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REALVOLLEYBALL.com
Frequently Asked Questions
REALVOLLEYBALL.com is committed
to providing you with the best service and selection of volleyball equipment
at competitive prices. Below is a list of our most frequently asked questions. If
you have other questions, give us a call or email today!
Mikasa
VLS200 Beach Champ
Official
Outdoor Ball of the Olympics
Many more
volleyballs and different kinds of volleyballs are produced
today than ever before. At realvolleyball.com, we carry
only the best volleyballs and the most popular volleyballs. There are
many types of volleyballs available, and many decisions to make.
Indoor
vs. Outdoor Volleyballs The first major consideration is whether the volleyball is
an indoor volleyball or an outdoor
volleyball. Indoor volleyballs are molded whereas outdoor
volleyballs are stitched. The seams between the panels on the volleyball
will look different and are produced differently.
Indoor
Volleyballs: On indoor volleyballs, the panels are glued
to an inner lining so the seams look smooth on the volleyball.
This production method gives the volleyball more consistent playability.
Indoor volleyballs weigh just a little less than outdoor volleyballs
because indoor volleyballs do not need to contend with blowing
wind.
Outdoor
Volleyballs: On outdoor volleyballs, it is obvious that
the panels are sewn because you can see the holes and the
threads holding the panels together. This stitching makes the volleyball
more durable. Outdoor volleyballs also weigh just a little more
than indoor volleyballs to prevent the volleyball from blowing
in the wind as much.
Materials
- Leather vs. Synthetic Composite The next major difference among volleyballs is whether they
are made of leather or some type of synthetic
composite. Volleyballs also are made from rubber,
but these are designed more for playground use than for real volleyball
competition.
Leather
Volleyballs: Leather volleyballs traditionally are the
top quality volleyballs. Different grades of leather exist. Consequently,
the highest priced leather volleyball will have the best
feel and playability. Generally, as the price decreases, the
leather volleyball becomes harder and will not be as easy to
play with. However, not everyone wants the softest volleyball,
so some top-of-the-line volleyballs are made harder than others for
different tastes in playability. Typically, people who like to hit
the ball hard (usually male volleyball players) prefer a harder
volleyball. Backrow players, by contrast, usually prefer a softer
volleyball.
Synthetic
and Composite Volleyballs: Every company has its own
ideas and inventions regarding composite fabrics used to produce
synthetic and composite volleyballs. Most companies claim their
volleyballs are the best. However, that is for the volleyball
player to decide. Personal taste dictates whether you prefer
the playability of one composite volleyball over another composite
volleyball. As with leather volleyballs, composite volleyballs
also lose playability as the price goes down. Composite volleyballs
typically are regarded as practice balls, so most major volleyball
leagues (school, club, pro) use leather volleyballs. However,
a few leagues, such as the AVP, use a composite volleyball.
Colors The last and easiest difference among volleyballs is that
they come in many colors. Check with your league
regarding what color volleyball is allowed.
Molten
IV58L-3N Super Touch Volleyball
(NCAA Men's Volleyball Championships)
Baden
VX5E Perfection Volleyball
(NFHS offical stamp for high school play)
As far
as we know, no indoor professional volleyball leagues
exist in the USA. At the very least, none of the manufacturers
that we deal with list any of their volleyballs as official products
of any professional league, excluding the 2008 Olympics.
Indoor/Outdoor
Professional Volleyball Leagues (Worldwide)
The official
balls for professional volleyball leagues worldwide are as follows:
AVP: The
Wilson AVP Official Game Ball H4305
2008
Beijing Olympics:
Men's & Women's Indoor Volleyball: Mikasa
MVP200;
Men's & Women's
Outdoor Volleyball: Mikasa VLS200
Colleges
Here
is a list of official volleyballs used in American colleges:
NCAA Women's
Volleyball Championships: Molten Super Touch IV58L-N
NCAA Men's
Volleyball Championships: Molten Pro Touch V58L-3N
No single
volleyball is considered the "official volleyball" for high school
play. The official ball for your high school will depend on your
federation, league, or division. However,
all official balls for high school must have the
NFHS (National Federation of High Schools)
stamp. The following volleyballs
carry the NFHS stamp:
Mikasa
MVP200
Official Indoor Ball of the Olympics
Mikasa
VLS200 Beach Champ
Official Outdoor Ball of the Olympics
The answer
to this question is totally up to the volleyball league that you are
in. Some volleyball leagues allow you to use colored volleyballs, some
insist that you use colored volleyballs, and some do not allow colored
volleyballs at all.
