Lifetime 1558 XL Base Height-Adjustable Portable Basketball System with Clear 52-Inch Square Shatter Guard Backboard

by Lifetime

• Portable, height-adjustable basketball hoop with shatterproof polycarbonate backboard
• 52-inch Makrolon backboard is virtually unbreakable and much stronger than acrylic
• Solid-steel Slam It rim with double-compression springs for spring-back action
• Powder-coated, rust-resistant finish; 35-gallon base; 5-year warranty

Product Description

Amazon.com

Hone your jumpshot in your spare moments or perform a backyard dunking drill with this Lifetime Shatter Guard XL portable basketball system. Unlike in-ground basketball hoops--which are typically anchored in concrete--this portable system rolls on wheels, letting you position the basket support in any desired location, from the back patio to the middle of the cul-de-sac. All you have to do is fill the heavy-duty 35-gallon base with water or sand and play.

The basketball system comes with a 52-inch-square Shatter Guard backboard made of Makrolon polycarbonate, which is virtually unbreakable and several times stronger than acrylic. When combined with the heavy-duty steel frame and the sturdy steel Y-extension arms, the basketball goal looks and plays just like pro-style glass, with superior rebound effects and terrific stability. The system also includes a three-piece, 3.5-inch round pole with Lifetime's patented pneumatic Action Grip® height mechanism. To change the pole's height--it adjusts from 7.5 to 10 feet in infinite increments--simply activate the Power Lift with one hand and push it to the correct height. And Lifetime knows that dunking and above-the-rim play are a huge part of modern basketball, which is why the basketball goal includes a Slam-It rim. The solid-steel rim features double-compression springs that give way during dunks to protect the player, then spring back once released.

Other features include welded-steel net hooks with an all-weather nylon net; fade-resistant graphics that are screen-printed with UV-protected inks for superior color endurance; and a five-year warranty that covers everything on the system.

Amazon.com Basketball System Buying Guide
With the high-quality construction of many portable basketball systems, turning your driveway into a basketball court can be as simple as hooking up your garden hose. But while a portable system may ultimately be your best choice, there are reasons you may want to consider an in-ground or wall-mount system before you decide.

In-Ground Systems
In-ground systems are permanently cemented into the ground--either via a bolt mounting kit or directly into the ground--and are generally more rigid and take up less space than portables. In-ground systems often require that you hire a professional to complete the task, but when the cement dries you'll have a hoop that can take punishing dunks with ease.

Many in-ground systems are height-adjustable, include removable post features that let you take the system down for off-season storage, and feature heavy-duty breakaway rims. You'll also want to research the adjustable mechanisms on the systems, as there are several types to choose from. Some feature a counter-balance spring that lets you perform easy, one-hand adjustments while others may feature a sturdy, pneumatic system.

Wall-Mount Systems
Wall-mount systems can be mounted to the side of a house, a tall retaining wall, or a garage. Generally sturdier than portables, wall-mounts have the added advantage of optimizing your existing ground space for the court, as you won't need to dedicate any space to the base or pole. Not all systems include the necessary hardware, so make certain you add a mounting kit to your list.

Portable Systems
Portable systems require minimal installation and offer ultimate convenience. These systems generally feature a base that can be filled with sand or water to stabilize them and include wheels for portability. Although they are not as sturdy as in-ground or wall-mounted hoops, portables are simple to set up and can often be folded for convenient storage.

Backboard Considerations
Regardless of which system you choose, you'll want to brush up on Backboards 101. Most residential systems feature backboards made of acrylic, fiberglass, graphite, or various other composite materials. While clear acrylic gives the professional look and feel of glass, it is not as rigid as fiberglass or graphite. Some systems may offer steel or aluminum backboards, which are virtually vandal resistant, but don't offer the true rebounding action.

The regulation size of an NBA backboard is 72 inches wide and 42 inches high. Most portable hoops are 42 or 44 inches wide and 36 inches tall. In-ground systems tend to be a bit larger, with 54-inch and 60-inch widths being the most popular. While rectangular shaped backboards provide more bank shot opportunities, they are generally more expensive than the streamlined fan-shaped board.

Product Description

Lifetime XL Base, 52" Clear Square Shatter Guard¿ Backboard making broken backboards a thing of the past, made of Makrolon® polycarbonate, making it virtually unbreakable and many times stronger than acrylic. Black hammertone steel , 3 Piece, 3.5" Round pole system with Action Grip® height mechanism, offers a easy one-hand height adjustment from 7.5 to 10 feet in 6-inch increments. Our Orange Slam-It® rim features double-compression springs providing spring-back action. Built for competitive play with welded-steel net hooks and an all-weather nylon net. XL portable base has a 35 gallon capacity and fills easily with water or sand providing a stable foundation and rolls easily on its own wheels to your desired location. Play today, no cement required ! 5 year warranty that covers everything on the system. Lifetime Customer Care @ 1-800-225-3865 (or) www.lifetime.com

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 52 x 33.8 x 9.3 inches ; 105 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 105 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B000G68GPE
• Item model number: 1558
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (68 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,489 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)
  • #2 in Toys & Games > Sports & Outdoor Play > Sports > Basketball > Backboards
  • #3 in Sports & Outdoors > Team Sports > Basketball > Court Equipment > Backboard Systems > Portable Boards

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

110 of 113 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Terrific System- but with some headaches May 21, 2008

By T. Piedmont

Amazon Verified Purchase

This is an excellent Basketball goal, at a very fair price. Once completed, you have an attractive basketball goal that looks like it means business...and it does. The goal's design is fairly heavy duty, and holds up well to fully grown people hanging briefly from the rim, along with the other expected abuses a hoops goal goes through. It adjusts easily, and is well-balanced, so that two people can relocate the goal without trouble. Filled with 407 pounds of sand (use DRY sand to speed this cumbersome process), the thing stays put once positioned, also. All-in-all, the finished product is very satisfactory, and I expect it to provide many years of healthy fun for my family.

