The Best Pool Basketball Hoops – New 2021 Edition
Staying active is easy when you have a pool, but doing laps isn’t enough to keep most kids entertained. To make for a more enjoyable and more active pool experience, a pool basketball hoop can be exactly right.
The best pool basketball hoops are targeted at entirely different sets of consumers, however. Are you looking for a pool basketball hoop intended for gangly teenagers, or a pool side basketball hoop which is better suited for casual free throwing by children?
We have all the answers that you’re looking for regarding poolside basketball hooping and poolside basketball hoops. With our guidance, you’ll get a bunch of in-depth takedowns of the pool basketball hoops that are hot sellers for 2021.
Soon enough, you’ll be ready to start doing layups in the pool with the perfect basketball hoop. Your kids can splash and shoot and play pool side basketball in water or sand!
Contents
- Pool Basketball Hoop Reviews
- Our #1 Pick – Poolmaster Pro Rebounder
- Our #2 Pick – The SwimWays Hoop
- Our #3 Pick – Swimline Cool Jam Pro
- Our #4 Pick – Dunnrite Splash and Shoot Swimming Pool Hoop
- Our #5 Pick – Lifetime PoolSide Basketball System
- Our #6 Pick – Swimline Super Hoops Floating Basketball Hoop
- Our #7 Pick – Dunnrite PoolSport
- What Kind Of Swimming Pool Basketball Hoop Is Right For My Family?
- How Should I Care For My Swimming Pool Basketball Hoop?
- Which Pool Hoops Are Best For Young Children?
- Can I Use Normal Basketballs With My Poolside Hoop?
Pool Basketball Hoop Reviews
Our #1 Pick – Poolmaster Pro Rebounder
The Poolmaster Pro Rebounder is a basic but highly effective pool basketball hoop which includes a floating basketball that’s ready for play.
Pros
- Comes with a quality base and basketball hoop
- Extreme stability
- Rebound-capable
- Highly durable
- No steel rim
- Lightweight
Cons
- Slow to fill
- Low-quality basketball
This swimming pool basketball hoop should be placed adjacent after being filled with water. You’ll find that it can take the harshest hits on the backboard without tipping over. It’s lots of fun for kids!
The net itself is perfect for keeping things fresh because it channels the ball directly down rather than letting it slip to the sides. Furthermore, the rebound potential of this basketball hoop is more than it might seem at first glance.
While you shouldn’t be pulling on the rim to land a dunk, the durability of this poolside basketball hoop is hard to beat. It is not a steel rim! The rim itself is made from high-grade PVC, and the base unit isn’t about to corrode if you leave it out during the winter when the pool isn’t open.
This swimming pool basketball system must be filled with water. It is one of the best pool basketball products we have reviewed.
Finally, once you empty the water out of this pool side hoop, you’ll find that it’s easy to transport because the main parts are very light. If you plan on vacationing, this means that you could easily drain this hoop and pack it up to go with you for the pool at the next spot.
Our #2 Pick – The SwimWays Hoop
SwimWays’ poolside basketball hoop is ready for play with multiple games. Whether you prefer shooting hoops or smacking the volleyball around, this hoop is ready to enable your play.
Pros
- Multiple water and sand games included
- Comes with a quality base, hoop, and net
- No-tool assembly
- Friendly aesthetic
Cons
- Mediocre basketball backboard
- Unwieldy
The SwimWays set has a volleyball net, a basketball net, the basketball hoop setup, and also a pair of volleyball poles for the pool. As a bonus, you’ll get a cool explosion graphic attached to the backboard of the hoop.
The hoop itself can be assembled without using tools, which is a nice plus. You’ll also find that the base is easy to fill with water and somewhat lightweight when empty. The same can’t be said for the basketball backboard, however. It’s not the best.
If you’re looking for a casual pool basketball hoop that’s multifunctional, this might be the right hoop for your poolside. If you’re looking for a more serious basketball rig, however, you’ll be better served by another product.
Our #3 Pick – Swimline Cool Jam Pro
While its aesthetics are lacking, the Swimline hoop brings a full-size hoop diameter and a fair amount of stability to your poolside in a semi-permanent form factor.
Pros
- One of the best pool games
- Adjustable height
- Sturdy backboard
- Full-size
- No-maintenance needed
Cons
- Looks bad
- Large and heavy
The Swimline hoop is notable for its full-size hoop, which meets standard regulations for diameter. This means you can use normal basketballs to shoot on the hoop. This swimming pool basketball system must be filled with water.
