Spalding 54 Inch Portable Basketball System Review
Best Basketball Hoops Rating
Spalding 54 Inch Portable Basketball System: 7.0/10
Main Features
- Arena slam rim that is high quality and made of solid steel
- Screw Jack adjustable height system allows system’s height to adjusted from 7.5 feet to 10 feet in infinite increments
- Four-inch square pole that features a three piece design and four arms that attach to the backboard for enhanced support
- 54 inch tempered glass backboard
- Includes recreational quality backboard padding and a plastic guard at the base for added protection
Spalding is a major player in the manufacturing of recreational and professional level basketball hoops and has a great reputation for putting together good products. Because of this we work to review as many hoops they produce as possible so that you can make an informed decision. We would like to take a closer look at the Spalding 54 Inch Portable Basketball System with tempered glass and break down its strengths and weaknesses. Let’s take a look at the strong points of this hoop first. The Spalding 54 Inch Portable Basketball System comes equipped with a high quality breakaway rim that is spring loaded, and while it is not quite gym quality it will work great for the vast majority of homes. This hoop also features a tempered glass backboard, which is the highest quality backboard material allowing for the basketball to come of the backboard consistently and with appropriate force. Lastly, we really like that there are four support arms that attach the support pole to the backboard which will significantly reduce backboard vibrations when compared to hoops that have less support for the backboard.
While this hoop does have some strengths it also has some serious weaknesses as well which led to our lower rating for this hoop. Our biggest concern is that the design of the Spalding 54 Inch Portable Basketball System lends itself to tipping, especially during assembly, which as a result has caused the tempered glass backboard, which is weaker than acrylic, to shatter. We believe this is related to the vertical nature in which the support pole is set on this system when compared to hoops like the Spalding Beast.
It has also been reported that normal shots have caused the backboard to shatter as well. However, there are plastic spacers that are supposed to be placed between the backboard and goal which are crucial to keep this type of thing to happening to you. Spalding has begun to pre-attach these spacers, but it is recommended by us that if you do not see these spacers on your system or in the shipping box to contact Spalding to ask for them before beginning any assembly.
What We Like About This Hoop
- The Spalding 54 Inch Portable Basketball System is a decent value when you consider the tempered glass backboard with support braces and breakaway rim
- Offers backboard padding which enhances the overall safety of this hoop
- The infinite height adjustments provided by the screw jack system is great for families wanting to teach their children proper shooting technique on a hoop that is accessible to little ones
What Would Make This Hoop Better
- As we discussed in our review this hoop has a tendency to tip, especially during installation. We believe this is likely due to the heavier tempered glass backboard coupled with a vertically positioned support pole.
- The directions provided for installation could be presented more clearly
As a final note on the Spalding 54 Inch Portable Basketball Hoop, we feel that this hoop is good as it stands, however, it could be significantly better with a few minor adjustments. In particular, we believe that if the support pole was positioned at an angle that it would help stabilize the system. Because of this flaw, we feel most buyers would be better suited selecting the Spalding 60 Inch Portable Basketball System and the Spalding 68564 Portable Basketball System which are both at a similar price point.
