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How To Buy A Batting Cage
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The Right Idea - If you are like many of our clients, you probably have never purchased batting cage. Everyone in our customer service area is or was around baseball and/or fastpitch softball. It’s what we do, day in and day out.
WE KNOW WHAT WORKS, what doesn’t and we do not offer junk! Get yourself educated by continuing to read what's below and you will be armed to buy with confidence.
Here's What You Want to Know to Make Your Decision
1. Choose Your Style – (4 types)
> > Permanent Pro Cage – Between 55 and 70 ft L x 12 ft or 14 ft W x 12 ft H.
This is the traditional cage you have seen at most outdoor fields. It consists of a series of frame sections of individual pieces resembling “croquet hoops” shaped like an upside-down letter “U” where the legs have been snugly slid into approximately 2' sleeves of PVC or steel which are then concreted into the ground. The net is then hung inside the steel frame sections.
NOTE: This is a 2-day project where the first day is spent measuring, digging the post holes and concreting the sleeves into those holes. The 2nd day is to put it all together after the concrete hardens. It isn’t overly difficult for 2 people; one with average handyman skills. Custom sizes are available by calling us toll free at 1-800 487-7432.
See our Pro Series Cages
> > Cage Kits – 50, 60 or 70 ft L x 14 ft W x 10 ft H.
This very popular & newer idea makes sense for many backyard projects. When you purchase your cage from us, we send you your choice of length of cage net, strength of cage net and rust-resistant galvanized fittings for all joints and corners. 
We then send you to Home Depot, Lowe's or a local fence company to purchase a quantity of steel poles (30 to 40 depending on your cage length). These poles are 10 ft in length and are commonly called EMT Conduit (used by electricians to run outdoor wiring, etc.) They are readily available, don’t rust and are inexpensive.
The Benefits Are:
It’s Portable – Easy to relocate, remove for winter
You Save Money – The shipping savings alone is worth a look
You Save Time – 2 people & 90 minutes maximum
Use Indoor or Outdoor – We include rubber feet for indoor uses
Pitchers L-Screen Kit Included FREE – More $$ savings
See our Cage Kits
> > Backyard Batting Cages by Heater Baseball
This new series of cages are actually 24 ft and 36 ft sections that can be purchased separately or joined together to make about any practical size cage you might need. They offer enough useable room, are quick to construct and take down for the off season, do not require permanent installation and are the most inexpensive option ever created…So much so that when paired with their matching series of Heater Baseball Pitching Machines or Heater Softball Pitching Machines, it is actually less money than many other youth pitching machines alone!
Do note that this cage was designed so a Heater pitching machine could be attached to a small opening in one end of your cage (the machine being protected on the outside of the net) so if you choose to use another machine, you might have to either place your machine inside the cage (you will need at least a 48 ft batting cage net) or you may need to rig something up yourself (probably not a major issue).
One more item of note…the batting cage net on this cage are much smaller than typical baseball netting so it will be abit stronger than similar strength nets AND YES…you can use it improve your golf game too!
See our Backyard Batting Cage Series
> > BAT-CO Cage – 54 or 72 ft L x 18 ft W x 12 ft H.
Sometimes, the best cage is the one that you want and need. The BATCO is that batting cage. At 18 ft wide x 12 ft tall, it is 50% wider and 20% taller than most standard cages. It is available in 54 and 72 ft lengths; sizes that fit almost every need.
The net is as heavy duty as anyone could want. It can also be set up indoors or outdoors AND can be collapsed like an accordion to a depth of only 2 feet in 2 minutes!
(note – you will need 4 persons minimum)
It‘s also a great looking unit and will add to any indoor training facility or in the backyard, on your Sport Court or backyard recreational area.
See our Batco Cages
2. Choose Your Size - When you can, stay with standard sizes.
They tend to meet over 90% of all applications: indoor, outdoor, backyard, school, pro or amateur ballpark.
55 or 70 ft long cages are good standards in permanent cages, while portable units are close to those lengths...
Just remember that the length of a batting cage does not determine a hitters success...it's the time a player will spend inside the cage that makes all the difference.
So...when in doubt...choose a shorter cage with a heavier strength (longer lasting) net rather than a longer batting cage with lighter weight netting!
Custom Needs? No problem. Call us toll free at 1-800-487-7432.
3. Choose Your Net Strength - Again, our standard offerings fit most everyone. You can click our buy buttons with confidence. Which strength? I always advise purchasing based on the heaviest net you can budget. No player becomes a better hitter because of the length of his cage. But...if your net is worn out, he can’t swing at all.
