If you have an up and coming basketball star or just want to shoot a few hoops in the driveway, choosing the right basketball goal is important. You want to choose a goal that is going to last, gives you the performance you expect, and looks good, all at the same time. Although there are many factors to consider, the type of backboard that you choose is one of the most important.
For those of you looking at a higher end basketball hoop, you may have noticed a couple of different choices: acrylic and tempered glass. You may be wondering: What is the difference? You want your home basketball goal to perform just like a gymnasium goal would. If you have kids playing organized team sports or you are playing in a men’s or women’s league yourself, you want to be practicing on a hoop that is going to give you the same shot quality and same consistent rebound as the goal you are shooting on at your local gymnasium. Let’s take a look at both materials.
First, let’s begin with acrylic. Acrylic is essentially a clear plastic that resembles glass. When shopping for a basketball goal, visually you may not notice a difference between the two at first. However, over time you will most definitely see the difference. Acrylic is a softer material than glass and can scratch or ding much easier. The sun and weather takes a toll on acrylic. You will start to see yellowing, and in some extreme cases mold can form on the backboard. This is not something that will wash off, and before you know it, you have an unappealing backboard that you can’t see through. If installing this goal in front of your home, it is not going to add to the curb appeal and is not something that any manufacturer’s warranty is going to cover. Your choice is basically, live with the backboard, purchase a new backboard, or purchase a whole new system. Both of the latter options can be quite costly, as you might assume.
Let’s take a look at the alternative, tempered glass. Most levels of basketball: high school, college, and professional, are all using tempered glass. The tempered glass is a harder surface that weathers well. It is scratch resistant and doesn’t haze or discolor over time, and it provides a more professional look with good curb appeal.
Tempered glass backboards provide less vibration and a greater rebound capability. When looking for top performance, tempered glass will cut out any of the drum effect and provide a consistent rebound. Many experienced players will take into account how a ball will come off a backboard and position themselves accordingly. Tempered glass is going to put that rebound where they expect it to be each time.
Tempered glass does not require extra bracing behind the backboard for stability. Some may still have this bracing; however, it is not necessary and you can have a clear view backboard without any bracing behind. Instead, you can have arms spread out to the edges of the backboard like you would see in a gymnasium. Goalrilla offers goals like these, denoted by the “CV”, which stands for Clear View. Goalrillas that utilize this style include the CV72, CV60 and CV54.
Overall, tempered glass is going to provide you with the longevity, curb appeal, and performance you are looking for in a premium basketball goal. Work hard, play hard!
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