What Should Be Considered When Selecting a Turf Field?

Fibers & Fiber Design

Not all artificial turf systems are created equal. Not all Fibers are created equal either. There is a tremendous amount of research, testing, and science that goes into the manufacturing and design of field fibers.

The main reason for the fiber difference is ball roll and playability. The major manufacturers want to engineer fields to play like natural grass. Baseball and soccer fields are different than football and rugby fields. Likewise, field hockey fields are different than Lacrosse fields. The fiber type impacts ball roll, resistance, and durability.

Slit Film Fibers

Mono-filament

Slit Film & Mono-Filament or Combo/Hybrid

Infill

The infill is the equivalent to the earth of a natural grass playing surface. The goal is to have the infill feel and perform like the “earth” of a natural grass field. The infill will determine how firm or fast a field plays, how the ball bounces and rolls, and infill impacts how safe the fields are. The amount of infill needed is determined by how tall the fibers are, whether or not there is a shock pad being used, the gmax implications, and the sport being played. Read more about the different types of infill here.