If you want to enjoy all the benefits of having a basketball hoop without all of the major work involved in installing an in ground hoop, a portable basketball goal is the way to go. But even then you shouldn't rush into purchasing a portable basketball backboard. Here are a few things to keep in mind before you make that basketball goal purchase.
What size Backboard is best for you?
Portable basketball hoop backboards come in one of two shapes: rectangular and fan shaped. When given a choice, you should always opt for the square shaped backboard because it offers you a lot more area to do bank shots.
The basketball backboard size is also important. On the lower end, you might find very inexpensive basketball hoops with forty two or forty four inch backboards while pro style basketball systems can have backboards that are a full six feet across (though these models can cost a couple thousand dollars.) The bigger the basketball backboard that you can afford, the better.
What should the Backboard be Made of?
Portable backboards on basketball hoops usually are one of three materials: graphite, acrylic, and polycarbonate. However, on some higher end basketball systems you will occasionally see glass backboards. Graphite is an opaque material and is only found on the cheapest of the cheap backboards. It doesn't provide very good rebound, and should only be considered a serious option if you are just looking for a discount basketball hoop to shoot around on.
Acrylic is the next step up, and is still usually found on relatively inexpensive systems. Polycarbonate feels and reacts just like acrylic backboards, but polycarbonate is different in that it is about five times more durable. This means that it will last longer and just stand up to rougher use.
What is the Overhang on the basketball Hoop?
Overhang is the distance from the pole to the backboard. On the cheapest portable basketball hoops, this is zero, which means the backboard is attached directly to the pole. On higher end residential portable basketball hoops, the bracket can extend the backboard three feet from the pole. Try to get as large an overhang as you can. The larger the overhang, the safer it will be to do charging layups and the easier it will be to play underneath the basketball hoop.
What size base is best for you?
The base of your portable basketball hoop is vital to the stability of the backboard, and the quality of the rebounds. You want to try to get the largest portable basketball base that you can. The larger the base is, the more water or sand it will be able to hold, and the more stable it will be generally. You should also check out the base for additional features that might improve your basketball experience. For example, some models have a handle attached to the front that makes it a lot easier to move the basketball hoop to a different location. Others have hooks in the back that make it even easier to totally stabilize.
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