Which Infill is Right for You?

     When building your custom field, don’t forget to do your research on which type of infill you want installed in your new turf system.  Infill plays a key roll in providing the cushion and safety for your players that is necessary to meet GMAX and HIC requirements, while also providing the right level of traction for ideal surface play-ability. Below, we’ve listed some of the most proven and trusted infill choices in the industry, and what underlying factors you might consider when choosing between them.

 

What are my options?

 At Sprinturf, we are strong believers in responsible development. All of of the products that we manufacture go through stringent testing requirements and meet exacting standards in order to qualify to be installed in a Sprinturf field. So why should the products we purchase be any different?

With thousands of fields under our belt (and many more produced every year!) we’ve gained a fairly good understanding of which infill systems work for our customers, and which do not. We are constantly working with our partners to ensure that the infill they produce for your field is a product that will last for years to come.

Which infill do you recommend?

Just as we build every field absolutely custom for our customers, the infill recommendations we make will change based on your unique needs. Our field experts have an in depth knowledge of the trade offs associated with each product we offer. They will help you dig into key factors such as:

  • What is your forecasted field usage per week?
  • Which product will fit best with your climate?
  • Which product will fit best within your budgetary needs?
  • How does each product fit within your sustainability preferences?

 

The most important part of any decision you make in this process is buying the right combination of components to make a field perfect for you needs. We’re here to help you stay informed and make whatever decision is right for you!

Recycled SBR Rubber

Description

Ambient rubber is the industry standard when it comes to sports field infill. Made from ground recycled rubber products, this recycled material enhances the feel and play of your turf field.

Colors: Black

Price: $

Pros & Cons

  • Pros

    • – Proven performance over 2 decades
    • – 12,000 fields installed in the U.S.
    • – Durable/low maintenance system
    • – Environmentally friendly
    • – Independent studies confirm safety of crumb rubber
    • – Infill can be recycled for future use
    • – Cost

  • Cons

    • – Does not dissipate heat as effectively as ChillFill

Sprinturf ChillFill & CoolCap

Description

Our ChillFIll Infill option reduces surface temperatures by up to 30% (when combined with CoolFiber) and provides an alternative to traditional black crumb rubber infill. Sprinturf patent pending CoolCap system incorporates a layer of ChillFill using a different gauge on top of an ambient rubber layer. This provides the aesthetics and benefits of green ChillFill at a fraction of the cost.

Colors: Green

Price: $$

Pros & Cons

  • Pros

    •  – Helps to reduce field temperature
    •  – Increased safety for athletes during extreme temperatures
    •  – Green coating encapsulates rubber
    •  – Provides enhanced aesthetics
    •  – Durable/low maintenance system
    •  – Environmentally friendly
    •  – Infill can be recycled for future use

  • Cons

    •  – Increased cost relative to SBR
    •  – Cost can be mitigated with proprietary Sprinturf CoolCap system

Greenplay

Description

Greenplay is a proven organic infill option that enables synthetic turf fields to look, feel and perform like natural grass.

Colors: Natural

Price: $$$

Pros & Cons

  • Pros

    • – Provides a natural grass-like playing surface
    • – Excellent performance characteristics
    • – Helps reduce field temperature

  • Cons

    • – Requires the use of a pad
    • – Increased field maintenance
    • – Infill must maintain moisture levels
    • – Requires additional infill over life of the field
    • – Increased per sq ft cost

EPDM

Description

EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) is a polymer elastomer with high resistance to abrasion and wear, intended as an alternate to traditional ambient rubber infill. EPDM has proven its durability as an infill product in all types of climates.

Colors: Green, Tan, Black

Price: $$ – $$$ (depending on color)

Pros & Cons

  • Pros

    •  – Virgin materials
    •  – Removes the ‘recycled’ stigma
    •  – Material is more uniform in size versus recycled rubber

  • Cons

    •  – Significantly higher cost
    •  – Limited “in field” experience
    •  – Unproven long term performance
    •  – Bulk density requires more infill

Sand/Rubber

Description

Rubber / Sand is a premium mixture of crumb rubber and sand infill that works great as an alternative to other infill options.

Colors: Black/Natural

Price: $

Pros & Cons

  • Pros

    • – Resists compaction
    • – Proven history as turf infill
    • – Clean and natural look

  • Cons

    • – Firmer playing surface
    • – Requires the use of a pad

Cork Infill

Description

Sprinturf’s environmentally sourced cork infill is a natural, non-toxic product that is created through sustainable harvesting of cork oak trees. It is a recyclable product that is great for any field.

Colors: Natural

Price: $$$$

Pros & Cons

  • Pros

    •  – 100% environmentally sustainable
    •  – Gives lowered temperature benefits
    •  – Natural coloration
    •  – High levels of resiliency

  • Cons

    •  – Significantly higher cost
    •  – Requires the use of a pad
    •  – Higher Maintenance
    •  – Potential for infill migration
    •  – Requires additional infill over life of the field