Foosball
A Little Bit Of History
Foosball is a fastoperated game, but never really flourished the way it did in Europe. Now, however, foosball is huge international sport with professional status, big money tournaments and millions of fans.
How to Choose a Table
So what do you look for when shopping for a recreational
foosball table? Here's some things to look for in a quality table, taken from
foosmanchu.com, one of many good foosball sites.
* Front and back-pinning capabilities (man pinning ball against table surface)
* The ball should be able to remain still on any area of the playing surface
* Rugged cabinet construction and durability to last for years to come
* Competition grade rods and bearings
* Approximately 200 lbs. or more in weight
* Counter-balanced men (rotate your men horizontally...they'll stay that way)
* 3man goalie)
* Wood handles
* Leg levellers
It's important to go for a solid, wellquality components rather than having fun. Cheap tables can be uneven, shift during play (see the above recommendation of a table weight of 200 lbs. or more) and players can get stuck or be difficult to control. Any mechanical failures can make the difference when the game takes on a dimension of settling disputes—or to decide who does the chores. You either got good at the game or you became a dishwasher.
Why Buy Online?
Foosmanchu.com also recommends trying to buy your table online, as costs can be signficantly less than instate distributor might be a good idea as well to avoid sales tax (unless you live in a state like Delaware, where there is no sales tax).
Some recommended brands as a starting off point:
*
Tornado: Tornado 2000, Cyclone II, Storm II, Twister II, Whirlwind
*
Dynamo: Gold Medal
*
Shelti: Tournament, Pro Foos, Pro Foos II, Pro Foos III
