Waterballs are water toys that are played on the water surface with players interacting with the water toy and the water in any number of play patterns. Generally players throw waterballs at varying speeds across the water and air at varying angles to get the desired skip pattern. Play is generally between players and play patterns can involve a variety of apparatus and equipment, such as special pools with goals and watercourts.
In popular culture
They are palm-sized waterballs that can travel as fast as they can be thrown. They can travel a great distance, even crossing large moving waterways. High-performance waterballs currently are not well known to the public as they have only been on the US market for a few years, having been introduced in the summer of 2008 with the launch of the Waboba Ball.
Splash balls or water bombs are well known to the public and have been on the market in the US for years. They are designed for children and adults to play on a water surface. These are also more suitable for children and non-sport uses. Splash balls or water bombs are not high-performance waterballs or part of this discussion.
There are a number of nerf-styled polo waterballs on the market that are smaller and softer than the regulation sport polo waterball. These are also more suitable for children and non-sport uses. These are polo and catch balls designed to play on the water surface however they are not high-performance waterballs or part of this discussion.
Generally, high-performance waterballs have little friction on the water, they are relatively small in size and density making them generally a handball size. With a certain amount of force they skip, bounce and glide in a straight line on the water surface and can travel fast and long distance. They can be projected on the water between players at a range of 3– 200 feet as there is very little friction slow them on the water surface – particularly the sealed waterball. Each time they bounce, skip or roll on the water surface, the inertia is reduced by opposing forces of gravity, friction, surface tension, surface drag.
Waterballs have traditionally been seen as a children's toy, with a number of manufacturers aiming for that particular market segment when introducing new products. The WaterRipper is being marketed as a kid's 4+ pool toy however it is also marketed as a high-performance action sports water ball. Most waterballs are sold in sporting goods, toy stores, outdoor stores and even food stores. The WaterRipper was launched in the United States in July 2010. The Waboba ball was initially marketed overseas, introduced in Scandinavia 2005 and in the United Kingdom in 2008. It is now sold worldwide.
Size, shape and materials
The high-performance waterball is generally the size of a golf ball or stress ball designed for catching with a single hand. Different waterballs are made of different materials. Most high-performance waterballs are sealed balls and are made out of different types of rubber or neoprene with gel material center and polyurethane and Lycra jacket. The new generation waterball is water absorbing with fluid high-density particulate contents. There are patent pending designs for "high density" or "balanced density " materials in making the new generation waterballs.
High-performance waterballs come in different sizes and shapes. There are a handful of high-performance waterballs such as Waboba Ball, Water Bouncer, and the WaterRipper currently sold in the US. The sealed or water-absorbing, high-performance waterballs are typically or larger and made of soft rubber generally with a neoprene single seam jacket. These balls are designed to bounce on the water surface.
The water absorbing waterball is the smallest of these high-performance waterballs. It is a collapsing bag or sack like a footbag with an Ultra Suede single seam cover and beaded fill with other water absorbing high-density materials. It is designed to skip and roll on water in a low profile skip pattern. It is less than in diameter and it easily fits and collapses in a small child's hand. It looks and feels like a footbag or Hacky Sack. The water absorbing waterball like the Waboba Blast Ball and Water Ripper Ball are the only high-performance waterballs designed to absorb water.