Best Baseball Nets – Tested & rated by pros

 #1 – Review of the Rukket Sock Net

The 7×7 Rukket net is a great all-purpose, travel practice net.   We also like the similar nets from Tanner, Bownet and Sklz Quickster.  The basic design is great to avoid baseballs popping out of the net.

Price

• 7×7 With weighted baseballs –  (Get it here with free shipping on Amazon)
• 7×7 – $79 (free shipping on Amazon)

Pros

• Team or individual Use.  Ideal for travel teams or at-home practice.  You probably won’t see this net used at baseball schools unless they need a portable net.
• Stability.  During our test, I did NOT utilize the ground steaks that come with the net, and still it didn’t budge when I hit into it off a batting tee.  If it can handle the higher force of a weighted baseball off a bat no problem, then it’s a given that it can handle throwing into it.
• Travel-sized.  When you break down the Bownet big mouth, it fits into a fairly slim travel bag (4′ long) with a shoulder strap – easy to carry (15 lbs) and easy to fit in a car.
• Safety.  The large size helps reduce the chance of missing the net.  And the “Big Mouth” pocket is meant to reduce bounce-back.  I found the sock net didn’t always catch the baseball, but in our experience it did reduce bounce-back so I didn’t get hit by baseballs bouncing back after being smashed into the net.
• Versatile.  Unlike my other favorite net, the 9 hole Pitchers Pocket (see review and video below), the Bownet Big Mouth can be used for both hitting and throwing practice.  Soft toss, hitting off a batting tee, throwing practice for infielders/outfielders/catchers, pitchers…  Pretty much any baseball or softball practice can be done with this baseball practice net.

• Easy to assemble.  Of all the true travel nets (I’m not counting the Pitcher’s Pocket), the Bownet Big Mouth was the easiest and fastest to setup (90 seconds) and take down (60 seconds).   The next fastest was the Sklz Quickster, which clocked in at a 2 minute setup time.  So not a huge difference, but the Bow net baseball was simpler/less confusing and just easier, with fewer parts to break and cause trouble.
• Accessories.  Unlike the Bownet, where you have to buy the strike zone separately, the Rukket net just comes with it.  Also the weighted baseballs are AWESOME (see next).
• Weighted baseballs.  The weighted baseballs are an optional bundle that you can choose.  Personally, I like the weighted balls. They make for a great tee drill, where you have to figure out how to be really powerful in your lower half in order to keep proper form and hit the weighted ball with some force. It’s great for learning how to use your legs properly, as well as developing strength.

Cons

• I can’t think of too many cons for this net.  The balls even stayed in the net and didn’t bounce out.
• No bounce back feature (If you are looking for this, check out the SKLZ combo below).  If you are looking for a net that does bounce the ball back to you, this is not it.

Options.  You can choose the net with or without the weighted baseballs

 #2 – Best bounceback /pitchback nets

The bounceback net is one of absolute favorite ways to practice throwing and fielding a baseball at home.  You can get in many reps, and do many types of drills.  It’s the best friend of energetic kids and tired parents alike!

Here are two that I really like:

1. Large Size – (See it in the video above)  Many of these nets are very large and not travel friendly.  If you have the space, a large one is wonderful to have.  The one in the video above is from Rukket.  Here is their newer version of this net  

2. Travel Size – QuickPlay PRO Rebounder Adjustable Angle Multi-Sport Trainer – I use the 3×3 which folds up and is extremely travel friendly

Click here to see the rebounder nets on Amazon

 #3 – Review of the Pitcher’s Pocket 9 Hole Net

NOT just for pitchers.

Adjustable height for chest level or strike zone target

For catchers, pitchers, and infield throwing practice.  The Pitcher’s Pocket 9 hole by Better Baseball was the first baseball practice net I tested, and I really like it.

Comparing the Pitcher’s Pocket to the Big Mouth is like comparing apples and oranges.  The Pitcher’s Pocket really isn’t a “travel sized” net(though it will fit in most cars).  It has features the Bownet doesn’t – like immediate feedback regarding throwing accuracy.  But it also isn’t as versatile as the Big Mouth, since you won’t use this practice net for hitting.

