Outdoor sports padding protects athletes from collisions with walls or other hard surfaces during play. Not only does outdoor padding protect the athletes, but it also increases fan safety and brand awareness when you add custom logos, artwork, and/or lettering. But how do you know which padding is right for you? Read our guide on the good, the better, and the best padding to decide what works for your facility and your players.

Good Wall Padding

First up, the good wall padding. This outdoor sports padding folds, which makes it easy to work with and store if necessary. Each section is two-feet wide, while the foam is two-inches thick. To attach this padding to the wall, simply use a #2 brass grommet every 12 inches. The grommets run along the top, bottom, and both sides to provide an easy and secure attachment.

So, what makes this Folding Backstop Padding good?

For one thing, the folding sections make this padding easy to ship, store, and transport. Also, it is easy to attach to all types of surfaces such as chain link fence, concrete, and/or brick. It is available in a variety of sizes and colors, so it is easy to find the perfect Folding Backstop Padding for your facility.

On the downside, folding padding does not have wood backing, which helps absorb impact. Because the sections fold, the sections are not able to have wood backing.

Lastly, this padding is only two-inches thick, which doesn’t work for every sport. Finding the right balance when it comes to thickness is important; You want the padding thick enough to absorb impact, so you would think thicker is better, right? Well, that’s not necessarily the case. If padding is too thick, it causes more injuries. That’s why this padding is great for non-contact sports, such as track and field. In the event that someone does hit the wall, the padding absorbs the shock; however, it is not meant for football or basketball players running into it at full speed.

Better Wall Padding

Non-folding backstop pads measured in two, three, or four-inch foam with grommet flaps on top and bottom. Overall, this padding is very similar to the folding wall padding; however, there are some key differences that make it a little “better.” First, it is available up to four-inches thick, so it can handle higher-impact sports like football and basketball. Additionally, it offers more options, which means you can choose the right padding for your facility and needs.

As far as easy transport goes, this type of padding will be a little more difficult to ship and store compared to the folding padding, which may or may not be important to you. Non-folding padding stands up to temperatures as low as -40 ℉, so you might live in an area where you can keep the padding up year-round.

Overall, the better padding handles impact slightly better than the good padding does, which makes it appropriate for more sports and activities.

Best Outdoor Sports Padding

As for the best in outdoor sports padding, Aer-Cushion Outdoor Padding is manufactured using 3/4″ BC exterior grade plywood backing with three-inch foam fully wrapped in 18-ounce, coated vinyl with Z brackets or chain link fence washers for attachment. The foam thickness is perfect for higher impact sports, such as football and basketball. Also, the attached wood backing helps absorb some of the impact when a player hits the wall.

Next, Aer-Cushion padding uses a synthetic, resin-based adhesive that is highly flexible, resistant to water and weather (heat/cold), and provides a superior bond than other adhesives. So, you can trust that your Aer-Cushion padding will stay put and adapt to impact better than other padding options. Furthermore, the connection is customized based on what type of surface you are covering. For example, washers and bolts are used to attach the padding to chain link fence, while masonry screws are used to attach the padding to other surface types.

Overall, Aer-Cushion is the best padding option because it is customized to attach to your surface and it provides the right amount of foam thickness for high-impact sports. There are many different size options and colors available as well.

Custom Artwork

Whether you want team branding, logos, trademarks, or sponsorship advertising on your padding, our in-house printing processes makes it pop. With attractive graphics, wall padding serves as much more than a protective barrier between players and injury. Graphic artwork becomes a focal point to showcase your facility and provide a revenue stream that offsets the cost of the printed pads or mats.

How to Submit Your Custom Artwork
1.Place your order.

2. Submit your logo to info@practicesports.com.

For best results, artwork should be in ‘vector’ format and the following file formats: .ai, .eps.
Artwork in other formats may require recreation into vector. In those cases, additional charges will apply.

Are you ready to protect your players? Contact our friendly, knowledgable agents today to get a quote on your next project.