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Basketball is a really neat sport to play, and whether you play indoors or outdoors, it comes with many physical and mental benefits. It is also a great sport because it can be played by children, adults, or both, it is great for men and women, and as long as you have a hoop, you have got yourself a game. Of course, to play basketball you need a good ball, which is why we are here today. We are here to help you find the best outdoor basketball, one that will not rip, break, tear, form lumps, and one that has good grip too.
Let’s talk about some things like what you should look out for when buying a basketball, and let’s go over some of the best outdoor basketballs that are available for purchase today!
Summary: The Best Outdoor Basketballs
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What Are The Benefits Of Playing Basketball?
There are numerous benefits that come along with playing basketball, and those benefits are both physical and mental. Let’s go over some of the most important ones.
Benefit #1: Cardio
One of the biggest benefits that you get from playing basketball on a regular basis is that it makes for a fantastic cardiovascular exercise. Basketball involves you constantly running from one end of the court to the other and that will definitely get your heart pumping well above your resting heart rate. Cardiovascular exercise is necessary for sustaining a healthy lifestyle and for living a long life in general. Cardio is great because it helps to reduce high blood pressure, it will lower your resting heart, it will help prevent heart and arterial disease, it reduces the risk of having a heart attack or stroke, and it helps control high cholesterol levels too.
Benefit #2: VO2 Max
Another benefit that you get from playing basketball is that it will help improve your VO2 max, which is how much oxygen your lungs can absorb, process, and send throughout your body. The more you exercise your lungs through an intense cardiovascular exercise, the better your lungs will be able to absorb and process oxygen. Your body needs oxygen to survive and your muscles need it to keep exercising. It’s kind of like a neat little cycle because the more you play basketball the more efficient your lungs get, and the more efficient your lungs get the more basketball you will be able to play without getting winded.
Benefit #3: Some Strength Training
It’s not like basketball will train your muscles like lifting weights, but basketball is still better for your muscles than nothing at all. Basketball trains your legs through running and jumping, the jumping helps train your core, and dribbling, passing, and shooting will strengthen your arms and shoulders. Keep in mind, basketball will help tone your muscles and maybe build them a little, but it won’t give you those terminator style muscles you might be looking for.
Benefit #4: Respect & Teamwork
This benefit is especially great for your children. If you have a disrespectful little trouble maker at home, they may benefit greatly from a season of basketball, or even just from playing outdoors on a court with some friends. Basketball provides children with a way of learning teamwork and it teaches them how to respect others too. It’s an important skill for any child to develop at an early age.
Benefit #5: Balance & Coordination
Basketball is great for improving your balance and coordination as well. When you jump and land you need to use your balance, and just like any other skill you have, it improves through constant use. The same goes for your coordination. Jumping, shooting, passing, dribbling, and catching all require great hand eye coordination. The more you do any of these things the better you will get at doing them.
Things To Consider When Buying An Outdoor Basketball
Basketballs are usually not going to be all that expensive, but you do want any ball you buy to work really well, so there are a few things that you should look out for when buying one, especially for outdoor use.
Coating
Probably the most important thing to look out for when buying an outdoor basketball is the coating. The ball itself should be made out of some very durable rubber with a great coating in order to withstand the rigors of being bounced on a concrete surface.
Just make sure that any basketball you get for outdoor use is labeled as such, and in the description, it should say something about featuring a coating for outdoor use. A ball that does not have a good outdoor coating will probably rip, tear, or pop from prolonged bouncing, moreover the grip will probably wear off too.
Grip
Another important part of any good outdoor basketball is the grip which it has. Whether the ball is meant for indoor or outdoor use, the ball needs to have a great rippled texture in order to provide you with grip. Put it this way, you can’t possibly catch, throw, or shoot a completely smooth basketball. On that same note, a wide channel design helps with grip too.
