Portable pickleball nets are great because they can be used indoors, outdoors and even on your driveway or backyard. I purchased a practice Pickleball net for $50 when I first started playing Pickleball to use in the garage and backyard. Honestly, I have not used the net in a year or more but I pulled it out just yesterday since I’m staying at home due to the coronavirus pandemic. I knew when I ordered the net it was not the best one. But yesterday the Monarch Net from Dicks Sporting Goods certainly served its purpose when I practiced serving and volleying.

The biggest problem with the Monarch net is that it is not a regulation size. In fact it is 12 feet across and the net is 36 inches high all the way across. A regulation size net is 34” in the middle and 36” on the ends. Plus, the net should be 22 feet wide. The net itself is easy to put together and the metal supports are adequate so while it is not a regulation net it can be used for practice.

The Search for a Regulation-Size Pickleball Net

I decided to see if I could find a regulation size net since who knows how long I will be stuck practicing in my backyard. Apparently, a few other people decided to do the same thing because two of the top regulation size nets (USAPA and A11N) are out of stock on Amazon. I checked the USAPA website for their regulation Pickleball net and found they are expecting the nets to be back in stock in mid-May. There is no option to backorder the nets so you’ll need to keep checking back if you want one.

I did some more research to find a regulation size net currently in stock on Amazon and I’m glad I did. I found a very sturdy but pricey net by Oncourt Offcourt called Picklenet Deluxe and the Verus Sports Pickleball net which is more of a value choice. I’ll discuss these more in detail below plus some of the other nets which may or may not be currently in stock. If you’re in a hurry, here’s a brief summary.

Oncourt Offcourt has been manufacturing pickleball nets for over a decade now and they’re perhaps the biggest name in the pickleball industry. The ‘PickleNet’ designed by them happens to be the one

approved by the USAPA

as the correct regulation size. Oncourt Offcourt also manufactures nets for other companies, such as ‘Rally’ and even ‘USAPA’ itself which are then rebranded and sold as different products. This is why you’ll notice that a lot of pickleball nets bear such a strong resemblance.

The Picklenet Deluxe is a heavy duty version of the Picklenet. The deluxe version is more stable with oval tubing and is easy to transport since it has locking wheels. It also has a better system to keep net tension which increases it durability. All of these attributes mean the net is a pricey option but worth the money as noted by the reviewers.

The Verus Sports Pickleball Net is regulation size – 22 feet wide, 36 inches tall at the sides, and 34 inches in height at the center. The net is simple to set up with its easy locking system.The knotless net design helps drastically reduce the time taken to unwrap the whole thing and makes every pickleball game a hassle-free experience. The tightening straps ensures the net stays taut.

While this is a regulation size net, it looks like in the past it may have been sold as a

set with paddles

and balls. Apparently, they are likely not included now. So, don’t buy this because it is a set. It appears to only be the net. Also, you’ll notice this product does not have the best reviews. However, this is because the balls and paddles were low quality. I didn’t see any complaints about the net. Again, this net is a good choice but don’t expect paddles and balls with it.

The USAPA pickleball net is another regulation size net like the previous one. It uses oval-shaped poles instead of round ones, ensuring a more steady, and solid net for your game. Of course, this does increase the overall weight of the whole pickleball net system. But considering how light pickleball nets are anyway, this increased weight is a really small drawback.

On the plus side, this net system uses fewer parts than most other pickleball nets and is far easier to set up as well. Also, the poles are made from recycled, aerospace-grade carbon fiber which, unlike metal, is a lot more resistant to bending and twisting out of shape.

Finally, most pickleball nets tend to sag between the poles, and this happens even when they’ve got a central pole to prevent sagging. But this net includes a special ‘shock cord’ that runs through the length of the top of the net.

This cord ensures that the net stays up at its official height of 34 inches and also stays taut to prevent the ball from bouncing weirdly when it grazes the net.

As mentioned above, this net is also made by Oncourt Offcourt and is similar to the USAPA net above. The Picklenet is a lighter duty net compared to the deluxe one but it still does the job. It comes with a zippered nylon bag that has multiple compartments, making it easy to carry around. But the bag isn’t the only thing that’s convenient about this net.

The Picklenet even comes with an elastic band running through the entire bottom length of the net, giving the net support and maintaining constant net tension. This also helps to ease some stress off the main body of the net, increasing its durability.

The Franklin Sports Pickleball starter set happens to be the official starter set of the US Open Pickleball championships.

The best part about ordering this net is that it comes with two pickleball paddles and a pickleball! With these goodies, and the fact that the Franklin Starter Set is extremely easy to set up, you’re sure to fall short of any reason not to work on your skills.

The difference with this net and the rest of the nets on this list is the dimensions. This net happens to be only 12.3 feet wide and 36” tall when set up completely. It may be a lot harder to play than regular nets but this net can help you quickly improve your game and take on tougher opponents.

It weighs just 5.5 pounds, making it easy to transport and set up anywhere you please. The Franklin Sports net also uses fiberglass poles, to help maintain adequate tension. Along with this, it has a raised centre running along the entire base of the net. This ensures constant equal tension throughout the match, even when the ball makes contact with the net.

The name is deceiving, but the Boulder Badminton net can make a decent practice net but it is not a regulation size net. It comes in three size options including 10 feet wide, 14 feet wide and 17 feet wide.

One of the key advantages with this net is its adjustable height system which allows you to go from anywhere between 34 inches – 60.5 inches high. This works okay for Pickleball and is perfect in case you’re into playing other racquet sports or volleyball.

Finally, this net can be used both indoors and outdoors thanks to its easy portability and set up. It comes with a carrying case and is lightweight and extremely easy to set up. You won’t even need any tools to set it up despite the adjustable height.

Summary

Portable Pickleball nets are great for regulation play and practice. I couple my practice net with my Lobster Pickleball machine to be ready when I can get out on the courts again. Unfortunately, the Lobster Pickleball machine is out of stock on Amazon and the Lobster website as well. I think other Pickleball players have the same idea right now but you may be able to find another Pickleball machine.