FAQs

Q: With the netting on the outside of the poles, isn't there more chance for ricochet and injury?
A: No. Because of the flexibility of the EMT poles there is more give, so the ricochet is considerably less than with 2" steel poles set in cement. In actual use for over five years, even when the ball strikes directly on a pole it simply dies. Because of the give in the poles, the batted ball's energy is absorbed.

Q: How much does it sag?
A: A few inches. With cages where the netting is hung on the inside there is tremendous sag. This is why most cages are a minimum of 12' high in order to have about 10' of clearance inside the cage. In addition, because of our design, there is much less tension and wear at the corners and middle. The weight is evenly distributed over the entire width and length of the cage adding to the life of the netting.

Q: Is it sturdy?
A: Very. You won't be able to do chin ups or shimmy up the poles. It is, however, strong enough to support the netting and take the beating of the batted balls. A first appearance the frame looks "flimsy", but after trying it out, you’ll realize how sturdy and strong it really is. The connectors are made of steel and the angled joints are welded. The #21 is rated at 200 lb. breaking strength per cord or 800 lb. per mesh.

Q: Can it be used indoors?
A: Yes. The only consideration is the floor upon which you are setting the cage. You may need to put rubber cups (not supplied) over the ends of the poles to protect the floor. However, when it is indoors you will have a free-standing system not requiring pulleys, cables or anything attached to the walls or ceiling.

Q: How quickly does it go up?
A: Amazingly fast! After some practice, two people can put it up in about 20 minutes, even we were surprised. The very first time may take a little longer, but once you attach all the connectors simply leave them attached to the poles that go across the top. The only tool required is a 7/16" wrench or socket used to bolt the poles into the connectors. If you desire to bolt the legs into the connectors, you will need to stand on a ladder. I have put up the cage by myself. It has been up for months at a time without the legs even being bolted into the connectors. If you have your team help, it can go up in minutes.

Q: If you are using a pitching machine, don't you need a stronger backdrop behind the batter?
A: Not really. Since the netting can give, not having a backdrop is better. The net gives everywhere and so there is less abrasion and wear and tear on the net.

Q: Don't balls skip under the netting?
A: Occasionally. The netting is about 36' wide and the frame perimeter is 30', so there is plenty of overhang. However, if the ball is hit just right - at the point where the netting and ground meet there is the possibility of the ball skipping under. This doesn't happen that often. You can purchase leaded rope or any poly rope and lace the bottom edge to give a little extra weight so the net will stay on the ground. We used an old hose filled with water and it holds the net down very well.

Q: Can it be used for softball?
A: Yes, even though the L-screen is designed for overhand pitching. You can stand behind the "tall" part of the screen and pitch around the edge.

Q: Since the cage is not fastened down, what about wind?
A: Wind is the one weakness of the system. Since it is a free-standing light weight system, unless the cage is anchored down, high winds can tip the cage over. Here are some solutions to solve the wind problem:
Solution #1: If the winds are temporary, simple take the net off the frame during the high winds and lay it on the ground. The frame doesn't care at all about high winds (there is no resistance).
Solution #2: Under the netting, tie a rope on each corner, run the rope parallel to the leg, then anchor it in the ground with a tent peg or stake. If you have a 70' cage, you may want to tie down one of the middle legs on each side. This will hold the frame to the ground and keep it from swaying and tipping over in strong winds. This has the added advantage that only the frame is anchored to the ground, so the netting is still loose and not anchored to the frame. This is only for winds in excess of 70mph.
Solution #3: Use re-bar or something similar about 1.5' to 2' pound into the ground next to the leg poles. Drill a small hole in the leg pole about 6"-8" up from the bottom and run a wire through the leg pole and around the re-bar.

Q: Is #21 strong enough?
A: Yes. Unlike traditional cages, our netting gives on impact. Thus, there is less abrasion and stress on the netting. The physics of this design is based on the Law of Conservation of Momentum. (Here are some details for those who are interested. The Law of Conservation of Momentum states: The total momentum of a group of objects is the same after they interact as it was before. Momentum of an object is its mass times its velocity (p=mv). Before collision, a batted ball has positive momentum and the net has zero momentum. After the collision the total momentum is the same. But if the net can give at the time of impact the initial momentum of the ball is shared between the ball and the net. The more the net can give, the more the momentum of the ball is reduced after the collision. A good analogy would be that of trying to catch a tossed egg. If you stick your hand up and don't move you will most likely end up with egg on your face! If you allow your hand to move with the egg you can catch it and the egg won't break. With traditional cages, the net is tied or anchored at several points to the frame. This prevents the net from giving whenever the ball hits the net at or near the anchored points. As a result, at the point of impact there is tremendous force and if the net cannot give it may tear. If it doesn't tear, the abrasion is much greater and will wear down the netting much more quickly. Thus most traditional cages require (or strongly suggest) that you use #36 netting.

Warranty -- We warranty the net, L-screen, and connectors for one year from date of purchase. The warranty covers baseball/softball related use. We do not warranty non-baseball/softball activities: lawn mower damage, animals chewing holes in the net, etc. We will send scraps we have on hand to repair the net in those non-sports related instances. There may be a nominal charge for such scraps.