Most league
endorsements for volleyballs are paid for by the manufacturers. Organizations
such as the NCAA, the AVP, and the Olympics all sign contracts with
manufacturers requiring the organization to use volleyballs that
the manufacturer chooses. This is simply advertising to promote the
manufacturers' volleyballs. These endorsements also are used in leagues
ranging from high school volleyball to club volleyball.
If you're
unsure about which kind of volleyball is allowed or required, you
must contact the organization that is running your league. With high
schools, the CIF district usually decides. With club volleyball,
your club's volleyball association decides. And with college volleyball,
your division's governing body (e.g., NCAA, NJCAA etc.) decides.
In small private volleyball leagues, the decision about using colored
volleyballs is totally up to whoever started the league and is making
the rules.
Most volleyball
organizations do not notify us of their requirements. For example,
high school requirements and club endorsements rarely are disclosed
to us, and usually only for local organizations. However, major endorsements,
such as the NCAA or the Olympics, are always indicated by the manufacturer
and usually printed right on the volleyball.
Store
indoor leather volleyballs in a cool dry environment and do not expose
your volleyball to extreme temperatures or outside elements. We recommend
cleaning your volleyball with a mild soap and water solution.
What
is the recommended amount of inflation for my volleyball?
A:
The
recommended inflation (psi) of most volleyballs is marked around its
valve area. Be sure to moisten the inflation needle before inserting
it into the valve. You also may want to refer to the official volleyball
rule book for exact requirements.
How
do I know when my volleyball is fully inflated?
A:
We
recommend using an inflation gauge to determine the exact amount of pressure.
Do not use a high pressure compressor like those used at industrial sites
and gas stations. Rather, you should use a small inflator or hand pump,
similar to the models that we carry.
The
best way to preserve a leather volleyball is simply to use it. This releases
the natural oils and characteristics of the material, comparable to "breaking
in" a fine pair of shoes. We do not recommend using any topical
ointment or creme to preserve the leather, nor do we recommend using
indoor leather volleyballs for outdoor play. You should use a volleyball
that is specifically designed for either indoor play or outdoor play.
Dyed to Match Gum Rubber Sole with Other Rubber Mixed In
(Mizuno 430112)
Dyed to Match Gum Rubber Sole (ADIDAS ClimaCool® Vuelo)
What
Identifies a Volleyball Shoe? What
makes a volleyball shoe a volleyball shoe, as opposed to a basketball shoe
or a running shoe? The short answer is soles and weight.
Soles: The
sole is at the heart of what makes a volleyball shoe a volleyball shoe.
Most volleyball shoes have gum rubber soles. Gum rubber is the best
material for soles because volleyball shoes are made for indoor court
surfaces (usually wood) and because volleyball requires a lot of starting,
stopping, and quick cuts. Gum rubber provides the best traction for
the volleyball shoe on the very smooth wooden court surface. Other
athletic shoes, such as running shoes, do not use gum rubber because
they are designed either for outdoor use or for a greater variety of
surfaces. Gum rubber does not look like the rubber used on most athletic
shoes. Rather than being solid in appearance, gum rubber is semi-transparent
(you can almost see through it). If the soles on the volleyball shoes
you just received DO NOT match your mental picture of gum rubber, it
is because today's gum rubber is dyed to match the shoe. Manufacturers
also mix other types of rubber with the gum rubber in the sole to improve
traction and mobility.
Oddly enough,
ASICS® does
not use gum rubber in any of their top volleyball shoes
or in any of their shoes that we carry. This seems odd because Tiger
— the original name of ASICS — essentially invented the
gum rubber volleyball shoe. The old Tiger Westwood used to be the only
volleyball shoe; but over time ASICS changed the entire structure of
volleyball shoes, and no modern shoe even resembles the Westwood. ASICS
now uses what they call "NC rubber," which
is very close to gum rubber in traction, but lighter. So while you lose
a bit of traction in the ASICS shoe, you gain a volleyball shoe that
is even more lightweight. We'll see what the manufacturers come up with
for volleyball shoes in the future.
