When searching for a high-end residential basketball hoop the choices can be overwhelming. As a consumer you want to get the best goal at the best price possible. This poses the question: Which is the best goal and why? We’d like to approach the answer to this question by discussing the differences between Megaslam Hoops and Goalrilla goals.
Basketball Goal Safety: MegaSlam vs. Goalrilla
First and foremost, it’s important to take residential basketball goal safety seriously. Always make sure the system you’re considering purchasing has passed ASTM safety standards. The ASTM is an independent safety testing company that establishes safety guidelines for numerous products. One of the main requirements for a basketball goal to pass ASTM guidelines is the minimum height to which the goal can be lowered, which is 7.5′. All Goalrilla models comply with this safety guideline.
MegaSlam goals are adjustable down to 5′. You won’t find these goals in big box stores because the minimum height doesn’t comply with ASTM standards, creating a substantial liability issue for the homeowner. Children and adults are at risk of suffering serious head and dental trauma from hitting their head on the rim or backboard (not to mention the amount of players who get their teeth caught in the net or rim).
Did You Know?: Sports related injuries account for three times more facial and dental injuries than violence or traffic accidents.
When examining the safety aspects of basketball systems, the Goalrilla basketball system is the clear choice. Goalrilla basketball systems continue to comply with all ASTM safety standards resulting in the safest residential basketball goal on the market.
System Design
The next consideration when choosing the best basketball goal brand is the way a system is designed. MegaSlam goals are ordered from a third party manufacturer in China and share their design with multiple online-only goal brands. MegaSlam acts only as a purchaser of the goals they promote, meaning they have no input on design or quality control, which is evident upon closer examination of a MegaSlam goal.
Goalrilla is the direct manufacturer of the Goalrilla goal. There is no third party involved, which allows Goalrilla’s top priority to be quality control. Manufacturing a top quality goal is Goalrilla’s passion and the product shows it year after year! Attention to detail, and making a high-end goal that is a one-time purchase is the long-term objective of Goalrilla. For over 25 years they’ve been delivering just that, and will continue to make adjustments to improve and thrive for years to come!
“Selling Points”: Buyer Beware
MegaSlam stresses several selling points that, when inspected further, may not be selling points at all. Let’s take a cloer look:
Heavier Goals
MegaSlam Hoops are excessive in weight for no apparent reason. This is a “selling point” that MegaSlam promotes. The engineering expertise is just not apparent like it is with the Goalrilla goal. Goalrilla’s team of engineers optimize the hoops for form and playability. The excessive weight of the goal is pure overkill and unnecessary. Try moving a 875lb goal once it is installed (*please don’t actually try this). The extra weight doesn’t improve the play of the goal; however, Goalrilla’s 25 years experience in engineering the best goal on the market does.
The Stainless Steel Myth
Stainless steel hardware is also a feature that many in the basketball industry uses as a selling point. Companies claim that stainless steel hardware is better than any other hardware used in the industry. However, there is one big problem with stainless steel: the fasteners (nuts and bolts) are particularly susceptible to thread galling, otherwise know as “cold welding”. During the tightening of the fastener, pressure builds between the contacting thread surfaces and breaks down the protective oxide coatings. With the absence of the oxide coating, the metal high points of the threads are exposed to one another, which increases friction. The combination of these two events can generate enough heat to fuse and seize the nut and bolt together.
Unfortunately, even with an understanding of the mechanics of galling, little is known on how to successfully control it. Once the stainless steel freezes, the only way to take your hoop apart to move it, swap a part, etc., is to cut the hardware. This inevitably causes hundreds of dollars in damage. Although stainless steel is much more resistant to corrosion than ordinary carbon or alloy steels, it will still corrode. It’s “stain-less”, not “stain-impossible”.
Goalrilla uses a Xylan coating. Xylan is most commonly used to reduce friction, improve wear resistance, and for non-stick applications. Additionally, it can be used to protect a metal from corrosion. The most commonly known application is in non-stick cookware, but Xylan coatings have also been used extensively in the automotive industry, as well as for corrosion protection in the oil and gas industry.
Final Thoughts
In summary, MegaSlam just doesn’t have the experience or the engineering expertise to compete with Goalrilla, which has been the top selling and best performing hoop on the market for 25 years. Goalrilla continues to make educated improvements to the hoops instead of relying on inexperienced third parties to design and manufacture a goal that they have no passion for. Everyone at Goalrilla lives and breathes basketball and strives to deliver the best product possible to you and your family. If you want the best you’ve found it when you make the choice to purchase a new Goalrilla goal!
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