Batting Cage Nets are an essential investment for anyone who wants to improve their swing and prevent damage caused by stray balls that can break windows or warp chain-link fences. When choosing batting cage netting there are several factors to consider including material and twine size.
Nylon batting cage netting is extremely strong and has been the industry standard for years. It can also go through a treatment process that increases durability and life-span.
Durability
Whether you are building a batting cage for your high school, college or professional team, or simply want a long-lasting net for your home batting practice, it is important to understand the different options available. There are several factors that influence the longevity of a batting cage, but the most significant is the net construction.
Batting cage netting is manufactured in a square pattern, and can be knotted or knotless. Knotted batting cage nets have points of accelerated wear, while knotless batting cage nets do not.
The twine size of a batting cage net is also an important factor in its durability. Some manufacturers use a misleading product number, series or model number to disguise the actual twine size of their nets. For example, a #12 nylon net will have a much lower break strength than a treated #196 commercial quality net. Moreover, some batting cage manufacturers only sew a rope border to the netting panel, while others use a process called “posi-lock stitching” which uses thick cords that weave in and out of each mesh to prevent separation of the rope perimeter from the netting.
Abrasion Resistance
The batting cage net is the most used component of a batting cage and it also experiences the highest amount of wear and tear. This is why the batting cage net material type is so important to consider when purchasing a new batting cage.
Nylon batting cage netting is the standard in most commercial, college, and professional baseball complexes as it offers an extremely high break strength. However, Nylon is not ideal for outdoor use as it soaks up water and over time will fade, rot, shrink, and become discolored.
Our Nylon batting cage nets are treated with a 10% resin bonding coating which helps to mitigate this problem and keep the batting cage net from becoming water-logged. This coating also helps the net to hold its shape, not droop or sag, and minimizes point of accelerated wear. We also offer a latex dip called NetSeal that can be applied to any of our batting cage nettings for an additional cost to enhance the performance and longevity of your new batting cage.
UV Resistance
Batting cages are exposed to the sun for long periods of time and must withstand UV exposure. The type of netting used for the cage and the material that it is made of will impact durability.
Nylon batting cage netting is the traditional choice for commercial and high school batting cages. It has a high abrasion resistance and is treated for weather resistance. This process extends the life of the batting cage nets.
Polyethylene batting cage netting is a newer option that can be treated like nylon. It is stiffer and less pliable than Nylon but is more affordable for some facilities.
Our batting cage netting is a high-quality netting that can be customized for your facility. It has 3 top support ropes and a full rope border to provide strength and durability. The netting is also woven in a square shape so that the impact of balls is distributed over multiple meshes instead of concentrated on one area, which accelerates wear. The netting is treated for weather protection and UV resistance for extended longevity.
Break Strength
We use a special high-quality batting cage netting made of DuPont 66-728 Twisted Knotted Nylon. It’s treated for weather resistance and long life. Our rope borders are woven in and out of each net mesh and sewn on all four corners for an added level of strength and durability.
This is a key element in how long your batting cage will last. Netting comes in twine sizes, the larger the number the thicker the net. Many manufacturers use a product code, series, or model number that indicates the twine size of their nets, but it can be misleading. For example, a net that’s labelled as 96 netting is actually N30, not N36 as it should be!
Poly batting cage nets are stiffer and less pliable than Nylon, they also tend to wear down more quickly because the netting doesn’t have the ability to “give” on impact. This is why most traditional batting cages require (or recommend) Nylon netting.
