Compare sports netting quotes on the same specification
Compare material, mesh measure, twine, finished size and edges before price. This worksheet helps distributors, resellers and cage manufacturers separate supplier statements from written confirmations, so both offers can be checked against one specification.
16 checks for two suppliers, with separate columns for statements and confirmations. Edit the CSV in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers. No email required.
The comparison starts before the price
Give both suppliers the same drawing and specification revision. In the matrix, copy each offer as stated, then put the written confirmation in its own column. Leave missing information blank or mark it unconfirmed. A confident sales phrase is not a test report.
Application and repeat order
Sport, ball, impact or perimeter use, and whether this is a repeat supply specification.
Material
Exact polymer and yarn construction. Do not treat different materials as interchangeable.
Mesh measure
Bar, stretched mesh or clear opening; the value, unit and reference points used.
Mesh hang
Square or diamond when supplied; state the installed orientation separately from mesh size.
Twine
Diameter on the offered material, yarn construction and any US number as a qualified cross reference.
Net construction
Knotted or knotless, joining method, colour and any specified tolerance.
Finished dimensions
Panel count and each finished width, height and depth, with measurement condition and tolerances.
Edges and attachments
Border rope or sewn edge, diameter, loops, reinforcement, joins and which edges receive them.
Quantity and price basis
Actual order quantity, square metres or panels, price unit, currency and minimum order.
Break-strength evidence
What was tested: twine, knot or mesh; wet or dry, test method and report for the offered construction.
Outdoor-performance evidence
Any UV or lifespan claim with its test conditions and evidence. Leave an unsupported claim unconfirmed.
Production and acceptance
Approved drawing or specification revision, inspection scope, acceptance criteria and nonconformity handling.
Packing
Panel labels, packing method, weights and dimensions when confirmed, and freight-relevant assumptions.
Delivery scope
Incoterms rule, version and named place; who arranges freight and who imports. List exclusions.
Timing
Production start condition, production time, transit assumption and required date. Separate each stage.
Commercial terms
Quote validity, payment stages, sourcing fee if applicable, taxes and duties included or excluded.
Same label, different offer: a worked example
Illustrative descriptions for learning, not actual factory quotes, product availability or test results. No prices are implied.
Offer A says
“Polyester, 50 mm mesh, 2 mm twine, panels to size, outdoor.”
Still open: how mesh and panel size were measured, yarn construction, edge finish, tolerance and evidence for outdoor performance.
Offer B says
“Polyester, 50 mm knot centre to knot centre, hung square, 2 mm measured twine diameter, rope border all sides.”
Still open: clear opening, yarn construction, finished size and tolerance, rope specification and outdoor-performance evidence.
Decision: these descriptions do not establish equivalent nets. B answers more questions, but that alone does not prove it meets your requirement. Ask A to state the mesh measure and edge finish. Ask both to confirm the remaining fields against the same revision. Compare price only once you know which differences you are accepting.
Likewise, “#36” on one offer and “2 mm” on the other do not prove equivalent twine. Read the material and construction first, then ask for the offered twine's measured diameter and the basis of any strength figure. The batting cage gauge guide shows how published figures differ.
Keep the delivery scope on the same basis
A panel price, a square-metre price and an order total need the same actual quantity before you can compare them. Record the currency and the Incoterms rule, version and named place. Show freight, duties, taxes, inspection and any sourcing fee as included, excluded or not yet confirmed. Do not fill an unknown cost with zero.
For repeat supply, retain the approved specification revision and acceptance criteria with the order. Any proposed substitution needs a written decision. Sport Net Supply provides buyer-paid specification and sourcing support; the buyer contracts with the factory and arranges import responsibility. See our sourcing process and limits.
What to ask the supplier next
“Please confirm your offer against specification revision [reference]. State the mesh measure and reference points, material and twine construction, finished panel dimensions and tolerance, and edge finish. List any deviations and unconfirmed fields separately. Please also confirm the price unit, actual quantity, delivery rule and named place, exclusions, and production start condition. Attach the evidence supporting any performance claim.”
Adapt this request to the gaps in your own offers. You can use the worksheet with any supplier; downloading it does not start a sourcing engagement.