Pros

• Team or individual Use.  The Pitcher’s Pocket is the throwing net of choice for some very elite baseball schools I have worked with.  It is also ideal for individuals practicing at home.  So, it’s durable enough to hold up to team use, but it’s not sized or priced out of range for individual use.
• Easy to assemble.  And by that, I mean really easy.  It comes fully assembled except you have to insert the legs.
• Sturdy.  Stable enough to take high-velocity throwing.  Durable enough for commercial use.
• Easy to store /Portable.
  1. Home –  This net is really perfect for at-home throwing practice.  It’s light enough for one person to easily move it around, and it’s easy to store since the height drops and the legs spin to lay flat with the net.
  2. Field – Easy for one person to move around, and useful for a variety of positions.  Catcher’s throwing to 2nd base.  Pitcher’s strike zone.  Or raise it up for infielders to work on accuracy throwing to first base.
  3. Car – The net fit in the back seat of my car, which is a sedan, but not the trunk.  I’m sure it would fit in an average SUV no problem.  So, by portable, I don’t mean “travel sized.”  It’s not going to fit in your backpack or anything like that.
• Unique throwing target.  The 9 pockets (12 or 16 pockets also available) are helpful for evaluating throwing accuracy.  The feedback is immediate and concrete.  The ball is where it is.  No debating or disagreeing – except maybe for the occasional ball that hits a bungee cord instead and pops out. The net raises up to the height of a normal person, or lowers to simulate a strike zone.  This means it can work for pitching drills, as well as catching, infield and outfield drills.For coaches thinking outside the box, the net could be use for competitive games during team practice.  (If you have thought of a good game to utilize the pockets in this baseball throwing net, please let us know!  We’ll send you a book of drills or a T-shirt or something.)
• Options.  This throwing net comes in quite a few different colors.  It’s also available in 9, 12, or 16 holes.  The 9 hole is 3′ 6″ Tall x 2′ 8″ Wide and the 16 hole is 4’5″ Tall by 4′ Wide.

Cons

• Minor annoyance – I wasn’t a fan of the thumbscrews that are used to raise and lower the net, just because they can slip if not tightened enough.   But they do get the job done, so it’s not really a big deal.  Just make sure they’re tightened enough.  The good part is it only takes a little turn to loosen the screws and the net will raise or lower easily, or the legs can be turned to lay flat with the net for storage.
• Not really a travel net – If you’re looking for a baseball practice net that will break down into a very small travel size, this isn’t it.  It will fit into most cars, but if your car is small, it’s going to take up you whole back seat.

Options.  This throwing net comes in quite a few different colors.  It’s also available in 9, 12, or 16 holes.  The 9 hole is 3′ 6″ Tall x 2′ 8″ Wide and the 16 hole is 4’5″ Tall by 4′ Wide.

(Check out the video above to see the net in action)

Where to buy

See table below.

The table below helps you compare pricing at a glance. We shopped around to see which of our affiliates offers the best price on the net (after cost of shipping). The clear winner was Hitting World.

Both Hitting World and Amazon are affiliates of PBI.  Using our affiliate links is completely free for you and it helps us keep the 100’s of pages of baseball instruction on this site free for everyone.  So thank you!

 #4 – Review of the Bownet Big Mouth

The 7×7 Big Mouth by Bownet is currently our #1 rated all-purpose, travel practice net.   A close 2nd would be the Sklz Quickster (see below), but the Bownet has it beat for ease of assembling and disassembling.

Price

• 7×7 – $149.99 (and free shipping on this net from Hitting World)
• 8×8 – $199.00

Bow net Strike Zone Addon

Pros

• Team or individual Use.  Ideal for travel teams or at-home practice.  You probably won’t see this net used at baseball schools unless they need a portable net.
• Stability.  During our test, I did NOT utilize the ground steaks that come with the net, and still it didn’t budge when I hit into it off a batting tee.  If it can handle the higher force of a baseball off a bat no problem, then it’s a given that it can handle throwing into it.  It also dealt with some pretty strong wind with no problem, i.e. no falling over.
• Travel-sized.  When you break down the Bownet big mouth, it fits into a fairly slim travel bag (4′ long) with a shoulder strap – easy to carry (15 lbs) and easy to fit in a car.
• Safety.  The large size helps reduce the chance of missing the net.  And the “Big Mouth” pocket is meant to reduce bounce-back.  I found the sock net didn’t always catch the baseball, but in our experience it did reduce bounce-back so I didn’t get hit by baseballs bouncing back after being smashed into the net.
• Versatile.  Unlike my other favorite net, the 9 hole Pitchers Pocket (see review and video below), the Bownet Big Mouth can be used for both hitting and throwing practice.  Soft toss, hitting off a batting tee, throwing practice for infielders/outfielders/catchers, pitchers…  Pretty much any baseball or softball practice can be done with this baseball practice net.

