I remember playing a lot of basketball as a kid. We had a portable basketball hoop in the garden and it provided hours of fun for the price. What was good about it, was that we could move it into the front garden in the summer if we wanted a bigger game. Before having a portable hoop, we had a fixed one on the wall of the house, but this was not as good as we couldn’t adjust the height or move it! Meaning that my little sister who was a lot smaller than me could never enjoy it as much
For the price, a basketball hoop really can provide great value for money, help you get fit and its something all the family can enjoy together.
We have spent hours researching the best portable basketball hoops that are available to buy and put them all into this 1 article for you. We have done all the hard work for you!
Table of Contents
1. Spalding NBA Portable Basketball Hoop
We are starting off with this amazing piece of kit. It really is the Rolls Royce of hoops and that is reflected in the price tag.
Spalding is the largest producer of basketball equipment in the world and we have no doubt that you would have heard of them. This one really looks the part with the NBA logo on and would really impress your friends.
What’s really good about this one is that the hoop and board are actually positioned in front of the support pole. This means that you are able to play right under the hoop without running into the pole which will add an extra element of fun to your game.
The backboard size is 48 inches which are big enough for anyone to have a decent game.
The size can be adjusted from 2.28m to a whopping 3.05m meaning that it will be suitable for people of all different heights.
The base can be filled with either water or sand and it holds up to 128 litres which is on the heavy side. We prefer sand, but with it being so big, it might be best to use water on this one as it could be quickly filled up with a hosepipe and would save you buying a lot of sand.
When doing our research we found that users really liked this product and reviews were really good. People did comment about how long it took to assemble (allow 2 hours at least). Once they had set it up they were all really happy with it and said it was very robust and had great reviews from their mates and some people even made new friends in their street from putting the hoop in their front garden.
2. Lifetime Streamline Portable Basketball Hoop
This is a great starter basketball hoop that won’t break the bank.
The backboard is made of high-quality polyethylene which means that it’s very strong and should be pretty much unbreakable. The colour of the backboard is UV protected which means that it should not fade in the sun or other elements.
The steel pole on this hoop goes straight up and does not angle out. This means that direct play under the hoop will be harder, but its a cheaper model and only the expensive ones have this, so that is just one of the trade-offs you have to make.
The base can be filled with either water or sand and will be heavy enough to be sturdy, but light enough to be moved around by 1 person.
As with others, this one is adjustable in height.
When doing our research we found that users found it ok to dunk on for their teenage sons but that might not be the case if you are an adult. The only downside was that people said its definitely a 2 man job to put together as the instructions can be a bit confusing, but once it was set up they were very happy with it.
3. Northern Stone Junior Height Basketball Hoop
This one is aimed at juniors and comes it at a cheaper price than some of the other models on the list. Despite the name “junior”, it can still be enjoyed by adults, but just keep in mind that it’s a bit more lightweight than some of the other options.
It is made from heavy-duty steel with a polyethylene base and the net is made from all-weather material meaning it should last a long time and not rot away in the weather.
The base can be filled with either sand or water.
The height is adjustable from 179cm to 213cm which is not as high as some on the list but as we said earlier this one is aimed at junior or younger players.
When doing out research we found reviews to be very good with most people being very happy with their purchase. Users as young as 4 years old enjoyed this and others said it would be suitable for 13-year-olds. A few users joked that they wish they had never bought it as all they can hear now is the ball bouncing in the back garden non-stop. The only negatives we could find was that it can be very hard work to fill with sand as the hole is very small. Might be easier just to fill it with water.
4. Display4top adjustable basketball hoop
This basketball hoop can be adjusted from 2m to 3m in height which makes it good for even the tallest of players. The backboard is a decent size at 70cm by 110cm and the net is made from all-weather material.
The size of the base is 43 x 21 x 5 inches and when filled with water will weigh about 77lbs. If it’s filled with sand it will weight slightly more at about 88lbs. So fill it with whichever you think is best for your needs.
This item comes with a 2-year warranty.
When doing our research we found reviews to be pretty solid. The hoop is not suitable for dunking though as it would be a bit too lightweight for that. Again the only downside we could find was that it was fiddly to put together, but that seems to be the case for most on this list.
5. Spalding NBA Highlight Acrylic Portable Backboard System.
We covered another hoop by Spalding earlier on in the article and we thought with them being the leader in basketball that they deserver to have at least 1 more portable hoop featured.
This one is a lot more basic than the other one as it does not have the angled pole so that you can play directly under the hoop. That of course, comes reflected in the price tag as this one is a lot cheaper than the other one, but also slightly more expensive than others on the list. You are paying for the Spalding brand, but you can be sure that the quality will be decent.
Reviews of this item were not quite as good as some of the others as some said the base cracked when filled it water so it might be best to fill the base with sand to be on the safe side.
6. Bell-Ball Optimum Basketball Stand
This is a serious hoop, for serious ballers!
What we like about this one is that the hoop can be angled in front of the base which means players can play under the hoop just like they would in a real game. It just adds that bit more to peoples games and makes it more realistic.
