Being new to the world of "twisting", I really had no idea what to look for, so made my purchase decision based on colours, price vs quantity and what other buyers had said. With all that in mind, these lovely balloons have not disappointed.The colours are bright and cheerful, though there's less purple and brown - and no grey or white - balloons, and only one shade of blue. However, for amateurs making balloon swords for kids on a pirate walk like me, they're just fine in terms of selection; all the major bases are covered, and in plentiful quantity.A friend and I gave twisting a shot in a cafe (hilarious - recommend that!) with some youtube tutorials, and found these balloons easy to work with once we got over the initial "IT'S GOING TO POP!" which I think everyone goes through. I think it says more about the quality of the balloons than our impressive skills that, out of 10 balloons that we used, only a single one popped. That balloon split along its edge into a single piece that was easy enough to retrieve (in case people are worried about bits flying about or children being in the line of fire!).Three days on, and the balloon swords we made that day are still looking good, though they've gone a bit soft. I'm quite impressed at how well the models have retained their shape.All in all, very pleased with these - and with the new skill they're encouraging and the hilarity and delight that practising it in public places causes. :)