Using normal basketballs ensures that you won’t mess up your shots when you’re on the court because of the practice you’ve had with the smaller-than-average poolside basketballs. Play this fun swimming pool basketball hoops game in water or sand!
The Swimline hoop is extremely sturdy and is much larger than other poolside basketball hoops as a result. You will find that you can get away with hanging on the steel rim if you so choose. Furthermore, the height of the Swimline hoop is fully adjustable. This is one of the best pool basketball products we have reviewed.
Keep in mind that the higher the hoop is the more the unit’s superior sturdiness will be threatened, however.
The size of the Swimline and its lack of aesthetic appeal may be deal breakers for some people. The pool side hoop is impractically large to move, and it is an eyesore of the highest order.
Nonetheless, if you have a few teenagers who love to shoot pool basketball hoops while they’re in the pool you will probably get a lot of fun out of the pool basketball hoop.
You won’t need to worry about performing any maintenance or having any of the pieces break because the main body of the hoop is one cast piece.
Our #4 Pick – Dunnrite Splash and Shoot Swimming Pool Hoop
If you’re looking for a basic poolside hoop that can fit into an island aesthetic without being hard to look at, the Dunnrite hoop is a great choice.
Pros
- Comes with a quality base and hoop
- High maximum height
- Pivotable back board
- Very sturdy
- Weatherproof
Cons
- Extremely heavy
- Very bulky
- Can’t be disassembled
The rim of this pool basketball hoop is stainless steel, which means you won’t need to worry about leaving it out in the rain or winter. The rest of the hoop is made out of hard plastics, which are durable but extremely heavy.
Once the unit is fully filled, it isn’t about to go anywhere. Clocking in at nearly 200 lbs, the Dunnrite pool hoop is so heavy that it would be dangerous if it wasn’t so sturdy. Its height is just right for most kids.
You can adjust this hoop to be extremely high with the help of the telescoping pole. You can also pan the backboard in several directions depending on your preference, which means that you can set it up for deflection shots if you prefer. It’s lots of fun for kids!
Overall, the main drawback of these pool basketball hoops is that they are very hard to move even when it is empty. Other hoops encounter similar problems, but the fact that you can’t easily disassemble the Dunnrite hoop makes it much harder to deal with.
Our #5 Pick – Lifetime PoolSide Basketball System
For people who want to play full-size basketball with a full-height hoop while they’re splashing in the pool, there is only one acceptable solution: the Lifetime Poolside Basketball system.
Pros
- Great for serious players
- Great for families and pool parties
- One size fits all
Cons
- Difficult to alter height
- Tough disassembly
Very few poolside basketball hoops offer the same basketball experience as a full-size and full-height hoop. The Lifetime poolside hoop is the exception, however. With this hoop, you’ll get a standard courtside basketball setup that is waterproof and ready to live next to your pool.
Importantly, you could also use this hoop in the driveway as an alternative to shooting hoops in the pool. While the hoop is a major purchase, its broader functionality means that you won’t need to purchase a different hoop to put elsewhere to satisfy all of your basketballing desires.
This swimming pool basketball system must be filled with water. It is one of the best pool basketball products we have reviewed.
The advantages of a full-size hoop are substantial. First, you’ll never need to go to a separate court to practice your shooting skills. While you’re hanging out in the pool you can be getting highly realistic free throw practice from the comfort of the water.
Second, you’ll never need to buy another poolside basketball hoop ever again. This unit is built to last as long as an installed hoop would be expected to last.
You’ll need to invest a fair amount of time when you purchase this unit, however. Installing the full-size hoop is a project that you will need to undertake with the help of a full toolkit and preferably a few tall friends.
The height adjustment feature of the hoop is manageable, but you will probably not want to be altering the height of the hoop very much because of how difficult it is when performed alone.
All of these features make for the hoop to be very non-portable. Once you install the hoop, you should expect to keep it exactly where it is for most of its existence.
Disassembling the hoop is more trouble than assembling it because you have to maintain the weight of the pole and hoop or else it will come crashing down when certain bits are removed.
Nonetheless, this is the hoop of choice for true basketball enthusiasts. It’s overkill for most other people, so plan accordingly.
Our #6 Pick – Swimline Super Hoops Floating Basketball Hoop
For the shooters who like to try to sink hoops on a floating target, the floating hoop is the only answer.
Pros
- Fun for everyone
- Net traps shots before they float off
- Comes with a quality base and hoop
- Consistently challenging pool side basketball game
Cons
- Not for serious basketballers
- Fragile
Adding the bobbing of the pool to a basketball hoop makes sinking shots much harder than it would be otherwise. This means that you’ll get a challenge that never gets old when you get this Swimline floating hoop.
