Ships to the 48 contiguous United States
Pole pads
Every gym and blacktop has a different post. We build pole padding for 4 in square posts up to 6 x 8 in supports, with or without gusset coverage, in 16 stock vinyl colors, sized to the posts a player actually runs into.
The range
Starting prices are for stock configurations. Custom sizes, printing and colors are quoted per project.
FT75
Wraps 4 in and 5 in square posts and most round posts on residential and park systems.
Starting at$254
Quote thisFT77
Covers the angled gusset and base plate, the part of the system players actually trip over.
Starting at$146
Quote thisFT78
The standard institutional pad for 6 in square posts on school and park systems.
Starting at$307
Quote thisFT79
Two-piece set that pads the post and the gusset together, shipped as a matched pair.
Starting at$402
Quote thisFT80P
Post pad only for 6 in by 8 in crank-adjustable systems. Gusset pad ordered separately.
Starting at$291
Quote thisFT80
The complete 6 in by 8 in set. Post pad and gusset pad, matched and shipped together.
Starting at$436
Quote thisFT456-FO
Lighter wall panel for surfaces that are already flat and solid enough to take direct mounting.
Starting at$152
Quote thisFT456-WB
Rigid panel that spans uneven block and holds its shape under repeated contact.
Starting at$172
Quote thisHI-GRAPHIC
Digitally printed panels that turn a safety requirement into your school's identity wall.
PricingQuoted
Quote thisCPP-CUSTOM
Your wordmark, mascot or sponsor logo applied to a stock-colour pad and installed before it ships.
Starting at$373.99
Quote thisCPP-DECAL
Adds lettering or a logo to pads you already own, applied by us rather than shipped loose.
Starting at$119.99
Quote thisStart by walking the floor and counting posts, not courts. On most jobs the list includes the steel goal supports under wall mounted or ceiling hung backstops, the gooseneck uprights on an outdoor court, the court-side face of a portable backstop base, and the divider net or volleyball sleeve posts that sit inside the boundary zone. The contact risk is concentrated at the baseline, where a player finishing a layup or chasing a loose ball is moving at full speed with no room to stop.
NFHS rules call for at least 3 feet of unobstructed space outside the boundary lines and preferably 10 feet, so anything standing inside that band is a padding candidate even if it is not part of the goal. Portable backstop bases are to be padded to 7 feet on the court-side surface, and a backboard support standing 9 feet or closer needs padding out to 2 feet from the backboard face. Post sizes vary wildly from gym to gym, so confirm your dimensions with our [guide to measuring a post](/measuring-guide) before you order.
Pricing starts with post size. The FT75 fits 4 in and 5 in square posts and starts at $254. The FT78 covers 6 x 6 in posts at $307. For 6 x 8 in supports, the FT80P is the pad only at $291. Gusset versions run higher: the FT79 at $402 for 6 x 6, the FT80 at $436 for 6 x 8.
The FT77 base and gusset pad sells on its own at $146, which matters if your pole pads are still serviceable but the steel at the base is bare. Because every part in the lineup shares the same shell, closure and color palette, a piece bought two seasons later still matches what is already on the post. Budget by post count rather than by court: a main gym with two competition goals and four side goals can carry more padded uprights than a coach expects, and mixed sizes in one building are normal.
A gusset pad covers the triangular brace and base plate where the post meets the floor. The price gap is real money: $307 for the FT78 against $402 for the FT79, or $291 for the FT80P against $436 for the FT80. If the post drops into a floor sleeve with nothing protruding, buy the pad only and keep the difference for a second court.
If there is exposed steel at shin and ankle height, the gusset is the piece doing the work, because that is exactly where a player running the baseline or stepping out of bounds makes contact. Bolt heads and brace plates at that height are the ones that cut. The tradeoff is fit: a gusset pad is shaped around hardware, so a rough measurement is harder to live with than it is on a clean sleeve, and an anchor plate you forgot to mention will hold the pad off the floor.
Vinyl weight, foam and the impact standards behind them are explained on our [materials page](/materials); for a basketball post the short version is that an exposed blacktop upright wants the heaviest weight available and a light-use practice gym does not. Color is the easier decision. Sixteen stock colors are available at no upcharge, including Scarlet, Maroon, Kelly Green, Columbia Blue, Navy Blue, Purple and Black, so most schools can match team colors without paying for print. Padding carries a 1-Year Limited Warranty.
Full-length hook and loop closure is worth planning around. Pads come off the post by hand, with no hardware to unbolt, which matters in the two weeks a gym floor is sanded and recoated and again if you pull blacktop pads before winter. Store them flat and dry rather than rolled in a corner, and check the closure strips each summer for gym dust, which is what usually kills grip long before the vinyl fails. If the wall behind the baseline sits inside the boundary band, [gym wall padding](/gym-wall-padding) is the companion piece to the pole pads.
Order timing is the other thing coaches get wrong. Stock pads generally ship in 2 to 3 business days, so a June or July order lands well before tryouts. Printed pads take longer because artwork has to be proofed and approved before production runs, which is not the week of the home opener. Questions on fit go to sales@mybackyardsports.com or 877-466-7101.
NFHS calls for at least 3 feet of unobstructed space outside the boundary lines, and preferably 10 feet. Portable backstop bases must be padded to 7 feet on the court-side surface, and a 9 foot backboard support needs padding 2 feet from the backboard face. NCAA padding language is a recommendation rather than a mandate, so many college facilities pad to the NFHS numbers anyway.
A decal applied to a stock pad starts at $119.99 and suits a single mascot or school mark on one face. A [custom printed pole pad](/custom-printed-pole-pads) starts at $373.99 and is the right call for full coverage art, sponsor panels or multi-color designs; that page lists the accepted file formats and walks through the proof steps.
Yes. The full-length hook and loop closure means a pad is pulled off the post by hand, so nothing has to be unbolted before a floor is sanded and recoated. Store the pads flat in a dry room rather than rolled or stacked under equipment, and wipe the closure strips before rehanging so gym dust does not cost you grip.
Stock pads generally ship in 2 to 3 business days, so a summer order is comfortable. Custom printed pads need artwork proofed and approved before production starts, which adds time on the front end and is the piece that catches schools ordering in October. Send post measurements and artwork together and we will confirm the parts before you buy.
Start a quote
Tell us the post size or the wall run, the colors you need, and whether it lives indoors or out. You will get a written quote back with a real lead time on it.