If you want to play at home, at the park, or set up a driveway court for the neighbourhood, the one thing standing between you and a game is a pickleball net. A regulation portable net turns any flat 6 metres of ground into a court in a few minutes, and unlike a paddle, it's a buy-once bit of kit. This is our honest guide to choosing a pickleball net in Australia: the three portable nets we stock, how they compare spec for spec, and the specs that actually matter.
The short version. All three nets we carry are full regulation size with steel frames and carry bags. The Selkirk SLK Prime Portable Net ($229) is the lightest and cheapest. The JOOLA Elemental Net ($239.95) trades a little extra weight for wide interlocking legs and all-weather netting. The OnCourt OffCourt PickleNet ($289) is the official net of USA Pickleball, with a patented oval-tube frame built to stop the twisting that round-tube nets are prone to. Nets are a bulky item, so freight is worked out to your address at checkout and the free shipping threshold does not apply to them.
The three portable pickleball nets we stock
We keep the range deliberately tight: three nets that are genuinely worth owning, all regulation, all rated for indoor and outdoor play. Here's how they line up side by side, on each maker's own published figures.
| Spec | Selkirk SLK Prime | JOOLA Elemental | OnCourt OffCourt PickleNet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (AUD) | $229 | $239.95 | $289 |
| Length | 6.7m (22ft), USAP approved dimensions | 6.71m (22ft), USAPA recommended | 6.7m (22ft), regulation |
| Height (sidelines) | 91.4cm (36") | 91.44cm (36") | Not published by the maker |
| Height (centre) | 86.4cm (34") | 86.36cm (34") | 86cm (34") |
| Frame | Sturdy steel | Wide bent interlock steel legs | Powder-coated steel, patented oval tube |
| Netting | Not specified by Selkirk | Nylon fabric + knotless PPVC netting, coated | Not specified by the maker |
| Tensioning | Adjustment straps | Tensioning strap | Adjustment straps, patented rectangular centre strap, elastic bottom band |
| Weight | 8.7kg (19.2 lbs) | Under 9.08kg packed in its bag | 9.98kg (22 lbs, the maker's shipping weight) |
| Carry bag | Nylon carry bag | Reinforced carry bag | Zippered nylon bag, two outside pockets that take about six balls each |
| Warranty | 90 days against manufacturing defects | Per JOOLA's warranty terms | One year |
You can see all three, plus the rest of our pickleball nets, in one place.
Selkirk SLK Prime Portable Net: the grab-and-go pick
The Selkirk SLK Prime Portable Net is built around a sturdy steel frame that holds tension all game, and at 8.7kg it's the lightest of the three: the difference you feel when you're carrying it from the car boot to court three. Tension-adjustment straps let you dial it to regulation height without fuss, and the whole rig packs down into the included nylon carry bag.
It's the one we'd point most club players and home-court owners at: quick to set up, quick to break down, and it earns its keep if you're the person in your group who brings the net. Pickld is an authorised Selkirk dealer in Australia, so it's covered properly. Right now it's on pre-order, with the next delivery expected in Sydney in the third week of October.
Best for: home courts, driveway and park sessions, and anyone who packs the net up after every play. The lightest and cheapest option we carry.
JOOLA Elemental Net: the stability pick
The JOOLA Elemental Net goes the other way slightly: wide, bent interlock steel legs give it extra stability, and the knotless netting with a plastic inner coating is built for all-weather use. The 6.71m length gives you an extra 30cm of net either side of a 6.10m court, so there's no gap at the edges. It packs into a reinforced carry bag and comes in just under 9.08kg.
If your net lives semi-permanently on an outdoor court, or you just want the most planted-feeling frame when the wind picks up, the Elemental is the call. It's a touch heavier and a touch dearer than the Selkirk, but that weight is the stability.
Best for: outdoor courts that stay set up longer, windier spots, and players who want maximum edge-to-edge net coverage.
OnCourt OffCourt PickleNet: the official net, built not to twist
The OnCourt OffCourt PickleNet is the portable net USA Pickleball puts its own name on. OnCourt OffCourt say they have manufactured and private-labelled these nets since 2009, including for USA Pickleball, and an exclusive co-branding partnership makes the PickleNet USA Pickleball's official net. They also quote Pickleball Magazine's 2021 Product Guide calling it the best-reviewed portable pickleball net in the world. Neither JOOLA nor Selkirk makes that kind of claim about their nets.
