That is not an easy question to answer… it really depends on the situation. However, here are a couple things that help to understand the answer:
- the balls ARE designed to be used on asphalt, concrete, sand, & gravel
- the outer covering is a PVC leather which is tougher and more wear resistant to scuffs, tears, and cuts
- there is an additive in the ink which makes it “stick” to the ball better and makes it more scuff resistant
With all those things considered, so far nothing is impenetrable to the extreme conditions on most 3rd world country soccer fields. We can confidently say the The Mission Ball will hold up just as good, if not better than most soccer balls that are brought to the mission field, or used in other countries.
Another thing to consider is that I would guess (not a scientific study) that most mission balls never get kicked or played with. So often The Mission Ball is the first new gift someone has ever received and they take very good care of it. Often there will be a few balls in a community that get used and abused and scuffed up, while most balls are kept as their prized possession.
ALSO… please see answer to question above.