The backboard is a crucial part of basketball hoops. Whether you plan to install an in-ground, wall-mounted, or portable hoop, the choice of what backboard to use can greatly affect the game. The top two choices when it comes to backboards are tempered-glass and acrylic. Let’s take a look which is the better choice.

Which Basketball hoop should you choose?

If you’re a serious basketball gamer then basketball hoops with a tempered-glass backboard is the better choice for you. This provides a close-to-professional experience when you play on it. This is the same backboard used in the NBA and other basketball leagues so it gives the same look and feel if you have this one at home. If you’ll be playing for leisure only or to encourage your kids to play outside more, an acrylic backboard is a better choice. It is lighter, which will allow you to mount it easily on your garage or driveway.

If budget is a serious constraint that you’re considering in choosing what backboard to get for your basketball hoops, acrylic backboard is significantly cheaper compared to tempered-glass backboard. Since tempered-glass backboard is designed to be professional-grade, it’s apparent that it will cost more. However, this doesn’t mean that acrylic backboard is of low quality. This just means that tempered-glass is more durable since it’s intended for serious gaming, but leisure basketball gaming can already manage with what an acrylic backboard can offer. If you’re a leisure gamer, you won’t even notice much difference between the two backboards so it’s recommended that you choose the one that won’t make you break the bank.

If you’re thinking which of the two backboards will last longer, each option will last just as long as the other one depending on your use. Acrylic backboard on basketball hoops can serve up to 15 years or more. It may have a chalky appearance at times but it can still be relied on as a basketball backboard. On the other hand, tempered-glass backboard can also last as long and it will not shatter easily. It may crack when hit hard by a very sharp object but that is highly unlikely if you’re just using it to play basketball. Tempered-glass backboard uses similar technology as car wind-shield, which don’t crack easily even when hit by a rock.

Now that you know what these backboards can offer on your basketball hoops, it’s time to make a choice and start playing.