Basic info about our netting: (top)

• Most of our baseball nets are all "hung-square", but we also offer "hung-diamond" netting -- read a comparison of Square vs Diamond.
• Standard sizes are 1-3/4" (1.75) diameter mesh for baseball, or 3/4" (.75) diameter for golf netting.
• Include knotted construction - far superior to knotless for direct impact sports usage.
• Ultra-Violet resistant & Dyed Black for maximum sun resistance.
• Black is the best color for reflecting sunlight (darker colors are the most effective - white is the worst).
• Indoor lighting can also create UV rays - so it's still important to use a UV-treated netting even when using inside.
• When a white net is exposed to UV-light, it will eventually turn an ugly grey color and deteriorate much quicker.

Available Mesh Sizes (in diameter):

• 3/4" or 7/8" (golf direct impact)
• 1 " (golf barrier or hockey/tennis/lacrosse impact)
• 1-1/2" (hockey/tennis barrier)
• 1-3/4" or 1-7/8" (baseball / softball direct impact or barrier)
• 4" (soccer / volleyball)

Nylon Netting Standard Facts:

• Both"Basic" Nylon & DuPont 66-728 Nylon available for tunnels & barrier netting
• Our basic Nylon is the equivalent to DuPont Type 66 (DuPont 66-728 is superior)
• All of our Nylon is coated with a bonding agent to secure the knots and increase durability.
• All of our Nylon is dyed black (Nylon netting is White in it's original state).
• Black is the best color for reflecting sunlight (darker colors are the most effective - white is the worst).
• All of our Nylon netting is also treated with UV Inhibitors.
• All of our Nylon is steamed and stretched on rods to ensure knots are tight, and netting is at maximum length. This prevents knots from becoming loose, and the cage from changing dimensions/shrinking & limits stretching (all netting will still stretch to a degree after years of use).
• Read about the History of Nylon.

Poly Netting Standard Facts:

• Poly is also referred to as HDPE, which stands for High-Density Polyethylene
• Most of our "stock" sized Poly Tunnels are imported from China, and are required to pass strict quality regulations - most Poly netting you find in the U.S. is imported - there are only a few remaining Poly manufacturers in the U.S. - you can identify them by their prices, which are about 5 times more expensive than ours, however, the difference in quality is literally undetectable. Bottom line - if you locate other Poly nets and the price isn't MUCH higher, they are imports.
• Our net shop also maintains a supply of raw Polyethylene netting for custom designing nets.
• Our Poly nets are also black with UV Inhibitors.
• Same satisfaction and money back guarantees apply for Poly nets.
• Read about the History of Poly.

Extra features available for "Basic" & "Custom" Tunnels:

• Lead-core base rope surrounding the bottom perimeter (lead beads braided into rope to create "anchor" type effect -- helps walls hang cleaner, and reduce ball "roll-out")
• 6-foot door-way, including stitched overflap net with steel-ring & snap-hook for latching
• Baffle/back-drop net stitched into batter's end of tunnel (approx 6" off wall) to absorb wear in high abrasion area
• "Rib-line" on top where needed to reduce sag (3/8" Poly rope)

Stock-sized batting cage nets:

• Most of our stock-sized nets are imported from China. This also allows us to keep our prices down, because we are purchasing directly from the factory. Rest assured that this is still a VERY high quality product, which we rate an 8 out of 10 in overall quality, considering both materials & craftsmanship.
• For customers that prefer the higher-grade option, our other net shops can also build nets to any size needed using the DuPont Nylon. *Please Contact Us to obtain pricing for this netting option.

Baseball Netting Pictures (top) :: Click on pics for larger view :: View Break-Strengths & Life-Spans here ::
Gauge (diameter)	Nylon w/Latex Dip	Nylon	Poly-E
#21 (2.0 mm)	No Pic
#36 (2.5 mm)
#42 (2.7 mm)	No Pic		N/A
#60 (3.0 mm)	No Pic		N/A
#96 (4.5 mm)	No Pic		N/A
Click on pics for larger view View our "stock sized" nets here -- please Contact Us for custom size quotes View Break-Strengths & Life-Spans here

Golf Netting Pictures (top) *Click pics for larger view
#18 Nylon	#420 Knotless Nylon White	#420 Knotless Nylon w/Latex
#36 Nylon White	#36 Nylon with Latex Dip
Click on pics for larger view View our "stock sized" nets here -- please Contact Us for custom size quotes View Break-Strengths & Life-Spans here

