The problem with purchases online anymore is not finding the "right product", but choosing among hundreds of the "right" products. We will be giving you this easy selection guide for a number of products found online as a way to assist you in your search and hopefully minimize some angst.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Basketball Hoop

Here is a helpful Basketball Hoop Selection Guide.



This will be a comparison guide for portable, inground, and backboard / rim combo kits for basketball systems. Hopefully this will guide you in finding the right basketball hoop system for you.

To start out with let's get a feel of what system specs are used professionally, in college, and in most high schools. Regulation hoops are fixed at 10 ft. above ground. The rim has a fixed diameter large enought to fit a basketball measureing 29.5 inches in circumfrence. The backboard is made of glass and measures 72 inches across and about 42 inches high. The backboard thickness is about 2 inches.

With that understanding lets talk about different basketball hoop setups. The most common for residential use is an inground basketball hoop. Please check your system's instructions for installation specifics, but in general the pole is about 18 or so inches in the ground for most systems. There are 2 different types of poles to look for for inground systems. The poles are either square or round. The round ones are typically cheaper than square posts. The round poles typically come standard 3 inches or 3.5 inches. The difference you will notice between a round pole and a square post is that the square post basketball hoop will have less "wobble" when in use than a round pole. The square posts come in 4", 5", or 6" sides. The square posts are usually found on systems with larger backboards and backboards made out of glass. With these systems, for the right price, you can achieve a system very close to what is used in the NBA, collegiate level, and in most high schools.

By portable basketball hoop, it is meant that the system is mobile because the pole does not go into the ground, although some of these systems allow you to bolt the portable base to concrete if you so desire. Basketball hoop selection for portable systems is a little more tricky. Things to consider for portable basketball hoops is who will be using it, how will they be using it, and how often will they be using it. If you have older, heavier kids playing on these hoops you must consider that these hoops are able to tip over if someone were to hang on the rim. These hoops are adjustable like the inground basketball hoop. If players of any age plan to just shoot on the hoop and won't be aggressively attacking the rim, then the portable system would suit most situations. Portable systems have more movable parts and therefore can wear out quicker. This worry is offset slightly in that most manufacturers offer at least a 5 year warranty on their systems. These systems rarely have a backboard over 54" wide and so you are unlikely to ever achieve the professional specs mentioned above. Also, there aren't any that come with glass backboards.

With the backboard and rim combos, you must understand that you are giving up specs for flexibility. The backboard and rim combos can be attached to a wall, roof, or existing pole. To accomplish this you must also purchase matching mounting kits and brackets. With these basktaball hoops, you cannot get a glass backboard; it's just too heavy. You also can't get one over 54" because of the weight factor once again. Please also be aware that these systems must be matched up with the mounting kits from the same manufacturer otherwise you are likely to have compatibility issues. The other tricky thing about these systems is getting the right height placement to achieve the 10 ft regulation height. Great attention must be paid to the instructions, and realize ahead of time that you might not be able to get it exact.

View our Basketball Hoop Glass vs. Acrylic comparison for additional information.

View our Inground Basketball Hoop listings for specific products.

View our Portable Basketball Hoop listings for specific products.

View our Backboard and Rim Combo listings for specific products.

Related Basketball Hoop Posts:


Lifetime Basketball | Product Comparison.
Lifetime Basketball.
Goalsetter Basketball Systems | Productd Comparison.
Goalsetter Basketball Systems | Mammoth Basketball Hoops.

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