Dunking or over rim actions have become more and more popular in basketball races.
It improves the success of the scoring goal, and also, it looks so cool.
Thus most players are willing to improve their skills in dunking.
Basketball hoops in the gym or court are super strong with steel bases, but portable basketball hoops, are just supported by a base filled with water or sand.
Thus few of them are suitable for dunking practice.
So what features does a portable basketball need for dunking?
or what is the best portable basketball hoop for dunking that you can choose?
In this article, we will give you the answer.
What Are the Best Portable Basketball Hoop For Dunking?
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- Best Sturdy For Dunking – Spalding NBA “The Beast” 74560 Portable Basketball System
- Best Value – Spalding NBA Hybrid Portable Basketball System
- Best Cheap Price – Spalding 68454 NBA Portable Basketball System
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Factors on Choosing Best Portable Basketball Hoop for Dunking
As we said before, only a few portable basketball hoops on the market can be used for dunking, normally are unable to accept that hard push in the dunking movement. So what exactly factors or elements do portable basketball hoops need for dunking?
Stability
In dunking movement on adjustable dunking hoops, you need to put all your weight on the hoop, thus if the hoop is not stable enough, it easily tips down and causes injury to players.
Base and pole
In terms of sturdiness, the base and pole are the most important supporting elements. The base capacity should be large enough, it needs more than 40 gallons capacity to support one’s weight. As for pole, 3 piece pole is normally used on a portable basketball hoop because it is cheaper. And that is why we strongly recommend “The Beast” for you, it is equipped with 2 piece pole, thus it is super sturdy.
Breakaway rim
Another factor we can not ignore is the breakaway rim. There are altogether three rims, classic type, one with double compression springs and one covered with steel metal. The last one is regarded as the most sturdy and strongest type. Therefore, if you want to get the best portable basketball hoop for dunking, then you need to get Slam – Its breakaway rim.
Space
Space is the vital thing that comes to your mind before deciding which basketball hoop to buy. You can use your backyard or driveway as an option, but make sure you remember safety comes first to avoid accidents occurring.
Usage
Of course, before picking a hoop you should figure out if it’s a hoop meant for kids or youth, or is it for adults. When choosing a hoop for kids, you should take in mind its height and stability since the hoop would be for their entertainment. If the hoop is for adults, it should be sturdy and tall, the same size as the ones at the pitch.
Size
Besides the usage, you should consider the size of the hoop you are buying. The wider the backboard is, the better your chances at scoring is.
Sturdiness
This is probably one of the most important facts when choosing a hoop. We all know the hoops wiggle when playing, some more than others when the ball hits the backboard. Finding one that wiggles less with a strong sturdy structure will help greatly when playing.
Mobility
This is one of the reasons why people buy it. It’s movable from one place to another with the help of the two detachable wheels.
Assemble Time
Indeed, people hate assembling parts rather than taking them apart. Putting the polycarbonate hoop together using a manual with bad instructions may be a hard task and time-consuming. So to avoid all that find a hoop with less time-consuming and find a partner to help.
Top 3 Best Portable Basketball Hoop For Dunking Reviews
1. Best For Dunking – Spalding NBA “The Beast” 74560 Portable Basketball System
In terms of the best portable basketball hoop, it is hard to ignore “The Beast”, for these products, we can always get different words praising it. Anyway, it is perfect, the most brilliant, and a must-buy type if you are a serious basketball player.
With 60 inches tempered glass backboard, you can enjoy pro games just as you feel in the gym or court. It totally brings the arena at home. You would like to dunk? Well, feel free to do it, the pro image breakaway basketball rim will help protect the hoop. Covered by steel metal, springs are uneasy to get corroded by complex outdoor weather.
Besides, what makes it a perfect portable basketball hoop for dunking also accounts for its stable base. You can never hear such large capacity in portable hoops types, 50+ gallons base, when it is filled with full loads of water or sand, think how heavy and how steady it would be.
If you are still worried, let’s discuss the pole with the help of dunking. It is designed as an angled pole, and what’s more, it is a two-piece 5-inch square pole. If you know some basic knowledge of portable hoops, you should know that “The Beast” is the only one on the market that uses 2 piece pole. It is far stronger and more sturdy than 3 pieces. Angled design again increases its sturdiness.
So anyway, it is absolutely the best buy portable basketball hoop, if you have enough money, then you are free to read all sorts of reviews any longer, just get this one and you will never get regret it.
Pros:
- Easy to move
- Sturdy in playing
- Good quality, long service life
- The backboard shakes not so hard after hitting
- Pretty easy to adjust the height
- Heavy base, quiet and sturdy backboard
- Good moving system
Cons:
- Putting parts together is a bit difficult, takes at least two people on installing
- Filling the base with sand also takes many hours
2. Best Professional Hoop For Dunking – Spalding NBA Hybrid Portable Basketball System
The next best portable basketball hoop for dunking we would like to suggest is the Spalding Hybrid type. This one changes the way of filling in the base and also makes it more sturdy in dunking movement.
Let’s start with the rim this time. The same as “The Beast”, it adopts a breakaway rim with a board pad, there are double compression springs set within a protective steel cover. In dunking movements, they protect the hoop and increase the chances of scoring. Among all the three rims frequently used in portable hoops, this is the most sturdy one and fits best for dunking. We can say, with such a rim, you bring the arena back home.
Then comes the base, and the reason for calling it a hybrid hoop is for its ultimate hybrid base. Putting the removable lid away, you can fill in 200 lbs of sand above and 19 gallons of water below.