Now for the headaches: Amazon says the goal will be shipped in its original packaging. The packaging is simply not up to the job, and my friendly Fed-Ex delivery person said that items of this size and weight that aren't given extra packaging rarely make it to their destination intact. In my case, the box had split open, and spilled several of the pipes comprising the pole, along with several of the hardware packets. (I notice from the other reviews that missing hardware is a frequesnt complaint.) Luckilly, my Fedex guy was able to gather the spilled parts, and nothing was lost or damaged. While Lifetime offers a toll-free number to obtain missing parts, it would be frustrating to have to wait for an essential part once assembly had commenced.

The other headache was the assembly instructions. Clarity was sacrificed in order to make the instructions as short as possible. Many steps could have been broken down into several sections, and illustrated in more detail. There was no complete parts list, and some of the pictures of parts were inaccurate or mislabled.... There also seemed to be no order to the way the hardware was packaged. I consider myself very handy, but I was frustrated with these instructions, and ended up improvising a lot of the assembly. Consider the assembly a MAJOR PROJECT with poor instructions from Lifetime.

In the end, I am quite pleased with my new basketball goal and would reccommend it to others as long as one is aware of the potential headaches associated with shipping and assembly. The price is right, the free shipping very convenient, and the finished product looks GREAT, and plays well.

6-23-2010:
Two years later, and the system is still in excellent shape. It's been played hard, been exposed to extremes in temperature and weather for two years, and hasn't deteriorated in any noticeable way. I'd say this makes it an even better buy. Read more ›

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Best for the price February 18, 2008

By C. Leach

Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought this through Amazon a couple of years ago. Granted we have small kids here but sometimes the neighbors older kids would join us for some B Ball. This thing has held up well and has a bigger more solid backboard than many I've seen for sale at higher prices. After this gruelling Chicago winter and a sure-to-be stifling Chicago summer I will try to report back on its durability as it sits on the driveway year long. It's not recommended to assemble this alone, but I did. The instructions must have made sense or it wouldn't be standing. It took me the better part of a day. For goodness sake get DRY sand to fill this base up to save lots of time. It adjusts up and down for different heights very easily, my 9 year old could do it. After it's base is filled with sand (not water, especially if you live in subfreezing climates) it's so heavy I don't worry about it walking off on it's own, if you know what I mean. You have the option of mounting it on it's portable stand and base or on your garage. You can also install it permanently on the pole into a cement base of your own. The rim is also adjustable (spring loaded) for tension so you can have a firm rim or one that bounces a little if you choose. It looks a lot better than all the equally or higher priced models I see at K-Mart, Toys R Us, Wal-Mart and Target. I've seen models going for well over thousand dollars. This one is doing the job well at a quarter of that price. The backboard is not thick, less than half an inch, but it is more than enough. If I needed another I'd buy this one again. Best for the price I could find and I compared a lot of different models.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great hoop for the money July 28, 2008

By D. Walsh

After a lot of time surfing the web for a portable basket ball hoop, I settled on this one. The large 52" backboard is great. When I see neighbors with smaller ones, they look so tiny I'm glad I didn't trade a couple of bucks for the smaller size. The base and adjustable pole seem to be very sturdy. Again, the slightly larger pole diameter is worth the extra $ as it makes a much sturdier looking hoop. Height adjustment is a breeze. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it works great. The only thing I don't like is that I have to stand on the base to do it, but maybe that's just because I'm short. The only other negative to me is that the backboard wobbles quite a bit when the ball hits it, especially towards the sides. I would have thought is should be more rigid.
As for the value, I was hard-pressed to find this same model cheaper anywhere, and the free super-saver shipping clinched the deal. According to the shipping terms, I fully expected to wait as much as two weeks for this to show up and we had it in 2 DAYS! (ordered Sunday, delivered Tuesday) That was great as a 7-year old waiting for his new toy does not have much patience.
I couldn't give an accurate time for assembly as we worked on ours here and there when we had time to fit it in. But I can say that the instructions were pretty easy to follow and doing it in bits and pieces didn't bother a thing. I will say though, that you have to take the time to read each step ahead of time at least once or twice through to make sure you don't miss anything. When we got all the way to the end we found that we had installed the pole in the plastic base backwards so that the height adjustment was on the front under the hoop instead of in the back over the base.... Luckily we were able to remove the axle from the base with relative ease and just turn the pole around and re-install the wheels and axle. Other than this, our assembly went without a hitch. I also have to agree with the other reviewer who recommends DRY sand. For some reason, the sand we bought had some bags nice and dry and some damp. Even a little dampness causes the sand to clump and makes filling the base very aggravating and time consuming. We did not even consider water as we live in NY and this will be out all winter in sub-freezing temperatures.
Overall, we have been very happy with our purchase. Read more ›