Volleyball is a fairly inexpensive sport to get into since it doesn’t require a lot of gear or equipment for anyone to play. That being said, there are still some basic equipment every player will need regardless of if they are just starting, or even playing on a professional level. You may not need to procure each of these items for yourself, but you’ll need to find them or someone who has these items if you want to play volleyball.
To play volleyball, players will need the following items:
- A volleyball
- Sportswear
- Shoes
- A Net
All of these items are crucial in playing volleyball for pretty evident reasons that I will explain further below. I’ll also present to you my personal recommendations for each of the basic volleyball items needed to play.
Volleyballs
Obviously, a volleyball player needs a volleyball. You need the ball to play, to practice, and so you can get comfortable playing around with it. A good quality volleyball will last you years and could even last decades. One of the volleyball I have myself I’ve owned for more than 8 years now and it is still in great shape.
Indoor Volleyball
When it comes to buying one for yourself, I can only recommend the best option available at the time of this writing, and that is The Molten FLISTATEC Volleyball.
To put it simply, this volleyball is used for most high-level competitions in volleyball. It is currently the Official game ball of the NCAA and also officially approved by the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FVIB).
The sooner you get to play around with this ball, the more you’ll be comfortable as you advance on your volleyball journey.
I can attest to the level of quality of this ball since I currently own one, and it is also the model that I competed with when playing in College. This ball is not going to let you down. You can grab one from amazon here.
Beach Volleyball
Just like my recommended indoor volleyball, my preference and recommendation for beach volleyball is simply the best ball you can currently get. For beach volleyball, that is the MIKASA VLS300, Beach Champ.
This ball is without a doubt of high quality. It’s made of durable material made to be water-resistant and strong enough for all types of weather. It is the official game ball for all FIVB beach volleyball events. This exact model was also used for the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. Get it for yourself here.
Volleyball Sportswear
Like most sports, volleyball players adhere to some sort of typical sportswear. When playing casually, there are no strict rules to follow regarding your attire, but for organized leagues and events there very well might be. That being said, if you spend any amount of time watching volleyball, you can easily detect a common outfit for men and for women.
Men Outfit
As a guy who has played volleyball for about 15 years now, I know exactly what is the common attire that men wear to play volleyball. Not surprisingly, this attire is simply a t-shirt and some shorts. My honest opinion is that if you are a man, you can wear pretty much any t-shirt with any type of shorts when you play volleyball. Obviously, if you sweat a lot, you might wanna consider a dry-fit shirt and some gym shorts to go with it. If you are in a team, your coach might have some criteria for your outfits, but otherwise, some shorts and a t-shirt will do fine.
When it comes to t-shirts, I would recommend the Under Armour Men’s Raid Short Sleeve T-Shirt. Being someone who sweats a lot, I appreciate the fact that this material dries really fast and that it can stretch and follow my movements with ease. It is also very smooth to the touch and offers some appreciated heat control when you are sweating your butt off.
Now, shorts. I’ll be honest here, wear any shorts you feel comfortable with. I would recommend something you know can keep up with you when you jump, lunge, and fall on the round. Most gym shorts fit that description. I encourage you to visit your favorite sports store near you and try on some of their gym shorts.
If you are looking for my recommendation, I would simply go with Hanes Men’s Sport Mesh Pocket Short Short. I enjoy this simple polyester fabric that is greatly breathable. It is also fairly inexpensive and does the job well. Oh, and I also enjoy having pockets.
Women Outfit
Similarly to men, women have an unofficial attire that most players will wear, and just like men, this includes a top with shorts. Women usually will wear a t-shirt and a pair of shorts commonly referred to as spandex. This type of outfit is worn by both professional and recreational players alike.
To be clear, spandex is not always the preferred option, but it comes down to a personal choice. It is true that it is a staple of women’s professional volleyball for the majority of players. At the end of the day, you should wear whatever you feel comfortable performing with.
My top recommendation for a shirt is once again an Under Armour product, the Under Armour Women’s Tech Short-Sleeve T-Shirt. Like my men’s recommendation, this shirt is slick, smooth to the touch, and stretchable. It offers great heat control and dries fast.
My shorts recommendation is the Victory 3.5″ Inseam Volleyball Shorts. Mizuno, a renowned volleyball brand that sponsors many professional teams, offers this pair of shorts that allow you to move freely and will stretch to effortlessly follow all of your movements. The shorts are known to be very comfortable with their waistband that hugs your body.
Volleyball shoes
Before I give any recommendations, I’d like to quickly go over what anyone should be looking for in a pair of volleyball shoes. Three factors are important; fit, weight, and grip. Generally speaking, a pair of Volleyball shoes should have a tight, or snug fit. Your volleyball shoes should preferably be lightweight to not burden you when moving or jumping. Finally, the bottom of your volleyball shoes should be made of an anti-slipping material like gum rubber, or something similar.
Men
My recommendation for men’s volleyball shoes, and what I personally own at the moment are the Mizuno Wave Momentum Volleyball Shoes. Personally, I’m a huge fan of this very lightweight shoe with a nice tight fit. When I was shopping around for my shoes, the Mizuno Wave Momentum were the most comfortable and tight pair I tried. Another important thing this shoe has is a great grip and great shock absorption from repetitive motions.
That being said, I encourage you to shop around to find what pair fits you best, but for me, the Mizuno Wave Momentum Volleyball Shoes checked all my boxes.
Women
Since I can’t try women’s shoes for myself, I’ll have to base my recommendation on other opinions. After looking at reviews, and my personal experience with the Mizuno brand, I will also recommend the Mizuno Wave Momentum Volleyball Shoes for women. You can expect a lightweight shoe with great grip. It offers great shock absorption and its inner “sock” like interior makes the shoe feel snug and comfortable.
Please remember that whenever you are considering purchasing volleyball shoes, I encourage you to shop around to find what pair fits your own feet the best.
Volleyball Net
Just like everything else on this list, a net is required to play some volleyball. Now, I do not encourage everyone to get a net for themselves, it is likely not necessary. Often schools, parks, and other recreational centers will have volleyball nets available. Real indoor volleyball net systems are very costly, and I’ve never purchased one myself. For these reasons, I won’t be recommending any here.
Now, if you are looking for a net at home that you can use indoor, outdoors, or in whatever way you wish to, you should try the Baden Champions Volleyball Set. The set is great, easy to assemble, and height-adjustable. It has 5 stars on Amazon, with over 1,100 reviews. This set is a great family-friendly kit that includes a Volleyball for outdoor play and a pump for it. With its easy installation and portable function, it comes in pretty handy for any impromptu desire to play some volleyball.
Fair warning, the net is assembled with a cord system that tries to keep the net straight but it will likely need to be adjusted when playing if you are looking for it to keep a strong net tension. Unfortunately, that is a price you’ll have to pay regardless of the outdoor volleyball net system since they all have a similar problem. This is because all outdoor net systems are made to be somewhat portable and lack a solid grounding for their poles.
