Field Covers Buyer’s Guide By admin | Published on December 2, 2019April 13, 2020 There are two basic types of infield covers. There are base, or spot covers, and there are full field covers. To help determine which covers you need for your field, you’ll need to consider field size, how you’ll be using your field covers, and the frequency of field cover use. Field Dimensions Little League Fields Pitching Mound – 5’ radius from center of mound (10 ft diameter) Bases – 9’ radius from center of base Home Plate – 9’ Radius from apex of home plate Base Distance –60’ NFHS, NCAA, MLB, MiLB, IBAF Pitching Mound – 9’ radius from center of mound (18 ft diameter) Bases – 9’ radius from center of base Home Plate – 9’ Radius from apex of home plate Base Distance – 90’ The purpose of the spot cover will what size it needs to be. For instance, if the cover is going to be used on a typical 18 foot diameter mound during periods of rain, then you’ll want to purchase a 20 foot diameter rain cover to help push rainwater away from the mound and into the grass. If the cover helping to trap moisture in the mound, however, then you’ll want an 18 foot diameter cover so that the cover doesn’t extend beyond the mound and kill the grass. Weighted vs. Non-Weighted Rain Covers Weighted rain covers feature a weight hemmed into the circumference of the cover. This weight keeps the rain cover in place without the aid of sandbags or ground stakes, even in high winds. When purchasing weighted rain covers, be sure that the vinyl is of a heavy weight, at least 14 oz. Keep in mind that 18 oz. vinyl will hold up better over time, especially if subjected to daily use. Weighted rain covers are more difficult to maneuver, so you may want to consider an installer device to help move them. Non-weighted rain covers can be lighter weight and less expensive than weighted rain covers, and they feature grommets for use with ground stakes to help keep them in place when windy. Weighted Mound Cover Installer Device for Weighted Rain Covers Full Infield Covers To help prevent water from running under the tarp and soaking your infield dirt, be sure that the rain cover blankets the home plate circle, the coach’s boxes and extends 3-5 feet into the outfield grass. Little League Fields with 60’ Bases = 100’ x 100’ Full Infield Cover Baseball with 90’ Bases = 170’ x 170’ Full Infield Cover Softball with 60’ Bases = 110’ x 110’ Full Infield Cover Remember, Full Infield Covers can be heavy, so you may be tempted to use a lightweight 4 oz material. But if your cover is going to be subject to frequent use, you may want to consider a 10 oz. full vinyl cover for your infield.
