Every year, players ask about equipment recommendations for practicing at home.  The best thing you can do is get a good outdoor ball and net system and play a ton of doubles over the summer.  When I was in high school, my parents set up lights in the back yard so we could play until the neighbors started yelling at us to quiet down (usually around 10:30pm).  We got a lot better at volleyball and my parents liked the fact that everyone congregated at our house.

There are a lot of options out there, but we love a few products that have proven to be both durable and consistent with our need for high quality equipment.  You can check them out below.  I also included Amazon links if you are interested in buying some equipment for the summer.  Enjoy!

Best Outdoor Volleyball Net

Hands down, the gold standard for outdoor nets is the Park & Sun Spectrum Classic.  We have 15 of these nets for our outdoor programs.  They are easy to set up and take down.  The net comes with lines to mark the court and can be adjusted to 3 heights.

Buy it Here: Park & Sun Sports Spectrum Classic: Portable Professional Outdoor Volleyball Net System, Blue

*PRO TIP – Your net will stay in better shape if you take it down when it is raining and let it dry out before packing it away in the travel bag.  If the tension lines break (unlikely, but it can happen with a lot of use), you can replace them cheaply and easily with rope from Home Depot.

Best Outdoor Volleyball

Our vote for the best ball goes to the Mikasa King of the Beach Volleyball.  We exclusively use these balls for our Summer Doubles Program.  If you don’t leave your ball out in the rain, you can expect it to last a decade.  Seriously.

Buy it Here: Mikasa King of the Beach/USA Beach Official Tour Volleyball

*PRO TIP – Don’t buy a $20 ball from Dick’s Sporting Goods that you will never use because it is rock hard and lasts for only one year.  Spend the extra cash and get a nice ball that you will love playing with and will last you a really long time.

Best Indoor Volleyball

I never recommend buying an indoor ball.  Almost any indoor program you attend will provide volleyballs for the players.  Plus, you can always bring your outdoor ball inside, but an indoor ball will get destroyed if you take it out into the elements.

However, if you REALLY want an indoor ball, just stick with the Molten Pro Touch.  It is USAV and NFHS certified, so you can use it in a high school match or in club.  Perfect high level indoor volleyball.

Buy it Here: Molten Pro Touch Volleyball (Red/White/Blue, Official)

So there you have it!  The best equipment for any player to have at home.  Set up a net in your back yard and get ready to have an awesome summer of volleyball!

– Coach Scott