A good tarp can mean you play tonight instead of losing the weekend to a mud infield. It’s also a big, heavy purchase. A lot of programs buy one and then struggle with it for years. This guide covers what size you need, which fabric to pick, what tarps actually list for right now, and whether you need a full tarp at all.
Quick answer: CoverSports’ standard infield tarp sizes are 90′ x 90′ for Little League, 120′ x 120′ for high school and college softball, 120′ x 120′ or 160′ x 160′ for high school baseball, and 160′ x 160′ or 170′ x 170′ for college and pro baseball. Measure your own dirt before you order. 6 oz poly is the lightest and easiest for a small crew. 8 oz poly lasts longer if you pull the tarp often. 10 oz vinyl is the toughest. In September 2026, online listings ran about $2,700 to $2,900 for a 90′ x 90′ tarp and $3,111.90 to $7,569.36 for 160′ x 160′, depending on fabric and seller. Prices vary, so get quotes. If you can’t afford or staff a full tarp, start with spot covers for the mound and home plate.
Plan deployment and storage before you buy
A costly tarp mistake happens before the order is placed. Programs buy a big tarp without a plan for who will pull it out, how it will get on and off the field, and where it will live between storms. A tarp nobody can deploy in time does nothing for your field.
Keep the weight in mind. BSN Sports lists a 160′ x 160′ baseball field cover at 1,090 lb. That’s more than a couple of volunteers can drag around, which is why larger tarps are usually stored on a roller. Before you buy, answer these questions:
- Who shows up when rain is coming, especially on weekday afternoons and weekend mornings?
- Where does the tarp sit when it’s not on the field, and can you get a roller to that spot and back?
- Will it be stored dry and out of the sun?
- Is your field in a windy spot that needs extra weight on the edges?
If you don’t have good answers yet, a set of spot covers may be the better first purchase. More on that below.
Infield tarp size by level of play
These are the standard sizes CoverSports lists for its FieldSaver infield rain tarps, with the roller size it pairs with each. The square footage is simple length-times-width math.
| Level of play | Standard tarp size | Roller | Area covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little League | 90′ x 90′ | 20′ | 8,100 sq ft |
| Softball (high school and NCAA) | 120′ x 120′ | 20′ | 14,400 sq ft |
| Baseball, high school | 120′ x 120′ or 160′ x 160′ | 20′ or 34′ | 14,400 or 25,600 sq ft |
| Baseball, NCAA and pro | 160′ x 160′ or 170′ x 170′ | 34′ or 40′ two-piece | 25,600 or 28,900 sq ft |
Source: CoverSports infield rain tarps. Custom sizes are available for non-standard fields.
How to measure your infield
Don’t pick a size based on the level of play alone. Rec and high school fields vary a lot. CoverSports’ method is to measure baseline to baseline, then from the back edge of the infield dirt to the opposite edge across the diamond. Your tarp should cover all of it.
Getting the size right also helps with wind. A tarp that fits the dirt gives the wind fewer loose, exposed edges to catch. A tarp that’s too small leaves dirt exposed, and one that’s badly oversized is more to handle and more to hold down.
Fabric: 6 oz poly vs 8 oz poly vs 10 oz vinyl vs 18 oz vinyl spot covers
Fabric weight is the main tradeoff between how easy a tarp is to handle and how long it holds up. Here’s how the common options compare, based on CoverSports’ and Lookout Mountain Tarp’s published specs.
| Fabric | Spec | Strengths | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 oz poly | About 12 mil | Lightest option; easiest for small crews | Volunteer crews, rec and youth fields |
| 8 oz poly | 7.8 oz/sq yd, 16 mil | Longer life with frequent deployment | Programs that tarp often during the season |
| 10 oz vinyl | Laminated PVC with polyester scrim | Highest tensile and tear strength of the three; marketed as professional-level durability | Programs with a dependable crew and a roller |
| 18 oz vinyl | Heavy vinyl used for spot covers | Durable covers for small, high-wear areas | Mound, home plate and batter’s box covers |
Here’s a practical rule. If the same two or three people are going to pull the tarp every time, don’t buy more tarp than they can handle. A lighter tarp that goes down on time does more good than a heavy one left rolled up on the sideline. Choose heavier fabric when you have the crew and equipment for it and you’ll be deploying often.
Full tarp vs spot covers vs skin tarps
CoverSports sorts infield covers into three types. Many programs end up owning more than one.
Full infield rain tarp
A full tarp covers the entire dirt area. It offers the most protection before a big storm or an overnight soaker, but it’s also the biggest, heaviest and hardest to deploy.
Rain spot covers
Spot covers protect the mound, home plate and the batter’s boxes. They come in poly or 18 oz vinyl. These are the areas that take the most work to rebuild after rain, so they’re what you protect first. Spot covers are also cheap enough to be a realistic first purchase for a small program. Many programs that own a full tarp keep spot covers too, so the crew can handle a passing shower without pulling out the whole tarp.
Infield skin tarps
Skin tarps cover the dirt running paths and leave the grass exposed. They make sense when the dirt is your drainage problem and the grass handles rain fine on its own.
How to choose a weighted tarp or spot cover
A tarp only works if it stays put. Edge weight is what keeps the wind from getting under it.
- Sandbags on the edges. CoverSports’ standard-size full tarps ship with 50 sandbags and have handles and grommets every 10′ to 12′. Use them. Weight the whole perimeter, not just the corners.
