I Bought & Tested the Best-Selling Soccer Rebounder Nets. Here's Why KickRelay is #1:
Written by Jessica Harmon
The broken frame went into the recycling that night, and the replacement went back to the store within four days. My nephew Ethan kept asking when Saturday drills would start again, so for two weeks we improvised against a brick wall. It returned the ball at random angles and scuffed every ball we owned.
Over the next two months I tried everything within reach. A friend's single-sided net folded in the first gust of wind. A plastic-framed model cracked at a joint in under three weeks. One heavy-duty unit was so bulky that it never left my garage. Every option solved one problem and created another.
That's when I stopped guessing. Over seven years I've tested more than 40 pieces of sports training gear, so I know a proper protocol beats a hunch. A youth coach in my Sunday league kept praising a 2-in-1 net called KickRelay that two kids could share. It was sold out when I first checked, and two weeks passed before I could order it alongside four best-selling rivals. Then I cleared my calendar for six weeks.
Here's what I found.
My Test Results
Our team ran every rebounder through six weeks of identical testing on my backyard turf and at a nearby public park. I scheduled four to five sessions a week, with roughly 300 strikes per session using a size-5 match ball: low drives, driven volleys, headers and one-touch passes. I added wet-grass sessions and two windy afternoons to see which frames would shift or fold.
We scored each model on four criteria: Frame Durability, Rebound Quality, Portability and Ground Stability. I weighed every unit, timed assembly across three setups, and recorded how rebound speed changed from week one to week six. Customer satisfaction came from verified buyer feedback. Rankings rested on repeatable results, not first impressions.
The first thing that struck me was how little changed. After more than 8,000 strikes across six weeks, the 3-ply knotless net returned drives at nearly the same speed and angle as on day one, within a few percent by my timing. Two rivals visibly softened by week four, and one sagged enough to deaden my passes.
Secondary discoveries mattered just as much. Ethan worked ground passes on one side while I practiced headers on the other, and we never got in each other's way. The iron tube frame didn't flex, and the four U-shaped ground nails kept it planted through two gusty sessions where bigger frames slid. Folded into its bag, the 12-pound unit rode in my trunk without a second thought.
I found no genuine weaknesses in the build. The only drawback was availability, because it sold out before I could order. That's an inconvenience rather than a defect, and honestly it reflects how many people want one.
The Results:
For durability, rebound, portability and stability in one package, KickRelay is the clear #1 soccer rebounder net I tested.
Value
Since I started using this model, I've stopped replacing nets every season, stopped dragging a clunky frame around, and stopped needing a second person to feed balls. The time I used to spend wrestling with assembly and repairs now goes into actual reps. For me, real value is measured in practice time reclaimed.
The cheap path is expensive in disguise. Flimsy frames crack, sagging nets deaden passes, and a player training against bad rebounds builds sloppy habits. Every replacement also means another weekend without drills and a young player who loses momentum.
After six weeks of hard use, I found no fraying, no frame flex and no loosening at the joints. Most budget rebounders show wear within a single season, while this build suggests several seasons of service. It's the rare purchase that gets easier to justify with every session, and it pays for itself quickly.
Why It Fits Real Family and Team Routines
A good rebounder turns dead time into training time. Ten spare minutes before dinner becomes a hundred clean touches, and nobody has to be recruited to stand there and pass. Practice stops being an event you schedule and becomes a habit you keep.
The benefits stretch beyond one player. Siblings share it, coaches use it for warm-up stations, goalkeepers practice distribution, and adult rec players keep their touch sharp between games. It's the kind of gear that earns a permanent spot in the garage, or more accurately, the trunk.
Customer Reviews
I coach an under-12 club team and we rotate pairs through this during warm-ups. Before, each kid got maybe 40 touches in a 15-minute station. Now it's well over 150, and their first touch looked visibly cleaner by week three. Frame hasn't budged once.
My two kids used to fight over our old rebounder. Now my daughter does low passes on one side while my son works volleys on the other, and nobody complains. Setup takes me about five minutes, and the kids can carry the bag themselves.
Fits in my hatchback and goes to the park every Sunday. Does what it says.
Frequently Asked Questions
Plan on a clear area of roughly 15 by 15 feet. The net itself takes only a few feet, but you need room to receive the ball and step into your passes. For hard volleys, leave extra distance behind you so returns don't reach fences or windows.
Yes, because repetition is everything. In my testing, a 20-minute session produced more than 200 clean touches, far more than a typical team drill. The instant, repeatable return trains you to cushion and settle the ball at realistic speed.
For most households, yes. Two surfaces let one player work ground passes while another practices volleys or headers. Solo players also switch drills without resetting the frame. A single-sided net only makes sense if you will always train alone.
Light frames without anchors do slide, and I watched two rivals creep across the turf during gusty sessions. Look for ground nails or stakes. The top-ranked model uses four U-shaped nails and stayed planted. On very windy days, add sandbags to any frame.
Expect three to five minutes the first time and under three minutes after that. The FORZA model is the fastest I timed at two to three minutes. Anything that takes much longer will eventually cut into your practice time.
Yes, provided the frame is sturdy and anchored. The real danger is a cheap pole that snaps under a hard shot, which I have seen firsthand. Choose an iron or reinforced fiberglass frame, anchor it properly and keep a clear zone around the net.
Most should not stay out permanently. Look for UV-resistant netting and rust-resistant frames if you plan to leave it out for days at a time. Folding it into its bag between sessions will add seasons to its life.
Demand regularly outpaces supply, and restocks tend to sell through within days. I waited two weeks before I could place my own order. Once ordered, delivery was quick, so if you see it available, order right away.
Purchase and Delivery Process
Ordering is simple. KickRelay is sold exclusively online, so there are no retail markups and no hunting through sporting-goods aisles.
Here's the catch: it sells out often. I personally had to wait two weeks before I could order because it was out of stock. If the page shows it available, don't hesitate.
Once I ordered, it arrived quickly and well packed, with the carry bag and ground nails included. Order while it's still in stock, because restocks don't last long.
Where Can I Buy the KickRelay?
Getting your own KickRelay with a 50% discount is simple. Just follow these steps: