There are many different Manufacturers of Hockey balls, many different types of ball and many different styles of ball. There are also many different price points for each ball too. It can be very confusing, at the outset.
Let's start with the Brands:-
Kookaburra, Lusum , Slazenger, Readers and Grays are hockey brands we currently stock. With Brabo, TK, Mercian, Malik, and Adidas also on the market.
There are many more and as you can see a vast choice. It has been said that many of these balls are made in the same factories anyway, just branded differently. The hockey balls we stock are of high quality and usually in stock year round.
Types of balls:-
Match balls, Training balls, Smooth balls, Dimple balls, Coloured balls, Indoor balls and Lightweight balls.
The ball that is most commonly used by clubs and schools is the Dimple training ball. The common thought is the Dimpled ball is best but, expert advice shows the smooth ball can react better on sand based astro pitches. The Dimpled ball was originally designed by Kookaburra for use on water based pitches. Its design was to allow the ball to run smoother on the water based pitches.
The choice of which colour to use tends to open up a lot of debate too. The usual choices available are White, Pink, Yellow or Orange. As a goalkeeper I am of the belief that White is still the best colour to use, as you are able to see the ball clearly in different light conditions although if playing an evening game an Orange ball may stand out even more. Equally some competitions and leagues require you to have a certain coloured ball for match play. It is important you wash your Hockey balls regularly to maintain their primary colour.
Most training hockey balls have a hollow core and care must be taken when used in extreme cold conditions. The more expensive balls tend to have a core centre making them more suitable for winter use.
Match balls tend to be a solid ball with a core, for example the Kookaburra Dimple Elite ball has a quilted centre core.
The lightweight ball or Mini hockey ball are the same size as standard balls but are lighter in weight. Typically a standard hockey ball will weigh around 162g but a mini such as the Kookaburra Fury Mini ball weighs approximately 104g. These balls are designed for use by players up to the age of 8 years old. An example of this ball is the Kookaburra Fury Mini ball.
Smooth balls are designed for use mainly on sand based pitches; the smooth design allows the ball to glide across the sandy surface with ease.
Dimpled balls are best suited for water based pitches. The dimples offer the best solution to gliding on the wet surface.
Indoor balls are generally smooth so they roll along the floor with ease.
Price ranges from £2.49 up to £15 for training balls and £5 to £25 for good match balls.