The small basketball that comes with the Swimline hoop is perfect for the task, and is easy to retrieve thanks to the hoop’s bottom flotation ring. The flotation ring captures the ball once it is successfully shot through the hoop, meaning that you won’t need to be chasing it halfway across the pool.
On the other hand, you’ll still need to chase the ball after missed shots. Long-range shots on this hoop are extremely difficult, especially if the waves of the pool are jostling the angle of the hoop.
Nonetheless, this is a great hoop for the pool because it adds an element of surprise to each throw. Especially for people who don’t particularly care that much about basketball, this pool hoop is one of the best because it provides a fun alternative.
For people who are serious about throwing real-sized basketballs toward realistic hoops, this little pool hoop will be a big disappointment, however.
Our #7 Pick – Dunnrite PoolSport
The PoolSport is a no-frills and effective pool hoop which is great for people who want to casually shoot some hoops at a target that is a bit more well-defined than a floating hoop.
Pros
- No-frills design
- Won’t break easily
- Great for casual fun
Cons
- Weak rim connection
- Height isn’t adjustable
The PoolSport combines convenience and durability with its single-cast form factor. This hoop comes durable and extremely easy to set up, but once it is set up it will be a hassle to move.
The rim isn’t built for any hanging, however. It’s important to limit the use of this hoop for distance shooting or lay-ups. The height of the hoop isn’t adjustable, nor is any other aspect of the hoop.
If you’re looking for a simple hoop for water or sand, this is the right hoop — but if you’re looking for any kind of customization or other features, this hoop is a bit too basic.
What Kind Of Swimming Pool Basketball Hoop Is Right For My Family?
The perfect pool hoop depends on what the basketball needs of your family are. If your family prefers casual sports, a floating basketball hoop is a great choice because it’s much less intense.
On the other hand, if you have a handful of basketballers in your family, you should pick a more intense hoop. Hoops that are more intense tend to have adjustable heights and tinner midsections.
The thicker and heavier the base, the more serious the hoop. Likewise, offering any intermediate hoop angles is a sign of a more serious hoop. Some of the best poolside games have steel rims.
Hoops intended for casual use are made from one-piece casting, and tend to be of uniform thickness throughout.
How Should I Care For My Swimming Pool Basketball Hoop?
Poolside basketball hoops require different levels of care depending on the materials that they are made out of and the materials that you put into the pool.
The best poolside basketball hoops are made from metal and tough plastics which are resilient to chlorine, salt, and the elements. These pool hoops can stay outside in the winter and even survive a few dips into the pool by accident. In general, these hoops are far more expensive.
Cheaper hoops are made from lighter plastics or fibers. These hoops tend to become battered by the environment very quickly. Furthermore, they may not be very resistant to salt or chlorine.
The main parts of these hoops can become corroded within a couple of seasons if the build quality is especially bad. To minimize these issues, you can dry your pool hoop off in between uses and bring it inside during inclement weather.
Aside from attending to the weather, most poolside hoops don’t need any maintenance. If you end up changing the height of the hoop extremely frequently, you might want to consider adding a tiny bit of grease to prevent the metal from chipping when the temperature changes, however.
Which Pool Hoops Are Best For Young Children?
The best swimming pool basketball hoops for young children are floating hoops with small balls and easy to access flotation rings.
Young children probably can’t shoot on a full-sized hoop successfully, nor do they want to. Instead, they will prefer to shoot on a tiny hoop with a tiny ball that is easy for them to handle. The added difficulty of shooting on a moving target will not bother them, nor will missing a lot.
Importantly, you shouldn’t ever leave your young children alone when they are playing swimming pool basketball. The same is true for when your young children are using a floating basketball hoop. You should exercise additional vigilance to make sure that your young child does not get tangled in the hoop.
While getting tangled in the hoop might seem nearly impossible, the fact remains that consistently interacting with the hoop raises the chances of being caught. It’s easy to help your child untangle themselves in a moment, however.
Can I Use Normal Basketballs With My Poolside Hoop?
The answer is that it depends on the size of the hoop. Most poolside hoops cannot accommodate the diameter of a real basketball but there are some exceptions. In general, if a poolside hoop comes with a ball, it is probably not compatible with a standard size basketball.
Especially for floating hoops, you should probably expect to have your selection of balls heavily constrained. You can always verify whether or not a standard ball will fit by reading the diameter of the hoop as indicated by the manufacturer and comparing it to the diameter of a standard ball.