Portable basketball hoops give you numerous advantages over in-ground hoops. They are easy to move around. Installation is hassle-free. But a portable hoop has its fair share of disadvantages as well.
As opposed to in-ground systems, there is no concrete installation. A heavy wind can easily tip it over. This is a serious consideration if your living area experiences strong wind quite often.
Besides, slam dunk and rim hanging can also shake your hoop & it may fall eventually. Not just your property gets damaged. Players can be severely injured that because they don’t get much time to react.
Although you expect modern-day basketball hoops to come with a strong, reliable base, this is sometimes not enough to back you up.
Therefore it is essential to take some necessary steps. But how to keep the basketball hoop from falling over?
We are going to share with you quite a few ways. Enough talk is done. So let’s get things started:
Table of Contents
4 Ways To Keep Basketball Hoop From Falling Over
1. Base Strapping
Things you need:
a. Two 16 inches long spiral ground anchor
b. One ratchet strap
c. Wrench
d. Cordless drill/ hammer drill
Step 1: You’ll need to dig holes first, minimum 6 inches into the ground. Depending on the hardness of the surface, tool usage can vary.
If you’ve a concrete surface, use a cordless drill & concrete bit. For asphalt, get a hammer drill. Holes should be on two opposite sides of the basketball hoop base.
Step 2: Put ground anchors onto holes.
Step 3: By using wrench fix them firmly into the ground and as deep as possible.
Step 4: Take the ratchet strap and attach it with one of the anchors. Now put the strap over the base and attach it with the remaining anchor. Make sure the strap receives a tight fit. You can always check its strength by pulling a bit.
2. Pole Collar Strapping (Best Option)
This procedure is almost the same we’ve done in the base strapping method. The only addition is you just need to add a strap to the pole collar & secure it into the ground anchor.
If you’re looking for the most effective way to prevent the hoop from tipping over, then this is it.
Remember after you’re done with base strapping only then you need to follow this method. So this is what you’ve to do:
A. Take a safety strap for the collar & tightly fix it.
B. Get a 3 point harness strap. Connect one end of the harness strap to the pole strap. Then attach the remaining two ends into ground anchors that you’ve already installed.
So basically, here you are ensuring extra security for both the pole & base. Hence, it is destined to withstand the forces & harsh weather elements. We can’t recommend a better way to secure your portable basketball hoops.
You can go to hoopanchor and get everything you need for this method.
3. DIY Method
Things you need:
a. 3/16” quick link
b. Eye bolts with nuts
c. 2 washers
d. Lashing straps
e. 2 stakes
f. 1 foam tube
Steps:
A. Hammer a stake each on two opposite side of your hoop base
B. Drill holes through stakes for eye bolts
C. Insert eye bolts and secure with nuts
D. Lay the foam over the base, measure the size you require and cut according to that
E. Insert the strap through foam tube. You can use another stake to help in this step
F. Loop the strap through eye bolt
G. Insert the strap through foam
H. Insert eye bolt on the other side
I. Tighten & secure the strap
4. Basketball Probase Installation
Probase is designed to support all kinds of portable basketball systems. It is not going to tip over when there is heavy wind or intense playing. This will make your hoop safe & sturdy like an inground system.
Plus there is no need to dig or pour concrete to have a reliable support base. The extra large cross shaped stake will be solidly anchored into the ground.
Most importantly, the probase is compatible with poles of different shapes.
Things you need:
a. Probase
b. Sledge hammer
c. A level
d. 17 mm wrench
Procedure:
1. Push cross shaped stake into the ground by using a hammer
2. Assemble the pole holder
3. Level accurately
4. Remove the portable basketball pole from the plastic base & insert it into the probase.
5. Attach the remaining parts & tighten up all screws.
Additional Things You Can Do
A. Replacing water with sand:
Using sand is the best way to fill a portable basketball base. Filling the base with water is a good choice when you think about moving the basketball hoop. But sand offers more robustness to your hoop.
