Portable Basketball Hoops [2019 Buyers Guide] – Top 10 Hoops For Every Budget!

These days, a lot of neighborhoods don't allow permanent in-ground basketball hoops anymore.

Council regulations have become much more strict in allowing residents to erect a basketball hoop pole that is permanently set in cement.

Fortunately, if you don't want to miss out on the fun of shooting hoops in your driveway, there is an easy solution... buy a portable basketball hoop. 

There are a number of important things to consider before purchasing a portable basketball goal system online.

Here are the main 5 topics that you should educate yourself on before buying a portable basketball hoop:

1) How To Choose The Perfect Backboard For Your Portable Hoop

Backboard Size Considerations  For Portable Hoops

The standard backboard used in the NCAA and NBA is 72 inches wide and 46 inches high.

A backboard of this size is a little overkill for most driveway basketball hoop setups.

However, for those with the money to spend a full size backboard will deliver the ultimate gaming experience.

Nothing feels better than hitting a Tim Duncan style banked jump shot from the 45 off the tempered glass.

“When it comes to choosing a hoop for your needs and budget, it is usually the backboard which determines the price”

Backboards on the most popular cheap portable basketball hoop systems usually start at around 44 inches wide.

This size is great for beginners however this size makes it more difficult to utilise the backboard for bank shots and layups.

If you or your child plan on playing for many hours on end then you must be aware that this can hinder you game.

54" inches is the best size to go for optimal entry level play-ability. A backboard of this size provides a much more professional feel.

If you want a quality, yet great value for money 54 inch backboard on your system we recommend checking out the Silverback NXT​​.

On this size backboard your bank shots and layups will respond similar to professional hoops that you most likely play on at club or representative level.

For those who want the ultimate basketball experience the best choice is a 60"+ backboard such as the Spalding Beast.

Backboard Material Options For Portable Hoops

Most of the bestselling basketball backboards are commonly made of either one of Polyethylene, Acrylic or Tempered Glass.

Let’s take a closer look at each particular variety of portable hoop backboards that you can consider: 

Unfortunately, by purchasing a plastic backboard you are sacrificing rebounding ability.

This is a very important aspect that should not be overlooked if you take game-play seriously.

Acrylic backboards offer much better play-ability than plastic backboards.

These acrylic backboards are also usually transparent and therefore gives off that pro feel.

This is the sort of portable basketball hoop you will feel proud to show off in your driveway.

The Spalding Pro Slam is an example of a portable hoop with an acrylic backboard

Unfortunately these acrylic backboards tend to scuff and stain after a few years. They can also be scratched quite easily.

Acrylic is the best-selling variety of back board as it plays much more true than plastic and is much more affordable than tempered glass.

However, the lightweight structure of acrylic backboards also come with relatively light frames and rim structures.

This style of basketball hoop setup is usually fine for the majority of athletes, but for those of you who want to throw down some serious dunks and hang from the rim a tempered glass setup would be a better option.

Tempered glass is the gold standard material used by professional basketball hoops in most professional leagues around the world.

Tempered glass basketball systems are solid and durable with heavy base and support pole to support the weighty glass backboard.

Tempered glass offers the greatest playability out of all backboard material varieties.

Best yet it doesn’t scratch and is very easy to keep clean and tidy. If you can afford it this is definitely the option for you.

The Beast is our highest rated hoop system that ships with a tempered glass backboard

Backboard Design Considerations For Portable Basketball Hoops 

It is very important to consider how the design of the portable goal system can affect your gameplay.

One of the most important design aspects to consider is the offset of the backboard.

The offset is simply the distance between the backboard and the support pole.

Many of the cheaper hoops only have a very small offset which makes it impossible to follow through under the rim when attempting a layup or dunk.

This is a major limiting factor of the cheaper units which greatly reduces game-play and can lead to collision injuries.

The basketball hoops used in the NBA feature an offset of around 4 ft.

Most portable hoops offer an offset considerably lower than this, however systems such as “THE BEAST” still provide enough clearance for optimal game-play and safety.

2) How To Choose The Perfect Rim For Your Portable Basketball Hoop

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Dunking on these hoops is prohibited as it can and has resulted in many deaths in the past.

Support Pole Considerations

The screw jack system is much easier to use for people of any age and definitely a better option if you are regularly raising the hoop up and down.

Base Considerations

It is very important to purchase a portable hoop system with as stable of a base as possible.

Hoop systems come with a range of different height adjustment setups which ultimately determines the base design and overall size. Obviously the larger the backboard the more heavy duty the base will need to be.

The position of the base can also hinder game-play on some models.

This is particularly true in the cheaper model basketball hoop setups that have a vertical pole.

3 Things Serious Ballers Must Have In Their Portable Hoop System