What kind of Basketball Rim should I be looking for?

A basketball rim is a weird thing. You can fit two full size and fully blown up basketballs into a regulation basketball rim. However, still some basketball rims tend to be “more forgiving” than others. I played on a rim at my high school that was of the unforgiving type. You wouldn’t believe it. The rim would literally attack the basketball and find a way to bounce it out of the rim. My local Church court had the most forgiving rims imaginable. All you had to do was get the ball over the rim and the rim would literally suck the ball down the rim and through the net.

What you want is a forgiving yet durable rim. A basketball rim that will breakaway when dunked on and return to its original position, yet one that is soft enough to have good feel when shooting a longer shot. Sometimes a rim needs to be “broken in” before it transforms itself into a shooters rim. Some rims just don’t have the potential and need to be thrown away.

This is what my High School basketball hoop looked like and what most park courts have:

I would not recommend this hoop to anyone. Frankly, it is just not a consistent scoring hoop. The rim is too thick and there is too much going on to have a shooter’s feel.

Strong Basketball Rims

The first category of rims are the Strong rims that have little movement when dunking. You have to be overweight to actually initiate the “breakaway” rim. These rims are great. I prefer these to the really flexible “slamajama” rims because these are more difficult to bend, shape and break. The Barbarian system and rim is probably the strongest. You can literally hang two or three average weight people onto this rim without hurting anything. It has a good shooting feel too. Not the best, but definitely above average.

Goalrilla also has a great basketball rim. The Goalrilla rim is a simple design. It has a great shooting feel.

Flexible Dunk Rims

Some people like the feel of dunking on a rim and having it breakway and return to its position. It is somewhat of an exhilarating feel for people that consider themselves good dunkers. Personally, I can’t jump and I can’t dunk unless the hoop is at about 8 feet. I’m not a huge fan of these kinds of rims, because after alot of dunking they tend to bend down and lose their shape, causing the rims not to be true anymore.

Spalding makes a good breakaway rim. As far as the breakaway rims are concerned, the Spalding 411-527 Slammer Flex Rim is my favorite and is the highest rated. You’ll have to check but I believe that the slammer flex rim can be used with the The Spalding Arena View, Spalding’s best Inground Basketball System.

Lifetime Makes a flex rim that is decent for children, but I would not recommend as a very good rim.

Cheap Basketball Rims

Are you looking for a Cheap Basketball Rim? You know the kind that doesn’t breakaway and doesn’t have springs? I have a recommendation for you. Growing up, I moved our trampoline underneath our ten foot rim and used it as a dunk rim. I don’t think it was safe and I can’t believe I’m still alive.

We used to have 5 or 6 elementary school boys on the trampoline and played three on three. The rim we used was a non breakaway, non spring and not a very strong hoop. We had it bent the first week. We played with a bent room for the next 5 years until we finally moved to a new home.

I am not saying that the Spalding Standard Rim is not for anyone, its just not for everyone. One dunk on that thing by someone over than 150lbs and it will bend. Good luck bending it back.

What is the best Basketball net?

There are many different kinds of nets, chain, cotton, fiber and anti whip. Most basketball nets should be changed out once a year or so, unless you are using the chain nets. If you are planning on using your basketball hoop at a lower level and people will be dunking on it, than you don’t want to use a chain net. I have seen my friend get his finger caught in the chain net. It is not a good experience. I hope you have Obamacare or some Private Health Insurance.

Personally, for an outdoor hoop and rim system, I like The Spalding all weather basketball net. It says all weather, but I still end up changing the net at least once every two years.

The best net is the BSN Heavy-Duty Anti-Whip Net. This net should be used for all indoor hoops and even nice outdoor courts, or people that just like a really fancy basketball net. It is good, heavy duty. It is somewhat difficult to install. Get a Nice Ladder.

Um, I would stay away from the “Champion” Basketball nets. Although they ‘allegedly’ have good reviews online, I think most of the reviews are coming from paid sponsors. This thing frays like a beast. Nice Try Champion, but I’m afraid I will stay away.

By the way, if you are looking for a heavy duty chain net here is your best bet.

Happy shooting!