Thursday, April 12, 2012

Cheap Soccer Balls

Cheap soccer balls are available by the dozens but when you are purchasing something that does not have a guarantee you need to check the following. First of all, the panels. Soccer players’ preference plays a big part. Your choices for cheap soccer balls can range from the thirty-two panel which is the most common, being used at the World Cup and other major leagues and tournaments. Then there is also the eighteen and twenty six panel and a slew of recent panel shapes that have been created in search of the truer flight of the ball when kicked.

Another factor to consider is the casing, or the cover. Soccer balls are made of PVC (Poly Vinyl Carbonate), PU (Polyurethane) and PVC/PU mix. Cheap soccer balls are made of PVC most often, because PVC is cheaper than PU and is generally used in an inexpensive training ball. However, soccer players seeking optimal performance will use PU balls. A PU ball is much softer than a PVC ball and also, a PU cover makes a ball much livelier than the PVC that makes cheap soccer balls. But it isn’t right to write off PVC balls as not good just because they make cheap soccer balls. It all depends on the quality of manufacture and there are some great balls that are made out of high-grade PVC.

When picking cheap soccer balls you must also focus on the durability and this is more often than not determined by the casing of the soccer ball. As I mentioned earlier PVC covers will last longer and also they do not scuff as easily as the softer and more expensive PU. You should know that PU will begin to show signs of wear and tear more quickly. That is why glossy coatings are put over the casing so it will aid in reducing water absorption and minimizing scuffing.

The bladder is the part of the soccer ball which when filled with air, will give the ball its shape. There are two kinds of materials used in manufacturing the soccer ball bladders, and they are latex and butyl. The latex bladders will be soft and have an overall better feel as they are expected at the higher up levels of the soccer game. But the latex balls cannot hold in the air for a long time and when compared to butyl bladders, they will have to be inflated more often. The butyl bladders have better air retention and cheap soccer balls will be made of butyl. Of course when you choose cheap soccer balls you will have to use them only at practices and lower level competition and as the competition rises then you will have to opt for the more expensive balls.

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