Quick answer: Outdoor pickleball balls have 40 small holes, hard plastic, and a bit more weight to handle wind and rough court surfaces. Indoor balls have 26 larger holes, softer plastic, and a slower bounce. Most courts in Vietnam are outdoors or covered on a hard surface, so the 40-hole outdoor ball is the right pick for most players.
If you've ever picked up two pickleballs and noticed one has bigger holes and the other smaller ones, that's not just a cosmetic difference. Those two balls are built for two completely different environments, and using the wrong one changes how the ball feels from your very first serve. This article walks through how to tell the two types apart, why they're built differently, and — most importantly — which one matches the courts you actually play on.
Why are there two types of pickleball balls?
Pickleball started in the US, where players move indoors to wood gymnasiums in winter and head to outdoor courts in summer. Those two environments differ in three ways: wind, court surface, and temperature.
Outdoors, there's wind. A hollow plastic ball weighing under 27 grams gets knocked off course easily. Manufacturers compensate by drilling smaller holes and increasing the count to 40, while also using harder plastic to mold a slightly heavier ball. The result is an outdoor ball that flies steadier and resists side-drift when the wind picks up.
Indoors, it's the opposite. There's no wind, and the wood or smooth court surface is gentler on the ball, so indoor balls use softer plastic and only need 26 larger holes. The ball is lighter and slower, producing longer, more controlled rallies suited to an enclosed space.
Specific differences between indoor and outdoor balls
Set the two balls side by side and you'll see the differences come down to five things.
Hole count and hole size. Outdoor balls have 40 small holes evenly spaced to keep the ball spinning and flying in balance. Indoor balls have 26 large holes. This is the fastest way to tell them apart by eye.
Plastic. Outdoor balls use hard plastic to hold up against rough concrete and acrylic surfaces. Indoor balls use softer plastic since wood floors don't wear the ball down. Give each a light squeeze and you'll feel it: an outdoor ball barely gives, while an indoor ball flexes slightly under your fingers.
Weight. Outdoor balls are usually a touch heavier than indoor balls. Under the USA Pickleball equipment standards, a legal competition ball weighs 22.1 to 26.5 grams and measures 73 to 75.5 mm in diameter. Outdoor balls tend to sit at the upper end of that range for extra stability in the wind.
Bounce and speed. Harder plastic plus a bit more weight makes outdoor balls bounce higher and travel faster, with a noticeably firmer impact off the paddle. Indoor balls are slower and softer, extending rallies and favoring more tactical play at the net.
Durability by environment. Outdoor balls hold up well on rough courts, but their hard plastic tends to crack as it wears out. Indoor balls rarely crack — instead they soften, get fuzzy on the surface, and gradually lose bounce over time. For a deeper look at this, see our article on how long pickleball balls last and when to replace them.
Quick comparison table
| Criteria | Outdoor ball | Indoor ball |
|---|---|---|
| Hole count | 40 small holes | 26 large holes |
| Plastic | Hard | Soft |
| Weight | Heavier (typically 25-26.5 g) | Lighter (typically 22-24 g) |
| Ball speed | Fast, high bounce | Slow, soft |
| Wind resistance | Good | Poor |
| Best-suited surface | Concrete, acrylic, hard courts | Wood floors, indoor carpet |
| Wear pattern | Cracking | Softening, fuzzing, losing bounce |
Which ball should you use on courts in Vietnam?
This is the question most Vietnamese players get stuck on, because "indoor" as it's understood in the US doesn't match "covered court" in Vietnam.
Pickleball courts in Vietnam today mostly fall into three categories: fully outdoor courts, covered courts that are still open to airflow on all sides, and a small number of fully enclosed indoor gymnasiums. The first two share a hard surface — usually concrete finished with acrylic or a synthetic coating — and are still exposed to wind.
Given that hard surface and wind exposure, the 40-hole outdoor ball is the right choice for the vast majority of courts in Vietnam, covered ones included. The 26-hole indoor ball only really shines on an enclosed wood court sheltered from wind, which is still fairly rare here. Play an indoor ball on an outdoor acrylic court and you'll notice it slows down, drifts in the wind, and wears through fast as its soft plastic meets a rough surface.