Weight: Weight
is the other feature that makes a volleyball shoe a volleyball shoe.
Almost all the top volleyball shoes are lightweight. Some volleyball
shoes may be a bit heavier; however, these usually are the less expensive
models.
What
are the Chief Differences among Volleyball Shoes? The
short answers are basic design, materials,
and price.
Basic
Design: Volleyball shoes are like most other athletic shoes
in this respect. That is, every manufacturer has its own designs
for uppers, midsoles, cushioning, and support. You need to read the
description of each volleyball shoe and compare the different features
of each in order to decide which volleyball shoe is best for you.
Materials: Modern
volleyball shoes are no longer made of leather. At one time, you could
buy all leather or all synthetic leather volleyball shoes, but those
days are long gone. The reason is that leather shoes, on the whole,
are heavier. Consequently, leather is not the best material for volleyball
shoes. Most volleyball shoes today are a combination of synthetic leather
and mesh uppers. This composition provides lighter weight, more breathability,
and faster drying.
Price: Price
is another area where volleyball shoes resemble most other athletic
shoes. More expensive volleyball shoes usually are better and they
offer fancier features. Typically the higher priced volleyball shoes
are lighter and offer better traction, more cushioning, and more support.
However, these characteristics may not make your foot happier. Sometimes
a less expensive volleyball shoe will fit your foot better and be more
comfortable.
Here at realvolleyball.com we
carry only the top models of each volleyball shoe from each manufacturer.
So, even though a particular shoe is not the most expensive shoe on
our site, it will be a very good volleyball shoe. Realvolleyball.com's website
offers volleyball shoes from each manufacturer, but we do no not offer
EVERY model from each manufacturer. That is because we select only
those models of volleyball shoes from each manufacturer that we consider
high enough quality for our customers to use when playing volleyball.
Why
can't I find mid-top volleyball shoes on your website?
A:
Currently,
the only mid-top volleyball shoe we carry is the Adidas Modulator,
and you’ll find it on the Closeouts page.
Only women's sizes remain.
The original
volleyball shoes were low-tops. A few years ago, most volleyball shoes
were mid-tops. Now, none of the brands of volleyball shoes that we carry
come in mid-top. We aren’t sure why the manufacturers stopped making
mid-top volleyball shoes and returned to low-top volleyball shoes. However,
we’re guessing that low-top volleyball shoes are lighter weight,
which is an advantage to all volleyball players. Also, more and better ankle
braces are available today, reducing the demand for the extra support
that mid-top volleyball shoes offer. Maybe manufacturers will start making
mid-top volleyball shoes again in the future. But for now, we offer low-top
volleyball shoes only.
My
volleyball shoes have a colored sole. Will these soles leave marks on the
gym floor?
A:
If your volleyball shoes were purchased from
realvolleyball.com, they should not mark the floor. All brands of volleyball
shoes that we carry have non-marking soles. If you have any problems
with your volleyball shoes marking the floor, please contact us so that
we can rectify the problem.
This
is a tough question to answer. With volleyball kneepads, it boils down
to personal preference and what's the most
comfortable for you. We can explain some differences
though, and give you some history of volleyball kneepads.
Bubble Style Kneepads vs. Flat Style Two different types of volleyball kneepads exist — bubble
style kneedpads and flat style kneedpads.
Bubble
style kneepads: This style
used to be the only type of volleyball kneepad available and it is
what most people think of as a traditional style kneepad. Basically,
a bubble style kneepad has a big pad in the front of the knee,
directly on your kneecap. The bubble style kneepad is rather thick
(thus the name, bubble type), and it provides a lot of cushioning
if you fall straight forward onto your knees. Unfortunately,
this style volleyball kneepad is not as readily available
as it used to be. In fact, we carry and know of only two bubble
style kneepads — the Asics ZD0009 and
the Tachikara TKP kneepad (shown at right).
