Step-by-Step Procedure to Select A Foosball Table: Buying Guide
Are you looking for a fun indoor sports activity? Are you tired of playing those same old board games? Well, it is about time you should know about the classic foosball boards. The foosball table is an indoor table-sport, which is loosely based on football, and that is why it is also called table football. All people between the ages of 10-35 know their own or have had an experience with foosball, making it a highly popular indoor game. You can also use this unit of entertainment to lighten up your place of business and enhance personal growth and learning. It can fit perfectly in a café, bar, lounge, or you could add this sport to your games room.
Features To Look For While Buying A Foosball Table
Heavyweight Tables
The foosball table is more stable during an enthusiastic game and is higher in durability. The cabinet design's thicker quality will give you consistency when the ball bounces around the boards, and you will be faster at learning to play your shots. The thinner and lighter tables will begin to chip and flake around the goalposts after a few years because of wear and tear from shells.
Toes
When you are looking for the best foosball boards, look for a model where the men have pointed toes and a cross-hatching design on the foot as it will allow better ball control. The cross-hatch looks like little ridges or teeth along the foot's bottom, improving the ball control.
The traditional design has the man with a round, slick toe, and it does not allow you to pass the ball to other players back and forth on the same rod, and it cannot allow you to shoot bank shots. Bank shots will require a sharper edge on the man's toe as you need to hit the ball off the side at an acute angle to hit a solid bank shot.
Counterbalanced/Counterweighted Men
Counterbalanced or counterweighted foosball men are essential features you should look into while buying a high-end foosball table. Counterbalanced means the weight in the head of the man equals the importance of the toe. If your boards do not weigh the heads, you will not be able to keep the men horizontally positioned without having to hold the rod.
It is very frustrating when you are playing a one-on-one game as the men will keep flipping over and cause hindrances while you attack and defend. With counterbalanced, you will be able to rotate your men horizontally easily. They will stick to that position and at a height that is out of your choice. The weight will also add speed to your shots.
Hollow Interior
The rod significantly impacts your table's style. Some manufacturers use metals that are cheap and lightweight and which bend over time. Others use some made from solid steel, without hollowing out the center to reduce the weight. You have to make sure that you find a model with reinforced or hardened steel, which has the center completely drilled out to weigh less. This will allow a smooth glide that will surely stand the test of time. You can prefer the kick legends sports table where players can enjoy unlimited.
Handles
High-quality foosball boards are made with an octagonal-shaped handle to allow you to get the best grip that allows for better hand placement and more effective shooting. It would help if you are looking for a wooden material or plastic with a substantial feel instead of a rounded or slick handle that will make your hand slip. With the plastic handles, there are more chances to have accidental spins or less accurate shots because your hand will fall loose from the rod. These might be little details, but all these little details will add up to make an overall impact on your performance.
Ball Returns On The Table's Side
The side ball returns are not highly essential to the actual gameplay, but it indeed is of great convenience. You must look for this unique feature while buying a high-end foosball table, most of which usually come pre-equipped. The ball returns, which are at the end of the ball table, are not as useful due to 3 primary reasons:
Firstly, you won't be able to position your table against the wall to keep it out of the way; secondly, you will have to reach around to the sides of the table when you are practicing foosball by yourself; and lastly, many end ball returns makes the ball fall on the floor.
Factors That Accomodate Ease of Play
The side ball returns solve all 3 of these issues and makes your table a little more user-friendly.
The Legs
Do make sure you don't ignore how important it is to have healthy and sturdy legs as they serve as the foundation for having a proper leveled table that doesn't wobble around while the game is in session. The legs should be tightly bolted on to the cabinet to avoid any wobble in the structure.
Price
The foosball table comes in various forms, and the fees range accordingly. The high-end and best quality foosball boards may cost you more than the traditional foosball tables, but they are worth their cost. They will last longer and more resistant to damage.
Lightweight
Cheaper Hathaway foosball tables will be lightweight and may not give you the result you are looking for but will surely be a fantastic entertainment piece—your budget and purpose matter most while buying a foosball board. If you do not plan to use it commercially or professionally, then the traditional table would be more than sufficient.
Conclusion
A Carmelli foosball table is undoubtedly something you should own in your house or game room. It brightens up the environment and is always a conversation starter. With the wide variety and ranges the boards come in, it should be easy for you to pick one out for yourself today.