Pickleball is a sport that has flexibility and range beyond measure, in fact, you could play in tons of settings without feeling burned through its experience because when you pick up your Paddle it feels like a fresh breath of air.
To top it off, the unrestricted nature of this sport has allowed players to play in both Indoors and outdoor settings providing freedom to every player without discriminating against anyone.
But even though it’s a recreational sport that is undoubtedly gaining popularity exponentially.
There are some things you need to keep an eye out for especially when both indoor and outdoor Pickleball are put in perspective, which we will be exploring in detail right down below, so strap in.
Benefits Of Playing in Sheltered Environment – Indoor Pickleball
Playing Pickleball indoors is like entering a whole different world, the whole dynamics changes along with the ambiance settings, here are a handful of benefits you can attain while playing Pickleball indoors.
1. Weather Shielded Environment
This might sound too obvious but playing PIckleball in a closed-walled environment provides sheltering from all sorts of harsh weather so you won’t get your skin scalded by direct sunlight heat in summer or frosty breeze slithering on your face in winter.
In other words, you would be able to play PIckleball, all year round in a cozy and comfortable environment without facing any temperature-based hurdles.
2. Controlled Spaces
Pickleball is heavily influenced by heavy bursts of wind since the ball itself is made of hollow plastic with numerous holes around it which compromises its trajectory to a great extent.
Indoor Pickleball settings completely eliminate such issues as you could swing to your heart’s content without worrying about sudden jolts of wind ruining your gameplay.
In Addition to that, you won’t have to worry about dust or debris flying in your face whenever you are in the midst of fast action-paced volleys.
3. Top Tier Lightning
Artificial lightning is by far one the biggest elements that takes the crown whenever Indoor vs. outdoor Pickleball is placed in comparison because no matter how much ambient lightning you may install outdoors when compared with the lumen intensity of indoor pickleball court, it barely surpasses it.
To top it off, in indoor environments, you don’t even have to deal with fog buildup on your view or Flies or moths congesting the court.
4. Great For Beginners
Most Indoor Pickleball courts are built on private property which means you could easily train in a controlled environment with your mentor or coach without being criticized or judged by spectators.
It also helps you build confidence as you could spend more time in court much more comfortably.
Bright Side Of Playing With Freedom – Outdoor Pickleball
While indoor pickleball might feel comfortable and cozy, Outdoor Pickleball is all about enjoying nature and its sunshine. In other words, Outdoor Pickleball is how it was meant to be in the first place and everyone knows “original is superior”, here are a handful of amazing aspects about it.
1. No Ventilation Problems
Outdoor extracurricular activities are meant to be enjoyed outdoors because you can easily breathe in fresh air in your lungs which directly correlates with your mental and physical wellbeing since you feel much more aware and active.
Breathing in the fresh air also eliminates lethargy as your lungs can take in tons of oxygen when you are feeling pumped up during a fast-paced pickleball session.
In indoor Court, you would be pretty much choking and recycling the same air which may not be healthy for players if you are spending too long on the court.
2. Bigger Courts
Most indoor Pickleball courts are often cranked-up versions of official dimensions due to space-related issues as the management also needs to install benches and other furniture around the court which requires space compensation.
On the flip side, you could easily enjoy and have the complete liberty to play in doubles format with minimal maneuverability restriction at ease. It also helps you train better and help you understand various zones in the court more thoroughly since outdoor pickleballs such as the public ones are based on official dimensions i.e 44 feet in length and 20 feet in width.
3. Readily Available
One of my biggest pet peeves about indoor pickleballs is that they are rare and harder to find, while Outdoor Pickleball courts are available in abundance, you just have to walk in your local park.
The best part is, that they are either pretty much free to use or require low subscription fees, unlike a Private indoor pickleball court which may cost an arm and limb just to have monthly sessions in it.
4. Extroverts Haven
If you ever want to meet new friends, expand your contacts, or simply want to get along with a coaching partner, there is no better place than a pickleball court, while most indoor courts struggle to have players, outdoor Pickleball courts are massively crowded with tons of spectators and is even backed by a proper community which sponsors regular tournaments and leagues.
5. Sound Propagation
Outdoor Pickleball feels much less noisy since the waves of sound can easily propagate around the court without being enclosed in the walls as compared to indoor pickleball. This makes the whole environment quite pleasant for everyone inside the court allowing players to focus much more easily without getting overwhelmed.
Equipment Discrepancies in Indoor and Outdoor Pickleball
While it might sound trivial, there are some key differences between the ball type and surface of the court when playing Pickleball in an Outdoor vs. indoor environment.
1. Ball Type
In Outdoor PIckleball, the Ball is made from Typical plastic, however, they have around 40 smaller holes which is way twice that it is in Indoor Pickleball since it only consists of 20 holes which are much larger and profound.
The balls used in indoor settings are made from rubber material and have a considerable amount of flexibility since it has to bounce on a wooden surface.
On the flip side, outdoor Pickleball uses stiffer balls since they are affected by the radiation of the sun and other forms of harsher wind effects.
2. Surface Of The Court
Typically outdoor courts are built on tough concrete or asphalt material with dense thermal mass that special acrylic paint is applied on it to indicate the boundaries of the court.
Meanwhile, indoor courts have plywood surfaces with predefined lines that are either done with tape or traditional paint and have lesser tactile feedback because most of the ball’s shockwave is absorbed it.
Indoor vs Outdoor Pickleball – Conclusion
If you want to train harder and push your limits, Outdoor Pickleball might be much more suitable for your playstyle since it provides an experience that you pretty much have to face in traditional leagues or competitive sessions.
Indoor Pickleball is all about having fun with your buddies in a much more controlled environment, however, you also get to play any day of the week without worrying about running into weather-related issues.
Nevertheless, at the end of the day, one or another, you are going to have tons of fun and thrill complimented with jolts of adrenaline.
