I used a 12 lb M ball. If we get into it, we may invest in our own shoes and balls. It was fun! We had started to get into curling awhile back before FIL came to stay with us. We liked that, too, but it's a seasonal thing, and not too sure I want to risk falling on the hard ice and breaking something at my age! I have a suspicion that you and I may be almost exactly the same age.... ?