- Chain-loaded spot covers. For windy sites, Lookout Mountain Tarp builds chain-loaded (weighted) infield spot covers. They also make custom-size round and square spot covers to fit your mound and plate area.
- Correct size. A tarp that fits your infield leaves fewer loose edges for the wind to catch.
- Fabric weight. Heavier fabric is tougher, but it’s also more to handle. Don’t move up in fabric just to fight wind if your crew can’t manage the tarp. Add edge weight first.
What baseball field tarps cost
These are real prices listed online in September 2026, before shipping and tax. Prices vary by fabric, seller and time of year, and big tarps are often quoted rather than sold at a fixed price. Treat these as a starting point, not a quote.
| Item | Listed price | Where it was listed |
|---|---|---|
| 90′ x 90′ FieldSaver infield tarp | About $2,700 to $2,900 | Richardson Athletics |
| 160′ x 160′, 6 oz poly | $3,111.90 (estimate; quote recommended) | CoverSports |
| 160′ x 160′, 6 oz coated poly | $6,799.99 | mytarp.com |
| 160′ x 160′, 10 oz vinyl FieldSaver | $7,569.36 | Online retailer listing |
| 170′ x 170′ infield tarp | About $8,200 | One online retailer |
| 18 oz vinyl spot cover (e.g., home plate) | About $369 to $419 | Lookout Mountain Tarp |
Look at the 160′ x 160′ rows. The same size in a similar poly fabric was estimated at $3,111.90 by the manufacturer (quote recommended) and listed at $6,799.99 by a retailer, more than double. That’s why quotes matter. Ask at least two or three suppliers for the same size, fabric, roller and accessories, and compare the totals after shipping.
Also notice how much spot covers and full tarps differ. A home plate spot cover lists in the hundreds of dollars, while a full infield tarp lists in the thousands. For a rec league on a tight budget, covering the mound and plate first gets you the most protection per dollar.
Using and storing your tarp so it lasts
- Unroll it from the roller and pull it flat. Deploy from the roller along one edge and pull the leading edge across the infield so the tarp slides flat. Don’t drag a bunched, folded or rolled-up tarp across the skin. That gouges the dirt and wears the fabric.
- Weight the edges every time. A tarp that lifts in the wind can let water under it and can be hard to get back under control.
- Store it dry. Rolling or folding a wet tarp and leaving it invites mildew and staining. Let it dry before long-term storage.
- Protect the mound and plate first. If the storm arrives before the full tarp is down, get the spot covers on first.
- Practice before you need it. Run a dry-weather drill with your crew so the first real deployment isn’t in a downpour.
Check the warranty before you buy. CoverSports lists a 2 to 3 year pro-rated warranty on its infield tarps. Ask any supplier what their warranty covers and whether it’s pro-rated.
Before you buy: a short checklist
- Measure your infield dirt baseline to baseline and back edge to back edge.
- Decide whether you need a full tarp, spot covers, skin tarps or a combination.
- Pick a fabric your crew can actually deploy.
- Confirm the roller size and where the tarp will be stored.
- Plan how you’ll weight the edges, and ask about chain-loaded spot covers if your site is windy.
- Get at least two quotes on the same spec, including shipping.
- Ask about warranty terms.
Where to buy baseball field tarps and covers
These suppliers from our directory list tarps, field covers or spot covers. The descriptions come from their listings. Contact each one for current products, pricing and shipping to your field.
- CoverSports (Philadelphia, PA): A manufacturer of protective covers and padding and a division of textile maker Humphrys. Its baseball and softball line includes full-field rain tarps, infield skin and baseline tarps, and rain spot covers.
- Lookout Mountain Tarp (Cullman, AL): A family-owned tarp manufacturer with a dedicated baseball and softball field cover category. It offers infield spot covers, chain-loaded spot covers for windy sites, and batting practice turf protectors, in custom sizes and made in the USA.
- Beacon Athletics (Middleton, WI): A ballfield equipment dealer that supplies mound covers and tarps along with drags, rakes and field marking tools. It lists nationwide shipping.
- Aer-Flo Sports (Lincoln, AL): Manufactures baseball and softball field products, including covers and tarps, for customers that include professional and college programs.
- On Deck Sports (Randolph, MA): Its catalog includes field tarps and covers along with cages, mounds and padding for schools, colleges and professional clubs.
- PYT Sports (Bridgeview, IL): A field equipment dealer that lists infield covers and serves youth, high school, college and professional programs.
- Trigon Sports International (Memphis, TN): An equipment dealer that carries field covers alongside bases, mounds and home plates.
- American Sports Fields (Knoxville, TN): Supplies protective tarps and field maintenance products to diamonds throughout the Southeast.
- TMC Sports Turf (Texas Multi-Chem) (San Marcos, TX): Distributes mound tarps and field maintenance products throughout Texas.
Baseball field covers in New York
We don’t currently list a tarp supplier based in New York. Beacon Athletics lists nationwide shipping. CoverSports in Philadelphia and On Deck Sports in Massachusetts are the closest listed suppliers of field tarps and covers. Ask any of them about shipping to your field.
Baseball field covers in Texas
TMC Sports Turf in San Marcos distributes mound tarps and serves most of Texas with delivery and field consulting. For full infield tarps, get quotes from the national suppliers above too.
For more vendors across every category, see our field equipment suppliers guide.
Need help with field work beyond tarps? Browse specialty field services in our directory.