The RFQ checklist: seven fields for the same brief
| # | Field | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The application | Sport and use (impact cage, perimeter ball stop, replacement net, custom panels). It implies the mesh, the twine and the construction before any number is written. | Ball stop screens behind two 11-a-side goals, public park, UK |
| 2 | Dimensions and quantity | Panel width x height and count, or total run x height for perimeters. Sold by the panel or by the square metre; overstating quantity backfires when the quote terms are built on it. | 2 panels of 20 m x 4.5 m; option for 2 more in autumn |
| 3 | Mesh size | State the figure, unit, measure (bar, stretched or opening), reference points and hung orientation. The clear opening must suit the smallest ball involved. | 100 mm knot centre to knot centre, hung square; confirm clear opening |
| 4 | Material and twine | State the polymer, construction and diameter. A US number, millimetres and denier are different descriptions; a number alone does not define strength. | Polyester, 4 mm measured diameter; confirm yarn construction |
| 5 | Construction and finish | Knotted or knotless; edging (rope border, sewn edges), corner reinforcement, colour. Finish is what turns netting into an installable panel. | Knotless polyester, rope border all sides, black |
| 6 | Environment and destination | Outdoor UV exposure, coastal wind, indoor gym. Then country (and US state): it drives freight and decides which import questions the quote must answer in writing. | Outdoor year-round; delivery to Leeds, UK |
| 7 | Timing and documents | A date is a specification: production and freight take weeks. Add any certificates or packing requirements now, not at production time. | On site by 1 October; mill specification sheet required |
A weak RFQ and a clearer one
Weak: "Hi, need netting for a cricket facility, good quality, best price please."
Quotable: "Cricket club, North West England. Re-netting 4 outdoor practice lanes: 4 side/dividing panels of 23 m x 3.6 m plus roof netting, 48 mm (2 in) mesh, 2 mm twine minimum, knotted, rope border, dark green. Outdoor year-round. Delivery to Manchester area. Needed installed by 1 March, before the season. Please state supplier minimums, the commercially viable quantity, lead time and delivery terms in writing."
The second version gives a supplier a concrete brief to clarify. Each line maps to a field above, and the dimensions come straight from the published ECB figures on our cricket net dimensions page. The same works for any sport: mesh from the mesh size chart, twine from the twine gauge chart.
The printable checklist
- Application: sport, use (impact / perimeter / replacement / custom), setting
- Dimensions: panel W x H and count, or run x height; total quantity
- Mesh: ____ mm / ____ in; bar / stretched / opening; reference points; square / diamond hang
- Material and twine: polymer; yarn construction; ____ mm measured; any gauge cross reference
- Construction and finish: knotted / knotless; border; corners; colour
- Environment and destination: outdoor/indoor; country and state/region
- Timing and documents: needed-by date; certificates; packing
- Ask for in writing: supplier minimums AND viable quantity, lead time, delivery terms, check scope
Why the measurement details matter
The FAO Fisherman's workbook distinguishes bar length from stretched mesh and describes twine by its yarn size and construction. It is a technical reference for measurement terminology, not a sports-net suitability certificate. Use it to make the specification precise; ask for evidence on the net actually offered.
Reference: FAO Fisherman's workbook: materials and accessories, consulted October 3, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare two sports netting quotes?
Start with one shared specification revision. Check material, mesh measure, twine, finished dimensions and edge finish before price. Then compare the actual quantity, price unit, delivery scope, evidence and commercial terms. Keep supplier statements separate from written confirmations; an unknown is still an open question, not an equivalent specification.
What should a sports netting RFQ include?
Seven fields: the application, dimensions and quantity, mesh figure and measurement method, material and twine construction, net construction and finish, environment and destination, and timing plus required documents. Record unknowns explicitly so the supplier can clarify them before quoting.
What if I do not know the mesh or twine to ask for?
Say so and state the application instead: the sport, the ball and the setting determine both. Our mesh size chart lists the official ball dimensions and published mesh recommendations per sport, and the twine gauge chart covers strength; a serious counterpart recommends rather than guesses silently.
Should I state a target price in an RFQ?
No. Price targets and inflated quantities produce quotes built on numbers that are not real, and the corrections arrive after you commit. State the volume you will actually buy, then ask what changes at the next quantity break: that question is free and gets an honest answer.
The shortcut
The Spec Finder walks these fields against our documented combinations and prefills the quote form. Complete RFQs make quoting faster for everyone; we answer ours within 2 business days, including with a straight "we do not sell this" when that is the honest answer: see how we source.
We reply within 2 business days with questions or a documented quote.