Footballs are generally made of four different materials. Those four materials are leather, rubber, foam, and composite. All of the different materials have their pluses and minuses so you will want to know about them prior to purchasing a ball so that you get a ball that makes sense for your situations. Out of all the materials, only leather is used by the NFL so these should be considered to be the best footballs. Leather footballs require a special process where the hide is tanned so that it’s easy to grip rather than being smooth. You are going to need to condition the leather on a regular basis and let them air out if they get wet. This kind of ball should never be used in the pool.

A composite ball is one that is made with fake leather. They cost less and are more durable than a football that is made of leather so they do not require as much maintenance as a leather football. Composite is one of the most popular materials used to make footballs and is what most people are familiar with. Rubber is the other option that many people see. Typically, rubber is used in lower cost footballs as it costs less than leather. Rubber is a great choice for the water and rainy weather but it can be slippery and hard to grip.

The final material is foam. Foam is perfect for playing the backyard but it’s almost never used in league play. It’s great because it’s forgiving and soft so it’s perfect for children and to use in the pool. If you need something that is inexpensive and fun to have, then foam is a great choice.

When you are picking out a football, you are going to have three different size and weight options. The first size is the official size that is used by the NFL and other similar football leagues. There is also a junior size and finally the PeeWee size. You may also see other sizes when you are looking at foam footballs or football-shaped toys but these are the common sizes that are available.

The largest size is usually sold as an “official” size but this can be misleading as the word “official” generally leads people to believe that the ball is made to NFL specifications. This is not the case however so you need to look at the construction, size, and weight of the ball in order to determine if it’s truly official or not. When you see a ball that is labeled as an “official” sized ball, you can figure that it’s intended to be used by people who are over the age of fourteen.

Junior is the next smaller sized football and is more properly named. This is a ball that is smaller than the official sized football but is larger than the PeeWee sized ball. A junior sized ball is suitable for children who are between the ages of 9 and 14 years old. It’s slightly smaller size makes it easier for people in this age group to grip and throw it. The smallest size is PeeWee size. Its small size makes it great for children under the age of 9. Whenever you are picking out a ball, you will want to look at the size and make sure it’s proper for the intended user of the football.

Quality is important because it’s going to determine how long the ball will last and how well you can play with it. There are three common complaints that people tend to have when it comes to low quality in a football. The first complaint is that the ball leaks air. Many poorly constructed balls develop an air leak after they have been played with for a while and the ball will continue to go flat. You can attempt to eliminate this problem by looking for foam balls that do not have air, or by getting a premium leather or composite ball. A better-constructed ball will have a stronger air bladder that is less likely to develop leaks.

Another common complaint about footballs is that they can be hard to grip. It’s important to be able to grip the ball since this is going to affect how likely you are to fumble or how well you can catch or throw the ball. A well-made ball has a tacky surface and you can easily feel the ball with your hands to see how well you can hold onto it. When you are shopping for a ball, you will want to test it out to make sure that you can grip it properly.

The final complaint comes from the ball falling apart prematurely. This is usually an issue of low-quality rubber or foam and poor stitching in composite or leather. In the case of rubber and foam, the material dries out and starts to develop cracks and will break. Leather and composite see the stitches start to come undone which causes the ball to fall apart. Once again, proper care and a premium product will normally address these quality issues.