Rubbermaid FastTrack Ball Rack: The Best Way to Organize Garage Sports Equipment

The Rubbermaid FastTrack ball rack is a wall-mounted accessory for the FastTrack rail system that holds multiple sports balls off the floor without taking up significant wall space. It mounts to a horizontal FastTrack rail and can hold 4 to 6 balls depending on size, keeping them organized and accessible in a spot that otherwise goes unused. If you have basketballs, soccer balls, footballs, and volleyballs scattered across your garage floor, this is a clean solution.

The ball rack is just one piece of the larger Rubbermaid FastTrack ecosystem. Understanding how it fits into that system helps you decide whether to start there or look at other sports equipment storage options that might work better for your situation.

What the FastTrack Ball Rack Actually Does

The ball rack hooks onto a FastTrack horizontal rail mounted to your wall. The rack itself consists of a series of cradles or a hammock-style net that cradles balls at different heights. Depending on the specific model, you can hold basketballs (which are about 9.4 inches in diameter), soccer balls, footballs, and volleyball-sized balls in a vertical column or a horizontal row.

The key benefit over floor storage is immediate: balls can't roll away, they're visible from across the garage, and they're easy to grab. A kid can reach their basketball without knocking over two other balls and scattering them across the floor.

The limitation is that it only holds round or near-round balls. Baseball bats, hockey sticks, and similar gear need different hooks.

The Rubbermaid FastTrack Rail System

The ball rack makes most sense as part of a complete FastTrack installation. Here's how the system works:

The Rail

FastTrack rails mount horizontally to your wall using screws driven into studs. The rail has a proprietary slot that FastTrack accessories snap and lock into. A 4-foot rail holds about 12 accessories before spacing gets tight. A 16-foot length of rail (which you'd assemble from multiple sections) can hold a substantial collection of hooks, bins, and specialty holders.

The rail mounts at standard heights, usually 48 to 60 inches from the floor for the primary rail and then additional rails above and below as needed.

The Accessories

FastTrack has dozens of accessories beyond the ball rack:

  • Single hooks (various weight ratings)
  • Double hooks
  • Hose reel hook
  • Ladder hook (holds a ladder horizontally)
  • Utility hook (heavy-duty, for heavy items)
  • Bike hook (J-shape)
  • Tool hooks for shovels, rakes
  • Small bins
  • Medium and large baskets
  • Shelf brackets

This variety is the reason FastTrack is popular: one rail system covers everything from balls to bikes to garden tools.

Cost Breakdown

A 4-foot FastTrack rail runs about $15 to $20. The ball rack accessory costs $20 to $30 by itself. A starter kit including rails and a few accessories runs $40 to $80 at major retailers. If you want to outfit a full wall, expect to spend $100 to $200 depending on how many accessories you add.

That's more than raw hooks screwed into a 2x4, but the flexibility to rearrange accessories without new holes is worth it for most people.

Who Should Buy the FastTrack Ball Rack

The FastTrack ball rack is a good fit if:

  • You already have or plan to buy a FastTrack rail system
  • You have multiple round ball sports equipment to organize
  • Your family plays multiple sports and the equipment collection changes seasonally
  • You want the flexibility to swap accessories as needs change

It's less ideal if:

  • You only have one or two balls (a single hook and a bungee cord achieves the same thing for $2)
  • You have mostly non-round sports equipment (bats, sticks, rackets need different accessories)
  • You want maximum weight capacity over adaptability (fixed hooks into studs hold more weight per dollar)

Alternative Ball Storage Options

The FastTrack isn't the only good solution for ball storage. Here are the realistic alternatives:

Bungee Ball Rack

A dedicated bungee ball rack is a freestanding or wall-mounted unit specifically for sports balls. It uses bungee cords or elastic straps to cradle balls at different heights. These are inexpensive ($20 to $40) and work well but aren't part of a larger organization system.