So when in doubt … a shorter cage with a heavier net is your best choice!
Delivery Note: Pro Series permanent Batting Cages and our Batting Cage Kits deliver in about 5-10 days maximum…all via UPS or FedEx Ground!
Go to our complete batting cage frame and cage kit page
Go to our batting cage net page
4. Choose Your Accessories – There really aren’t a lot of bells and whistles to add to your purchase, but these few items may be of significant importance:
Net Saver/Baffle Net – This heavy gauge square piece of net is cheap insurance for the #1 wear point in your net; that area behind the batter in the strike zone that gets so much wear in such a small area.
Batter's Stance Mat – This is a 6 ft x 12 ft very thick piece of spike-proof green turf (the original brand was AstroTurf). We offer two different models…both are well worth the investment.
This one-time purchase has the parallel-only lines of the batter's box in white with the home plate stenciled and rubber-painted into our standard model; our deluxe version has a more permanent home plate glued into place in white turf.
View our batting cage accessories
Pitching Machine – We offer 28 (and counting) ranging from a few hundred dollars to over $3,000.
Go to our pitching machines page
Batting Cages & Batting Tunnels – These terms are used interchangeably and generally refer to the net and the frame.
However, a tunnel is more accurately the net only. It is usually suspended by long parallel wires and commonly seen indoors.
Frames, Ribs & Arches – This generally refers to the steel that supports the net. Usually, you see these spaced between 12 and 18 feet apart. Our standard Pro Series permanent cages are spaced at 17 feet. If you can budget an extra section, it will reduce sag and add support to your entire project. Please ask our coaches when placing your order.
Net – Generally black and constructed of Nylon or Polyethelene (both are good materials when made properly). Cage nets are rectangular in shape, they are made with each mesh generally built at 1 ¾ inch in diameter; small enough to contain a baseball or softball but not a golf ball (yes, we can custom – make you a cage net that you can use for golf and baseball/softball - after all, kids shouldn’t have all the fun). Our nets are reinforced at all the logical places, have rope borders at all sides to reinforce and preserve the net as well as added lengths of roping to attach to the frame on both ends at top and bottom.
Our Cage Net Material - Standard Nets feature Virgin Polyethelene that is extruded and dyed black during the process. This helps the net retain its black color for more seasons.
Great Features for Easier Installation – All our nets are equipped for any and all types of installation and attach to most new or replacement projects with standard frames or hanging cable systems.
Important Installation Features - Our cages are used for all new or replacement projects. Some features worth mentioning are:
Hung on the Square - This is not a huge feature but a good one nonetheless. When nets are “hung square,” each individual 1¾" mesh “honeycomb” is in a square shape (like a tennis net). This makes it easier to see through than those nets that are built “on the diamond”...something about how our eye and brain see it. The square shape is more defined than a diamond shape. This is noticeable when you simply pull a piece of net left and right or up and down. Diamond nets will become longer and skinner or wider and shorter when pulled in opposite directions in your hands, whereas square nets retain their shape...and are a bit easier to install. NOTE: Our standard sized nets are hung on the square and our custom sized nets are hung on the diamond.
Sun & Abrasion Protection - The 3 main reasons for net failure (all of which tend to show up prematurely in cheap nets) are:
Hand Made Nets & Heat Set Knots – Machines are great for certain net applications but our choice in baseball and softball batting cage nets, as well as custom ballpark barrier netting, is a hand made process…one involving skilled hands. Do note that there are literally thousands of knots stretched across hundreds of mesh squares (or diamonds) in each of our cage tunnels. Each of these knots can and do untie…unless they are individually heat-set.
The process uses heat to allow each knot to meld onto the entire surface of each knot, virtually preventing this problem.
Price - Our vendor relations are based on volume. Our customers benefit with superior pricing for product of this quality. We work directly with older, established manufactures and approve all specs for our customers.
Warranty - 1 Full Year against manufacturer defects. You should expect many more seasons of value and use but due to variations in weather conditions and consumer care, limits are to be expected.
Delivery - Generally 7 – 10 business days (and sooner) in most cases for our standard nets anywhere in the continental US. Custom nets are closer to 10 – 14 business days in the continental US.
The Bottom Line – We offer better and best quality only. Netting with incredible strength, durability and longevity. Our pricing is more than competitive, we have worked with hundreds of customers and know these products well…it is not a side–business. It is our business!
We work with customers on these projects every business day. We know and understand the game and are quite certain in the quality and pricing of our batting cage nets, as well as our complete batting cage frame kits and systems!
Remember…Good and cheap do not go together!
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