Equipment

These training volleyballs that I review will help you be prepared for the next match and make sure that your skills are finely honed during volleyball practice.

Tachikara’s Weighted Setter Ball

The first ball that I wanted to review is from Tachikara and is called “The Setter.”

This ball is weighted and will help your setter strengthen their hands, arms, and wrists to push the ball further and higher. The major benefit is that by strengthening your setter, they will be able to have greater accuracy on those longer sets and have the strength to get the ball there.

Of all the training volleyballs, I think this one is a must have. Why? Because the setter is one of the hardest players to train. A great setter is hard to come by, and having a great setter makes the rest of the team better.

I think investing in this ball is one of the smartest things a coach could do to continue to develop their team. Take a look at it from Amazon.com: Tachikara The Setter Volleyball

Tachikara Volley-Lite Volleyball

The next ball I wanted to review is the Volley-Lite made by Tachikara.

Why would you want to have a lighter volleyball? These balls are great to use with younger kids that just learning to play volleyball. The lighter weight makes it easier for them to handle while they are developing their volleyball skills.

The ball is also very soft and cushioned. Many new volleyball players complain about the pain on their arms when they are learning how to pass the ball. The softness of this ball will help their arms toughen up without too much pain to begin with.

Since this ball is lighter and softer, it also doesn’t hurt very much when you get hit with it.

Some people use this ball for practicing with their team. Frankly, I think that is the worst use for this ball. When you are at practice, you want to simulate game type conditions and using a lighter, softer volleyball does not accomplish that. 

From these training volleyballs, this one is better suited to training a newer player so that they can get comfortable with the game and developing their technique.

You can pick one up here: Tachikara SV-MNC Volley-Lite Volleyball

Volleyteach Training Volleyball

The last of the training volleyballs that I will review is the Volleyteach Training Volleyball.

The whole concept with this ball is that the proper techniques, placement areas, and hitting zones are all on the ball. The colors on the ball are also supposed to help with eye tracking and placement of the ball.

This is a great concept for a ball to train players. The real problem though is that the ball is not made like a normal volleyball.

Many players have commented that the bladder of the ball can over inflate and thus the ball ends up being larger than a regulation ball with a lot of air in it. And, from that perspective, the ball is not very effective to train someone because it ends up being unusable.

Several people also commented on how poor the quality of the volleyball was in how it was built.

As you can tell, I really don’t recommend this ball. You can see some more information and other reviews here: Volleyteach Volleyball Training Ball

Hopefully, these reviews on practice volleyballs have helped you find the right ball for your needs. Happy playing!

Molten volleyballs are another choice that you can have when it comes to selecting the right volleyball equipment. Let’s get to the reviews on these volleyball balls to see how they stack up against the competition…

Molten Pro Touch Volleyball

This Molten volleyball is the official ball of the NCAA. That says a lot about the type of volleyball it is.

The Pro Touch means that it is going to be a little bit harder than a soft touch ball. Personally, I like to play with this type of ball ever though it is a little harder. I like it because the ball is easier to hit, and it is good for getting the arms toughened up a little bit. Don’t let my review fool you. The ball is still soft to play with…it just isn’t a marshmallow like some other balls.

The ball is very responsive during use. I have played with this volleyball a lot and I have enjoyed it. In fact, most of my teams have preferred to use this volleyball. 

The ball is made with premium Japanese leather and a Uni-bladder construction. This means that the bladder will not leak and lose air like you will see with cheaply constructed volleyballs. Coupled with a 2 year warranty, you can’t go wrong with this volleyball.

Overall, this is a great volleyball that just about any player would enjoy using. Plus, I think the design of the ball is pretty cool.

You can pick it up from Amazon.com here: Molten Pro Touch Volleyball

Molten V5M5000 Volleyball

Another one of the Molten volleyballs is this premium volleyball. I like it because it looks different than all the other volleyballs out there. I also dislike it for the same reason.

I know that sounds strange, but I like things that are different. They have always appealed to me. However, this kind of “different” looks like a soccer ball to me, and that doesn’t appeal to me.

Part of the reason that the design is so different is that there is specific technology incorporated into the ball. This ball features something called FLISTATEC technology. This means flight stability technology. The panels on the ball have been placed to cause a smoother rotation on the ball which will also reduce the normal air friction.

One of the features of this ball says that it has improved visibility…I would suspect that any ball colored like this one could make that kind of a claim.

I am sure this is a great ball. I guess I just prefer (if you are looking for something different) the Mikasa MVA200 volleyball that was used in Beijing for the Olympics. Take a look at the Mikasa volleyball review.

If you are interested in this Molten volleyball, you can pick it up here: Molten V5M5000 Premium Volleyball

Spalding volleyballs are another choice when it comes to volleyball balls. Take a look at these reviews and see if any of them make sense for your needs.

Spalding King of the Beach Volleyball

The first volleyball from Spalding that I review will be on the King of the Beach ball. The sounds really neat, but…

I am not a fan of this type of volleyball. If you are looking for a great outdoor volleyball, take a look at the Tachikara outdoor volleyball I reviewed here.

The only thing that makes this ball superior to that one is the fact that this is coated to be used in any type of weather. That can be useful if you are playing in the grass and the grass is wet, or some other type of weather condition.

But, if you are looking for a top level volleyball for outdoor use, this is not the ball you want. If you are looking or one to use at parties or on the beach that can get wet, this isn’t a bad choice.

You can pick one up here: Spalding King of the Beach Volleyball

Spalding Indoor Volleyball

The other volleyball that I wanted to review is one of their top indoor volleyballs.

