Meta description: Choosing the best basketball backboards in 2021 is as critical as choosing the basketball. Check our thorough shopping guide to make an ingenious choice!
Though having a basketball hoop in the driveway is a wise idea, buying the one that perfectly complies with your needs is strenuous. With a plethora of backdrops available in the market, hunting for the top one is daunting. We have put together a detailed shopping guide to help you make a clever choice.
Which basketball backdrop material is the best?
The backboard's construction material will have an impact on both the ball's bounce and the hoop's overall durability.
Tempered backboards
Professionals utilize tempered glass because it is scratch- and shatter-resistant. The bounce and spin of tempered glass are comparable to what you'd encounter at a gym.
Acrylic backboards
Acrylic hoops mimic the beauty of glass while costing less. Additionally, because they are usually small and light, they do not necessitate as much support. Experimenters will likely observe differences in the bounce and spin compared to what they're used to seeing at the gym.
Polycarbonate backboards
Backboards made of polycarbonate are extremely strong and have a comparable springy feel to acrylic ones. They've been engineered to survive the effects of time and the weather.
Which factors regarding the best basketball backboards are worth considering?
Size of basketball
Consider the size of the backboard as these can be anywhere from 44" to 72" in length, with 72" being the standard length for professional players. For a regular two-car driveway, smaller backboards (between 44′′ and 54′′ wide) are ideal because they take up less room. The 60-inch backboard is a good middle ground because it takes up less room while yet allowing for a wider range of shots.
You've probably seen 72-inch wide, 42-inch high backboards on television or at college basketball games. However, these fabled backboards are extremely heavy, and assembling one will necessitate a large crew.
Purchasing a 72-inch backboard does not necessitate shelling out a significant sum of money. Layups and bank shots are not an issue with most backboards. If you're training for a competition, you'll need the 72-inch boards.
Style
Rectangular and fan-shaped backboards are the two most common styles. Players prefer rectangular backboards because they provide them with more surface area to work with while spinning the ball off the glass.
Fan-shaped backboards take up less space than traditional ones. There are occasions when it comes down to personal preference.
Acrylic versus polycarbonate: which one is the best?
There are a wide variety of materials used to make basketball backboards when you go shopping for one. When it comes to transparent backboards, acrylic and polycarbonate are the two most typical materials to see.
The vast majority of customers aren't aware of the distinction between the two. Acrylic and polycarbonate are both plastics with properties that are strikingly comparable. They're both made of transparent plastic. Acrylic is not bulletproof, in contrast to polycarbonate's marketing claim.
The main downside of polycarbonate is its brittleness. Polycarbonate turns yellow, hazy, and brittle when exposed to ultraviolet radiation. The fading, cloudiness, and brittleness of polycarbonate basketball backboards used outside cause them to look terrible within three years. This implies that a polycarbonate backboard, despite being promoted as "bulletproof," will actually grow brittle and easily break when used outside.
The UV light has no effect on acrylic, on the other hand. Even when exposed to UV light, an acrylic backboard will keep its clarity and vandal resistance. When used outdoors, an acrylic backboard will remain mainly clear for 15-20 years even if a stone is thrown at it, and it will bounce off with little or no damage. Acrylic is definitely superior to polycarbonate as a material for an outdoor basketball backboard.
How much do basketball backboards cost?
When it comes to your system's backboard, the type you get is mostly determined by the system's cost. Backboards can be made from three different types of materials.
Polycarbonate
These types of backboards are commonly found in youth hoops, mostly because they are incredibly low-cost to produce. Polycarbonate backboards, on the other hand, are remarkably long-lasting and lightweight for something as inexpensive as they are. Thus, they're a viable option for basketball systems that are meant to be taken along with you. However, polycarbonate's major drawback is that the rebounds are strangely firm.
Rather than bouncing off the backboard, the ball simply falls to the ground when it strikes it. For those who are used to playing on high-end rims, this could be a problem.
Polycarbonate boards will become yellow with time if you have them for an extended period of time. This is due to polycarbonate discoloration caused by prolonged exposure to sunlight.
Acrylic
Any hoop that costs more than $200 will almost certainly come with an acrylic backboard. When compared to polycarbonate, they have a considerably better rebound reaction.
When the ball strikes the board, it travels a long way, but it does not travel as far as it would on a glass backboard. Acrylic has the drawback of collecting scratches over time and becoming drab.
Glass
In both the NBA and NCAA, tempered glass is used for the backboards. Because it's so pricey, only the most high-end systems make use of a tempered glass backplate. According to the NBA's official website, they employ an inch-thick backboard for their games.
Best Basketball Backdrop FAQs
Q: What is the ideal size of a basketball backboard?
A: We recommend purchasing a backboard no smaller than 54" in width for normal gameplay. Backboard sizes range in width from 48" wide to 72". Any smaller, and the player won't be able to perform any bank shots!
Q: In terms of basketball court size, is a 44-inch backboard adequate?
A: Smaller backboards, such as those measuring 44 inches, are ideal for young players who are only learning how to shoot. To give a true arena-style playing field for advanced players, larger backboards might be used. In terms of backboard size, large ones (54 to 60 inches) and regulation ones (72 inches) provide players with a competitive playing surface.
Q: Which material makes a better backboard: polycarbonate or acrylic?
A: They're both made of transparent plastic. Acrylic is not bulletproof, in contrast to polycarbonate's marketing claim. Acrylic is definitely superior to polycarbonate as a material for an outdoor basketball backboard.