Tennis Backboards & Rebound Nets

Tennis backboards and rebound nets are the perfect solution when a partner is not available. Technological innovations have gone into making both more reliable and challenging.

Tennis Backboards

The inventor and creator of Bakko backboards started the company out of a necessity to save himself from listening to endless hours of tennis practice on the walls of his garage. Tennis backboards can also prevent costly repairs as a hard hitting tennis ball, can over time cause damage to those walls. These benefits, added to the incalculable benefits to your game make tennis backboards a priceless addition to your workout routine.

When shopping for a tennis backboard, there are a few things to keep in mind:

Tennis backboard construction

As with tennis nets, not all backboards are created equal. Over the last few decades, manufacturers have refined and perfected the backboard using different materials in the construction process, such as fiberglass, UV treated plastics, heavy duty polyurethane, wood, brick and even foam.

Wood and brick backboards tend to wear more quickly than other materials and are not recommended. Bakko backboards are made of a dense fiberglass material that is coated with UV treated paint. The advantage of this process is that the panels are filled with sound deadening material for a quieter practice session. Rally Master backboards are made from a solid UV stabilized plastic and formed in solid panel-sized molds. The advantage of Rally Master panels is that they are covered under warrantee for all types of practice (soccer, lacrosse, and basketball as well as tennis).

Flat vs. curved tennis backboards

Traditional tennis backboards are flat, simulating a wall and meant to protect wall from damage. New innovations in tennis backboard design have determined that sloping and curved backboards are more beneficial in practice as they more realistically simulate a return from a live partner.

Single curved backboards, like the Bakko single curve wall, return the ball higher, providing more of an opportunity for a longer volley. Dual curved backboards, like the REAListic dual-curved tennis backboard from Courtmaster, simulate more closely real play. Hitting the ball low will return it high; hitting the ball high will return it low. The added curve returns the ball right if you hit it left and left, if hit right. The curves of these boards are subtle and the directional return is not as drastic as one might think, but is effective.

Installation

Tennis backboards are sold as four foot panels and install against fence lines. The number of interlocking panels needed is determined by necessity. Manufacturers recommend 16 feet of wall for singles practice and a minimum of 20 feet for doubles. As the skill level goes up, so does the number of recommended panels.

Tennis rebound nets

Tennis rebound nets share all the same practice advantages of tennis backboards, but have the added advantages of portability and are even quieter.

Deluxe rebound nets are often as large as tennis backboards. The Bakko Outdoor Fence Mount tennis rebound net is 9.25 feet tall by 12.5 feet wide. There are freestanding versions and smaller models available to accommodate unique locations. Tennis rebounders are not limited to fence mount installation on a tennis court and can easily be set up in a garage or basement. Smaller portable rebounders, like the Gamma Rebound Net, which is 7 feet in diameter and collapses to a convenient 3 foot diameter, are ideal for picnics at the park or a quick lunch hour workout in the office parking lot.

One advantage of tennis rebound nets that is never found in a rebound wall is the ability to adjust the net for a harder or softer return. New players can work with a mushy net to slow down the tennis ball and more advanced players can tighten the net for a faster, more challenging ball return.

Whether you decide on a tennis backboard or a rebound net, proper installation and regular maintenance is vital for warranty validation and a long product life.

Items on Sale