Zorbing vs bubble football – what’s the difference? Zorbing means rolling inside a huge, transparent ball that holds your whole body, usually down a gentle slope. Bumper ball (bubble football) is a completely different game: the ball covers you from head to knees, your legs stay outside, and you run, play football and crash into others. In short: in zorbing you roll, in bumper ball you play.
People often mix them up, because both involve an inflatable ball and plenty of laughter. Running bumper ball matches in Krakow is our day job, so below we explain the differences, compare them in a table and tell you honestly which to choose – including when our game isn’t the best idea.
What is zorbing and how does the ball work?
According to the New Zealand encyclopedia Te Ara, zorbing was invented in 1994 by New Zealanders Andrew Akers and Dwane van der Sluis, who also gave it its name. In its classic form, you roll down a hill inside a large, transparent ball.
A zorbing ball is really a ball within a ball. According to Wikipedia, the outer one is usually about 3 m in diameter and the inner one about 2 m. A layer of air between them cushions the roll, and thin cords connect the two. Most people roll down a gentle slope or a special track, but zorbing is also done on flat ground and on water.
Depending on the version, you’re either strapped in and tumble with the ball or move freely inside it. One ball holds 1–3 people. What does it feel like? Roughly like being inside a washing machine drum, with alternating views of sky and grass.
What is bumper ball and how is it played?
Bumper ball is a match in inflatable balls, also known as bubble football, bubble soccer and crash ball – it’s the same game every time. The ball is built completely differently from a zorbing ball. You put it on like a rucksack with adjustable straps, hold two grips, and it covers you from head to knees. Inflated, it weighs about 10 kg.
Our balls are 1.5 m in diameter (for players from about 150 cm tall) or 1.7 m (from about 180 cm). On the pitch, 10–12 people play at once, each in their own ball. Besides the match, we play games where collisions matter more than goals – we’ve written separately about bubble sumo, bulldog, last man standing and other bubble games.
The game itself is much younger than zorbing: according to Wikipedia, bubble football was first shown in 2011 in Norway, on the TV programme Golden Goal. Read more about how a match goes in what bubble football is and how a match in inflatable balls works.
Zorbing vs bubble football – a side-by-side comparison
| Zorbing | Bumper ball (bubble football) | |
|---|---|---|
| What you do | roll in a ball, e.g. down a gentle slope | play a match and other games, crashing into each other |
| Where your body is | completely inside the ball | in the ball from head to knees, legs outside |
| How the ball is built | a ball within a ball, with a layer of air in between | a single ball worn like a rucksack, with straps and grips |
| Diameter | outer about 3 m, inner about 2 m | ours: 1.5 m or 1.7 m |
| How many at once | 1–3 in one ball | 10–12 on the pitch, each in their own ball |
| Where | a slope, a track, flat ground or water | sports hall, outdoor pitch, grass |
| Who steers | on a slope, mostly gravity | you – running, braking, changing direction |
| Requirements | set by the operator | with us: age 10+, from about 150 cm tall, up to 100 kg |
| Origin | New Zealand, 1994 | Norway, 2011 |
In a nutshell: zorbing is a ride, bumper ball is a team game. Zorbing is all about the thrill of rolling; bumper ball is about competition, teams and collisions that mostly end in laughter.
Would you rather play than roll?
We’ll bring balls for 10–12 people, show you how to put them on safely and run the game – in a sports hall, on an outdoor pitch or on grass. We reply within 24 hours.
Check availabilityPrefer to call? +48 509 196 229 – Sylwester. We reply within 24 hours.
Crash ball, bubble soccer, bumper balls – a glossary of names
The names can be confusing, especially as some sound alike. For the record:
- Zorbing – rolling in a large double-walled ball that holds your whole body.
- Bumper ball, bubble football, bubble soccer, crash ball – four names for the same game: a match in balls that cover your torso, with your legs outside.
- “Match in inflatable balls”, “football in bubbles”, “inflatable bumping balls” – the Polish names for the same game, roughly translated.
- Bubble Sumo, Bubble Bowling, Bulldog, Last Man Standing – not separate sports, but games played in bumper balls.
If someone invites you to go “zorbing” on a pitch with goals, they almost certainly mean bumper ball. In real zorbing, goals are no use at all.
Zorbing or bumper ball – which should you choose?
It depends on how many of you there are, where you want to play and what you’re after: a one-off thrill or competition. Here are a few typical situations.
Bumper ball if you’re organising something for a group
On the pitch, 10–12 people play at once, and bigger groups are split into teams for a mini tournament so everyone gets a game. That’s why a bubble match works well for stag and hen dos, birthday parties for children aged 10 and over, company team building and class trips. Companies and institutions get a VAT invoice.
Bumper ball if you don’t want to depend on the weather
You can play in a sports hall, so rain or frost won’t spoil your plans. In summer you can play on an Orlik – one of the free public all-weather pitches built across Poland – or on grass, just not in full sun at midday, when a hall is the better choice.
Zorbing if you’re after a one-off thrill
If you’ve always wanted to roll down a hill in a giant ball at least once, bumper ball won’t replace that. But zorbing needs the right setting – a slope, a track or water – and an operator to run it, so you usually have to travel to it.
When bumper ball won’t work
To be honest: children under 10 don’t play with us, and the 1.5 m ball is designed for players from about 150 cm tall. A small back garden won’t do either. A match needs a level, soft surface (grass or artificial grass) with no sharp edges or obstacles, and room for 10–12 people to run around. In that case it’s better to book a hall – and we can help with that too.
Bumper ball in Krakow – how we do it
We play at the Com Com Zone hall (ul. Ptaszyckiego 6, Nowa Huta) and the hall at al. Jana Pawła II 37, or wherever you choose: a sports hall, an Orlik or grass. We work with venues all over Krakow, so we can find and book a hall for you. Delivery of the balls is free within 15 km of Krakow city centre, then €0.23 per km, and we travel all over Poland.
A standard booking is an hour of balls and venue – about 45 minutes of actual play – and can be extended by 30 minutes. Before kick-off there’s a briefing on how to put the ball on safely, and the referee picks games to suit the group and enforces the safety rules. All you need is PE kit: shorts or a tracksuit, a T-shirt and trainers.
Prices start at €17 per person without a hall. With a hall it’s €22, and the VIP package – with a game host and referee, souvenir photos, a bottle of water for everyone and a professional warm-up – costs €28 per person. Details are on the bumper ball (bubble football) matches in Krakow page, and all the options and extras are in our price list.
Book a bumper ball match in Krakow
We play at Com Com Zone, at al. Jana Pawła II 37 or wherever you choose. Delivery of the balls within 15 km of the centre is free.
Ask about a datePrefer to call? +48 509 196 229 – Sylwester. We reply within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Are zorbing and bubble soccer the same thing?
No, they’re two different activities. Zorbing is a ride inside a ball that encloses your whole body, while bubble soccer is another name for bumper ball – a match where you run in a ball on your own two feet.
Can you play football in a zorbing ball?
Not really, because your legs are inside the ball and you can’t kick. For a match you need balls your legs stick out of – like bumper balls.
How old do you have to be to play bumper ball?
With us, children from age 10 and adults can play. Players should be at least about 150 cm tall and weigh no more than 100 kg – more on this in our article on bumper ball for children and teenagers.
Do you have to crash into people in bumper ball?
Collisions are the essence of the game, but nobody has to charge – you can focus on the ball and play more calmly. The referee picks games to suit the group, so it works for the less daring too.