Bownet Zone Counter

• Easy to assemble.  Of all the true travel nets (I’m not counting the Pitcher’s Pocket), the Bownet Big Mouth was the easiest and fastest to setup (90 seconds) and take down (60 seconds).   The next fastest was the Sklz Quickster, which clocked in at a 2 minute setup time.  So not a huge difference, but the Bow net baseball was simpler/less confusing and just easier, with fewer parts to break and cause trouble.
• Accessories.  You can buy 2 accessories separately (1) Strike zone target ($16.95) and (2) the Zone counter ($39.99).   Both accessories fit the 7×7 and also the 8×8 size nets, and are height-adjustable.  Feedback for the Zone counter has been mixed.   Some people liked it, and others said it was cheaply made and broke quickly.   It’s certainly no match for my other favorite net, the Pitcher’s Pocket (see review below) for immediate feedback on throwing accuracy.

Cons

• I can’t think of too many cons for this net.  Maybe if you are a stickler for balls collecting in the sock net, then you might get frustrated.  Otherwise, it seems like the best option out there in this category of all-purpose, travel nets.
• No bounce back feature (If you are looking for this, check out the SKLZ combo below).  If you are looking for a net that does bounce the ball back to you, this is not it.

Options.  There is also a more heavy-duty, 8×8 version of this net called the The Diamond PRO SERIES Bownet Big Mouth Sock Net for $199.99.  It weighs about 5 more lbs, and has pro grade heavy-duty netting, a thicker frame, and a more rugged carry bag.

 #5 – Review of the SKLZ Quickster

All-purpose, travel baseball practice net.  Hitting.  Throwing.  Pitching. This was a good net at a really good price.  The setup wasn’t quite as smooth and to took a tad bit longer to set up than the Bownet (about 30 seconds longer), but durability and stability were similar.

This is the classic travel net from SKLZ, and has been around for some time with generally very good feedback (the same can’t be said of other SKLZ nets, like the Quickster Rep net, which we do NOT recommend at this time).

Price:

• 5×5 – $99
• 7×7 – $129  (We recommend getting the 7×7 rather than the 5×5)

Pros

• Team or individual Use.  Ideal for travel teams or at-home practice.  You probably won’t see this net used at commercial baseball facilities unless they need a portable net.
• Accessories.  One thing this net has over the Bownet (besides price) is that it COMES WITH the removable target/strike zone accessory.  Also, the strike zone accessories for these baseball nets are different.  The one that comes with this practice net has a pocket to catch the baseballs, so there should be no argument about if the pitch was really in the zone or not.
• Stability.  Similar results to the Bownet for stability.  This practice net comes with anchors that you can drive into the ground, but I didn’t use them and still, the net was perfectly ok.  It didn’t budge when I hit into it off a batting tee.  If it can handle the higher force of a baseball off a bat no problem, then it’s a given that it can handle throwing into it.  It also dealt with some pretty strong wind with no problem, i.e. no falling over.
• Travel-sized.  When you break down the SKLZ Quickster, it fits into a fairly slim travel bag with a shoulder strap – easy to carry (15 lbs) and easy to fit in a car.
• Safety.  The large size of the 7×7 helps reduce the chance of missing the net, and bounce-back wasn’t a problem.
• Versatile.  Can be used for both hitting and pitching/throwing practice.  Soft toss, hitting off a batting tee, throwing practice for infielders/outfielders/catchers, pitchers…  Pretty much any baseball or softball practice can be done with this baseball practice net.
• Easy to assemble.  Of all the true travel nets (I’m not counting the Pitcher’s Pocket, which was the easiest to set-up or break down for storage, but also isn’t really a travel net), the SKLZ Quickster was beat only by the Bownet Big Mouth.  It took about a minute longer to set up the Quickster (2 minutes total), but you may be ok with that if you don’t want to spend the extra $30 on the Bownet.
• Durability – Some people say this net lasts forever, and there are other reports of it breaking within the first couple uses (if so, make use of the manufacturer’s 90 day warantee).  We suspect the Bownet is slightly more durable, but that this net will give you a year or two of very heavy use before it to wear and tear (can’t guarantee that of couse).

Cons

• Not quite as easy and fast to set up as the Bownet, but I’d call it a close 2nd place.