• Polyethylene / HDPE
• Nylon
• Nylon with Latex Dip
• DuPont Nylon Type 66-728 (contact for prices -- approx 30% higher)
• DuPont Nylon Type 66-728 with Varnish Dip (contact for prices -- approx 35% higher)

See Prices

• #21: Recommended for Light-Use / Family Backyard & Little League groups
• #36: Recommended for some High School age groups and entry-level Training Facilities
• #42: Recommended for heavy High-School use, College, and Training Facilities
• #60: Highly recommended for Training Academies& Pro Level use.
• #96: Recommended for direct impact protective screens & high abrasion areas inside tunnels

Available Mesh Sizes (inside diameter ):

• 3/4" or 7/8" (golf direct impact/lacrosse)
• 1 " (golf barrier or hockey/tennis impact/lacrosse)
• 1-1/2" (hockey/tennis barrier)
• 1-3/4" or 1-7/8" (baseball / softball direct impact or barrier)

Top of Page

See Prices

Square vs. Diamond Mesh Netting: (top)

There is much debate about this feature -- the bottom line is that it really doesn't matter very much outside of appearance, and Diamond is just as effective in performance as Square, AS LONG AS THE FOLLOWING ARE TRUE:

• The diamond-net is fabricated by a very skillful net shop
• The diamond-net includes a border-rope knotted around the perimeter

Diamond-Mesh does create some risks:

The reason the above are so critical, is because diamond-mesh can alter it's shape VERY easily if not "hung" correctly. The outside border-rope helps it maintain it's shape, and without it, problems can arise during assembly and use. *Note that it is also very critical that the border-rope is stitched to the seams - opposed to simply threaded through the mesh without tying. If the border-rope isn't tightly knotted, it can cause the net to "run" like a shower curtain during use. All of our batting cage & barrier nets come standard with a 3/8" woven border-rope.

The term "square & diamond" refers to the pattern of the mesh (see pics), and diamond-mesh can cause major problems when used in large applications, when not fabricated properly. The reason for this is because of the following reasons:

• When square-mesh is stacked on top of each other, it is naturally stabilized by the other blocks. However, when diamond mesh is stacked, it has a tendency to "flex" like an accordion, which causes the overall shape to be compromised.
• This can result in mis-measurements of netting - i.e. without a border rope to keep the net shape in tact, a 100x100 piece of diamond netting will usually never cover a 100x100 area of space -- on the other hand, a piece of square-mesh netting always covers the exact distance it was measured at.
• This is not as critical with smaller applications, such as back-drop nets 10x10 etc, because the errors are minimal and not as noticeable in a small area - but when you compound that small error 100 times, i.e. over a 70L x 14W x 12H batting cage net, you can encounter MAJOR problems with the overall sizing and fit of the net.

What problems can I encounter with Diamond mesh that isn't fabricated properly?

• If a border-rope isn't used, the natural "peaks" created by diamond-mesh causes it to not connect flush to a frame or suspension line. Square-mesh naturally has a "block effect" and does not leave gaps when connected to structures, with or without a border rope.

Bottom Line -- the Diamond Netting we offer is guaranteed to be fabricated correctly, and our shop always uses border-ropes -- so the choice mostly comes down to your personal preference.

Some things to consider:

• Some people prefer square-mesh because they feel it "looks more professional", and offers a better "line of sight" to see through.
• On the contrary, diamond-mesh is known to have a slightly longer life-span, due to it's natural "flex" effect, which causes it to absorb the impact of the ball better than Square, which tends to maintain a more firm position when hit.

*Different people may view each of the above as pros & cons, depending on the situation - so we prefer to let our customers choose the best net for their situation. We guarantee you will be satisfied with either option.

Twisted vs Braided Netting: (top)

This represents the method by which the twine is created to form the various "gauges".  It is exactly as it sounds - Twisted netting is created by a batch of fibers being spun tightly together to form the desired thickness of each gauge, and Braided is formed by weaving twine in and out to form a braid. Each method has it's benefit for different applications.

The bottom line is that Twisted has a higher abrasion resistance, because balls slide & spin off the netting better, because there is less surface resistance than from braided material -- and Braided netting typically has a higher overall break-strength.