The engineering story is about twisting. Round tubing can rotate in its sleeve, so a net set up square can drift until the tape no longer faces you. The PickleNet's frame uses a patented oval tube instead, so the sections seat one way only, and OnCourt OffCourt guarantee it will not twist like round frames. A patented rectangular centre strap holds the centre height, a moulded centre support locates the middle poles, and an elastic bottom band takes stress off the net itself.
It's the heaviest and dearest of the three, and it carries a one-year warranty. It is rust resistant rather than rust proof, and the maker asks that the whole system is stored indoors after each use: a net left outside for long periods is not covered by their warranty. Pickld is an authorised OnCourt OffCourt dealer, and everything above on the PickleNet comes from OnCourt OffCourt's own published specifications.
Best for: clubs and players who want the officially licensed net, and anyone tired of a frame that twists mid-session.
How to choose a pickleball net
Whichever brand you land on, four things separate a net you'll keep from one you'll replace:
- Regulation size. A real pickleball net is 6.7m (22ft) long and set to regulation height (more on that below). Anything narrower leaves gaps at the sidelines and changes how the game plays. All three nets here are full regulation.
- Frame material. Steel holds tension and stands up to wind; flimsy plastic-jointed frames sag mid-game. All three of ours are steel, which is non-negotiable for a net you'll use weekly.
- Set-up and pack-down speed. If you're pitching and packing the net every session, minutes matter. Tension straps and a fitted carry bag are what make a portable pickleball net actually portable.
- Indoor or outdoor. All three handle both, but if yours lives outside, prioritise weather-resistant netting and a planted frame, and check the maker's storage advice before you leave it out.
How to choose between the three
If you set up and pack down every single session and weight is what you feel, go Selkirk. If your net lives semi-permanently on an outdoor court and you want the most weather-resistant netting, go JOOLA. If the fact that a net is USA Pickleball's own official product matters to you, and you don't mind paying $60 more than the Selkirk for a frame engineered against twisting, the PickleNet is the pick. None of the three is a bad buy: all are full regulation size and all are steel-framed.
What's regulation pickleball net height?
A regulation pickleball net sits at 86.4cm (34") at the centre and 91.4cm (36") at the sidelines and posts. That slight sag in the middle is deliberate and it's the same across every proper net. If you're marking out a full court to match, you're working to a 6.10m × 13.41m (20ft × 44ft) playing area, which is why the 6.7m net length matters: it spans the whole thing with a little to spare. The full rulebook numbers are in our guide to pickleball net height and court dimensions in Australia.
The practical upshot: don't eyeball it. Use the tension straps to set the centre to 34" and you'll play a true game every time.
Net, paddles and balls in one: the Set shortcut
If you're setting up a court from scratch, say for a family, a share house, or a club social, buying the net, paddles and balls separately adds up fast. That's what our Pickld Court Set is for: the Selkirk net, four Six Zero Quartz paddles and Franklin balls in one box. The Sets are built around the Selkirk net, so they show as sold out until the next Selkirk delivery lands. Our pickleball set guide walks through which Set fits your group.
Pickleball net FAQ
Do I need a regulation-size net? If you want your home games to feel like club games (same spacing, same shots at the kitchen line), yes. A full 6.7m regulation net is worth it. Under-size "backyard" nets are fine for a muck-around but they change how the game plays at the edges.
Indoor or outdoor: does it matter? All three nets here are rated for indoor and outdoor use, so a single net covers you either way. If yours lives outside, lean toward the JOOLA Elemental for its all-weather netting and planted frame. The PickleNet's maker asks for it to be stored indoors after use.
Is shipping free on a net? No. Nets are a bulky item, so freight is calculated to your delivery address and shown at checkout, and the free AU shipping threshold does not apply to them. We keep the net prices down for clubs instead of averaging freight into the sticker.
Can I get a net, paddles and balls together? Yes, that's exactly what a pickleball net set is for. Our Sets bundle a Selkirk net with paddles and Franklin balls so you can set up a full court in one order; the set guide covers which is which.
Which pickleball net should you buy?
For most people the Selkirk SLK Prime is the easy answer: regulation, steel, and the lightest to carry, at $229. Step up to the JOOLA Elemental at $239.95 if stability and all-weather netting matter more than shaving a kilo, or to the PickleNet at $289 for the official USA Pickleball net and a frame built not to twist. Any of them gives you a proper court that sets up in minutes.
Not sure which suits your court? Just hit reply on your order confirmation and ask us, and me or Chris will point you at the right one.
Ben
Pickld carries the brands featured here, including Selkirk, JOOLA and OnCourt OffCourt. Picks are based on product specs and how the gear performs, not affiliate incentives.
