Credit:
Reviewed / Timothy Renzi
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For baseball and softball players of all ages, practicing your batting skills is historically a two-man job. But Hit Run Steal makes it easy to swing on your own with its hitting nets designed to catch the balls you’re practicing with. We tested the Hit Run Steal softball hitting net, practice tee, and a 12-pack of softballs, and think the brand really, er, knocked it out of the park. The equipment is easy to assemble, portable, and fun to use—players of any age are sure to have fun practicing with Hit Run Steal.
What is Hit Run Steal?
Hone your batting skills with practice essentials from Hit Run Steal that include everything from gloves to practice nets.
Hit Run Steal makes baseball and softball equipment such as practice nets, tees, gloves, and balls. They also sell equipment for golf and soccer, though most is made for baseball and softball.
We tested the softball hitting net, bundled with a batting tee and pack of 12 softballs, for a total of $165. The net itself costs $100. Though Hit Run Steal doesn’t sell baseball bats, I was able to find one on Amazon to work on my swing with.
The softball hitting net is 7 feet wide and 7 feet tall and weighs 13 pounds. You assemble it yourself upon delivery simply by connecting its frame and looping the net on. It can be broken down for storage and it comes with a carrying bag for easy transportation.
For an additional fee, you can bundle the net with a removable strike zone, a batting tee, a ball caddy, and softballs. In addition to the net, we tested the batting tee, which weighs three pounds and adjusts from 28 to 46 inches tall.
What we like about Hit Run Steal
It’s fun to use
You can bring part of the appeal of a batting cage right to your backyard with the help of the portable hitting net.
I had a blast using the practice net and ball stand. I’m no professional and haven’t swung a baseball bat in years, but even if you don’t play baseball or softball, I’m willing to bet you’ll have fun with this net.
For kids looking to practice their swing, the Hit Run Steal net makes it easy to get some hits in on your own. Its simplicity made it easy to use by myself—it was quick and easy to set up and take down—and it caught every ball I hit, minus one runaway. It’s also easy to adjust the tee for your height, so you can use it on your own or take turns with a friend.
It’s easy to assemble
You can get up and moving quickly because installation doesn't require much effort.
It took me less than 10 minutes to put this net together myself, and it doesn’t require any tools. It’s easy to assemble and has a lightweight build—the rods attached securely and this net still feels sturdy enough to last through long practice sessions. Assembling the tee is just as simple, and only requires attaching one rod to the base—it’s also easy to adjust the height.
It’s highly portable
The large 7' x 7'hitting net only weighs 13 pounds so you can take it on the go with you to practice at home or at a field.
The included carrying bag made it easy to tote this net around the office and to and from the park. The bag is about 3 feet long and fits the net, a bat, extra softballs, and the tee. I didn’t weigh the bag with everything in it, but altogether, the equipment probably weighed less than 20 pounds total, and it felt lightweight on my shoulder.
What we don’t like about Hit Run Steal
The softballs show wear and tear quickly
Don't expect these these HRS-branded softballs to withstand more than a few batting sessions.
The HRS-branded softballs that came with the bundle started to look beat up, especially around the seams, after only 30 minutes of use. I can’t say for certain how this will affect their long-term durability, but they may not last as long as expected.
What other people are saying about Hit Run Steal
The net sure seems to be a hit according to reviews. Reviewers give it a 4.9-star rating on Hit Run Steal’s site and a 4.7-star rating on Amazon.
“I am so impressed with this softball hitting net,” one reviewer says. “It truly exceeded my expectations. The included tee is a great addition and has been a huge help for my daughter as she works on her hitting skills. The net itself is huge, providing plenty of room to hit into, and the fact that it can be used for both hitting and pitching practice makes it an incredibly versatile tool.”
The main complaint with Hit Run Steal’s equipment is with the batting tee. Some reviewers say it quickly fell apart. The company did replace the tees for free, according to reviewers, but serious athletes may want to be wary.
Is Hit Run Steal worth it?
Dust off those batting skills with a hitting net that actually works.
Yes, the equipment is fun and easy to use
I would recommend Hit Run Steal to anyone looking for a practice net. It’s easy to assemble, highly portable, and sturdy, to boot.
The main complaint from reviewers is that the tee may not last as long as hoped, and I worry the same about the softballs, but the net has stellar reviews. I think kids of any age—plus adults, too—will have a blast practicing with Hit Run Steal. The net is a real home run.
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