How to set up spikeball – guide with visuals
Let’s explain how to set up spikeball. Setting up spikeball is not hard and doesn’t have to take a lot of time. However, the first time you are doing it, a helpful guide might be a huge help.
Note that I will be talking about the spikeball pro version. However, the same steps apply for any spikeball set. There might be some changes in the number of legs. For example, the spikeball pro set has 5 legs and the spikeball XL set has 6 legs.
I will explain step by step -with visuals- how to set up spikeball the right way.
Before we can get started, make sure you have the following items at hand:
- 1 Net
- 5 Leg pieces
- 5 Rim pieces
How to set up the spikeball net frame
Let’s start with setting up the spikeball net frame. For this step, you will require the 5 leg pieces and the 5 rim pieces.
Slide the rim pieces in the leg pieces and make sure the hooks are facing the ground.
Make sure the rims fit all the way in the leg. If this is not the case, your setup won’t be stable and you won’t even end up with an even circle. However, these usually fit pretty nicely, I haven’t had any issues with it so far.
Repeat this step for all the 5 rims and legs until you end up with an even circle.
This step is pretty straight-forward, and shouldn’t take you too long. The main things to keep in mind:
- The hooks of the rim pieces have to face the ground
- The rim pieces have to fit all the way in the leg
We should end up with a self-standing spikeball frame. It should look and feel stable.
How to put on the spikeball net
Now that the frame of the spikeball net is set up, it’s time to put on the spikeball net.
It’s important to not that the net goes over the rim before putting it over the hook, like this:
The easiest way to put the net on the frame is to start by hooking the net around the hooks next to the legs.
Once this is done, you can start attaching the other hooks. If you aren’t following these exact steps, no worries, it’s just something that makes it a bit easier (at least in my experience).
When attaching the hooks, it’s important that you feel some tension, but don’t pull the net too hard at this point.
Once the net is attached to every single hook, it’s time to tighten the net. It’s important to make sure that you do this evenly. Don’t just make it as tight as possible straight away because the tension won’t be evenly spread. Rotate the net when you are tightening the net. You can see that the tension is evenly spread by looking at the squares. Do they look like actual squares? Perfect! Do they look a bit deformed? That’s a clear indication that the tension is not evenly spread.
How tight should the spikeball net be
An important, and often overlooked part of how to set up spikeball, making sure the net has the right tightness.
Officially, the rule is a drop from 5 ft above the net (so 5 ft + net height above ground) should bounce 20 inches above the net. However, most people play with a net that bounces slightly higher than that.
In the end, you can play with a tightness that suits you best. If you notice that the ball bounces way too far, it’s probably a sign that your net is too tight. If it’s hard to make the ball bounce at all, you might consider making it fit more tight.
How much should a spikeball be inflated
Last but not least, let’s talk about the spikeball ball. It might not be the first thing to think about when talking about “how to set up spikeball”. However, it is actually still a part of the setup to make sure that the balls are not deformed and nicely inflated.
“The ball should be inflated to 12 inches in circumference. Using the
Pro Set measuring device, the ball should touch the sides of the measuring device and
be able to pass through with light pressure.”
The pro set comes with all the tools needed to make sure that you have the right amount of air in your balls.
You could also use another pump or even buy some spare spikeball balls.
On top of that, you should make sure that the ball looks round. In time, some deformities could occur. However, this is not something that happens often.
Where to place the spikeball set
Now that we have our spikeball set up and running, we are ready to play. However, you might still be wondering, where do I place the spikeball set? Can I play it on grass? On the beach? What about inside?
Well, you can basically play it almost anywhere. There are certain advantages/disadvantages about certain locations, but it can be done even indoors or on the beach.
Generally, a lawn is the most popular and recommend place.
It’s important that your spikeball set stands stable and balanced. However, this does not mean that you have to place it on a hard and even surface. For example, you could put it on sand, as long as you make sure that the set stands stable and balances, you should be fine.
Placing it inside is also possible, but keep in mind that you will need a lot of room. Also, when playing it on a hard underground, there is no possibility for diving without risking injuries, this is what makes spikeball on a beach a lot of fun.
At the end of the day, you can play anywhere you like. Some players might prefer the beach, others the lawn. Just make sure that you place it in a stable and balanced way.
That’s it, now you are completely ready to play some spikeball, have fun!
How to set up spikeball – Conclusion
It’s pretty easy to set up a spikeball set. However, there are a couple of things that might go wrong if it’s your first time doing it.
Let’s summarize the process.
- Set up the spikeball net frame – Make sure that the hooks on the rim pieces are facing the ground and that they fit all the way in the leg pieces.
- Put on the spikeball net – Make sure that the net has the proper tightness. This will determine how easy it will be to make a ball bounce long distances.
- Make sure that your spikeball balls are properly inflated
I tried to cover every aspect of the question “how to set up spikeball” as good as possible without making the post too long. If you have any other questions about how to properly set up spikeball, feel free to let me know so that I can optimize the article.
If you have any more questions about spikeball, I would strongly advise checking out this article: Common questions about spikeball.
More information about spikeball can always be found on their official site.
Ps. If you want to try out spikeball, or you want to buy a set for a friend, but don’t want to spend too much money, I wrote an article about the best cheap spikeball sets.
