The short answer
Quick picks
Ranked on published specs, not on play we have not done. Tap any row to jump to the full write-up further down this page.
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No photo GoSports Slammo XL Beginner Game Set A published 48-inch net with reinforced legs and rubber feet, three 6-inch balls, a pump and a case, published for 2-on-2, 3-on-3 or 4-on-4 — roundnet made bigger and easier. | Best for kids | 7.2/10 | |
| 2 | No photo GoSports Slammo Rally Game Set A roundnet target with an added perimeter net that stops low-angle shots and lengthens rallies, two 12 cm training balls, two 9 cm competition balls, a pump and a travel case — played to 21. | Best for beginners | 7.3/10 |
Roundnet is one of the best games there is for teenagers, and one of the most frustrating for young children. The regulation ball is small, the net is 3 feet across, and hitting a ball down onto an ankle-height target is a motion nobody has practiced. For an eight-year-old, a rally is usually one touch.
There are two fixes, and one maker sells both.
Published specs
Two ways to make it easier
| Slammo XL | Slammo Rally | Standard (Slammo Pro, reference) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The fix | A bigger net and bigger balls | A perimeter net | — |
| Net | 48 in | Not published | 36 in |
| Balls | 3 x 6 in | 2 x 12 cm training, 2 x 9 cm competition | 3 x 3.5 in |
| Formats | 2 v 2, 3 v 3 or 4 v 4 | 2 v 2 | 2 v 2 |
| Legs | Reinforced, rubber feet | All-surface | Reinforced, rubber feet |
| Age floor | Not published | Not published | Not published |
The XL makes the target bigger. A 48-inch net is a third wider than a 36-inch regulation rim by our arithmetic, and a 6-inch ball is far slower and easier to track than a 3.5-inch one. It also publishes 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 formats, so a whole group of children plays at once rather than queuing.
The Rally keeps the ball in play. A perimeter net around the rim stops the low shots that end rallies, and the set includes large training balls to learn on before moving to smaller competition balls. It is the better buy for an older child who will move on to the standard game.
Honest limits
What neither publishes
An age floor. The XL is marketed for beginners and children and still publishes no age. Roundnet involves diving and quick movement in a tight space, and the general picture on age floors is in yard game safety and age floors.
For a group of children who need a game with no skill barrier at all, the pit game that absorbs a dozen at once is gaga ball. The standard adult sets are on Spikeball alternatives.
Criteria
How we picked
Both showed add-to-cart on GoSports' store when we checked. We have not played with either. Every figure is the maker's own — how we pick.
The picks in full
Every pick, with its published specs
Best for kids
GoSports Slammo XL Beginner Game Set
GoSports
Our spec score
7.2/10
- Spec completeness
- 6/10
- Footprint clarity
- 6/10
- Durability
- 7/10
- Pack-down
- 8/10
Scored on published specifications only. We have not played this set.
A published 48-inch net with reinforced legs and rubber feet, three 6-inch balls, a pump and a case, published for 2-on-2, 3-on-3 or 4-on-4 — roundnet made bigger and easier.
Skip this if
Skip this for teenagers who want the real game. A bigger net and bigger balls make roundnet easier; that is the whole point, and a good player outgrows it.
What works
- A bigger target and bigger balls — the easiest roundnet start there is
- Published for up to 4-on-4, so a whole group of children plays
- Reinforced legs and rubber feet
- Pump and case included
What does not
- No published age floor on a set sold for children
- Not the standard game size
- No published frame material
Published specifications
- Net
- 48 in
- Legs
- Stated 200% stronger than standard Slammo; rubber feet
- Balls
- 3, 6 in
- Pump
- Included
- Carry
- Carrying case
- Formats
- 2 on 2, 3 on 3 or 4 on 4
- Frame material
- —
- Age floor
- —
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Not published by the manufacturer.
Not published by the manufacturer.
Manufacturer listing: GoSports product listing
Best for beginners
GoSports Slammo Rally Game Set
GoSports
Our spec score
7.3/10
- Spec completeness
- 5/10
- Footprint clarity
- 4/10
- Durability
- 7/10
- Pack-down
- 8/10
Scored on published specifications only. We have not played this set.
A roundnet target with an added perimeter net that stops low-angle shots and lengthens rallies, two 12 cm training balls, two 9 cm competition balls, a pump and a travel case — played to 21.
Skip this if
Skip this if you want the standard game. The perimeter net changes roundnet on purpose — it takes away the low, flat shots that decide points between good players.
What works
- Two ball sizes — learn on the big one, move to the small one
- The perimeter net keeps beginner rallies going
- All-surface legs, published
- Travel case and pump included
What does not
- No published net diameter
- The perimeter net removes shots the standard game uses
- No published age floor
Published specifications
- Rally feature
- Perimeter net that prevents low-angle shots
- Balls
- 2 x 12 cm training, 2 x 9 cm competition
- Netting
- Stated pro-quality high-tension
- Legs
- All-surface
- Carry
- Travel case
- Pump
- Included
- Scoring
- First team to 21
- Net diameter
- —
- Age floor
- —
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Not published by the manufacturer.
Not published by the manufacturer.
Manufacturer listing: GoSports product listing
FAQ
Questions people actually ask
Is roundnet too hard for kids?
How much bigger is a kids' roundnet?
How many kids can play roundnet at once?
What age can play roundnet?
Why you can check our work
We have not played these. Every figure above is copied from a manufacturer's published listing or a governing body's published rules, and named so you can verify it. Where a maker publishes nothing, the field is blank rather than filled in. How we pick explains the whole method, including what would change a recommendation.
Read next
Related pages
Picks
Spikeball sets
Pro versus Standard on published rim strength, ball type and included pump — the same game either way.
Picks
Spikeball alternatives
Roundnet is the game, Spikeball a brand — three alternative sets and what each is built for.
Picks
Best yard games for kids
Games chosen on published age floors and equipment weight, plus the ones to avoid outright.
Comparison
Spikeball standard vs Pro
Same game, same circle — the difference is rim stiffness, net tension and whether it is tournament legal.
Guide
Yard game safety and age floors
What each maker actually publishes about age, and how to judge the games that publish nothing.
Picks
Best gaga ball pit
Sized by players: 2 to 6 at 10 ft, up to 20 at 20 ft — the published counts, weights and setup.
Sources
- GoSports — Slammo XL beginner game set
- GoSports — Slammo Rally game set
- Spikeball / roundnet published specifications
Every figure on this page is copied from one of these sources. If you find one that is wrong or out of date, tell us and we will fix it.