Here’s a Quick Tutorial on Installing the Sniper’s Edge Indoors
A few weeks ago I published a detailed review on the Sniper’s Edge, which is a shooting tarp that can fit in the opening of any standard two-car garage. The product is fantastic, and I had a blast putting that review together. You can check it out here: FULL SNIPER’S EDGE REVIEW.
Since then, I’ve relocated to a bigger house (Weiss Tech HQ), and the new house has a pretty big unfinished basement… perfect for my new hockey training facility!
Benefits of the Indoor Installation
After getting everything moved in, one of the first things I did was install my Sniper’s Edge in the basement. As much as I liked it outdoors, I must admit, the indoor install has been even nicer! I prefer the indoor install for a few reasons:
- No need to roll and unroll to make the garage usable
- No worries about weather – the tarp is weather proof, but I was concerned about snow and ice weighing it down in the winter
- More level surface – my driveway was slightly slanted as you can see in my previous video. This was throwing off my vertical aim
Indoor Installation Process (The Harder Way)
The Sniper’s Edge doesn’t come with any of the necessary hard-ware to install it. So you’ll need to pick up the following items from Home Depot or Lowe’s to install your Sniper’s Edge the same way I did it (NOTE: THERE IS AN EASIER WAY TO DO It… DETAILS FURTHER DOWN):
- One 16x2x4
- Four 2×4’s long enough to connect the top of the Sniper’s Edge to your rafters
- Screws
- Washers
- 16′ wooden dowel
Here’s how I did it… Unbox the Sniper’s Edge and screw the top of it into the 16x2x4. Screw each of your smaller 2x4s into the 16x2x4, evenly spread – MAKE SURE YOU MEASURE FIRST. You want the measurements such that after it is hung, the bottom of the Sniper’s Edge just barely touches the ground. Screw or nail the entire unit into the rafters.
This method seems easy enough in theory (at least it did to me…), but it was actually quite difficult to make it come together properly! One of our YouTube subscribers suggested a more effective way… READ ON!
An Easier Way to Install the Sniper’s Edge
After posting this video on YouTube, flyers10az (one of our subscribers) suggested a MUCH easier way. If you get a sec, shoot him/her a thank-you note… this could save you TONS of time.
Here’s what you do:
- Screw the Sniper’s Edge into the 16x2x4 as in the first method
- Buy 8 metal hooks and 4 lengths of chain
- Screw 4 hooks into your rafters or ceiling, and 4 hooks in corresponding locations on the top of your 16x2x4
- Attach the hooks on the 16x2x4 to the corresponding hooks in the ceiling using the chain
Isn’t that brilliant? I wish I had thought of it before doing it my way. Since the chain is adjustable, you don’t need to be as exact on your measurements either. I haven’t tried it… but it seems like a WAY better way of doing it.
Conclusion
Having this in my basement has been awesome. We use it all the time and the kids love it. It works really well for indoor use because it’s virtually impossible for a puck to take a bad ricochet off it into a window, or light, or something breakable. I definitely recommend this targeting system for your home!
