A big thank you to IGL for sending us the IGL travel hoop to review. I cannot wait for years and years of bonding with the kids over some hoops. As always, no monetary compensation was received for this rave review. Post may contain affiliate links so we can earn commission at no cost to you.
When I was young, my family bonded over basketball. It was where we talked through any problems we were having, celebrated our successes, and laughed about the funny things that happened that week. No matter what was going on in our lives, getting out in the fresh air with people who loved you made everything else just disappear.
Some of my favorite childhood memories are practicing layups, playing H-O-R-S-E, Around the World, and more with my parents and siblings until the sun went down and we were forced to come inside. More sibling issues and annoyances were worked out on the court than I can count, and you could gather a crowd simply by going outside and starting dribbling the ball. Eventually the noise would send siblings wandering out and asking to join.
As Taylor Swift would say, just thinking about this love of basketball and all the bonding opportunites “got me dreamin’ ‘bout a driveway with a basketball hoop.” One of my biggest wishes as a mom is sharing this form of bonding with my own children. And my one regret with buying our current house is that it came with a very “urban yard” and a very steep front drive so there was simply no place to put a basketball hoop.
Well, I’m happy to say we’ve come up with a solution that is definitely our best one yet: the IGL travel basketball hoop. IGL is the #1 best seller for portable hoops on Amazon and their new travel hoop is a foldable, luggage-style basketball hoop that sets up in 3 minutes. Yes, you read that right. 3-minute set up, all in a portable, rollable case that can store easily in a garage or shed.
When I first heard about the travel hoop, I will admit I wasn’t sure about it. I never considered the idea of a travel hoop, but I was definitely curious. A few more days thinking about it, and that Taylor Swift lyric just kept rolling around in my head. I was in. We were about to be {portable} ballers, never more than 3 minutes away from a good game of hoops.
When it arrived, I was so excited to check it out that we planned a whole day around basketball. We popped the rolling case in the trunk, and we were off to the nearest park. We had planned ahead and filled up the water bladder at home and brought it with us for our inaugural game, but literally everything else is included in the IGL travel basketball hoop set.
Once we get to the park, we quickly rolled the case up to the nearest building so it could act as a rebounder, and we set up the hoop within minutes. Even on the first go, the hoop set up was incredibly easy even with just one person and zero tools. Yes, that’s right, *zero tools*. There was only one pin that gave us a bit of trouble in the set-up of the folding backboard, but we got it to budge and were quickly ready to play.
What’s included in the IGL Travel Basketball Hoop case
- Base triangle support
- Three main poles
- Foldable one-piece backboard and rim
- Inflatable IGL ball
- Pump
- Bladder for water or sand
Assembly Guide
- Step 1: Unpack your IGL travel hoop
- Step 2: Assemble the base support
- Step 3: Set up the backboard and rim
- Step 4: Connect all the poles
- Step 5: Attach the main pole to the base
Note: when you are setting up your hoop, go ahead and take everything out of the case that you might need because the case becomes integrated into the design as you build and you cannot open it once assembled. We made the mistake of setting it up small so the little kids could play and then we had to take it all down to grab the extra poles when we decided to raise it later. We also pumped up our ball a little too full and wished we could grab the pump to let some air out but didn’t want to re-do the set up yet again, so we just dealt with it. Don’t be like us. Pull out all poles, the pump, instructions, etc. Anything at all you might need to use or refer to.
As soon as it was up, my son challenged us all to a game of H-O-R-S-E, which was a bit rough at first. Turns out, not having a hoop at home and a much-too-inflated ball makes you a little rusty. But, we were back in action once we got the first few letters out of our system. And then we started trying trick shots to see if we could make baskets from behind the hoop. The answer is no…. not yet. But, the laughs and the smiles were worth it even if no one had any bragging rights that day.
Once you’re done playing, tear down is just as easy as set up – maybe even easier. The hardest part was deflating the basketball and emptying the water bladder. That one pin still stuck a bit on the folding backboard, but a little finessing and it was folded back up in no time.
All a mom wants is to see her family laughing and bonding together and the IGL travel hoop succeeded in that. At one point, I might have told you that I wasn’t looking forward to the dreaded tween/teen stage, but I can openly admit that I was just plain wrong. The teen years are awesome, and when you elicit a real grin out of your teen it feels really good. My trick to that? Meeting kids where they are. They like crafts? I like crafts with them. They like sports? I’m sportsy all of a sudden.
And, just like my childhood full of hoops taught me, basketball is the perfect way to bond with kids of multiple ages. The IGL travel hoop is the perfect thing to bring to any family gathering or outdoor party where you will be interacting with nieces, nephews, cousins, and siblings or friend gatherings with adults and kids. I’m telling you, there’s something special about the combination of physical activity, friendly sport, and fresh air and I was thrilled that thanks to the IGL travel hoop we won’t have to miss out on that bonding because of our lot constraints.
I had visions of all of those nights we spent playing basketball when I was young and all the family memories we’re going to create throughout the years with our own hoop and it got me feeling all sentimental. We may not have our own half court, but you can bet my kids are going to grow up around basketball and bonding over basketball games in our neighborhood.
Who I recommend it for: families that don’t have a spot for a permanent hoop or for those that love to travel. The IGL travel hoop is perfect for kids and families to play together, anywhere — indoors, outdoors, or on-the-go. If you are living in an apartment, you are an RVing or vanlife family, you love to camp, or you just want to play hoops anywhere, the IGL travel hoop is a great choice.
Who it’s not for: professional players who need regulation hoops and consistent play. It’s also not for teens that are rough with a basketball hoop and/or those who like to dunk. This is *not* made for dunking. Trust me on this. I might have to make a sign for the backboard for when the teens are using this alone because I know dunking will happen otherwise – especially when it’s so easy to adjust to a dunk-able height.
Dimensions & Materials
- Backboard Size: 33 in
- Frame Material: Steel
- Backboard Material: RECC + PC
- Rim Diameter: 15″
- Base Stability: Add weight to the base for stability
- Weather Resistance: Corrosion-resistant, rustproof, waterproof, and UV/aging resistant
- Height Range: 4.5-8.5 feet
- Indoor Ceiling Requirements – 2-section pole: 5.9 ft, 3-section pole: 7.9 ft, 4-section pole: 9.9 ft
About IGL
IGL has been designing and manufacturing basketball hoops for over 10 years, and they are focused on making hoops that bring on the bonding. IGL designs their hoops specifically for parents and kids. They have lower height ranges, soft padded edges, easy adjusting to go from adult to kid heights in seconds, and stable bases that make family play safe.
You can find IGL Sports on Amazon, on the iglhoop.com website, and on Instagram and Facebook.