Mizuno and Adidas no longer even make a bubble style volleyball
kneepad.
Flat
style kneepads: Flat style
volleyball kneepads were first brought out by Mizuno in
the mid 1990s.
This style, dubbed the MZ-J1, was quite
different from all the volleyball kneepads available then, and it
proved to be quite popular. Consequently, most volleyball kneepads
made today are the flat style.
The MZ-J1
was so successful because it provided two
features that many volleyball players liked. First, it wasn't as bulky
as the bubble style, allowing volleyball players to move
better. Second, the flat style MZ-J1 kneepad could wrap around the
knee (which is why some people refer to flat type volleyball kneepads
as "wrap around kneepads"). This wrap around style provided
some padding to the sides of the knees, a feature that went over very
well because in volleyball, 6 people are stuck in a small square, increasing
the chances of running into their teammates. (Although some players
may rarely fall on the ground, depending on their position,
they still run into their teammates.) Also, when players fall
down, they don't always fall perfectly straight forward, making a case
for padding along the sides of the knee.
The downside
of flat
style volleyball kneepads is that they have less padding directly in
front of the knee, which is why some players prefer the bubble style.
So when these players do fall directly straight ahead onto their kneecaps,
they do not get as much cushioning with a flat style kneepad as they
would with the bubble style.
Differences
among Kneepad Styles
Some differences also exist between volleyball kneepads within the same
style. That's why, for example, Asics makes 7 different styles. These differences
include type
of padding used, sleeve length, padding thickness, and how
much the volleyball kneepad wraps around the knee.
Asics, Mizuno
and Adidas also make junior volleyball kneepads, which are the same
as the standard models but with a smaller diameter sleeve.
As you can
see, which features are best for you really depends upon your personal
preference for comfort, protection, and ease of movement in a volleyball
kneepad.
This
question is easy to answer — the most expensive one! The more
expensive the portable
outdoor volleyball system, the heavier duty it is. The net is heavier, the
binding is thicker, the poles and guy lines are thicker and stronger,
etc. Lower-priced
outdoor volleyball systems tend to be lighter, thinner, and include fewer
accessories.
Here at
realvolleyball.com, we carry two brands of portable outdoor volleyball
systems: Ultimate Systems and Park and Sun. As their name implies,
Ultimate Systems is into hardcore volleyball. They strive to make
their top outdoor volleyball systems as close to an indoor volleyball
system as possible. For example, they make the volleyball net as
tight as possible for play off the net. Plus, everything in the Ultimate
Systems volleyball system is heavy duty so it can take a lot of abuse.
Ultimate Systems do tend to be heavier to carry around and more complicated
to set up than some other outdoor volleyball systems. As you'd expect,
the lower-priced Ultimate Systems units start to lose playability
and durability, which may or may not be right for you.
We also
carry outdoor volleyball systems from Park and Sun. This company
makes nice volleyball systems, though they are not as heavy duty
as the top Ultimate Systems volleyball systems. Park and Sun's volleyball
systems are, however, easier to set up than Ultimate Systems units.
The suspension
setup for the net represents the major difference between Ultimate
Systems and Park and Sun's outdoor volleyball systems. Park and Sun's
poles go directly into the binding of the volleyball net. By contrast,
Ultimate Systems units do not connect the net and the poles directly;
instead, they feature a suspension setup connecting the volleyball
net to the pole using either ropes or straps. This suspension setup
enables you to adjust the tension on the volleyball net more than
you can with the Park and Sun outdoor volleyball systems. Park and
Sun's volleyball systems may not provide as good playability as those
from Ultimate Systems, but they do play well and are easy to set
up.
Portable
outdoor volleyball systems can be complicated and involve tradeoffs;
so if you have any other questions, please give us a call.
Yes,
we carry volleyball nets. However, we do not show them on our website
because ordering the correct volleyball net can be quite complicated.
The right volleyball net for you will depend on a several factors, including:
the kind (brand) of volleyball uprights you will use with this net; whether
you want rope or steel cables in the net; and whether you want a wooden
dowel in the ends of the volleyball net. We also can have custom volleyball
nets made for you. Please call us if you need a volleyball net.
What
are the dimensions of the beach volleyball short court?
