Posted by Administrator on 4/3/2012 to
Competitive Edge Product Reviews
Acrylic vs. Glass Basketball Backboards.
An ongoing question that we have not visited here on this blog before is the difference or the benefit between acrylic and glass basketball backboards. We will try to give you a non-watered down or overly wordy, or sales intensive, explanation. First, we will consider rebound.Glass Basketball Backboards Produce A Better Rebound.
Glass basketball backboards are much more rigid than Acrylic backboards. Because of this, when the basketball hits the backboard, the ball will bounce off better. Acrylic flexes when the basketball hits it, thus dampening the bounce. Why do you care? Shots that require the backboard - bank shots - will have to be shot differently if a player trains on an acrylic backboard and then plays games on a glass backboard. Lifetime updated their top of the line Mammoth brand from acrylic to glass basketball backboards and they have an amazing bounce and rebound. We have played on them at Bear Lake Idaho and they are phenomenal products. Next, we will consider susceptibility to damage.Glass Backboard System ExamplesGoalsetter Basketball Backboard Hoop - GS60GF Wall-Mounted Basketball Goal - 60-inch Glass


Acrylic Backboards Are More Resilient to Abusive Use.
Because acrylic backboards can flex, they are less susceptible to damage from what I call point impact - damage that is done in a concentrated area like when a rock is thrown at the backboard. Glass basketball backboards are tempered glass, the same material as your care windshield. Just like your care windshield, if a rock hits the windshield, it can chip the glass; then, if water freezes in the rock chip, the crack can splinter and spider web just like your windshield; lastly, if enough force is the applied to the backboard from, let's say a basketball, the backboard can shatter. If you think your basketball system might be in an area where it might be used abusively, or vandalized, acrylic backboards are more likely to withstand that type of use. Lastly, we will consider cost.Acrylic Backboard System ExamplesLifetime Basketball System - Portable Basketball Goal 71546 44 inch Backboard

Generally, Glass Backboard Basketball Systems Cost More Money.
For nearly all basketball system manufacturers, glass backboard systems are more expensive than acrylic backboard systems. Largely, this is due the more expensive cost of producing the backboard material for glass backboards as well as the increased strength in the pole structure required to support the heavier material from glass. However, one distinct exception to this rule is Goalsetter. Goalsetter acrylic backboard systems are more expensive to their comparably-sized glass backboard counterparts. Goalsetter's stated reason for this is acrylic, being an oil-based material, is more expensive to produce than glass backboards. Whether this is true or not can hardly be determined. However, one thing to note is that in the case of Goalsetter, they will warranty the backboard of an acrylic basketball system when used commercially, but will not for a glass backboard basketball hoop being used commercially.
1 Comments
admin
Date
11/5/2013
I have played on many indoor gym glass backboards and many outdoor acrylic backboards and it seems to me that the acrylic backboards absorb backboard shots more than glass. It seems like the glass provides a harder, bouncier rebound so you have to be softer on your backboard shots on a glass backboard than an acrylic backboard.