Personally, this is also not one of my favorite volleyballs. I really couldn’t put my finger on what it is, but my preferred volleyballs are either Wilson or Tachikara. If I were going to spend my own money on a volleyball, those are the ones that I would pick up.

This ball is a softer ball that would be more of a passer’s volleyball than anything else.

The one upside of this volleyball is that it has been approved by the NFHS (National Federation of State High Schools Association). This ball can be used at the high school level.

If you would like one, pick it up here: Spalding TF-5000 Volleyball

These Wilson volleyball reviews will help you select the right type of ball that makes the most sense for your playing style.

The Wilson AVP Volleyball is the premier beach volleyball to use. This is the same ball that is used on the professional AVP tour.

As a result, this ball plays extremely well. It is made of genuine leather and it is hand sewn.

One of the things that I really love about this Wilson volleyball is the multi-ply lining. This lining provides extra softness when hitting or passing while it also maintains the shape of the ball.

If you are an outdoor volleyball player, then you have definitely owned one of those volleyballs that shortly loses its shape and becomes an egg. The egg shape becomes annoying because it is hard to pass a volleyball that isn’t round. This ball will not lose its shape after being played with for a long time.

Although the ball is a little pricey, you are going to get what you pay for. This ball is top quality and top performance. 

You can pick one of them up from Amazon.com here: Wilson AVP Beach Volleyball

Wilson Cast Away Volleyball

Okay…okay…I couldn’t resist adding this one in.

Let’s face it…this ball is not about performance on the court or sand. It is all about the novelty of owning a ball similar to the movie.

If you have seen the movie “Cast Away” then you will remember that Tom Hanks was marooned on a desert island. He worked for FedEx and the plane went down. He had one package that was a volleyball.

During the course of the movie, his hand starts bleeding and he puts his hand on the ball. The result was a face just like what you see on the ball. Since the ball was made by Wilson, he called the ball by name, Wilson. Wilson ended up being his companion while he was on the island.

Ya, if you are picking up this ball, it is all about a joke. I wouldn’t expect any level of performance of this ball. I just had to add it because I thought it was funny. Good thing it is also priced as a novelty item.

Pick up the joke here: Wilson Castaway Volleyball

Wilson Light Volleyball

The last Wilson volleyball that I am going to review is the Wilson Light Volleyball.

This ball is known for the softness of it and so it really is geared more towards a passer’s ball. As a middle hitter, I tend to prefer a harder ball, but that is because it isn’t my arms that are passing the ball.

If you are looking for a good mid-range quality ball, this ball fits the bill. It is well constructed, and offers great durability even though it is a little too soft for my taste.

The “light” in the name of the ball has nothing to do with its size or weight. The ball is regulation size and weight. The light has to do with the softness of the ball as it will feel “light” coming off of your arms.

If you would like to pick one of them up, you can do it here: Wilson Light Volleyball

I also really like Tachikara volleyballs. You might want to see the reviews on the Tachikara volleyballs too.

Tachikara volleyballs are well known among volleyball players. They have been a long-time maker of volleyball balls and other volleyball equipment. I am going to take a few of their most popular balls and give them a review from a player’s perspective.

Tachikara SV5W Volleyball

The first Tachikara volleyball I want to review is their premier volleyball, the SV5W model.

This ball is designed for use at the highest levels of play. The ball is soft to the touch but can still be hit hard. That is what makes this ball great for competitive play.

Usually when I find a ball that is soft to the touch, it is what I call a passer’s ball. It is easy on the forearms, but difficult for hitters to get a powerful hit. Or, a ball is hard as a rock on the forearms, but it is a hitter’s ball because you can hit it really hard.

This ball is a great balance between a hitter’s ball and a passer’s ball. That is why it is designed for use at the highest level of competition. The ball is also approved for use by the NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations). I highly recommend this particular model.

It also comes in many different colors if you want to get a nice ball that matches your uniform colors. You can pick it up here from Amazon.com: Tachikara SV5W Competition Premium Leather Volleyball

Tachikara SV5WI International Competition Volleyball

This volleyball is actually very similar in construction to the SV5W volleyball. However, there are some differences.

This ball was designed to be used in international play (hence the “I” in the model name). When I used this particular volleyball, I noticed something…

It was not at all like the SV5W ball. This ball is not very soft to the touch. It is also not very soft on the arms when passing. As a result, I would classify this as more of a hitter’s ball.

There isn’t really anything wrong with a harder ball. In fact, I like to use a harder ball during practices to toughen up the arms and get them ready for competitions. It is really just a matter of preference more than anything.

However, I did want to make you aware of this so that you know what you are getting into when you buy volleyball. You can pick one up here: Tachikara SV5WI International Competition Volleyball

Tachikara VB7500 Outdoor Volleyball

I thought I would also review one of Tachikara’s outdoor volleyballs for my outdoor friends. 

Of all Tachikara volleyballs, this one is their highest rated for outdoor use. The ball is made of very durable leather that will withstand use on any surface. I even saw one person using it on cement and the ball held up just fine.

The ball has a nice balance between being firm and soft. This is perfect for outdoor use when you will be passing, setting, and hitting. As a 2 on 2 player, you want a good all around ball and this fits the description nicely. 

The ball does come in different colors as well. However, with an outdoor volleyball, I do recommend buying one with a color scheme that will show up well during the day as well as at night. Then, you can use this for games, practices, and late night volleyball parties too.

You can pick this volleyball up here: Tachikara VB7500 Outdoor Volleyball

Basically, Tachikara volleyballs are among the top in the industry. The real key is finding one that has the right level of touch (hard or soft) for your type of play.