Which set, how tight the net, how much air in the ball: your complete equipment guide to official IRF specs — plus the drop test and surface tips.
Short, honest answer: to get started you don't need a pro set, you need a rules-compliant one. Only three things matter — a net you can tension evenly and tautly, an 85-gram ball, and a pump that lets you fine-tune the pressure. The rest is comfort.
Why so fussy about a beach game? Because your equipment is your first line of protection. In the largest player survey to date, 86.1 percent had picked up at least one injury at some point — and a saggy net or a rock-hard surface drive exactly the actions that most often go wrong: frantic receives and diving. A properly set-up rig doesn't just play better, it keeps you healthier. This guide takes you from buying to your first calibrated serve — following the official specs of the International Roundnet Federation (IRF).
First check the dimensions: a set that meets the 91.4 cm / 20.3 cm spec and has a re-tensionable net is compliant. Cheap knock-offs cut corners in exactly the wrong places — wobbly leg clips and a fixed, sagging net can't be calibrated (community practice). A solid standard set is plenty to start; you only need the official tournament set with its firmer rebound once you play in leagues. Buy well once rather than cheaply twice.
Use the official drop test: drop a ball from 1.5 m — it must bounce back up about 50 cm. Tension the net so it's even across the whole surface. Too loose and every ball dies; too tight and receiving becomes uncontrollable. Re-tighten the hooks before every session, because a net gives over time.
Very little: 0.3 to 0.5 PSI. That's far softer than you know from a volleyball. Use a fine-metering pump and creep up on it — the ball should visibly give under light thumb pressure. A softer ball plays slower and more controllably; an over-inflated one springs off the net (community practice).
Grass is the tournament standard and the best compromise of grip and cushioning. Sand is joint-friendly but makes your legwork noticeably slower and heavier, while the hitting motion stays the same (transfer from beach volleyball). Hard surfaces like concrete or gym floors are fast but unforgiving when you dive — impact load rises sharply there (community practice).
Sneakers, plastic cleats or barefoot are allowed; metal baseball cleats and track spikes are banned. Store the net dry and let a little pressure out of the ball after the season so the material lasts.
Check the area for holes, stones and glass before playing. Hard surfaces raise impact load when you dive — and diving is behind roughly 20 percent of acute roundnet injuries. On concrete, play more defensively or use a mat for dives. Leave the metal spikes at home, and note that barefoot play is, per the rulebook, explicitly at your own risk.
Write down your favourite settings: the net tension at which the drop test passes and the ball pressure you play best with. Then you can rebuild any set identically in two minutes — park or tournament. Most "bad days" are really just a different setup, not a worse player.
A rules-compliant standard set measuring 91.4 cm across and 20.3 cm high, with a re-tensionable net. Look for sturdy leg clips and a net you can calibrate. You only need the official tournament set once you play in leagues — for starting out, a solid mid-range set is entirely enough.
Tight enough that a ball dropped from 1.5 m bounces back about 50 cm — that's the official rebound spec. The tension must be even across the whole net. Re-tighten the hooks before every session, because the net gives over time.
Between 0.3 and 0.5 PSI, so far less than you'd expect. The ball should visibly give under light thumb pressure. Use a fine-metering pump: an over-inflated ball springs unpredictably, a soft one plays slower and more pleasantly (community practice).
Within the rules, yes — grass, sand and gym floors are all allowed. Grass is the best all-rounder. Sand is easy on the joints but slows your legwork. Hard floors are fast but harsh when diving (community practice). Pick the surface to suit your style and your joints.
Sneakers with good grip are the standard; plastic cleats or barefoot play at your own risk are also allowed. Metal baseball cleats and track spikes are banned. For fast direction changes, lateral support and cushioning matter more than the brand.
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