Waterball - in Popular Culture

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 USA 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 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 kids 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 on 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.