Basketball Hoop Review

If you are considering buying a basketball hoop to use at your home, whether it be for yourself, your son or daughter, or just to give the home more appeal and selling value, you’ll need to decide what type of hoop is right for you. Hoops have come a long way from the original peach basket (with no backboard) that marked early games before the turn of the 20th century.

Today, there are a variety of options you’ll have when it comes to picking a basketball hoop that is right for you. With choices between the type of net and backboard material, there are a lot of variations when it comes to certain details. However, the first big decision you’ll need to make is what type of hoop you want—structurally—and will work best for you.

There are three basic hoop styles for at-home use: portable, in-ground, and mounted. Let’s look at an overview of each, and a few pros and cons that each style presents.

1. Portable hoops are convenient because they are not the same type of structural commitment that the other two styles. A portable hoop is mounted on a tall pole that connects to a heavy base (usually filled with sand or water) that has wheels (usually two). These are ideal if you only want your hoop outside during certain parts of the year, if you only anticipate using it for a year or two, or if you want to be able to move it around (like to the street if you live on a cul-de-sac, or to the other side of your driveway if the sun is in your eyes). The downside is that portable basketball hoops aren’t as stable and may wobble.
2. In-ground hoops are exactly what the name implies. They are more solid than portable hoops and mounted on a pole that goes into the ground (with or without cement, it depends on what you buy and what you want). These are more stable and more attractive, but are a commitment because they are implanted fairly deep.
3. Mounted basketball hoops are mounted to the roof of a garage or other structure. These are often more affordable than either of the other two styles because they don’t have to come with a pole. They are solid like an in-ground hoop, but easier to remove. They also don’t take up yard space, but make sure you watch where your cars are parked, and keep the garage door closed if you’re a bad shot.