practices for months and even years and the balls look and feel the same. So rest assured that this ball is not “lite” in quality. 

This ball is perfect for kids and teens. Its lightweight but standard size makes it easy for kids to get used to the size of the ball and overtime progress to the weight of a regulation ball in real play.

This ball does not sting at all when passing and digging so that is another great bonus for beginners! This ball also comes in many different colors and is cheaper than the SV-5WSC so that’s another benefit. Overall I recommend this ball for kids starting to play volleyball since it does not sting and is lightweight so they can play and slowly progress to a standard ball. However, if you’re a young adult and older, I’d stick to a regulation ball as this one will be more beneficial for younger kids who lack strength. 

Mikasa King of the Beach Volleyball

Best Beach Volleyball - The new Mikasa King of the beach ball

The ball has a great feel to it and makes it nice to set and receive with minimal sting for those worried about the pain. Honestly, the ball is on the softer side even when pumped with air.

Another thing to mention about outdoor volleyballs is that they are a bit heavier than indoor volleyballs because they must withstand wind and other outdoor elements. With that said, this ball does play well on windy days, BUT it does seem to get carried away easily which will make float serves deadly.

This ball is the successor to one of our favorite beach balls, the Spalding King of the Beach, and we have to say that they’re very similar with the Mikasa feeling a bit more premium actually.

This ball is really the king when it comes to outdoor durability for volleyballs. I have played with this ball in rain, wet grass, and sand courts for over 2 years and it has held up through all that. Our ball has some fraying but that is only due to the heavy abuse (we use it 4-5 days a week every week during the summer)

In the rain, this ball doesn’t suck up and absorb the water like other beach volleyballs do. Furthermore, sand is easily wiped off the ball when wet or dry which is another plus. 

Lastly, the ball does not easily deform even after lots of heavy use. Most other cheaper outdoor volleyballs will easily give out after 6 months of moderate use. 

Note: This is the NEW king of the beach ball (KOB) made by Mikasa. Previously we made this review about the Spalding KOB but they’re almost identical in durability. 

This ball is very easy to use and requires little break in time. I have used this ball for years and started playing beach with an indoor ball and this ball changed everything. 

This ball is really great to play with and we think it is worth the premium. The two main problems we have with this ball is that it feels overly “mushy” on the arms during receives even when fully pumped and it does get easily influenced by wind. 

Overall I highly recommend this ball for outdoor play given my experience with it in many different weather conditions and hours of playtime on the beach and grass. 

Wilson AVP Official Beach Volleyball

Wilson Official Beach Volleyball

This ball is the official game ball for the AVP since 2019 and we can see why. This ball is really great to play with and has little flaws.

If you’re coming from playing with the King of the Beach ball you will think this one is overly hard, but once you get used to it you will definitely think the KOB is just overly mushy. 

The hardness of the ball makes passing slightly harder, but on hard driven spikes you’ll appreciate it since it won’t just fly every where on bad contact to your platform. Setting is also notably good since it feels like there’s more grip to this ball. 

The design of the ball was made in a way that makes it easily visible (hence the yellow) and also when wearing polarizing sunglasses the color variance is enhanced to make the ball even more detectable. This theoretically means faster reaction times since tracking the ball is easier. 

Since we only recently had this ball (just over a year now) we can’t speak too much on the durability. However, given how we’ve played with it so far, it does seem to be at least as durable as the KOB. 

The stitching on the panels look tight and seem like they can take a beating. 

Since this is the ball used by the pros, we have confidence that it’s one of the more durable balls on the market, but we will update you on this as we play more with it.

This ball is super easy to use, but you will need to break it in as it is extremely stiff when you first play with it.

Oddly enough, we think this ball is better than the KOB in terms of actual game play (that’s a bold statement since we’ve been fans of the KOB for years now). Something about how this ball is made makes it easier for us to pass, set, and hit. Maybe the weird color variance thing makes the difference? 

Whatever it is, we highly recommend this ball, and we actually think it’s our favorite beach ball. 

Mikasa VLS300 Beach Champ (Bonus Ball)

Mikasa Beach Champ outdoor Volleyball

At first the ball is quiet slippery and needs to be broken in but after that is a great ball! The soft composite feel of the ball makes it easy to control on passes and sets.  In games the ball does sting a bit, as do most balls, but after a while I did not notice the sting and it became a great ball to play with!

 

The ball does an amazing job at keeping moisture off it and some say it’s better than the Spalding King of the Court ball at this. Both balls do a great job of maintaining their shape over time with constant use. 

The Mikasa VLS300 is very well built and rivals the Spalding ball in durability but I would have to say the Mikasa ball wins if you are worried about your ball being dirty. The Mikasa VLS300 keeps its color better over time and will age better than the Spalding ball. 

Its a great ball to use and is great for any level of player! It is a nice durable ball with a great feel to it making it nice to set and pass without much sting. The Mikasa VLS300 is a great ball to start with and will be a great ball even as it ages. 

Conclusion

I hope you liked this review/comparison of the best volleyballs to buy in 2021. I hope this helped you make a decision on what your next new volleyball should be! 

If you’re a volleyball player interested in finding the best volleyball shoes then you should have a look at our top volleyball shoes review! 

If you’re looking to increase your vertical jump so you can spike over any defender, then I suggest you have a look at how we increased our vertical jump by over 10 inches in 8 weeks using Vert Shock.

Spread the love
Scroll to Top