Basketball Stands

Posts Tagged ‘basketball stand’

Basketball stands come in portable and in-ground models depending on the intended location, use, and age of players. Backboard size, materials, and price also figure into the selection. For residential use, most families find that a portable basketball stand system sufficiently meets their recreational needs due to ease of movement and assembly. This makes it easy to change your mind if you no longer want the hoop to be in the driveway. Also, if you have a larger party of kids over you can move the goal out to the cul-de-sac to provide everyone more room.

Both systems are available with 52, 54, or 60 inch backboards most of which are made of a clear shatterproof material. To provide stability, portable systems usually have three pole pieces of 3.5 inches or 4 inches while in-ground models also come with two pole pieces up to 5 inches. Most come with a pole pad to avoid injuries when players are shoved, pushed, or fall under the basket. Durable steel rims contain a net usually of nylon that will stand up to the weather. Newer models even prevent the ball from hitting it and rolling away. The newer models have a pole that goes straight down as opposed to a large base that always seemed to get in the way.

Both types have a method to lower or raise the backboard from 7.5 inches to 10 inches with incremental heights depending on the age of the players. Systems that are more expensive have a pneumatic mechanism that makes it extremely simple to use without tools. Other models use a screw jack method system to adjust the height of the backboard according to the age and height of the players. This is especially ideal for shorter players as it can be quite discouraging to learn the game of basketball if you do not have the ability to get the basketball near the hoop on your shot attempt.

Providing stability to the portable pole and backboard is the base that ranges from 35 to 40 gallons and can be filled with either sand or water. Pricing for the portable system runs from about $450 to $1,300 with $100 to $160 added to the price if it is ordered online. In-ground models start at $250 with shipping in the $200 range while a system with a 72-inch rectangular backboard costs about $3,000. Also, if sand or water does not interest you, you can use concrete blocks but be sure that you use enough and be careful when moving the hoop becaase if you remove all of the weight the goal might fall all by itself and injure others nearby.

The most popular basketball stands are manufactured by Spalding and Lifetime and can be purchased at stores such as Dick’s Sporting Goods or ordered online from various sources. Whatever kind of basketball experience you want, you will find a basketball stand in your price range. Also, be on the look out for deals online. Ebay can be a great way to find deals. If you live in a large metro area, then someone might be selling a basketball net and stand in your area. You will find that when people use “pick up only” on eBay they are usually more flexible with the price.

Basketball has always been my all time favorite game. It is one of the few sports that you can easily play by yourself, with one other or even with ten other people. There is a lot of action in basketball and you cannot get bored like you would if you were playing in right field like baseball and the ball never came your way.

That being said, the easiest way to set up your own basketball court is to purchase a portable basketball stand. Portable basketball stands have many benefits. They are easy to move around and can be a great way to play basketball at different settings. For example, if it is just you then it might be fine to just have the goal in the driveway. If you have several friends over, then the driveway might be a little tight. You could then easily move the goal to the cul-de-sac.

You also need to consider whether or not you want an adjustable basketball stand. Adjustable is ideal for small children who may not be able to get the ball up to the regulation height. In that case, it makes sense to lower the goal and help them to learn the fundamentals of the game. You do need to be careful though with adjustable goals becuase bigger kids will have a temptation to hang on them. Depending on how you are securing the portable basketball stand it could be dangerous. Also, adjustable height goals are not always known for high quality and the goal or backboard itself may break if it is made out of cheap plexiglass. Basketball stands are constantly evolving all of the time and technology is getting better in this area. For example in some of the newer models it was easy for the basketball to hit the base and the ball would roll for 20 or 30 yards and you had to chase it down. There are now newer models where the pole goes straight down to the ground (but not in the ground) and then it has two smaller poles that go to the base to keep it sturdy.

A portable basketball stand with a fixed height is probably your best choice in my opinion. It combines flexibility with quality. Fixed height goals are known for lasting longer and for being more durable. At the same time you still are able to keep the flexibility in being able to move the goal at any time and for any reason. Of course, your situation might be different as you want to be able to adjust the height as your children grow.

Lifetime goals have been known for producing a quality basketball stand for a long time now. They are affordable for the most part. The newer guerrilla basketball hoops are expensive but known for their quality and durability. Something that might really help your decision making process is to look for user ratings online on various popular websites. I have found this to be a great way to buy quality products at the most affordable prices. You do not always get what you pay for. Many times the most expensive product does not have the best ratings. This is even true in almost every copy of Consumer Ratings magazine. A portable basketball stand can last for years if you will do the right research ahead of time.