The numbers
Specifications
Two Toro boules at 119 kg/mm2
The 119 Lisses has a plain shot-blasted finish. The 119+ Striées adds a black treatment with tennis-ball seams.
Both product pages give carbon steel at 119 kg/mm2, which Toro converts to 38 HRC. The seams and the black finish account for the gap of about $15 in the United States.
Semi-soft, sold to both roles
Toro files it under demi tendre, semi-soft. Its page says the boule convient aux pointeurs comme aux tireurs, suits pointers and shooters alike.
The federation sets its floor at 35 HRC, which its rules equate with 110 daN/mm2. At 38 HRC on Toro’s figure, the 119+ sits three points above it.
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Suitability
Who it is for
Suits you if
- You point and shoot in roughly equal measure
- You throw between 670 and 700 g, the weights on sale in the United States
- You want seams for grip without paying for stainless
- Oiling your boules after play is already a habit
- You want a striated Toro for under $200
Look elsewhere if
- Shooting is the role you get picked for
- You throw 720 g, which Toro makes in 73 and 76 mm only
- You want more than one year of warranty
- Maintenance is the thing you always forget
In the hand
How it plays
Pointing
A semi-soft boule carries further after landing than a soft one and still settles rather than running on. The pointing page covers the release itself.
Shooting
Competent rather than specialist. A semi-soft boule gives back more of the impact than a soft one, so a carreau is harder to hold.
A player who mostly shoots gets more from Toro’s Carbon Smooth at 110 kg/mm2. It costs about $26 more in the United States.
Grip from the seams
Toro calls the pattern stries balle de tennis: curved seams that follow the line of a tennis ball rather than parallel rings. Curved seams cross every axis, so the grip does not change when the boule turns in your hand.
Wear and care
Firmer steel marks later than soft steel. Play still leaves marks on the black finish over time, which is cosmetic.
It is carbon steel, so wipe it dry and oil it after play. The federation forbids heat treatment after sale, so a worn set is replaced rather than re-tempered.
The balance
Pros and cons
Pros
- Tennis-ball seams on carbon for about $178, Toro's cheapest striated set in the United States
- Semi-soft at 119 kg/mm2, a middle ground for a player who points and shoots
- Approved for competition, with 32 diameter and weight pairings on Toro's order form
- Sold in the United States, so no import from France
- Factory engraving costs 11 euros for up to three characters
Cons
- One-year warranty in Toro's terms, against two years on the MS 120
- Carbon steel rusts without oiling
- 720 g comes only in 73 and 76 mm and the US offer stops at 700 g
- The MS 120 sits in the same semi-soft band for about $44 less in the United States
The score
How this review scores it
Alternatives
How it compares
| Specification | Toro Petank 119+ | Toro 119 | Toro Carbon Striated | MS Pétanque 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material | Carbon steel | Carbon steel | Carbon steel | Carbon steel |
| Hardness | 119 kg/mm2, semi-soft | 119 kg/mm2, semi-soft | 110 kg/mm2, soft | 120 kg/mm2, semi-soft |
| Finish | Black, tennis-ball seams | Shot-blasted, smooth | Black, tennis-ball seams | Gray |
| Diameters | 71 to 76 mm | 71 to 76 mm | 71 to 76 mm | 71 to 76 mm |
| Weights offered | 670 to 720 g | 670 to 720 g | 670 to 720 g | 680 to 720 g |
| Maintenance | Oiling required | Oiling required | Oiling required | Oiling required |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year | 2 years |
| US price | About $178 | About $163 | About $214 | About $134 |
The MS 120
MS Pétanque’s entry-level boule is carbon at 120 kg/mm2, one point firmer, with a gray finish and a two-year warranty against manufacturing defects. MS says it behaves well in every role.
It runs about $134 in the United States, $44 less than the 119+. A player who does not care about seams will find it the stronger buy.
Toro’s own alternatives
The smooth Toro 119 has the same stated hardness for about $163, so the seams and the black finish cost about $15.
The Carbon Striated keeps the seams at 110 kg/mm2 for about $214. It is the better pick for a shooter, at $36 more.
Before you order
Buying advice
Weight first
Toro’s spec text lists 680 to 700 g, while its order form runs from 670 to 720 g. Only 73 and 76 mm come in 720 g.
The US listing offers 670 to 700 g in all six diameters. A player above that range orders from France.
The boule selector works through the weight question.
Standard sizes against a direct order
The going rate of about $178 covers the sizes that reach the United States. Anything else means ordering from Toro in France, which ships worldwide.
Toro’s site shows North American buyers about 113 euros a set without French VAT, before shipping. Outside the European Union the buyer is the importer and pays any duties on arrival.
Oil it and keep the invoice
Carbon steel needs a light film of oil after play and dry storage. A microfiber cloth and light oil is the whole routine.
Toro’s warranty requires the invoice. Return shipping on a warranty claim is at the buyer’s cost.
Engraving and marking
Toro charges 11 euros for one to three characters and 17 euros for four to fourteen, ordered with the boules. Its warranty excludes damage from engraving done outside its own workshop.
The federation forbids altering the maker’s mark, the label or the three-digit weight after sale. The equipment page covers the full marking rule.
Common questions
Questions about the Toro Petank 119+
Is the 119+ soft or semi-soft?
Semi-soft. Toro files it under demi tendre at 119 kg/mm2, which it converts to 38 HRC.
The federation’s floor is 35 HRC, which its rules equate with 110 daN/mm2. On Toro’s conversion the 119+ sits three points above it.
What is the difference between the 119 and the 119+?
Finish and price. The 119 has a plain shot-blasted surface, while the 119+ adds a black treatment with tennis-ball seams.
Both product pages give the same 119 kg/mm2. The 119+ runs about $15 more in the United States.
Is the 119+ approved for competition?
Yes. Toro says the international federation approves the boule for competition.
The federation’s list, updated in June 2026, carries one Toro carbon label, TORO C, registered to TORO S.A.S.
Which weights can I get?
Toro’s spec text lists 680 to 700 g in 10 g steps across six diameters, 71 to 76 mm. Its order form runs from 670 to 720 g, with 720 g in 73 and 76 mm only.
Confirm an unusual pairing before ordering. The Inox Striated review covers Toro’s stainless version of the same seam pattern.
How long is the warranty?
One year from the order date, under Toro’s sales terms for competition boules. A claim needs the invoice.
If you buy in the United States, ask the seller for its own terms in writing.
Does carbon steel rust?
Yes. Carbon steel oxidizes, so wipe the boules dry after play and give them a light film of oil.
Store them somewhere dry, never in a car trunk, where temperature swings cause condensation.
How this was verified
- Toro Petank, Boules 119+ Striées specification
- Toro Petank, Boules 119 Lisses specification
- Toro Petank, sales terms: one-year warranty and company addresses
- FIPJP, homologation requirements for competition boules
- FIPJP, approved boule labels including TORO C
- MS Pétanque, MS 120 specification and warranty
