While this is not a leather or synthetic leather ball, it still has a feel for quality, it bounces well as there is a solid feel of control with your dribble.  I've had a number of synthetic leather balls and a few leather ones in the past, and I always felt they needed a long break-in period the balls were typically slick and hard to control.  I sometimes took them outside on the pavement to accelerate the process.  Not necessary with this ball you can grip it solid right out of the box. It has a rubber smell to it, but the quality seems better by far than those outdoor playground balls.  I felt it was a touch smaller than regulation, but that may be my imagination.