If you are a pickleball player looking to understand more about pickleball rebounders, we have the most perfect guide for you below. We discuss everything there is about pickleball rebounders, including its uses, types, brands and alternatives.
Let’s get the most basic question out of the way.
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Why Should You Get a Pickleball Rebounder?
Pickleball rebounders are an excellent way for you to improve your game, to exercise and stay slim and agile, and also, to bide your time while waiting for courts to open or if you are without a hitting partner. However, more importantly they are fun.
These rebounders are also ideal for any small space – it helps to have a concrete floor – and are used by players, coaches, schools, clubs and colleges.
What Exactly is a Pickleball Rebounder?
I grew up with a dad who played golf and he had a golf net at the bottom of the garden. It was a simple structure which he could erect easily on his own, stand a few feet away, practice his golf swings which would then be caught by the net. A pickleball rebounder is similar, but a much more modern version of my dad’s old golf net.
A rebounder is a structure – you can get different sizes – that’s generally free standing, with a solid pickleball panel at the top (either for singles or doubles) and a net below.
Players can play against the rebounder, serving, dinking and volleying; basically practicing all their shots. Most pickleball rebounders are on wheels, meaning you can transport them easily, and when you’re done playing, can just push them against the side of the wall or into a corner
Pickleball Rebounders & Their Sizes
Pickleball rebounders generally have a steel frame, but some have PVC piping as a frame. They also come in a variety of sizes.
There is a standard model, which is known as an All-Court, and then there are Club models, which are much larger (about 33% bigger in dimensions than the All-Court one).
You can get a Dink model, which is probably the smallest and most simple (but fabulous for practicing your dinking) and there is a Dink Plus, which has an adjustable panel.
These are the pickleball rebounders on wheels, but if you prefer one that is erected against the wall, look at the stationary pickleball rebounders or the adjustable pickleball rebounders.
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What Size to Choose?
The size you choose depends on what you are using it for.
If you enjoy playing alone, practicing, and working on your skills, a Dink model would be fine, although we would suggest you go for the Dink adjustable.
If you are a coach, go for a structure on wheels and you may want the All Court. It depends on your space and how much pickleball is going to be played against the rebounder.
As an aside, pickleball rebounders are FABULOUS for coaches and clubs, making life much easier for them. Very valuable.
Pickleball Rebounder Net
There are nets built in as part of the pickleball rebounder, either under the panels or boards.
This is for your ease; if you mis-hit the ball under the panel, the ball goes against the net. This way you are not running all over the place to fetch it.
Of course if you hit the ball over the panel, you have to fetch it. BUT – given a pickleball rebounder is usually in a small space, you don’t have to do too much collecting.
You can also buy a further accessory, a ball catching target set.
These are different to the rebounder nets that are part of a pickleball rebounder. These pickleball rebound nets are built on four legs, also with steel frames but sometimes PVC pipes, and they can be placed around the pickleball court for you to specifically target.
Coaches use these, both on and off the court, either as stand alone items or in conjunction with a pickleball rebounder.
What about the Rebounder Panels/Board?
The panels are solid core, they do not warp, they do not absorb water and they do not absorb water. In other words, they are durable and hardy.
The pickle ball bounces off them, as if the ball was being bounced back by a player.
They are UV protected, and the edge of the panel is positioned at the same height of a pickleball net, 34 inches above the ground. All the tube ends are capped for protection, to protect against water and to protect against damage.
Panels come in blue or green, but you might find different colored ones.
There is generally a line down the center, so you can practice targeting, but this depends on which pickleball rebounder you choose. Even the standard dink model has a line down the center.
Here’s a quick video of how a Pickleball Rebounder can be played with.
Best Pickleball Rebounders
Racquet Training Specialists or RTS, have an excellent selection of pickleball rebounders. They have the following:
- Dink Pickleball Rebounder
- Dink Plus Pickleball Rebounder
- All Court Pickleball Rebounder
- Club Pickleball Rebounder
- Pro Pickleball Rebounder
RTS also have a wide variety, so take a look online, of pickleball rebounder nets and pickleball target windows, as well as all the accessories you might need.