The base also has a cool rebound system which means that after you have taken a shot the base will return the ball to you so that there’s no need to keep fetching the ball over and over.
The base is also one of the biggest we have featured on this guide and can hold 230 litres (160kg) of water which means that this base should move anywhere, even if the weather is bad. The manufacturers recommend that you fill it with a mixture of both sand and water to get the best from it.
The height can be quickly adjusted from between 2.3m to 3m. It also has a massive backboard which is great for rebounding shots off. The ring is a full-size NBA ring which measures in at 45cm.
When doing our research we found this to have really good reviews. People found it to be very sturdy and provided the family with hours of fun.
Again the only negative is the hard work putting it together as its a big heavy item and will definitely need 2 people.
7. Jumpstar Sports Height Adjustable Basketball Hoop
This is another hoop with the fancy rebound system. When we say fancy, we mean a piece of plastic that’s angled nicely to return the ball to you after you have taken a shot that has gone in. It is a simple feature, but one that we really like.
It is height adjustable from 7ft to 10ft in size which means you can move it all the way up to the official NBA height and see how you get on. This can be easily adjusted with the handle in seconds which anyone can do.
The backboard is 122cm by 71cm which makes it one of the biggest on our list.
The rim of the hoop is made to be slam-dunked. It has a breakaway spring back rim which allows you do to this. This means that the rim bends down when you slam and when you release it will spring back up.
When doing our research we found that users liked how sturdy it was. One person said how their son seemed to have made about 5 new friends since they put the hoop in the garden and they wheel it across the road into the empty car park in the evenings for a game which attracts loads more kids.
8. Oypla Professional Kids Adjustable Portable Basketball Hoop
This one is aimed at kids as it can only be adjusted between 1.7m and 2.1m. The backboard size is 71 x 45 x 2cm with the rim being 39cm which is a bit smaller than the NBA standard of 45cm. 7-inch basketballs would be a nice size to use with this.
The base can hold up to 35 litres of water which is sturdy enough for people to take shots and stop it moving around, but we would not recommend doing slam dunks on this. You could also fill it with sand if that’s what you prefer.
With this one you can pay for expert assembly. However, this costs more than the actual item itself so this is not something we would recommend. Get a coffee, get a friend round and try not to get annoyed when putting it together.
.9. Relaxdays Basketball System
Now we are getting near the end of our top 10 we thought it would be good to talk about a really basic entry-level model.
This one is really just for younger children and the height can be adjusted between 104cm and 133cm. the base can be filled with water or sand, but the base is small when compared to other models, so do not try and slam dunks on this one.
What we like about this product is that it comes complete with 2 balls and a pump which means that you have everything ready to start playing.
The diameter of the ring is the smallest and is only 19cm and the balls that come with it are 12.5cm
Reviews are mixed, but I think this is because its such a beginners item and cheap. If you understand that then you should be fine. Don’t expect it to last forever.
10. URBN Toys Free Standing Basketball Hoop
This is another basketball hoop that’s aimed just at younger kids.
The height is adjustable from 165cm to 205cm. The base is 71cm by 45cm.
The base can be filled with either 30 litres of water or 50kg of sand which means it will be sturdy enough for some fun games of basketball.
Buyers Guide
As you can probably tell from looking at all the above hoops, there is a lot to consider when buying one. How do you make the right choice? Let’s see which features you definitely need!
Wheels
You are going to want one with wheels and all of the above models have these. Chances are you won’t be moving them around that much, but check out the size of the wheels to make sure they will move over the ground you are moving it over.
Rim
Only a few on our list have a flexible rim for slam dunks, but this might be something you want to consider.
Rebound System
This is related to the base below, but we just wanted to give it its own section, The rebound system is an angled piece of plastic on the base. This means that when you take a shot and it goes in, the ball should bounce back to where you are. This means you don’t have to keep going under the hoop to fetch the ball each time. Perfect for when you are practising your 3 point shots.
Base
This is probably the most important feature for a portable basketball hoop. It provides the stability and will be the main part of its portability.
Usually, the base will come pre-filled with sand, or there is a chance you will need to fill it with water. Personally, we prefer the sand option as it just feels that bit sturdier and for some reason, it just feels heavier and less likely to cause problems. If you accidentally damage the base when its made of sand you can easily patch it up. However with a water base if you damage it then there’s a good chance you won’t be able to repair it.
One way to get around the issue of water leaking out is to use something called base gel. This will help stop the base from cracking in the winter when the water freezes and will add that extra bit of stability.
You will find the beginner hoops are often lighter than the ones you will want to use if you are an experienced player. This is because the weight of the backboard is usually lighter and therefore you do not need as. much weight. This, of course, will have an effect on how portable it is, but we think if you get your mate to help you move the heavier ones you really should have no problem. The only struggle might be if you are moving it on your own.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this guide has helped you decide which basketball hoop is the best one for you. They are going to provide you and the family with hours of fun.