Inflation
Yet another important thing to look out for before you buy a basketball for outdoor use is how well it keeps its inflation. The only thing you can really do here is to read the description and the customer reviews in order to determine whether or not the basketball in question will hold its air for a long time. After all, you don’t want to have to inflate the thing every single day.
Size
Basketballs come in different sizes, so you want to make sure that you get the size of basketball that is right for you. The official NBA size is 29.5 inches in diameter, which is great for professionals or adults in general. However, if you are getting the basketball for a child or youth, there are usually smaller sizes available too.
Outdoor Basketball Reviews
Our Rating
The Spalding NBA Varsity Outdoor Rubber Basketball is a really great basketball that will serve you well for outdoor play. Also, it says varsity on it, so people might even think that you are on a professional college team!
Design
The Spalding NBA varsity Outdoor Rubber Basketball has a classic rubber design which makes it great for outdoor use. The traditional rubber cover is built durable so that concrete won’t ruin it, rip it, or pop it. The entire ball is built durable in order to withstand the harsh concrete surface that comes with playing basketball outdoors.
We like this ball because it has that classic basketball feel, by which we mean that it has a rough textured surface and grip lines in order to make it easy to catch, pass, and shoot. This thing has as good a grip as any other ball out there. Moreover, the Spalding NBA Varsity Outdoor Rubber Basketball is of the official NBA size, which is great for older kids and for adults too.
Finally, the design of this ball is very nice in the sense that it has a black and light blue paint job, plus it features an NBA Varsity logo too. It might make people think that you are on a pro team, or who knows, maybe you are a professional, in which case this ball is made just for you!
Value for money
The Spalding NBA Varsity Outdoor Rubber Basketball has a great value for the money you are spending on it. It costs around 15 dollars, making it a very affordable option to go with, plus it has good grip, is durable, easy to pump up, and looks really neat too.
Build quality
There is nothing to complain about when it comes to the build quality of the Spalding NBA Varsity Outdoor Rubber Basketball. It has a great grip to make it easy to catch and throw, it has a durable rubber cover, it performs well on concrete, and it holds its inflation quite well too.
Pros
- Really neat design
- Performs well on concrete
- Great air retention
- Durable rubber build
- Great grip
- Very affordable
Cons
- Inflation hole wears down fairly fast
Our Rating
This is a fantastic basketball with great value and some even better features. You would be seriously hard pressed to find many better basketballs for outdoor use than this one.
Design
We really like the Under Armour UA 295 Basketball because it has amazing grip. This thing features UA GRIPSKIN composite coating which provides you with about as much grip as any professional basketball is able to deliver. Catching, throwing, and shooting this ball is not at all an issue, plus palming it is as easy as can be, which is actually also thanks to the wrap around channels it features.
Moreover, this ball has a dual density spongetech cover which makes it feel very soft and comfortable to hold. Even though it is very soft to the touch, when pumped up, it is also more than firm enough to provide you with great bounce.
Moreover, the covering is made with extremely durable rubber which is designed especially for outdoor use. This rubber won’t rip, break, and it won’t pop just from bouncing on concrete either. This is truly an ideal street ball for anybody and everybody. Moreover, this ball has a great black color with an American flag style Under Armour logo.
Value for money
The Under Armour UA 295 Basketball costs around 20 dollars, which is not much at all considering the fact that it has so many great features. The great grip, soft cover, durable rubber coating, and great look definitely make it well worth the price.
Build quality
The build quality of this basketball is fantastic. It is made with really durable rubber that is ideal for outdoor use, it is made to withstand the punishment of concrete, it has a great spongetech coating for softness, and the special design provides you with amazing grip.
Pros
- Great coating for grip
- Dual density design for softness
- The rubber is extremely durable
- Perfectly designed for outdoor use
- Fantastic American logo
Cons
- Does not have the best air retention
Our Rating
One of the reasons as to why this is such a great basketball is because of the value that the Wilson brand brings you. After all, it is the official brand of the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournament!
