Choosing the Right Batting Cage Nets for Durability and Performance
Batting Cage Nets are the primary component of any batting cage and experience the most wear & tear. The type of batting cage netting you need will depend on your budget, age group and whether the cage is used indoors or outdoors.
The most common batting cage netting is made from nylon and undergoes a weather treatment process to ensure durability. It also comes in square hung and diamond hung options.
Material
The material a net is made of will determine its durability and life-span. Nylon netting is the best choice for indoor, commercial batting cages. It has tremendous shock absorption properties and will withstand the impact of baseballs for years to come.
Nylon batting cage nets typically have a black dye and are constructed with rope borders on all 4 sides of the netting, as well as a center-ceiling rope. This helps with the longevity of the netting and adds to the aesthetic look of the cage.
Nylon has a very high break-strength, but it’s the abrasion resistance that’s really important for batting cages. To extend the netting’s life, Nylon nets should be coated in a water-resistant dip to prevent moisture damage. Another option is Poly batting cage netting, which provides similar abrasion resistance as Nylon but does not need to be treated for water-resistance. This makes it a more budget friendly solution for commercial, collegiate, or high school installations.
Twine Size
The thickness of the twine used in batting cage nets can vary. Usually the higher the number, the thicker the twine. This helps the netting hold up to more abuse.
Some netting suppliers use a code or sku number that doesn’t correlate with the actual twine size of the netting being sold. This can be very misleading.
Break Strength is another term that is overly emphasized by some online sellers. This simply measures how much tension a cross section of the netting will hold before “necking”, which is when it starts to bend. It doesn’t have anything to do with the durability or strength of the netting.
Square hung nets require more material to make, so they are generally a bit more expensive than Diamond hung nets. However, they tend to hang straiter on the frame and have nicer net seams. This also allows the energy of the baseball to dissipate naturally throughout the netting and not concentrate in one area.
Construction
Batting cages are made of netting that is stretched across a frame. The netting is constructed from polyethylene or nylon. Nylon is ideal for batting cages as it offers the highest breaking strength and is by far the most durable. However, it soaks up water and will lose breaking strength at a rate of up to 20% per year.
Our batting cage nets are built with the highest quality DuPont 66-728 knotted nylon sports netting. It is also treated for weather and UV protection.
We offer a variety of batting cage net construction options to best suit your needs. Choose from rope borders, standard rope border and rope bottom to ensure the batting cage net stays weighted on the ground to prevent balls from rolling under the netting.
A slack batting cage net allows the energy of struck baseballs to dissipate over several meshes instead of concentrating in high spots that can damage netting and accelerate wear. Our netting is square hung which creates a more robust and strong batting cage that lasts longer than diamond hung batting cages.
Backdrop
For many batting cage owners, the netting is a significant investment that they want to extend as long as possible. One of the easiest ways to do this is with a backdrop, which can protect high-wear areas behind the batter, and even extend the life of the outer netting.
This poly backdrop net is designed to remain durable while also protecting the batting cage. It hangs loosely behind the batter, stopping the ball and absorbing the force of the hitter to extend the life of your batting cage netting and anything that is behind it. It is also weather and UV treated to prevent deterioration over time.
A heavy duty rubber backstop can be added to the backdrop if desired, creating an easy-to-see strike zone target for pitchers and eliminating the need for a catcher in the batting cage. It is also finished with grommets top and bottom for hanging. This batting cage backdrop is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