They are found 45% denser than water.
Besides, in the winter, water will freeze thus making your hoop base crack. Unless you use antifreeze with water there is every chance of your hoop getting tipped over thereafter. You will need to think about winterizing your basketball hoop then.
So in this case replacing water with sand in your base will be ideal. Sand for basketball hoop brings more stability and safety than before. You can read more about filling a portable base here.
If you are looking for basketball hoop base repair then check out : sportszpro.com/portable-basketball-hoop-base-repair/
B. Using basegel
If you find filling the base with sand a bit troublesome work, then consider using base gel basketball. It gives you the same sturdiness as sand.
They are easy to use and last for several years. That means you don’t have to replace them too often. Moreover, they don’t freeze in winter, so it is suitable for all-weather use.
C. Extra Reinforcement
If you want more stability and reinforce your hoop base, you can put some extra weight on top of the base. It can be sandbags, cinder blocks, or patio bricks.
Be careful when you’re putting in a bag of cement. If it rains, it can end up getting wet and the cement will be all over the place then.
But putting extra weight on the base can be damaging. So don’t put too many things there. Besides, these are more of a quick fix, not a permanent solution to weigh down your hoop.
If you solely depend on this method & somehow the object you put on top of the base moves from there, We suspect something bad might happen.
Also recommended:
A. Basketball backboard safety straps
B. Basketball Backboard Padding
Final Check - is your hoop secure now?
It is important to the test the work you put in. You have to figure it out whether your hoop is ready to withstand strong forces (heavy wind, aggressive play)
To make peace with mind, you’ll want to be 100% sure about that. So this is what you can do-
a. Hit the backboard hard with basketball.
b. Jump & hang on the rim for a bit.
c. Try to move the hoop using the pole & see how it behaves.
Still if you find your hoop shaking or wobbling too much, see whether you’ve missed out on any steps of the given methods here. If not then think about putting some extra weight on the base & tighten nuts and bolts.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do you level a portable basketball hoop?
a. Measure the size of your hoop base and mark off the area it would take when placing it into the ground.
b. Dig the soil you want to flatten, expose underlying rocks & heavy objects.
c. Use a rake to remove those grass & rocks as they can cause a hindrance to your basketball goal base.
d. Final step is to use a tamping tool & flatten the ground.
Although you can weigh down your basketball hoop with water or sand, you should still look to place it on a completely plain surface. Otherwise, it can be easily tipped over by moderate shaking (simple push or normal wind).
2. Is it better to fill a basketball hoop with sand or water?
There is confusion among many about whether to use sand or water in a basketball hoop. Sand is heavier than water, so you get more stability & support on your side.
On the other hand, water is a preferred choice if you frequently move your hoop around. But in the winter, you need to add antifreeze into the water. So you should keep in mind both these factors.
Basketball base gel is also a very good replacement for water that you may want to try out.
3. How much sand do I need for the basketball hoop?
- Generally, you see people choosing basketball hoops with a capacity of 35 gallons. Because this is just perfect for both young & adult.
So if we take 35 gallons as a standard hoop base capacity, it can take up to 500 lbs of sand. That means you’ll need 10 units of fifty-pound bags of sand in total.
Depending on your base capacity, whether larger or smaller than 35 gallons, you can decide how much it will need to get the right stability.
Conclusion
So we’ve discussed quite a few methods that you can apply to secure your basketball hoop & protect it from falling over.
If you ask me, We will go for the pole collar strapping method, which secures both the pole & base. Besides, We are not going to take any chance with water. Instead, We shall fill the base with sand.
We are not a big fan of putting extra weight on top of the base, although there are some guys who like that. Depending on the weather, if you need extra reinforcements, then there is no harm doing that.
So these are the best ways to secure a portable basketball hoop from falling over. This is how you can stabilize a basketball hoop.
Besides, you can check out our basketball hoop maintenance guide and get more valuable information.