Design
This is a perfectly fine standard size basketball. The standard size of it makes training with it perfect for real game experience and it’s fantastic for an adult game of basketball too. That being said, it also comes in various sizes that are also fantastic for youth and children as well.
The Wilson NCAA Street Shot Basketball is made out of exceptionally high-quality synthetic leather. The material used to make this ball is about as close to leather as you can get without actually using a cow for it. The synthetic leather is extremely durable and is made for outdoor use, plus it has a classic Wilson logo imprinted on it as well.
This ball is fantastic at retaining the air you pump into it, it is not going to pop on the concrete, and it is not going to rip either. Finally, the synthetic leather also provides you with exceptional professional basketball quality grip that makes it easier than ever to catch, throw, and shoot the ball.
Value for money
You really can’t go wrong with the Wilson NCAA Street Shot Basketball considering that it costs under 20 dollars. It is a perfectly fine ball with good grip, a durable cover, and is good at retaining air. Now that is value.
Build quality
There is absolutely nothing bad to say about the build quality of this basketball. A durable cover with great air retention capabilities and good grip is all a quality basketball needs.
Pros
- Great grip
- Durable synthetic rubber
- Classic Wilson logo
- Great price
Cons
- Inflation hole may leak air after prolonged use
Our Rating
This is a perfectly fine outdoor basketball that will have you playing for hours on end outdoors. It’s a tough made ball with good grip and a really neat color scheme.
Design
Probably the neatest part about the Spalding NBA Street Phantom Outdoor Basketball is that it is black and comes with neon blue writing. This ball can actually be purchased with several different colors of writing including blue, green, purple, orange, and yellow. The color on this ball really stands out at night time.
Moreover, this ball has a great rubber cover which is specifically designed for outdoor use. This thing is extremely tough and it’s not going to wear down anytime soon. It’s not going to pop or lose its air in the middle of your game and that is a guarantee. This ball is built to last and it looks great too.
The Spalding NBA Street Phantom Outdoor Basketball also has an NBA quality texture that provides you with a whole lot of throwing and catching grip. It provides you with a lot of grip, which is mostly thanks to the patented soft grip technology that it comes with. Finally, this ball comes in the standard official NBA size which makes it great for all-around practice and especially outdoor use too.
Value for money
The value you get for this ball is just fine. It costs around 25 dollars which is not overly expensive for such a durable basketball. It might cost a little more than some of the other options on this list, but it is indeed a very strong basketball that handles well and it has a really nice design too.
Build quality
The build quality of the NBA Street Phantom Outdoor Basketball is great. The soft grip technology provides you with a really easy to grip ball and the durable rubber build makes it very strong, it won’t pop, and it keeps its inflation really well too. Quality is definitely not an issue when it comes to this ball.
Pros
- Awesome design
- Comes in different colors
- Great soft touch grip
- Durable outdoor rubber coating
- Official NBA size
Cons
- Collects dust easily
- Grip may wear down after prolonged use
Our Rating
This basketball is absolutely perfect for outdoor use. It’s a fairly affordable ball that you really can’t go wrong with.
Design
This is a fairly basic basketball, which for all intents and purposes means that it is a perfectly fine ball. The Spalding NBA Street Pro Basketball is of the official NBA weight and size, making it perfect for adults to train for real games. The only real difference is that it is specially designed for playing outdoors.
This means that it has a great rubber coating which is meant to be super resilient towards the wear and tear of playing outdoors on concrete. This ball also has a wide channel design that provides you with improved recognition, plus it has the classic texture of a basketball that provides you with excellent grip too. The Spalding NBA Street Pro Basketball is orange and black, and we have to say that it looks really neat.
Value for money
This particular basketball costs roughly 25 dollars, making it a moderately priced ball. This thing is definitely well worth the price thanks to the durable rubber coating, the great grip, and the wide channel design.