Thus it is surely strong enough to support hard dunking movement. Another advantage of this hybrid design is its easy moving. When moving, you can just remove sand away and then push hoops around as you want.
For the removable lid, you can put it ahead as the front cover for rebounders during play. All the weather-resistant strong rim, backboard, structure, base, as well as a pole, result in showing the best performance in monstrous dunking.
Pros:
- Equipped with breakaway rim, enabling monstrous dunk
- Shake just slightly
- Sturdy and has nice bounce to it
- Nice quality
- Height adjustment crank works pretty well
Cons:
- Bad instruction
3. Most Durable Hoop For Dunking – Spalding 68454 NBA Portable Basketball System
This, of course, is also Spalding portable basketball hoop. And by the way, Spalding is a portable basketball hoop brand dedicated to producing high-end products, it is capable of meeting all needs of pro players.
What contributes most to its excellent dunking performance is the tempered glass backboard, and again, the solid steel arena slam breakaway rim. Tempered glass portable backboard is mostly wanted by professional players, for it is what regulation hoops in gym use and offers realism in playing. The breakaway rim, the same as the above two recommended portable hoops, is the best and supports monstrous dunks easily.
All the nuts and bolts are heavy-duty, not to say its pole and base. 3-piece pole equipped though, still strong enough to keep it stable in playing, especially with 4 strut mount for increasing support. The capacity of the base is 40 gallons, and you can fill it either with water or sand. The difference between this and the other two is its straight pole design, not sturdy as theirs but reduces the difficulty in moving.
The overall performance is a bit worse than the other two, but it is also the cheapest if you really want one that is suitable for dunking but lacks enough money, then this can be a good choice.
Pros:
- The glass backboard gives more realistic for shooting and rebounding especially for professional players
- Pretty solid
- Brilliant system
- All the nuts and bolts are heavy-duty
Cons:
- A bit hard on raising and lowering the hoop
- Takes about 4 hours on assembling
Can You Dunk on a Portable Basketball Hoop?
Well, it depends since most portable basketball hoops are not designed for ducking. Some are supported by sand or water, making them unsteady and unsafe, while others are designed for kids. For a long time now, ducking has become a popular game among basketball players as they each compete to score more points.
What Effect Does Backboard Material Have on Dunking?
For many basketball lovers, the backboard material is an important consideration when looking for the best basketball hoop. The material used affects the way the ball bounces off the backboard and how long it would last.
Here are some examples of backboard materials:
- Tempered Glass: It offers players to spin and similar bounce found in gyms.
- Acrylic: It is cheaper and lightweight. Acrylic has a different spin and bounce that is not easily noticeable.
- Polycarbonate: It is long-lasting and offers a similar bounce as acrylic.
Which Is the Better Material for Dunking, Polycarbonate, or Acrylic Backboard?
Polycarbonate Basketball Hoop
Do you want a basketball hoop that is durable and light to lift? Then polycarbonate is the best option. It is common among people because of its light material. It is also cheaper and more durable than other basketball hoops.
Pros:
- Durable
- Long-lasting
- Cheap
- Wide range of applications
- Perfect for beginners or youth
Cons:
- Light-weighted
- Weak rebounding effects
- Tips on choosing a polycarbonate portable basketball hoop
Acrylic Basketball Backboards
Do you want something strong that can withstand extreme force when playing? Then an acrylic backboard is the best hoop for you. It is made of strong plastic material commonly used for outdoor basketball play.
Pros:
- Better for outdoor games
- Cheaper
- Durable
- More translucent
- Safer than glass
- Easier to work with
Cons:
- More liable scratching glass
- Not heat-resistant
Which Is The Best Option?
I would go for a polycarbonate backboard because of its durability and safety. But whether you buy a polycarbonate backboard or acrylic backboard, the fact that you’re a basketball fan should get you a loop that corresponds to where you plan to play.
What Are the Other Features of Dunking Basketball Hoops?
Once you have figured out the type of hoop and the best backboard for you, then what makes up the rest of the hoop?
- Rim: The design consists of a spring and hinge. These two parts allow the rim to bend when dunking without the board getting shattered.
- Pole: The type of pole determines whether it is a portable or in-ground option. The best pole will give you the best results.
- Nets: When the ball is thrown the net is used to control its directing when going through the rim
- Bases: They are filled with sand or water to keep the hoop grounded.
- Height Adjustment: The height adjustment mechanism allows you to adjust the height of your hoop. For example, doing adjustments for the kids will not only make the game fun but make the game enjoyable when they are working on their shooting.
What Are the Different Types of Basketball Hoops?
To cater to all the needs of basketball lovers, hopes come in different types. They include:
- In-Ground Hoops: Just as the name suggests, these hoops are cemented on the ground and expected to last there for a long period of time. They are the best option for families since their sizes can be adjusted for all members to enjoy playing.
- Portable Hoops: They have wheels that make them easily movable from one place to another.
- Mounted Hoops: The wall-mounted basketball hoops offer the stability that allows them to be placed in a fixed place with limited room or space.
Attention:
The above recommended three best portable basketball hoops for dunking are excellent in sturdiness. But anyhow, they are not regulation types in gym or court. They are capable enough to bear the hard push of the dunking movement, but frequent dunking can still shorten their service life. Therefore, we still suggest not to use it too frequently in dunking practice.
Summary
Best | Type |
A must-buy type dunking hoop | Spalding “The Beast” Portable Basketball System |
Best sturdy and easy moving type | Spalding NBA Hybrid Portable Basketball System |
Best affordable type | Spalding 68454 NBA Portable Basketball System |
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