5 Best Archery Safety Nets For Backyard That Stop High-Speed Arrows

Your child comes home from camp, eyes wide with excitement, and declares archery is their new favorite thing. You get them a starter bow, and soon the backyard target is peppered with arrows. But as their skill grows, so does the speed of those arrows, and you start eyeing the neighbor’s fence with a new sense of parental anxiety. This is the moment every parent faces: how to create a safe space that allows your child’s new passion to flourish without risking property, pets, or people.

Matching Netting to Your Child’s Bow and Arrow

Before you even look at brand names, the most important decision is matching the netting to the power of your child’s bow. Archery isn’t one-size-fits-all, and neither are the backstops. The key factor here is draw weight, measured in pounds, which tells you how much force is needed to pull the string back and, consequently, how fast the arrow will fly.

Think of it in stages of growth. For a young child just starting out, maybe 7 to 10 years old with a simple 15-20 lb recurve bow, a basic, lighter-duty net will suffice. As they grow into a tween or teen and graduate to a 25-40 lb bow, you need a backstop with a denser weave designed to handle that significant jump in power. If you have a serious high school competitor with a 40+ lb compound bow, you’re in a different league entirely and need a professional-grade net. Choosing the right net for the right bow isn’t just about stopping arrows; it’s about investing appropriately in your child’s current stage of development.

Bearpaw Archery Netting for Serious Practice

You see the commitment. Your child is taking lessons, they’ve joined a club, and their conversation is suddenly full of terms like "fletching" and "nocking point." This is when you consider a serious piece of equipment like the netting from Bearpaw. This isn’t the choice for a casual weekend hobby; it’s an investment in a long-term passion.

Bearpaw is known in the archery community for its exceptional quality and stopping power, capable of handling higher draw weights from both recurve and compound bows. It’s the kind of net you buy when your 14-year-old is consistently practicing and you need absolute peace of mind. While the price point is higher, think of it as infrastructure for their training. It provides a reliable, professional-level safe zone that grows with them as they move to more powerful equipment.

HME Archery Backstop for Higher Draw Weights

Perhaps your child is in that exciting transitional phase. They’ve mastered their first bow and are ready for an upgrade that offers more speed and distance. The HME Archery Backstop is an excellent fit for this exact scenario. It’s a step up from the most basic nets and is designed to handle the increased punch of intermediate-level bows, typically in the 25-45 lb draw weight range.

This backstop strikes a fantastic balance between performance and price. It’s robust enough to give you confidence as your young archer hones their skills with a more powerful bow, but it doesn’t require the financial commitment of a professional-grade system. This makes it a smart choice for families supporting a developing interest without wanting to over-invest before they know if their child will stick with the sport competitively.

GoGonova Backstop: A Solid Family Starter Net

Remember that first summer of backyard archery? The arrows were flying slow, the distances were short, and the main goal was just hitting the target. The GoGonova backstop is perfect for that foundational stage. It’s an accessible, affordable option designed specifically for the low-poundage youth bows that most kids start with.

This is the ideal "let’s see if this sticks" purchase. It provides an essential safety layer for casual family fun and helps build a young archer’s confidence by giving them a larger backdrop for their target. It’s easy to set up and take down, making it practical for families who don’t want a permanent installation. When your child is ready to move up, you haven’t sunk a huge amount of money into their first phase of learning.

JianZhi Netting for Versatile Backyard Setups

Some families don’t have a single, dedicated spot for archery practice. You might set it up in the side yard one day and a different part of the backyard the next. JianZhi netting offers the flexibility these situations demand. Often sold in various sizes with plenty of grommets, it’s designed to be hung and configured in multiple ways.

This versatility is its greatest strength. You can use it to protect a specific area, like a garden shed or a fence line, or create a wider backstop if multiple kids are shooting. It’s a solid, mid-range option that can handle most youth bows and provides a reliable barrier. For the family that needs a practical, adaptable solution rather than a permanent fixture, this type of netting is a fantastic choice.

Net World Sports Net for Large Practice Areas

If you’re blessed with a large backyard and your child (or children) needs a truly dedicated practice range, then a large-format net from a supplier like Net World Sports is the way to go. These nets are often sold in much larger dimensions, allowing you to create a full-scale, safe shooting lane right at home. This is less of a simple backstop and more of a complete safety solution.

Creating a wide and tall barrier is especially important as archers begin practicing at longer distances, where slight variations in aim can result in widely missed shots. This type of setup is ideal for the highly committed archer who practices daily or for families with multiple archers shooting simultaneously. It transforms a section of your yard into a legitimate training ground, showing a deep level of support for your child’s athletic pursuits.

Proper Net Setup: Draping for Arrow Safety

Here is one of the most critical pieces of advice I can give you: an archery net must not be pulled tight. Many parents make the mistake of stretching the net taut between two poles, thinking it will make a stronger barrier. This actually does the opposite. A tight net acts like a trampoline, and a high-speed arrow can either bounce off unpredictably or, in some cases, punch right through.

The correct way to hang an archery backstop is to let it drape loosely, like a heavy curtain, with plenty of slack. A draped net catches an arrow by absorbing its energy, causing it to lose momentum and fall safely to the ground. This is the principle that makes these nets effective. Always ensure there is a gentle "wave" or "billow" in the material. This small setup detail makes all the difference in both safety and the lifespan of your net.

Maintaining Your Net and Other Safety Gear

Your investment in safety doesn’t end after the net is hung. Just like any other piece of sports equipment, it requires regular checks to ensure it’s in good working order. Before each practice session, do a quick visual inspection for any rips, holes, or frayed areas, especially in the spots that get hit most often. Weather, particularly sun exposure, can degrade the material over time, so be mindful of its condition season after season.

This is also a great time to check on your child’s other safety gear. Is their arm guard still fitting correctly, or have they outgrown it? Are their finger tabs or shooting glove showing excessive wear? Fostering a routine of checking equipment teaches responsibility and reinforces that safety is an active, ongoing part of enjoying the sport of archery, not a one-time purchase.

Choosing the right archery net is about more than just stopping arrows. It’s about creating a space where your child can practice with confidence, knowing they have a safe backdrop to catch their misses. By matching the equipment to their current skill and commitment level, you’re making a smart, supportive investment in their growth, one arrow at a time.