Now the question is what feature is more important, abrasion resistance or break-strength?  This depends on the application, but for sports impact use, abrasion resistance is by far the more important characteristic. Why? Because a net will never experience anywhere near a full capacity "load" of weight against one of the twine fibers. Load strengths are more important in the cable industry, which are used to support dead-weight and a high level of tension. You should NEVER put much tension on your net itself - the cable or frame system should absorb the tension. Your net should be allowed to relax, and absorb the impact of the ball. If a net is stretched like a guitar-string, it doesn't matter how it was spun or heavy the twine is, it will soon deteriorate.

Watch out for:

In addition to a higher abrasion resistance, the other reason we offer mostly Twisted netting for sports impact, is because Braided netting can be more "fluff" than material. Because of the method of overlapping the fibers to qualify for a certain "gauge", (i.e. #21 / 2.0 mm diameter), it usually takes less material to achieve a 2.0 mm diameter with braided. When twines are twisted together, they are spun tightly, requiring more material to achieve a certain level of thickness.

The result is that most Twisted nets have a higher level of netting density, and overall weight when compared to a Braided net of equal specs side by side. And it doesn't take a netting expert to know that material with more density will withstand impact for a longer period, because there is more material to "eat through".

This allows some companies to spend less money on materials for braided nets, and also tout the fact that they are "stronger" - which might be true, but is also deceiving.

Knotted vs Knotless Netting: (top)

All of our batting cage tunnels, and most of our barrier nets utilize "knotted" netting. This means that the twine, where it intersects to create the "grid", is tied in a knot. Knotted netting is superior for direct impact sports usage, because it has a higher overall strength & durability. It's also important to note that our knotted nets include a "bonding agent" to keep the knots locked tight in place - some companies will tout that knotted nets are more at risk of coming apart, or that the knots can weaken a net - but ours stay firmly in place, and are reinforced by the bonding.

We do offer some backstop netting & golf netting which is "knotless" - the main advantage being a better "line of sight" for behind home-plate purposes; and knotless golf netting can also result in lower abrasion/friction, due to a smoother surface for a smooth ball at a close range to slide across.  But this is only in applications with a low force of impact (golf), or indirect impact (barrier). You will find that knotless netting is traditionally cheaper, because less overall material is used.

Keep in mind:

When nets break down, it typically happens at the twine intersection. On knotted nets, this area is usually twice the thickness of the other twine, which reinforces it in the most susceptible area. Knotless nets are the same thickness, even in the high stress areas. See pictures of knotted and knotless netting.

Nylon vs Poly - Quick Tips: (top)

Poly is a good entry-level option for family use, or a temporary solution. It won't withstand a heavy-use environment for very long. If used for high-school baseball or above, Nylon is the answer.

Nylon is more durable and will have a longer life-span than Poly, and is hands-down the best option for indoor use. It's also a durable outdoor net because of it's UV Inhibitors & Black color. If it will be exposed to freezing temperatures, add a Latex or Varnish Dip treatment to water-proof.

If you'd like more details, please continue reading....

Polyethylene / HDPE (top)

Positives:

• Less expensive than Nylon.
• Good UV resistance because of natural black color, and UV inhibitors.
• Lightweight and easy to install.
• Square-hung design - easier to hang, cleaner appearance.
• Knotted netting - much better for sports use than "knotless" netting.
• Does not absorb water, so the problem of rotting and shrinkage is less prevalent.
• Retains a higher percentage of its strength over an extended period of time when exposed to water.
• Good net for outdoor or indoor use.

Things to consider:

• Not as strong as nylon initially.
• Imported from China - some people prefer only U.S. based products
• Less effective / strong compared to Nylon when both are used indoors.
• Some polyethylene cages can breakdown prematurely in the sun - not all poly nets incorporate UV inhibitors (ours do).

Why Poly might be right for you:

• Primary location will be in rainy climate without much opportunity to dry out in sun.
• Younger age group and/or single-family use.
• Budget is more important than life-span at this time.

