It’s pickleball season and if you want to up your game, you’re going to need some practice. And that’s why you should immediately convert your driveway (or just about any paved, open area) into a pickleball court.
After all, you’ve already got some paddles, right? Now you just need a net. Prices typically range from around $100 to $200, but I’ve found what is currently the best deal anywhere: the Zeny Portable Pickleball Net Set for $71. That’s after clipping the current 5 percent off coupon.
Like most portable nets, this consists of a series of steel tubes, a few brackets and the net itself. The latter is 22 feet wide and 34 inches high at the center — in other words, regulation.
The set weighs about 18 pounds and comes in a zippered carrying case.
So how does it compare with nets costing more? The nearly 900 user ratings tell most of the story: They average out to 4.7 stars, which is about as good as it gets.
There’s one more item you might want to consider, especially if you want a legit court and not just a place to practice your dinks: line markers. You can get the Franklin Sports Pickleball Court Marker Kit for just $16 right now (regularly $25). It includes 12 pieces to rough out your court and a tape measure to get everything positioned just right.
Now get out there and, er, pickle it up!