Mesh Bag Hung from a Hook

The cheapest option: a large mesh laundry bag or sports bag hung from a heavy-duty hook holds 6 to 10 balls in a single location. Not as accessible as a rack (you have to dig through the bag) but nearly free if you already have the bag and hook.

Ball Bin

A large open bin (a Rubbermaid Roughneck tote with the lid off) on the floor near the garage entrance holds all sports balls without any installation. Easy for kids to grab independently. Takes up floor space but sometimes that's the right trade-off.

DIY Net Rack

Stretch a piece of cargo net between two vertical supports mounted to the wall. Balls nestle in the net. Cost is minimal ($10 to $20 for net material) and capacity can be sized to your collection.

Installation Tips for FastTrack

Hit Studs

FastTrack rails need to be mounted into studs. The rail has pre-drilled holes for this purpose. Use a stud finder, mark your stud locations, and drive the included screws through the rail into studs. Drywall anchors work for very light accessories but fail with any real load.

Standard stud spacing is 16 inches on center. A 4-foot rail will hit 3 studs (16 + 16 + 16 = 48 inches). This gives very solid mounting.

Mount at the Right Height

For sports equipment, mount the primary rail at around 48 to 54 inches from the floor. This puts the ball rack in a zone where adults and older kids can reach it independently. If you have young children who need to reach it, lower the rail to 36 to 40 inches.

Plan Your Layout Before Drilling

FastTrack's advantage is rearrangeability, but the rail location itself is fixed once mounted. Spend 10 minutes sketching out where each accessory will go and make sure the rail height works for all of them before you drill.

Combining Ball Rack with Other Sports Storage

The ball rack handles round equipment. You'll still need other storage for:

  • Baseball bats and hockey sticks (long hooks at an angle)
  • Helmets (hooks or open-top bins)
  • Gloves and pads (hooks or bins)
  • Nets and goals (large utility hooks or ceiling storage)
  • Rackets (single hooks, one per racket)

A complete sports wall using FastTrack might include the ball rack, several single and double hooks for smaller gear, a basket for helmets and pads, and potentially a bike hook if bike storage is also needed on the same wall.

For more sports equipment storage ideas, the best garage ball storage guide covers dedicated solutions for single-sport households and multi-sport families.

FAQ

How many balls does the FastTrack ball rack hold? The standard ball rack holds 4 to 6 balls depending on their size. It handles up to basketball-sized balls in the lower cradles and soccer-ball-sized balls in higher cradles. If you have more than 6 balls, you'd need two ball racks or a combination of the rack and additional storage like a bin or mesh bag.

Is FastTrack compatible with other rail systems like Gladiator or StoreWALL? No. FastTrack accessories only work on Rubbermaid FastTrack rails. Other rail systems use different proprietary slot dimensions. You can't mix Rubbermaid accessories with Gladiator rails or vice versa. If you're starting fresh, pick one system and stick with it.

Can the ball rack hold a medicine ball? It depends on weight. The FastTrack ball rack is rated for moderate loads, and a heavy medicine ball (20+ pounds) may exceed the recommended weight for the accessory. Check the specific product weight rating. For very heavy balls, a floor-based storage option or a fixed-hook solution with a net is more appropriate.

What's the difference between FastTrack and GearTrack? Both are Rubbermaid wall storage systems, but GearTrack is an older design and FastTrack is the current offering. Accessories are generally compatible between the systems since they use the same rail slot. If you find GearTrack accessories at a discount, they typically work on FastTrack rails.

The Practical Setup

If you're starting from scratch with garage sports organization, my recommendation is to start with a 4-foot FastTrack rail section, the ball rack, and 3 to 4 additional hooks. That kit handles the most common sports storage situation (balls, bats or sticks, helmets) in one go for about $80 to $100.

If you already have some FastTrack rails, just add the ball rack accessory for $20 to $30. It snaps onto any existing rail and you can move it if the position doesn't work.

For the best garage storage in a house with kids doing multiple sports, a dedicated sports wall with FastTrack is one of the cleaner solutions. The ability to reconfigure hooks as sports seasons change is genuinely useful year after year.