Professor Nono
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2010
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Ok clowns - here's a review of a basketball goal I recently bought and installed at the homestead.
I have almost reached basketball nirvana. The only thing lacking is my elevation and jump shot. Anyway, I convinced the wife that we needed more parking space and that our old driveway was imploding. So, we increased the size of the driveway and had concrete poured. The basketball court.......er.......parking area is about 34 by 40. I can fit four cars/trucks into that area and not block the garage doors. But we needed a new basketball goal. The old one was a cheapie that you could fill the base with water. Basically, if you wanted to make a shot, all you had to do was throw the ball hard against the backboard and it was so wobbly, it would absorb the energy and the ball would just drop into the hoop. But the hoop was oval shaped because the damn thing had tipped over a couple of times so it still wasn't guaranteed points. Hence I started looking for in-ground, adjustable goals. I checked at all the retail stores, looked on the internet, checked various forums, checked pricing and quality of the products. I researched this all the way out. I decided to buy the Pro Dunk Gold. Here's why.
The Pro Dunk was cheaper and of higher quality than Goalrilla and some of the other brands - Spalding etc... I inspected the poles of the various brands and came to the conclusion that the Pro Dunk was just better. I ordered the Pro Dunk via internet on Friday afternoon and it was delivered to the house on the next Tuesday at noon. Here's what I got for $1599. A 6"X6" one piece pole - heavy as hell. Most of the other brands were at most 5 X 5. Rust proof surgical looking stainless steel bolts and parts. (I paid an extra $150.00 for that, but I just did not want to screw with anything ever again. If I had not paid for the stainless steel bolts etc.., the price was $1399.00). Everything else was powdercoated nicely. A 60" tempered glass backboard - 1/2 inch thick. Most of the other comparable boards were 3/8 inch thick. A pad for the bottom of the backboard. A pad for the pole and base. All of the other brands charged extra for that. And Pro Dunk threw in a good basketball and pump to boot. Shipping was FREE. That's right. Free.
The goal has a four foot overhang - which is comparable to much more expensive goals. It also adjusts down to 5 feet so my 6 year old can nut sack his older brother. It is extremely easy to raise and lower the goal. The 6 year old does it - no problem.
Installation. First and foremost, you can puss out and hire somebody to do it or you can do like I did and install it yourself. Other than the price, digging the footer hole and pouring concrete was the most painful part of the deal. It requires a 3 foot deep hole belled out at the bottom. This should be within the bounds of reason for most of you troglodytes. However, I had to dig behind a retaining wall, so I had to go down 5 and 1/2 feet. We stopped when we heard Chinese voices. Basically, we dug in like we were in the Ardennes. I rented a one man auger from Home Depot at Cedar Bluff. After a couple of holes, it became known as "The Bronco." It took out my 13 year old son once and gut punched me about 15 times. But who'se counting. Anyway, thereafter, since I'm a belt and suspenders type of guy, I put in 14 - count'em - 14 eighty pound bags of concrete. I am NOT going to go back and screw with this sumbich again. (the goal/backboard etc.. weighs approx. 550 lbs.). Jammed in the base plate and "J" bolts into the concrete and waited 4 days. Installing everything else was gravy (but I had to bribe a 6' 4", 270 lb pal of mine with booze to help me get everything up and together).
Now that the goal is up, DAMN it's solid. The rim is an adjustable, break-away rim that must have weighed 20 lbs. Dudes, it is nice and you are complete and utter fools if you are going cadillac on your goal and you don't go with Pro Dunk. My neighbors actually talked to me the other day.
I shall post pics if possible.
The Professor has spoken.
I have almost reached basketball nirvana. The only thing lacking is my elevation and jump shot. Anyway, I convinced the wife that we needed more parking space and that our old driveway was imploding. So, we increased the size of the driveway and had concrete poured. The basketball court.......er.......parking area is about 34 by 40. I can fit four cars/trucks into that area and not block the garage doors. But we needed a new basketball goal. The old one was a cheapie that you could fill the base with water. Basically, if you wanted to make a shot, all you had to do was throw the ball hard against the backboard and it was so wobbly, it would absorb the energy and the ball would just drop into the hoop. But the hoop was oval shaped because the damn thing had tipped over a couple of times so it still wasn't guaranteed points. Hence I started looking for in-ground, adjustable goals. I checked at all the retail stores, looked on the internet, checked various forums, checked pricing and quality of the products. I researched this all the way out. I decided to buy the Pro Dunk Gold. Here's why.
The Pro Dunk was cheaper and of higher quality than Goalrilla and some of the other brands - Spalding etc... I inspected the poles of the various brands and came to the conclusion that the Pro Dunk was just better. I ordered the Pro Dunk via internet on Friday afternoon and it was delivered to the house on the next Tuesday at noon. Here's what I got for $1599. A 6"X6" one piece pole - heavy as hell. Most of the other brands were at most 5 X 5. Rust proof surgical looking stainless steel bolts and parts. (I paid an extra $150.00 for that, but I just did not want to screw with anything ever again. If I had not paid for the stainless steel bolts etc.., the price was $1399.00). Everything else was powdercoated nicely. A 60" tempered glass backboard - 1/2 inch thick. Most of the other comparable boards were 3/8 inch thick. A pad for the bottom of the backboard. A pad for the pole and base. All of the other brands charged extra for that. And Pro Dunk threw in a good basketball and pump to boot. Shipping was FREE. That's right. Free.
The goal has a four foot overhang - which is comparable to much more expensive goals. It also adjusts down to 5 feet so my 6 year old can nut sack his older brother. It is extremely easy to raise and lower the goal. The 6 year old does it - no problem.
Installation. First and foremost, you can puss out and hire somebody to do it or you can do like I did and install it yourself. Other than the price, digging the footer hole and pouring concrete was the most painful part of the deal. It requires a 3 foot deep hole belled out at the bottom. This should be within the bounds of reason for most of you troglodytes. However, I had to dig behind a retaining wall, so I had to go down 5 and 1/2 feet. We stopped when we heard Chinese voices. Basically, we dug in like we were in the Ardennes. I rented a one man auger from Home Depot at Cedar Bluff. After a couple of holes, it became known as "The Bronco." It took out my 13 year old son once and gut punched me about 15 times. But who'se counting. Anyway, thereafter, since I'm a belt and suspenders type of guy, I put in 14 - count'em - 14 eighty pound bags of concrete. I am NOT going to go back and screw with this sumbich again. (the goal/backboard etc.. weighs approx. 550 lbs.). Jammed in the base plate and "J" bolts into the concrete and waited 4 days. Installing everything else was gravy (but I had to bribe a 6' 4", 270 lb pal of mine with booze to help me get everything up and together).
Now that the goal is up, DAMN it's solid. The rim is an adjustable, break-away rim that must have weighed 20 lbs. Dudes, it is nice and you are complete and utter fools if you are going cadillac on your goal and you don't go with Pro Dunk. My neighbors actually talked to me the other day.
I shall post pics if possible.
The Professor has spoken.