A:
The
short court dimensions are 8 meters by 8 meters for each side of the
volleyball court or 16 meters by 8 meters for the entire volleyball
court. The standard dimensions for a volleyball court are 30 feet by
30 feet for each side or 60 feet by 30 feet. A meter is about 39 inches
long, so this reduces the size of each side of the
volleyball court from 30 feet by 30 feet to about 26 feet by 26
feet.
We
carry all sorts of volleyball uniforms, but we do not silk screen them
ourselves. However, we can have silk screening done for you. We use
the biggest and best silk screener in Los Angeles. This company screens
uniforms from the NCAA, to the NFL, to the Harlem Globetrotters. Our
screener also does embroidery and tackle twill. Some silk screeners
may be faster and less expensive, but our silk screener produces results
that will make your volleyball team very happy with their uniforms.
Silk-screening volleyball uniforms takes about two weeks.
Because
screening can become complicated, we do not include information about
it on the website. Please give us a call if you want any volleyball
uniforms, T shirts, sweatshirts, or bags screened. You may email
us also, but a call usually is a more efficient way to avoid the
back and forth flying emails that typically result when we try to
figure out exactly what you want done.
When
should I place my order for volleyball uniforms for the upcoming
high school or college Fall volleyball season?
A:
High
school volleyball season usually starts at the beginning of September;
college volleyball season starts roughly a couple of weeks before that.
The
major suppliers of volleyball uniforms usually bring out their new
uniform styles in May, so you probably will want to wait at least
until then to order, so you can see which new volleyball uniform
styles will be available for the Fall season. If you order before
May, the new volleyball uniform styles will not be available yet,
and most of the suppliers' inventory from the last year's styles
will be very low.
We
will update our website with the new volleyball uniform styles as
soon as they become available. If you've visited our women's
volleyball uniforms or men's
volleyball uniforms page before, please be sure to refresh your
page so that you see the most current volleyball uniforms available.
If
you place your orders in May, June, or July, you should be in very
good shape to receive your uniforms before the start of the
Fall volleyball season. If you need screening for your uniforms,
please note that screening takes at least 2 weeks, in addition to
normal shipping time.
Any
orders for new uniforms placed after August 1st should have plenty
of time to be completed before Fall volleyball season starts. However,
as we get farther into August, we start to run into two problems:
1.
Our screener will become more backed up.
2.
The manufacturers start to run out of stock of the most popular styles,
colors, and sizes of volleyball uniforms. We stock many uniforms
here, but we cannot stock every single color and style. And the manufactures
never make enough of the most popular uniforms for the whole country,
no matter how many they make.
Please
don't think that we can't supply your team uniforms if you order
after August 1st! August and September are the two busiest months
of the year and that is when we deliver the majority of the teams
volleyball uniforms. Availability of volleyball uniforms depends
most on the current fashion trends, along with the supply from the
manufacturer of the uniforms in the fashion and color that you want.
Some manufacturers are more organized than others.
Can
you explain the differences in colors among volleyball uniforms?
A:
Certain
colors used in volleyball uniforms are just what they sound like.
Black is black, white is white, as are orange, purple, and pink.
Cardinal
is the most confusing color used with most school team colors.
Cardinal is very similar to maroon, but these are two different
colors. Cardinal has more red in it, while maroon has more
purple. Most volleyball uniform manufacturers use cardinal for
their uniforms; Adidas, however, uses maroon. Teams
that wear cardinal include: NFL: Washington Redskins; College:
USC, Arizona State.
Blue is
the color with the most variations. Royal blue is
a very blue blue. For example, the LA Dodgers, Indianapolis Colts,
Duke University all use royal blue. Navy blue is a dark blue. Teams
and colleges that use navy blue include New England Patriots, Notre
Dame, Dallas Cowboys, and the Chicago Bears. Columbia blue is a powder-blue
color used by the University of North Carolina, San Diego Chargers'
throwback uniforms, and UCLA.
Green
also has many variations. Kelly
Green is a "true" green. The Boston Celtics
uniforms are kelly green. Most volleyball uniform manufacturers
no longer make uniforms in this color. Forest green is
a dark green. Most green team uniforms
these days are forest green and nearly every volleyball uniform
manufacturer uses forest green.
