Acquiring props for beginners

Lots of new guys and girls on the forums always ask where to find props. What websites to go to and what companies offer the best product for new jugglers. Seeing as the holiday season is coming up, here's a list to prevent future forum posters from referring them to the search function and sparing the new guy plenty of time. Everything listed under each category will be in descending order from the cheapest prop, to the most expensive prop. I'm not covering anything non-toss (devilstick, diabolo, cigar box, contact) because it would make an already long list too long.

Generally, props from the same company that cost more are higher quality, or more desired by performers. Learning to juggle does not require larger balls or clubs with fancy decorations. If you had to decide between ordering five 3.25 inch balls or five 2.5 inch balls... I'd go with the 2.5 inch ones.

Balls- Balls are basic, but they come in different types. Aside from buying material and making your own russian balls, here's what you can find on the internet. Divided into different categories for preference. If you're just starting, the commonly bought prop are beanbags. If you're getting on stage, you want something a little bigger and brighter, so go with stage balls. If you want to start bounce juggling, go for bounce balls.

Beanbags
Serious Juggling: 5.00 for three www.seriousjuggling.com/Balls_Beanbags.htm
Kinetic Juggling vinyl - 5.00 per ball www.kineticjuggling.com/beanbag-p-1.html
Todd Smith vinyl: 6.00 or 8.00 per ball (size) www.toddsmith.com/prods/beanbags.shtml
Renegade vinyl: 7.00 per ball www.renegadejuggling.com/web_store/rev3k/index.html
Higgins Brothers vinyl: 5.50 - 10.00 per ball (size) www.higginsbrothers.com/beanbags.htm
Kinetic Juggling MMX: 8.50 per ball www.kineticjuggling.com/mmx-ball-p-11.html
Renegade suede: 6.00 - 12.00 per ball (size, number of panels) www.renegadejuggling.com/web_store/rev3k/index.html
Higgins Brothers synthetic leather: 9.00 or 10.00 per ball (size) www.higginsborthers.com/beanbags.htm
Dube suede - 9.75 per ball www.dube.com
Higgins Brothers suede: 10.00 per ball www.higginsbrothers.com/beanbags.htm
Dube vinyl: 8.50 - 15.00 per ball (size, number of panels) www.dube.com
Higgins Brothers silicone coated: 11.00 per ball www.higginsbrothers.com/beanbags.htm

Stage
Kinetic Juggling stage: 5.00 per ball www.kineticjuggling.com/stage-ball-p-14.html
Kinetic Juggling glow in the dark: 7.00 per ball www.kineticjuggling.com/glow-in-the-dark-ball-p-13
Dube stage: 8.00 - 9.50 (size) www.dube.com
Dube glow in the dark: 9.50 - 11.00 per ball (size) www.dube.com
Renegade filled stage: 9.50 - 12.50 per ball (size) www.renegadejuggling.com/Web_store/rev3k/index.html
Renegade stage: 8.00 - 19.00 per ball (size) www.renegadejuggling.com/Web_store/rev3k/index.html

Bounce
Renegade marble: 10.00 per ball www.renegadejuggling.com/Web_store/rev3k/index.html
Kinetic Juggling: 12.50 per ball www.kineticjuggling.com/play-bouncing-ball-p-55.html
Renegade: 30.00 - 39.00 per ball(size) www.renegadejuggling.com/Web_store/rev3k/index.html
Higgins Brothers: 35.00 per ball www.higginsbrothers.com/balls.htm
Todd Smith: 36.00 - 50.00 per ball (size, color) www.toddsmith.com/prods/silicones.shtml
Dube: 36.00 - 53.00 per ball www.dube.com

Rings- For rings, you really can't go wrong. People like all kinds of rings, from fat ones that bounce, to skinny ones that are really quite flimsy. If you're just beginning, doing up to five, then it really doesn't matter what kind you get, you'll develop a feel for what ring you like as you use them more.

