When it comes to volleyball setter training equipment, there’s only a few items that are going to make a noticeable difference to your setting proficiency.
We’re mainly talking about using setting nets for target practice, as well as weighted volleyballs to develop strong hands and wrists.
In this article we’re going to take a look at the best options for each of these training aids so you’re able to get the best gear for your volleyball team.
Best Setting Net
Bownet Volleyball Practice Net
The Bownet setter target net is the most affordable professional grade net on the market and is one of the most effective ways for setters to get immediate feedback on the accuracy of their sets.
Best Overall Volleyball Setting Net
A volleyball setting net is one of the best training aids used by setters at all levels of the game.
Having a net allows for instant feedback on the accuracy of the set and since players don’t have to spike or catch the balls, using a net like this is the best way to get tons of repetitions in at a very efficient rate.
The opening of the net is the perfect size in my opinion at approximately 3’x3.5′ wide.
Many of the more expensive nets on the market have extremely narrow openings which makes them less effective for junior level athletes.
The nice wide opening on the Bownet makes this, I believe, the best option for high school as well as college level athletes.
One of the nicest features of this net is that the angle of the opening is completely adjustable from horizontal to vertical, meaning players can effectively practice all kinds of different tempo sets.
All Bownet products are made with solid materials that are super durable, so you should have no issues with quality.
The Good
- Extremely portable. These things fold down into a convenient carry bag and are really quick to set up. Perfect for bringing to and from training sessions.
- Adjustable angle. The angle of the net can be set from flat (horizontal) to vertical, allowing for every type of volleyball set you can imagine.
The Bad
- Not cheap. These nets definitely cost a bit of money, but they’re still less than half the price of some other setting nets on the market!
Best Budget Setting Net
Park & Sun Adjustable Setter Target Net
The Park & Sun setter target net is also a really solid option with a slightly narrower opening. It has several other excellent features and is one of the most cost effective options on the market.
Best Budget Setting Net
If you’re in the market for a setting net but wanted to save some cash, this is your only real option other than the Bownet.
The opening of this net is slightly narrower than the Bownet setup at around 2’x2′ as opposed to the 3’x3.5′ wide Bownet design.
This makes the setting window quite a bit narrower, which makes this product more suitable for more experienced setters.
One downside of this net is that it’s not particularly portable.
It’s quite bulky to transport (but will fit in the trunk of a car fine) and takes a good 10 minutes to set up and dismantle.
This net would definitely be better if you could store it in the gym fully set up already.
One cool feature is that the hoop net has velcro on the bottom which allows you to keep the balls stored in the hoop, or if you’d prefer to feed the net into a volleyball basket, you can leave the velcro open.
Although this is the cheapest setting net on the market, the frame is remarkably sturdy and of all the reviews I read, there was very few complaints about quality or durability.
The Good
- Velcro on hoop net. This is an excellent idea for multiple ball storage options during exercises.
- Very affordable. This is the cheapest setting net on the market by a good margin but still maintains all of the features of the more expensive nets.
The Bad
- Not so portable. These things are unfortunately a bit of a pain to set up and dismantle.
- Smaller target opening. This could be a positive if you’re planning on using this net with more experienced setters. For younger setters, the smaller opening may be slightly too small which could be discouraging for some players.
Also Great
PowerNet Volleyball Setter Trainer Net
PowerNet have also produced an extremely cost effective volleyball setter net which will do the job nicely for the vast majority of users.
Also Great Volleyball Setting Net
PowerNet are another company which specialize in sports nets of all kinds and they’ve created the most affordable volleyball setter net on the market.
It has a larger opening of around 3’x3.5′, similar to the Bownet design, making it an excellent option for younger, less experienced volleyballers.
It’ll also adjust between 45 and 180 degrees, so it can be used in a variety of positions for a variety of types of sets.
Works excellent both indoors and outdoors.
This product also has a very smart drawstring feature on the net, so you can opt between storing the volleyballs in the net or having them feed into a basket.
It’s also has 5 different height settings, so you can position the net anywhere from 7.5-11.5 feet in height.
This again makes it great for younger players.
The PowerNet is quite quick to setup and pack down and comes with a carry bag for transportation.
Unfortunately the bag itself is quite poor quality as one user noticed it starting to fall apart after just a few uses…
The Good
- Large opening. Having the large target area makes this a really nice option for younger athletes.
- Drawstring feature. This is a really smart way of storing multiple volleyballs inside the net so you can maximize repetitions when training.
- Extremely affordable. This is the most affordable volleyball setter net on the market!
The Bad
- Carry bag is very low quality. Don’t expect the carry bag to be all that durable!
Best Weighted Volleyball
Mikasa Heavy Weight Volleyball
Easily the most effective setter training aid is a weighted volleyball which is allows setters to develop stronger hands, fingers, and wrists.
Weighted Volleyball For Stronger Hands
Even more effective than using a setting target net is a weighted volleyball.
These things weigh approximately 70% more than a normal volleyball, making them highly effective tools for developing the muscles of the hands, fingers, and forearms.
The idea is that after training with one of these, when you switch back to a regulation game volleyball, setting is much smoother and more consistent. And you can set further for longer.
I describe the weighed volleyball as a setter’s best friend and I don’t think there’s a single better training tool to develop setting proficiency than the weighted volleyball.
I’ve done a full write up comparing the top weighted volleyballs on the market with a lot more detail about each of the volleyballs, but the Mikasa Heavy Weight volleyball came out on top.
The weight and quality of this volleyball are simply superior to others on the market which are often not heavy enough or come with a creased/damaged outer case.
Ideal For
- Setters of all ages and abilities. For very young and inexperienced setters, there are some lighter volleyballs that might be more appropriate. Check out this article for more info.
Best Setting Aid
Set Rite
This product helps establish good setting form by encouraging setters to use the correct amount of hand contact.
Best Budget Volleyball Setting Aid
For very new volleyballers who are just learning how to set, one common mistake is that they’ll ‘carry’ the ball too much.
The Set Rite aid prevents excessive hand contact when setting the ball to establish better setting technique.
I only recommend this training tool for volleyballers very new to the sport who are still learning the fundamental skills.
Volleyballers who have been playing for a couple years or more likely won’t benefit much from this device, but they can definitely be quite effective for younger players.
When I first heard about this tool, I honestly expected it to be a gimmick or something that wouldn’t help very much, but from what I’ve heard, younger athletes are actually making very noticeable improvements from practicing with these!
Ideal For
- Younger athletes still learning volleyball fundamentals. This product won’t help older athletes who have been playing for a while and is geared more towards younger, less experienced players.
- Anyone on a budget. These are an extremely affordable training aid.
Not Ideal For
- Older, more experienced athletes. For volleyballers who have been playing for 2 or more years, I wouldn’t expect this tool to work as well as it does on younger players.
Final Verdict?
As far as setting nets go, it really comes down to two things: how much you value portability and being able to set up and dismantle everything quickly, as well as target opening size.
The Bownet practice net is ideal if you want a net with a wider opening (ideal for younger athletes) that packs away into a small carry bag in just seconds.
If you don’t mind spending 10 minutes setting up and dismantling the Park & Sun setter net, and you’re okay with the smaller target diameter (better for more experienced athletes), then the P&S setting net is going to be your best bet.
If you’re not looking to spend so much money, the PowerNet setter net is a very solid option worth looking into.
As far as other training aids go, a Mikasa Heavy Weight Volleyball is unquestionably the best piece of training equipment any setter can have!
