- Jun 8, 2016
- 16,118
- 113
I use the one with the square in the middle but this is only with wiffle balls. When we go to the fields to hit softballs I bring an L-screen (which I turn around for softball use..)
New Garage/Hitting Cage
- Thread starter warbird
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I use the one with the square in the middle but this is only with wiffle balls. When we go to the fields to hit softballs I bring an L-screen (which I turn around for softball use..)
- Dec 11, 2010
- 4,723
- 113
Ceiling height: I have 10’ ceilings in my shed and it is limiting. I am not able to use a couple light fixtures because of low clearance. 10’ works, but 12’ would be better and 14’ would be awesome.
10’ High is pretty good for hitting but if you want to play catch or throw back to a pitcher it’s juuuuuuust not quite high enough. (Remember the net will sag some).
10’ wide is pretty good for young kids. We got by with it with high school kids. You can put the plate a little off the middle, but what gets you is when you have righties and lefties. It’s easy to move a plate and a screen for each unless you are using a machine. Moving a machine isn’t practical.
I just replaced a 10x10x35 medium duty cage with a 12x12x55 heavy duty cage. The old one served us well and we got a ton of use from it. But now I can hit lefties and righties without moving the plate, the heavy net let me get closer to the ceiling and a wall and it is long enough to pitch in if you ever want to use it for full length pitching. (Keep in mind that to pitch you really want space behind the pitchers plate for walk throughs and back swings. You also need space behind the home plate for a realistic catcher set up location.). If my cage was 14’ wide I think I could do some more fielding stuff in it.
You might notice that I got 12’ High cage with 10’ High ceilings. I did that so I could stretch it wider sometimes and balls never get under it.
If you only have room for 10x10x35, still do it! It’s the best money you will ever spend on softball. But if you can go bigger you can do a lot more in it. Good luck and enjoy it!
10’ High is pretty good for hitting but if you want to play catch or throw back to a pitcher it’s juuuuuuust not quite high enough. (Remember the net will sag some).
10’ wide is pretty good for young kids. We got by with it with high school kids. You can put the plate a little off the middle, but what gets you is when you have righties and lefties. It’s easy to move a plate and a screen for each unless you are using a machine. Moving a machine isn’t practical.
I just replaced a 10x10x35 medium duty cage with a 12x12x55 heavy duty cage. The old one served us well and we got a ton of use from it. But now I can hit lefties and righties without moving the plate, the heavy net let me get closer to the ceiling and a wall and it is long enough to pitch in if you ever want to use it for full length pitching. (Keep in mind that to pitch you really want space behind the pitchers plate for walk throughs and back swings. You also need space behind the home plate for a realistic catcher set up location.). If my cage was 14’ wide I think I could do some more fielding stuff in it.
You might notice that I got 12’ High cage with 10’ High ceilings. I did that so I could stretch it wider sometimes and balls never get under it.
If you only have room for 10x10x35, still do it! It’s the best money you will ever spend on softball. But if you can go bigger you can do a lot more in it. Good luck and enjoy it!
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I use a Bownet as protection
Same!! But she seems to nail any part of me that happens to be exposed on the side. She usually says sorry after she's done laughing.
- Jun 8, 2016
- 16,118
- 113
Yours does that too??
GREAT INFO! I appreciate it.
One of these days, I'm going to get blasted by a ball coming back through the hole in my screen. Last night, I think my DD was trying to put them back through the hole.
- Jun 8, 2016
- 16,118
- 113
You're going to want it wider than 10'. The extra width eliminates the follow through from hitting the side netting.
I made this cage 14' Wide x 12' High.
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I always find myself thinking about building a cage using pvc but figured direct hits would break the piping. Is that 1 1/2” you used?
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