They do seem to have captured the pickleball rebounder market, but look online to make comparisons. Another brand, Rukket sell a pickleball rebounder too, a good product, although this has a net and no panels.
A third brand of pickleball rebounders are Perfect Pitch, which is getting rave reviews too.
What we do find interesting is that many pickleball coaches take the pickleball rebounders ON to the pickleball court, on to a tennis court, using it to instruct players, and also for players to play on / with or against, while they are waiting.
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How to Set Up a Pickleball Rebounder?
If you are buying a pickleball rebounder, it is going to come with the assembly instructions.
Some pickleball rebounders are easier to assemble than others, depending on the size. Obviously the entry level pickleball rebounders are easier to assemble, purely because they are small.
But even a Club or a Pro pickleball rebounder is not tricky. Follow the instructions, or watch a video or two, and you will be just fine.
These videos, all on one link courtesy RTS, will show you how you can use the pickleball rebounders, and you will get an idea of what it takes to assemble one.
You can also watch this assembly video from Perfect Pitch:
The Pickleball Rebounder Wall
The rebounder has a panel, at pickleball net height, that you play against.
This wall is hard, strong and durable, but it is light, making your pickleball rebounder easy to assemble and easy to move from area to area.
The ball rebounds off the wall, easily, as if emulating an opponent. The ball comes back at you in the same way it would come back at you from a pickleball player.
Of course harder you play, the harder the ball comes back at you, and when you choose different angles, the ball comes back at you at different angles.
Using spin again a pickleball rebounder is the same as using spin against a player. You can practice all your strokes with a rebounder and really improve your game.
Pickleball Rebounder Reviews
The reviews are in and the reviews are fab! Coaches love pickleball rebounders and love pickleball rebounder nets. Players of all ages love the pickleball rebounder.
It’s not the sort of thing you can, not enjoy, especially if you love pickleball.
It’s like having an instant opponent, or coach, and it is easy to use at home, at a club, or on the court. Most coaches go for the slightly larger pickleball rebounder sets, while home players choose the Dink or the Dink Plus, purely because of size restrictions.
The mobility is a huge plus for any pickleball rebounder, as are the wheels. Apart from being a practical tool, they are easy to store and do not take up space.
Pickleball rebounders can be stored against a wall (some are mounted to the wall), which is why they are so popular. As per the reviews, these can also used by platform tennis players and paddle ball players, and are used by players of all ages.
The reviews are good, and while you can go and read them on your own, one thing is for sure. A pickleball rebounder net is going to help you improve our game and keep you fit and in good shape.
What about a DIY Pickleball Rebounder?
You can certainly try your hand at making your own pickleball rebounder. The most simple would be to use a wall at home, tape a net to the wall, put target marks on the wall, and play.
It’s unlikely the ball will bounce back at you in the desired way – concrete is different to the panels on a pickleball rebounder – but you could at least do a lot of target practice.
You could also buy a backboard from the hardware and tie it or nail it to a fence or a wall, paint a line across it at the height of a pickleball net, 34 inches off the ground, and paint a line down the middle. If you want to play pickleball that badly, you’ll make a plan with a DIY rebounder, just know that a DIY model may not give you the bounce back that you need.
You can also read our piece on how to play pickleball alone at home here.
Final Words on Pickleball Rebounders
The beauty of a pickleball rebounder is that it acts as both a partner and a training aid. You can play at any time, for five minutes or for five hours if you choose.
The rebounders are well-priced too and will last for many years, provided you don’t leave them outside in the snow or rain for days on end.
They are however designed not to warp, are UV resistant and water resistant. As a training aid for a pickleball coach, they are absolutely brilliant, and they are brilliant too for any player who has a bit of space at home, although the smaller ones are better as home pickleball aids.
The pickleball rebounder nets are also great, as stand alone items, and a coach can choose to have one, two or more, meaning players can work on all their angles and targets simultaneously.
Do a little more research to get one within your budget, and you order from your favorite pickleball sports store or pickleball centre, and get playing, practicing and coaching.
As a coach, you may find your numbers double, just by having a few pickleball aids. Many coaches use pickleball courts that are on tennis courts, and if you are using the whole court (or even half) you can dot the pickleball rebound nets around the court.