Recreational leagues and official tournaments in Vietnam also default almost universally to the 40-hole ball. So if you train with one type, compete with the same type — that keeps your feel for the ball consistent between practice and match play.
Choosing a ball based on your player type
Beginners: start with a 40-hole outdoor ball that meets competition specs from day one — don't train with a random ball and then have to relearn your feel once you move up to a proper one. A true, consistent bounce helps you build the right instincts from your very first sessions.
Recreational players, playing 3 to 5 sessions a week: pay attention to durability. A one-piece molded ball holds up to impact far better than a two-half ball glued together, with far less cracking along the seam. For example, the vola! 40-hole ball is rotationally molded as a single piece from virgin PE plastic, measures 74 mm in diameter, weighs 26 grams, and is tested to meet competition specs — built specifically for outdoor and covered-court conditions in Vietnam. See the details on the vola! pickleball product page.
Competitive players: use whatever ball your league or tournament requires. Check the specs printed on the box — diameter, weight, hole count. We cover how to read those specs in detail in how to choose a competition-grade pickleball.
Court and club owners: beyond ball quality, your real challenge is pricing at volume and a reliable supply, since balls are a consumable you go through every week. Buying by the case from a distributor with domestic stock gives you far more control than sourcing single boxes here and there.
A few common ball-buying mistakes
There are three mistakes I see repeated on courts again and again.
First, buying by color instead of by type. Yellow, orange, or white is just about visibility under different lighting — it says nothing about whether a ball is indoor or outdoor. You still have to count the holes and check the specs.
Second, chasing a bargain-bin ball with no clear specs. A ball that's off-spec on weight or bounce will throw off the whole group's feel for the game, and it usually cracks after just a few sessions. Do the math over a month and cheap balls often cost more than durable, spec-compliant ones.
Third, mixing old and new balls in the same match. A well-worn ball goes soft and loses bounce, creating a noticeable gap next to a fresh one. If you play seriously, agree with your group on a regular replacement schedule.
Wrapping up
Telling indoor and outdoor pickleball balls apart isn't hard: count the holes, give it a squeeze, check the specs on the box. Given the hard, windy court conditions typical of Vietnam, a competition-grade 40-hole outdoor ball is the safe choice for everyone from beginners to competitive players.
If you run a sports shop, a court, or coach players and are looking for a source of competition-grade 40-hole balls at good wholesale pricing with fast delivery from stock in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City, vola! runs a dealer partnership program with terms tailored to different scales of business. Leave your details on our dealer registration page and the vola! team will send you wholesale pricing the same day.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 40-hole pickleball ball indoor or outdoor?
The 40-hole ball is an outdoor ball, used on outdoor courts and covered hard courts. Its smaller, more numerous holes keep the ball flying steady in the wind. Indoor balls have 26 larger holes and are used on enclosed wood courts.
Should covered courts in Vietnam use indoor or outdoor balls?
Use the outdoor 40-hole ball. Covered courts in Vietnam still have hard, acrylic-coated surfaces and open airflow, which is completely different from an enclosed indoor wood court, so the outdoor ball is the better fit for both durability and flight.
What are the specs for a competition-grade pickleball?
Under USA Pickleball's standard, a legal ball has a diameter of 73 to 75.5 mm, weighs 22.1 to 26.5 grams, has 26 to 40 round holes, and bounces 76 to 86 cm when dropped from a height of 2 meters. These specs are usually printed on the ball's box.
Is it okay to use an indoor ball outdoors?
You can, but you shouldn't. The soft plastic of an indoor ball wears down fast on rough court surfaces, flies slower, and gets pushed around by wind, throwing off your feel for the ball once you go back to a proper one.
Which outdoor ball is the most durable?
Favor one-piece molded balls over two-half balls glued together, since there's no seam to crack under hard impact. The plastic matters too: virgin PE plastic holds its elasticity better than recycled plastic.