Sunday, October 12, 2008

Tossaball® Hybrid 'Super Soft' 3.2

My quest to find the perfect juggling ball continues... I remember my first balls which I received at a motivational speaking event. They were made of vinyl and never really lost their square shape. These days there are lots of balls to choose from and I think there is a real lack of reviews to help people sort them out and spend their money wisely. In this regard, this post is an attempt to help other jugglers make good buying decisions.

I have a new set of balls called Tossaball® Hybrid 'Super Soft' 3.2 which I've been practicing with recently. These balls are the new line of hybrid balls from The Flying Clipper based in Oregon. A few months ago I made the switch to juggling the original line of hybrids which are 2.8" 130 grams. You can read my review here. Below is a description of the Super Soft balls I pulled from the manufacturer's website.

Finally a 'Super Soft" completely washable juggle ball that will always keep its shape even after many washings. Hand made craft is taken to high a form in this new Hybrid juggle ball offering. Like our other Hybrid balls this one also isolates heavy crushed rock filler between two layers of material, keeping most of the balls weight on the outside rim. For a super soft ball, this ball also rolls like a firm ball allowing for a unique combination of rolls and stalls unlike any other ball before it. This is the larger cousin to our new "Crossover" Hybrid footbag/juggle ball. The larger diameter and super soft feel make this one a great performance ball.

Diameter: 3.2" Weight: 140 grams


So what do I think about these new balls? In a word, quality. I feel the same way about the originals as I do about the Super Soft balls. As soon as you see and touch these balls, you will understand the high level of craftsmanship in them. The fact that they are sturdy and will last a long time, and the fact that you can machine wash them means these balls are a good investment of your money.

Personally, after juggling the original 2.8" Hybrids, I find that I prefer them over the Super Soft version. Both balls have their advantages and disadvantages. The tighter packed originals are easier for me to multiplex with and I have fewer collisions. The bigger, underfilled Super Softs are more visual because of their size, and easier to do stalls with. I prefer the smaller version because I love doing multiplexes and I think I have small hands which makes catching the smaller balls easier for me.

Regardless of my personal preference for the smaller, tightly packed originals, I can definitely confirm the quality of craftsmanship in both of these products. Basically, if you are looking for a high quality, washable juggling bean bag that will last you a long time, the new Super Soft balls are a good choice. Whether you like small tightly packed balls or larger loosely filled balls, I can honestly recommend Tossaball® Hybrid Series.

6 Comments:

At 6:48 AM, Blogger strangefamilia said...

thanks a lot for the review. i m always looking to improve in the quality of the balls. I ve been with so many different type, that i have hard time to say witch one is the one for me now. Every type seems to generate a different work

 
At 5:38 PM, Blogger Dedwarmo said...

Glad to see your new posts. I got a job as a truck driver so if I juggle it would have to be at a truck stop or rest area. I'm looking for a job that would allow me to come home every day.

 
At 6:57 PM, Blogger Ed Provencher said...

barth, thanks for the comment. I agree with you that different types of balls allow us to do different types of tricks. I really love to juggle three 100mm Mister Babache stage balls because they are so visual and I can do body bounces easily.

dedwarmo, my old neighbor got a job as a trucker and quickly earned a lot of cash. It sucked that he had to be away from his wife and kid, but he was able to buy her a new car, upgrade his house, and save. If you are interested in teaching English in Korea, let me know.

 
At 6:23 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Always interesting to hear about people's preference for juggling balls. I've a variety of them myself but I'm getting quite fond of juggling 3-ball variations with lacrosse balls. They're heavy and hard but I like how they feel really solid and dead-weight when they land.

 
At 7:17 PM, Blogger Ed Provencher said...

jh, do you also do bounce juggling with the lacrosse balls or just toss juggling? I see you've linked to www.streetjuggling.com. What's that all about?

 
At 6:12 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Heya -

That was my original intentions with the lacrosse balls. UNFORTUNATELY, they are waaay too loud and heavy and I live in an apartment. Each time they drop I feel my floor tremble.

About streetjuggling.com, I'm setting up a forum for all things juggling and am building it up slowly, slowly. I used to find my juggling help and inspiration from rec.juggling but I've always found them to be not as user-friendly as a forum should be. The other juggling forums around aren't exactly the most populated of places. Not that streetjuggling.com is for now but I can hope :) Feel free to drop by now and then.

 

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