Spalding 50" NBA Polycarbonate Portable Basketball Hoop EXPIRED

Thanks for posting. I've been looking for hoop. Managed to get the last one at my store

Looking to get a hoop but anyone with better knowledge on these and the preferred material? I'm not trying to buy one of those cheap backboards where the ball dies on contact and falls flat

Quote from jonrmartinez : Looking to get a hoop but anyone with better knowledge on these and the preferred material? I'm not trying to buy one of those cheap backboards where the ball dies on contact and falls flat

These are GREAT the first tier ones are acrylic backboards, which are very expensive. These are the only ones I'd use, the polycarbonate material is great very very similar to the acrylic ones. The size difference is a little small but 54" is generally a good size for a backyard so 50" will do.

This hoop is a very very high end one. You won't regret especially for the price. Even at 250 for the material and size that's a steal. If I knew about it prior to the same I would've gotten it then with no regrets. The Lifetime brand is the golden standard and uses the same size and materials but sells theirs for $500.

(I'm a basketball coach, I never allow my players to use trash backboards it'll ruin the amount of power they put into layups when playing real games)

Quote from jonrmartinez : Looking to get a hoop but anyone with better knowledge on these and the preferred material? I'm not trying to buy one of those cheap backboards where the ball dies on contact and falls flat

This is an excellent question. Spalding is the official backboard supplier to the NBA so these hoops are pretty decent. As far as material goes you really have 2 options in the mid-quality range which this hoop is. Acrylic and Polycarbonate. Both are essentially very similar materials and are both pretty clear plastic materials. Unfortunately, polycarbonate has one major drawback. When polycarbonate is exposed to UV light it becomes yellow, cloudy and brittle. When basketball backboards made from polycarbonate are used outdoors, they become ugly due to yellowing, cloudiness and brittle in a matter of 3-5 years. This one should actually give you 3-5 years of useful life if outdoors. Which is decent.

I picked up 4 of these larger Spaldings (2 poly 54" and 2 acrylic 60") from a Walmart unadvertised clearance a couple months ago for a steal and can tell you the one in the post above should be solid for at least the 3-5 years mentioned of backyard ball. The bigger 60" ones I bought are the higher priced acrylic are are somewhat heavier and will last longer but as long as you understand the Poly ones wont last forever outside you'll be ok. Odd's are someone will probably roll by and steal it before it gets old and brittle. lol!

Another cool thing is the 54" Poly one has a fairly generous 34 gallon capacity in the base if you don't build it into cement. This means you can put almost 400 pounds of sand in there or fill it with water and get 320 pound of force holding it down. The bigger 60" Acrylic ones have a 40 gallon sized base so more stable. It is important to have a stable base no matter which one you go with.

Hope this helps!

The 44" is also on 30% sale.. which one would you recommend for a 9 year old?

Check out this item at Target https://www.target.com/p/spalding...A-52832763

Quote from danteshors : This is an excellent question. Spalding is the official backboard supplier to the NBA so these hoops are pretty decent. As far as material goes you really have 2 options in the mid-quality range which this hoop is. Acrylic and Polycarbonate. Both are essentially very similar materials and are both pretty clear plastic materials. Unfortunately, polycarbonate has one major drawback. When polycarbonate is exposed to UV light it becomes yellow, cloudy and brittle. When basketball backboards made from polycarbonate are used outdoors, they become ugly due to yellowing, cloudiness and brittle in a matter of 3-5 years. This one should actually give you 3-5 years of useful life if outdoors. Which is decent. I picked up 4 of these larger Spaldings (2 poly 54" and 2 acrylic 60") from a Walmart unadvertised clearance a couple months ago for a steal and can tell you the one in the post above should be solid for at least the 3-5 years mentioned of backyard ball. The bigger 60" ones I bought are the higher priced acrylic are are somewhat heavier and will last longer but as long as you understand the Poly ones wont last forever outside you'll be ok. Odd's are someone will probably roll by and steal it before it gets old and brittle. lol! Another cool thing is the 54" Poly one has a fairly generous 34 gallon capacity in the base if you don't build it into cement. This means you can put almost 400 pounds of sand in there or fill it with water and get 320 pound of force holding it down. The bigger 60" Acrylic ones have a 40 gallon sized base so more stable. It is important to have a stable base no matter which one you go with. Hope this helps!

The 44" is also on 30% sale.. which one would you recommend for a 9 year old?

The 44" is also on 30% sale.. which one would you recommend for a 9 year old?

Quote from capgemini : The 44" is also on 30% sale.. which one would you recommend for a 9 year old? Check out this item at Target https://www.target.com/p/spalding...A-52832763

They both adjust from 7.5 ft to 10ft. The only difference would be the backboards which is very important. I'd spend the extra $45 and get the $175 one. It's much more similar to the quality of backboards you'll play on at the parks and at gyms. Also the quality is just much better I expect it to last well over 10 years. The 44" one I don't see it lasting more than 3 before it begins to fall apart

I have had this for about 2 years and while overall it is good, the backboard on mine at least is horrible, among the worst i have ever experienced. A bank shot produces a sound almost like stage thunder for a play, with a very poor bounce off of it. Maybe mine is a bad unit. Maybe someone can explain how i failed to adjust it properly.

I got mine with another 20% off using a coupon in my wallet. Came to $145 after tax.

Quote from threeoaks2 : I got mine with another 20% off using a coupon in my wallet. Came to $145 after tax.

Couldn't find a coupon

Quote from lion5 : Couldn't find a coupon

It was in my Target Wallet. It was for 20% off any item with exclusions, but it worked for me on the hoop.

I looked at these a while back and the review consensus was that the base cracks and breaks away from the frame quit often with this design. Avoid.

This one or Costco $220 one?