Overall Quality Grade: B-

See Prices

Top of Page

Regular Nylon (top)

Positives:

• Stronger Break-Strength than Poly
• Equivalent to DuPont Nylon Type 66
• Higher Abrasion-Resistance than Poly
• Square-hung design - easier to hang, cleaner appearance.
• Easier to repair than Poly
• Knotted netting - much tougher than "knotless" netting for direct impact usage
• UV-Inhibitors & Black color create great sun-resistance
• More durable material than Poly for indoor or outdoor use (unless in a VERY rainy area)

Things to consider:

• More expensive than Poly, but less expensive than DuPont 66-728 Nylon
• Not a "brand name" material - imported from China - some people prefer only U.S. based products
• Can absorb water if exposed to very rainy climate, without a chance to dry in the sun in between use -- this could lead to deterioration without a "Dip" treatment.
• Nylon can lose between 15% and 20% of its strength each year depending on conditions.

Why Nylon might be right for you:

• Your batting cage is going indoors, or outdoors in a mostly dry climate
• Durability and life-span are more important than budget

Overall Quality Grade: B

See Prices

Top of Page

DuPont Nylon 66-728 (top)

Positives:

• Strongest material without an external "dip" coating
• Manufactured in the U.S. by reputable DuPont company
• Includes highest Nylon material on the market - Type 66-728
• Stronger Break-Strength than Poly & regular Nylon
• Available in either Square or Diamond Mesh
• Higher Abrasion-Resistance than Poly & regular Nylon
• Easier to repair than Poly
• Knotted netting - much tougher than "knotless" netting for direct impact usage
• UV-Inhibitors & Black color create great sun-resistance
• More durable material than Poly & regular Nylon for indoor or outdoor use (unless in a VERY rainy area)

Things to consider:

• More expensive than regular Nylon & Poly -- you are paying for the DuPont brand
• Can absorb water if exposed to very rainy climate, without a chance to dry in the sun in between use -- this could lead to deterioration without a "Dip" treatment
• Un-dipped Nylon can lose strength each year depending on conditions

Why DuPont Nylon might be right for you:

• You prefer U.S. made material
• You prefer a brand name material
• Your batting cages will receive a very high level of use, and need top-shelf material
• Your batting cage is going indoors, or outdoors in a mostly dry climate
• You prefer to spend more money initially, to maximize the life-span of your nets
• Durability and life-span are more important than budget

Overall Quality Grade: A

Contact Us for prices -- approx 25% higher than standard Nylon

Nylon with Latex Dip (top)

Positives:

• Stronger Break-Strength than Poly & regular Nylon
• Higher Abrasion-Resistance than Poly & regular Nylon
• Square-hung design - easier to hang, cleaner appearance.
• Water-resistant
• Easier to repair than Poly
• Knotted netting - much tougher than "knotless" netting for direct impact usage
• More durable material than Poly even in rainy climate
• UV-Inhibitors & Black color create great sun-resistance
• Life-span extended by 2-3 years when used indoors or out, because the abrasion resistance is increased

Things to consider:

• More expensive than Poly, but less expensive than DuPont Nylon
• Not a "brand name" material - imported from China - some people prefer only U.S. based products
• Not the best "dip" option, but a great net option for indoor or outdoor use, which will NOT absorb water for 2-3 years.

Why Nylon with Latex Dip might be right for you:

• If your net will be exposed to a rainy climate, and/or a very high level of use - the latex creates a higher abrasion resistance
• Good investment for training facilities, because after the Latex coating wears off in 2-3 years, you will essentially have a "new net" underneath

Overall Quality Grade: B+

See Prices

DuPont Nylon 66-728 with Varnish Dip (top)

Positives:

• Strongest material on the market -- highest break-strength
• Highest abrasion-resistance material on the market
• Hands-down the BEST net for outdoor OR indoor use
• Water-resistant
• Manufactured in the U.S. by reputable DuPont company
• Includes highest Nylon material on the market - Type 66-728
• Square-mesh design
• Easier to repair than Poly
• Knotted netting - much tougher than "knotless" netting for direct impact usage
• UV-Inhibitors & Black color create great sun-resistance

Things to consider:

• Most expensive material -- you are paying for the DuPont brand & best Dip-treatment available
• Dip wears off after 4-5 years (leaving new net underneath)

Why DuPont Nylon 66-728 with Varnish Dip might be right for you:

• You prefer U.S. made material
• You prefer a brand name material
• You need the absolute best material on the market
• You prefer a more rigid net, which will maintain a better "box structure"
• Your batting cages will receive a very high level of use, and need top-shelf material
• Your batting cage is going outdoors in a rainy climate
• You prefer a higher abrasion resistance for indoor use