Butterfly Balls

Butterfly table tennis balls — 3-star competition balls and training balls, 40 mm, in the poly (plastic) material that replaced celluloid.

Three-star is the competition grade you want for a real match: held to the tightest tolerance for roundness, weight and bounce, and the grade required in sanctioned play. Training balls are made to a looser tolerance and bought by the box — the right call for drilling and robot work, where volume matters more than certification.

Balls are consumables, not a one-time buy. Poly balls go out of round and lose bounce with use, so check yours occasionally: a ball with a visible seam split or a soft spot belongs in the bin, not back in the box.