The 7 Best Portable Basketball Hoops

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Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Spalding The Beast Glass Portable Basketball Hoop at Amazon

60” glass backboard with a 50+ gallon base to keep your portable hoop in place.

Best Budget:

SKLZ Pro Mini Hoop Basketball System at Amazon

Flexible enough to use anywhere from your driveway to your swimming pool.

Best Acrylic Backboard:

Spalding NBA Portable Basketball System at Amazon

This portable hoop has an impressive 60-inch backboard that’s constructed from high-quality acrylic.

Best for Families:

Lifetime Height Adjustable Portable Basketball System at Amazon

18-inch standard steel rim you need to practice for league games or casual street competitions.

Best for the Pool:

Lifetime Pool Side Basketball System at Amazon

Same shatterproof backboard and adjustable height as many regular hoops, but it’s got UV-protected inks to prevent fading.

Best for Kids:

Lifetime Youth Portable Basketball Hoop at Amazon

Specially sized 32-inch backboard and 15-inch rim—the ideal size for a kid’s basketball hoop.

Best Indoor:

SKLZ Pro Mini Basketball Hoop at Amazon

An over-the-door hoop for indoor use can keep your game on point during cold winter months.

To find a great portable basketball hoop you need to make sure it can not only survive your most intense games but also any weather that it may face outdoors. Portable basketball hoops today are made for virtually any type of scenario. There are portable hoops built to withstand intense rain and rocks, adjust to your child's height as they grow, or even sit poolside without falling during water games.

Here are the best portable basketball hoops for all your dunking needs.

Spalding NBA “The Beast” Portable Basketball System

If you’re serious about practicing basketball at home but can’t install a permanent hoop in your driveway, you’re going to need a professional-grade portable hoop that can stand up to your most intense games. Spalding’s Beast system has a 60” glass backboard with a 50+ gallon base to keep your portable hoop in place.

This hoop adjusts from 7.5 feet to 10 feet with a simple screw jack adjustment, and the four strut pole/base mount keeps the entire system more secure than other portable hoops. The multi-wheel castors and engaging handle make it easy to move, but you can fill the base with plenty of water or sand to secure it while you’re playing.

Practicing your moves on a portable hoop doesn’t have to cost a fortune. The SKLZ Pro Mini Basketball Hoop System has the durability of more expensive portable hoops and is flexible enough to use anywhere from your driveway to your swimming pool.

This hoop’s height-adjustable backboard, rim, and pole make it easy to switch from playing H.O.R.S.E. with your kids to having a showdown with your friends. The hoop even adjusts to a low height that’s a perfect addition to the side of your pool.

Backboard material is important: it affects how well basketball hoops will stand up to dunks or inclement weather, and it changes the way your ball bounces (which directly affects your game). Acrylic backboards are more reasonably priced than glass backboards—the professional standard for indoor games—and are resilient to outdoor elements. Spalding’s NBA Portable Basketball System is a top-notch acrylic pick.

This portable hoop has an impressive 60-inch backboard that’s constructed from high-quality acrylic for standing up to wind, rain, and even rocks (just in case you have mischievous vandals in your neighborhood). Its heavy-duty steel frame is anchored in a 40-gallon base, and the special Screw Jack lift system adjusts from 7.5 feet to 10 feet in infinite increments.

Spalding is the go-to brand for basketball equipment, and their Lifetime Height Adjustable Portable Basketball System is the perfect choice if you’re looking for a hoop that the entire family can use.

This pick has the 18-inch standard steel rim you need to practice for league games or casual street competitions and a nearly unbreakable backboard. The powder-coated steel pole telescopes to adjust from kid to adult height, so it grows with your young ones.

Taking your favorite sport from land to sea can help you stay in shape during the hottest months of the year, and if you’re lucky enough to have your own pool you can make it b-ball friendly with a specially-designed basketball hoop. Lifetime’s Pool Side Basketball System is perfect for water games.

This hoop has the same shatterproof backboard and adjustable height as many regular hoops, but it’s got UV-protected inks to prevent fading in the hot summer sun. The steel pole is protected with a powder-coated, weather-resistant finish—stray splashes won’t do a thing to it.

If your kids love basketball but you don’t have the same hoop dreams, getting a portable hoop just for them is the best way to go. Lifetime’s Youth Basketball's child-friendly design makes it a perfect pick for anyone who wants to encourage young basketball players.

This hoop has a specially sized 32-inch backboard and 15-inch rim—the ideal size for a kid’s basketball hoop. You won’t have to worry about the hoop falling over with its 10-gallon base, and the telescoping pole can grow with your kids.

You don’t have to leave the house to toss some layups: an over-the-door hoop for indoor use can keep your game on point during cold winter months, stave off boredom when you’re working from home, or give your kids a way to burn off steam without leaving the house. SKLZ Pro’s mini hoop is ready for indoor balling.

This indoor hoop is made from the same professional-grade materials as outdoor options, complete with a breakaway steel rim for indoor slam dunks. It sets up over most doors in minutes, and it comes with a mini ball that’s the perfect size for goofing off in your dorm room, office, or wherever else you want to play.

What to Look for in a Portable Basketball Hoop

Backboard Material

Backboards can come in two different materials: acrylic and glass. Glass is the professional standard for indoor basketball games and is a durable material that provides great ball bounce and won't scratch or fade over time. However, it can easily break if hit with rocks, large branches, or other hard materials.

Acrylic backboards are more durable and ideal if you're worried about your backboard being hit by anything it's not supposed to. However, it's important to note that acrylic scratches easily so it won't retain its new look or provide great ball bounce over time.

Durability and Longevity

It's important to find a basketball hoop that will last you for a long time. Aside from making sure that it's made of durable, shatterproof, and weatherproof materials, check to see if it's adjustable. This feature can be beneficial for those who are buying a hoop for young children and want it to last as they grow.

Placement

The type of basketball hoop you'll want will largely depend on where you want to place it. You can buy one to mount on your home, anchor in your driveway, or even hang over your doors to play inside. If you or your child are serious about playing basketball, investing in one of the first two is a great option. Also, consider if you want to have one by your pool. The type of basketball hoop you'll buy will need to withstand any situation it could face, based on where it's placed.

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