Standard
Kinetic Juggling: 5.00 per ring www.kineticjuggling.com/juggling-ring-p-33.html
Todd Smith: 5.00 per ring www.toddsmith.com/prods/rings.shtml
Higgins Brothers regular: 5.50 per ring www.higginsbrothers.com/ringsplates.htm
Renegade: 6.00 per ring www.renegadejuggling.com/Web_store/rev3k/index.html
Dube Airflite: 6.00 per ring www.dube.com
Higgins Brothers fluorescent: 6.00 per ring www.higginsbrothers.com/ringsplates.htm
Higgins Brothers glow in the dark: 7.00 per ring www.higginsbrothers.com/ringsplates.htm
Dube glow in the dark: 7.50 per ring www.dube.com
Dube machined: 17.00 per ring www.dube.com

Fat
Kinetic Juggling: 10.00 per ring www.kineticjuggling.com/fat-fratti-ring-p-35.html
Renegade: 10.00 per ring www.doIhavetotypetheurlagain.com
Higgins Brothers: 10.00 per ring www.higginsbrothers.com/ringsplates.htm

Oddball
Mr. Babache XL: 6.25 per ring www.kineticjuggling.com/xl-babache-juggling-ring-p-54.html
Higgins Brothers Large: 9.00 per ring www.higginsbrothers.com/ringsplates.htm
Dube spinning: 12.00 per ring www.dube.com

Clubs- Now we're getting to the meat of the discussion. Everyone has trouble ordering their first set of clubs just because there are SO MANY decisions to make. If you're just learning how to juggle, you're probably not going to be on stage, so decorations aren't very necessary. Also, buying large, cumbersome clubs, like fatheads, would only be detrimental to your learning. Another milestone is if you're buying your first set of five. For this, you might want to upgrade a little bit and shell out a few more bucks per club to get higher quality. You want your first set of five to last, because they're going to get beat up pretty badly. For this reason, I'm not going to include decorated clubs, but if you want them, just find out how to order them from the supplier.

*Note* I did not include Beard or other European supplier clubs because they use British pounds as currency, and it would throw my whole scheme off. Sorry I made this tediously long list and didn't include a few selections.

Standard
Renegade Spotlight: 8.00 per club www.renegadejuggling.com/Web_store/rev3k/index.html
Higgins Brothers one piece: 8.50 per club www.higginsbrothers.com/jugglingclubs.htm
Higgins Brothers taped handled one piece: 9.50 per club www.higginsbrothers.com/jugglingclubs.htm
Dube Airflite: 15.00 per club www.dube.com
Todd Smith Elan: 15.00 per club www.toddsmith.com/prods/clubs-delans.shtml
Higgins Brothers Flash: 20.00 per club www.higginsbrothers.com/jugglingclubs.htm
Higgins Brothers Circus: 20.00 per club www.higginsbrothers.com/jugglingclubs.htm
Kinetic Juggling PX3 fluorescent handle: 22.00 per club www.kineticjuggling.com/px3-pirouette-with-moulded-flourescent-flexigrip-handle-p-4.html
Higgins Brothers European: 23.00 per club www.higginsbrothers.com/jugglingclubs.htm
Higgins Brothers Radical fish: 24.00 per club www.higginsbrothers.com/jugglingclubs.htm
Kinetic Juggling PX3 moulded white handle: 25.00 per club www.kineticjuggling.com/px3-moulded-white-handle-p-72.html
Dube Klassic American: 25.00 per club www.dube.com
Renegade 75 - 105 mm: 25.00 per club www.renegadejuggling.com/Web_store/rev3k/index.html
Todd Smith European: 29.50 per club www.toddsmith.com/prods/clubs-euros.shtml
Kinetic Juggling PX3 white wrapped handle: 33.00 per club www.kineticjuggling.com/px3-club-white-wrapped-handle-p-32.html
Todd Smith Thumper: 34.00 per club www.toddsmith.com/prods/clubs-thumpers.shtml
Dube European: 35.00 per club www.dube.com
Todd Smith Sattellite: 35.00 per club www.toddsmith.com/prods/clubs-sattellites.shtml
Kinetic Juggling PX3 Vegas: 36.00 per club www.kineticjuggling.com/px3-vegas-p-17.html

Glow
Higgins Brothers rave: 30.00 per club www.higginsbrothers.com/jugglingclubs.htm

Torches
Dube Klassic: 29.00 per torch www.dube.com
Renegade: 35.00 per torch www.renegadejuggling.com/Web_store/rev3k/index.html
Todd Smith: 35.00 per torch www.toddsmith.com/prods/torches.shtml
Dube Custom: 37.00 per torch www.dube.com

There you have it. It took me six hours to make this list. You'd better be happy. You might have to navigate the webstore of the supplier you're looking at, but I've listed the product name right next to the company that makes them.

As I said before, think about what you really want to do with your new props. Are you just juggling to get better? Then choose something simple, not flashy. Are you just getting started? Go with simple and cheap. Are you starting to get a bit better? Little higher quality and more durability because you'll drop and from higher. Want to perform? Buy something flashy or get a set of torches.

I hope some company gives me a discount for having just sold their products.