Note – This baseball net has no bounce back feature (If you are looking for this, check out the SKLZ combo below), so if you are looking for a net that does bounce the ball back to you, this is not it.

SKLZ Quickster product review – Summary.  As I said earlier, the SKLZ Quickster baseball nets are not quite as easy and fast to set up as the Bownet, but it’s equally good in most other categories, and has it beat for price and accessories included.  It’s a great travel net that can be used at home or on the road for hitting, pitching, and throwing practice.

SKLZ QUICKSTER 7×7 Portable Multi Sport Net – $99
Retail Price: $149.99
You Save: $50.99
from: Amazon (Free 2 day shipping with Prime)

(Amazon is one of our affiliates.  If you are thinking about buying this net, we hope you’ll click our affiliate links!  It’s free for you, and it helps to support the 100’s of pages of free baseball instruction on Pro Baseball Insider.  So thank you!)

 #6 – SKLZ Quickster Baseball Combo

All-purpose, travel baseball practice net.  Hitting.  Throwing.  Pitching.  Includes bounce-back net. So this baseball practice system actually comes with two nets, one is the regular and the other is a bounce-back.  It also includes the strike zone target accessory.

Price

• 7×7 – $149.99 MSRP, or we found it from Amazon ($119) here: Buy from Amazon, with free shipping

Pro

• Team or individual Use.  Ideal for travel teams or at-home practice.  You probably won’t see this net used at baseball schools unless they need a portable net.
• Stability.  During our test, I did NOT utilize the ground steaks that come with the net, and still it didn’t budge when I hit into it off a batting tee.  If it can handle the higher force of a baseball off a bat no problem, then it’s a given that it can handle throwing into it.  It also dealt with some pretty strong wind with no problem, i.e. no falling over.
• Travel-sized.  When you break down the Bownet big mouth, it fits into a fairly slim travel bag (4′ long) with a shoulder strap – easy to carry (15 lbs) and easy to fit in a car.
• Safety.  The large size helps reduce the chance of missing the net.  And the “Big Mouth” pocket is meant to reduce bounce-back.  I found the sock net didn’t always catch the baseball, but in our experience it did reduce bounce-back so I didn’t get hit by baseballs bouncing back after being smashed into the net.
• Versatile.  Unlike my other favorite net, the 9 hole Pitchers Pocket (see review and video above), the Bownet Big Mouth can be used for both hitting and throwing practice.  Soft toss, hitting off a batting tee, throwing practice for infielders/outfielders/catchers, pitchers…  Pretty much any baseball or softball practice can be done with this baseball practice net.
• Bounce-back net included.  Please note, the bounce back feature is NOT for fielding ground balls.  It’s only meant to return the baseball to the thrower.  If you only had a few baseballs and didn’t want to have to walk to the net and collect them after every 5 throws, then I can see how this feature would be appealing.  However, if you are working with a bucket of baseballs, it’s probably more of a hassle and not worth the extra $ or the extra time it will cost to set up this net over the other nets we like better.
• Accessories.  You can buy 2 accessories separately (1) the Zone counter ($39.99) and the (2) Strike zone

Cons

• Assembly – This net definitely lost points for assembly.  It uses a guide wire to show how the pieces go together, but the wire more-often-than-not just gets in the way and keeps the pieces from clicking into place properly.  Over all, it was more frustrating to assemble than the regular SKLZ Quickster, Bownet, or Pitcher’s Pocket.
• Price – I personally did not think the bounce-back feature was worth the extra $30 or more difficult assembly.  As I explained above, it be worth it if you only had a few baseballs and didn’t want to stop to collect them after every few throws.

By far, the best price we found on this net was from Amazon ($119, compared to MSRP $149) here: Buy from Amazon, with free shipping

Or buy it directly from SKLZ, who has an impressive lineup of elite sporting equipment.

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Used for:  Baseball, Soccer and Hockey

The Easton mulit-sport pop up net is best used for young kinds and is NOT recommended for elite baseball players.  Best for young kids who play multiple sports.

Options

• 7′ pop up net
• 5′ pop up net with strike zone accessory

Pros

• Fairly easy to travel with. Setting it up was very easy.  Taking down might takes some practice with the instruction manual, but is very quick once you get the hang of it.
• This would be a great net for small kids that play multiple sports, to use around the house or take it to the park.
• Includes removable strike zone accessory

Cons

• Not for older, stronger players.  The small size and very small strike zone attachment are only appropriate for young kids.
• Not extremely durable

Click here to buy this practice net