Most people spend a lot of time deciding on which portable basketball goal to purchase yet do not give much thought in whether or not to fill the base with sand or water. This is a great article that explains the pros and cons of each and helps you decide on which to do.

Sand VS Water: Which Should You Choose?

Playing a good game of basketball outside is a great way to spend time with the family. If you have a portable basketball system then you are enjoying the benefits of being able to move the basketball goal to any spot you choose. There is no digging a hole but rather assembling and you are done. The base of the goal does have to be weighted down with either sand or water.

  • Water is an easy way to weigh down the base of all portable basketball goals. It is easily accessible and quick to do. One draw back is that water evaporates. When this occurs it can cause the goal to become less stable and shift during use. One way to counter this is to check the base periodically and make sure to refill it; making up for the evaporated water. Another disadvantage of water is the result if a crack occurs in the base. This is not common but needs to be looked at. If there were to be a crack in the basketball goal’s base then water would obviously leak out. This could cause the goal to become unstable and possible fall; causing damage to the goal. Check the base of your portable basketball goal frequently for cracks so you can stay on top of this. Many manufactures warn against allowing the water to freeze during the winter which will of course damage the base. To help with this problem use non-toxic antifreeze.

 

  • Then there is sand. Many manufactures suggest filling the base with sand. Sand weighs 13 pounds per gallon while water weighs a little over 8 per gallon. Most portable goals hold up to 35 gallons so the sand will provide more weight and support than water. If there is a crack then it will be more noticeable and you will have time to fix the problem before worrying the goal will fall over causing damage.

Which one should you choose? As you have read above their are advantages and disadvantages to each one. Most people who purchase portable basketball goals add water because they “think” they will be moving it a lot. In actuality they do not. Because of this reason I suggest providing more stability by  filling the base with sand. There is far less things to have to worry about if you go ahead and fill it with sand.

To read a full review on portable basketball goals click here or would like to check out a portable basketball system for yourself click here.