Build quality
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the build quality of the Spalding NBA Pro Street Basketball. This thing is very durable and will definitely do well on concrete, it holds its air well, and it has very good grip too, all things that make this a quality outdoor basketball.
Pros
- Great orange and black design
- Nice texture for grip
- Wide channel design
- Durable rubber for outdoor use
Cons
- Air inflation hole may leak after prolonged use
Our Rating
When it comes to a classic outdoor basketball, the Spalding NBA Street Basketball makes for a fine choice indeed. It’s a perfectly fine basketball for playing on the street and it’s quite affordable too.
Design
This is a great official size basketball which means that it is 29.5 inches in size. This is a full-size official ball that will work fine for adults, but it does also come in a slightly smaller youth size which is great for kids to use outdoors.
This ball is made of ultra performance durable rubber and it is designed to withstand the rigors of playing a game of basketball on the street. It’s a really durable ball that is not just going to pop from bouncing it. The ball is easy to pump up with a normal ball or bicycle pump and it can hold its air just fine to let you play for weeks at a time without having to pump it up again.
The Spalding NBA Street Basketball is also made with a wide channel design, grip lines, and a rough texture in order to provide you with great grip. Catching, throwing, and shooting the Spalding NBA Street Basketball is no problem at all. We can’t forget the fact that this ball also features the NBA logo.
Value for money
You really can’t go wrong with the Spalding NBA Street Basketball. It costs just around 15 dollars, making it a really affordably priced basketball that will serve all your needs perfectly fine. You will hardly find a better ball for a better price than this one.
Build quality
This particular basketball has a great build quality. It has a great rubber coating with a wide channel design, both things that make it a very durable ball that doesn’t need to be pumped up much, plus it has great grip too.
Pros
- Durable rubber coating
- Doesn’t need pumping often
- Great grip
- Good bounce
- NBA logo included
Cons
- Inflation hole may wear down after prolonged use
Our Rating
This ball comes in at a fantastic price and it makes for a perfectly fine outdoor basketball. It’s tough, it has good grip, and it’s dependable too.
Design
There is nothing wrong with the design of this ball and it’s perfect for outdoor use no doubt. The Mikasa Premium Rubber Basketball features a special outdoor covering that makes it very resilient to the wear and tear that comes with playing on concrete. This ball is made with some of the most durable rubber out there so you know that concrete is not going to break it down, not one bit.
The superior rubber coating on this ball combined with the advanced texture provides you with a ton of grip. Even when your hands are wet and sweaty, the great grip on this ball helps to ensure that you can throw, shoot, and catch it with ease. We also like the fact that this ball has a classic orange and black design. Finally, this ball comes in the standard official NBA size, in a youth size, and a compact size too.
Value for money
This is one of the cheaper basketballs on this list and it comes in at around 15 dollars, which is about as good as it gets. It’s a perfectly fine ball with great grip and a special rubber coating for outdoor use.
Build quality
There is nothing wrong with the build quality of this basketball. It may be a cheap ball, but it still retains its quality without a doubt. It’s durable and built for outdoor use, has great grip, a nice design, it bounces just like any other ball, and it retains its air really well too.
Pros
- Outdoor rubber coating
- Durable rubber design
- Great grip
- Nice design
- Very affordable
- Comes in various sizes
Cons
- Inflation hole may warp after prolonged use
Conclusion
There are a great number of basketballs out there, especially ones meant for outdoor use. The trick to finding a good ball is to buy one that has a few key features. An outdoor basketball needs to be coated in a durable layer so the concrete doesn’t wear it down, it needs good grip for catching and throwing, and it needs to be able to retain its air very well. Of course, we would recommend one of the above options as your best outdoor basketball choice, as they are the best quality basketballs that you will find for the lowest possible prices.
If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about buying a basketball, or maybe about one of the specific models we have talked about, always feel free to shoot us a message and we will get back to you as soon as we can!