Compared to other sports, you need relatively little equipment to play a round of beach volleyball. However, the more often you play and the longer you stay on the beach volleyball court, the more equipment you will eventually need. We have compiled an overview of the basic equipment here, as well as a wide range of other items that you will probably pack in your bag at some point.

The beach volleyball ball

The beach volleyball ball is an essential part of your equipment. Compared to an indoor volleyball, it is slightly larger, has a softer surface, and is not inflated so hard. It is made of a more robust material that hardly absorbs any liquid. A necessary feature, as it can rain during a game. In most instances, the ball is striped with light and bright colors. The most famous ball is the Mikasa Beach Volleyball Beach Champ VLS 300, which is the official ball for the Olympic Games and World / European Championships. Besides your ball, you should also carry a ball pump in your bag.

Tip:

Write your name and phone number on your ball. In beach volleyball, many honest finders will give you your ball back if you forget it on the court.

The right clothes

A basic rule that does not only apply to beach volleyball: Do not rely on the weather forecast. Of course, you should pack matching shirts, pants, bikini or swimming shorts and, if your team has one, a jersey as well. But also warm clothes like a hoodie or a jacket should not be missing.

When you play beach volleyball, you usually think of the beach and sunshine, but you can also play in the rain. So pack rainproof clothes and a waterproof bag to keep your smartphone safe. Speaking of rain, also pack a towel to dry off the wet beach volleyball.

If it's not raining and the sun warms the sand all day long, it can get scorching, especially in summer. Pack beach socks, so you can play on the hot sand.

Pack an umbrella (or parasol) if you are playing on a foreign beach volleyball court and don't know if there is a place to hide.

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Sun protection

When there is a lot of sunshine, not only does the sand become very hot, but the risk of sunburn increases enormously. The application of sunscreen is mandatory! Also, pack a cap or hat to protect your head.

Of course, you should have sunglasses as well. When choosing your sunglasses, make sure that they fit and do not slip. Beach volleyball involves a lot of jumping and panting, so you shouldn't let your glasses fly into the sand every 30 seconds.

In addition to sunscreen, pack a lip balm to counteract dry and chapped lips. Since you'll be walking in the sand all day, you should also pack fat cream to cream your feet and prevent chapped and cracked skin.

Warming up and postprocessing

Even though beach volleyball is a very safe sport, injuries can occur from time to time. One of the most common injuries in beach volleyball are injuries to the finger. Finger injuries are common due to sub-optimal timing when blocking. For this reason, you should pack your roll of tape in your bag, as this can protect you from injury.

You can also protect yourself from injury by warming up sufficiently and stretching yourself before the game starts. A Theraband, also known as a fitness band, latex band, or gymnastics band, is suitable for this. These bands are great for stretching your whole body and are easy to store.

But you should not only stretch sufficiently before the game but also after it. In addition to a Theraband, a fascia roll is particularly suitable. You can use it to massage your muscles, and thus support regeneration and prevent muscle soreness.

If there is no shower at the beach volleyball court, you should take a small hand brush with you to roughly clean your body of sand.

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Everything for a break

You are now perfectly equipped for a round of beach volleyball, but at some point, you need to take a break and recharge your batteries. We certainly don't need to mention that you should pack enough drinks and a few snacks. Just a little tip on the side: put a bottle of water in the freezer the night before you go out to play and take it with you to the court on game day. The water will melt over time, and you will have something cool to drink.

On longer game days, you should also pack a folding chair or something similar so that you can enjoy your snacks and cold drinks. So you can sit down during the break, and not only in the sand. A beach towel, of course, serves the same purpose.

A Bluetooth box and a charged smartphone or MP3 player are suitable for breaktime entertainment. You can also play music while you are playing. But you should make sure that your music is not too loud and that you disturb other people with it.