The last
two regular colors are scarlet and gold.
Scarlet
is red. Teams using this color include Indiana University, Kansas
City Chiefs, Chicago Bulls, and the Cincinnati Reds.
Gold
is slightly more complicated. Gold comes in two main variations:
Vegas gold and Athletic gold. Vegas gold is a sparkly gold. Tachikara
puts it on their colored volleyballs, although they call it vintage
gold. Football teams, including the San Francisco 49ers, St Louis
Rams, UCLA, and Notre Dame, are the main users of Vegas gold in their
uniforms. However, if one of your volleyball
team's colors is Vegas gold and the uniform that you want doesn't
come in Vegas gold, you can always have it screened in Vegas gold.
Athletic
gold basically is just yellow. Because
it
is difficult to make
sparkly volleyball uniforms from today's most commonly used fabrics,
most gold volleyball uniforms are athletic gold. However, Adidas
uses a shade called sandstorm, which is supposed to be similar to
Vegas gold but is not quite as sparkly. Adidas does use athletic
gold in some of their volleyball shoes. Examples of teams
using athletic gold are University of Michigan, USC, Green Bay Packers,
and the LA Lakers.
The colors
royal blue, kelly green, scarlet, and athletic gold are basically
your kindergarten crayon colors of blue, green, red, and yellow.
A few
remaining colors are used in some volleyball products, but not always
in uniforms. Silver is similar to gold, with a sparkly and non-sparkly
variation. Sparkly silver is used mainly in football
uniforms, such as those for Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Loins and Ohio
State. For volleyball uniforms and volleyballs, light gray substitutes
for silver, but it isn't sparkly like the football uniforms.
Choosing
colors can be tricky for several reasons, including these:
Different
companies' color shades will not match perfectly;
It's difficult
to describe colors over the phone;
The
shade of the color you want for your volleyball uniforms
may not (and probably isn't) the shade that you see on
your computer screen.
If you
have any further questions, please call us (800-215-3574) and
we'll do our
best to answer.
I
ordered 12 or more volleyball jerseys (for example) in the same
style, but I did not receive the 12+ discounted price. Why not?
A:
Currently
the website applies the discounted price only if you order 12 or more
items in the exact same style, color, and size.
In the future, we hope to make the website apply the correct price
discount for each style regardless of color or size. We know about
this limitation, so when orders come through with 12 — or
other discounted quantities — of
the same style in any combination of color and size, we apply the discount
when we ship your order. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope
to add this feature to the website in the future. In the meantime,
rest assured that we will apply your discounts properly when we ship
your order.
How
accurate are shipping charges shown on my online order?
A:
Shipping
charges on realvolleyball.com's website are estimates only.
Actual freight charges for your order will depend on what you order
and where you ship it.
If you order
over-sized items such as ball carts or portable outdoor systems the
freight probably will be higher.
If
we are shipping to Hawaii or Alaska you should definitely contact
us for accurate freight charges. Our estimated shipping charges usually
are fairly accurate. Sometimes, however, they differ significantly
from the estimate. In this case, we will call to get approval to
ship your order. If you have any questions, please call or email us
and we will provide you with an accurate shipping cost.
Why
doesn't my online order show the
correct California sales tax?
A:
Like
the shipping costs, the tax rates given on our website are estimates
only. When we process your order, we will charge you
the correct tax rate for your county. Currently, there is no sales
tax if you live outside California. Some states are hoping
to charge out-of-state sales tax in the future, and we will try
to inform you about any changes that affect your order.
I
placed an online order for a pair of volleyball shoes, size 12 or larger.
However, I did not get the 12+ discounted price.
A:
The
12+ discounted price refers to the number of pairs of volleyball shoes
you ordered, not their size. You would need to order 12 pairs of these
volleyball shoes (in any combination of sizes) to get the 12+ discounted
price.
I
placed an online order but was told an item was unavailable. Why?
A:
Unfortunately,
it
is not possible for us to update the website automatically every time
we run out of a volleyball product. We do apologize for this inconvenience
and will update our website as often as we can to minimize the problem.