Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I bought the $100 42-inch model for my 5 and 7 year olds for Christmas and when I took it out of the box, the backboard was hollow formed plastic and just didn't seem like it would be a good long term solution to grow with the kids, so I exchanged it for this model. Again, when I opened the box the backboard was 1/4" plexiglass (polycarbonite), I was skeptical. From all the positive reviews, I decided to go ahead and assemble it and give it a try. First, assembly is not for the timid. You will need multiple sets of tools to put this together. The instructions will state to use (2) 1/2", 7/8" or other size wrenches. The reality of it is you will probably need a wrench set and a socket set. I was lucky enough to have both at hand. The wrench is good for the holding the nut and the socket is much better for the tightening. Some of the lock nuts are very tough to tighten down. You will also need a socket extension when you assemble the height adjustment bracket. Without these, it will be a struggle to assemble it correctly. Secondly, the instructions are very detailed, but some pages are very hard to follow. There are many bags of parts, but none are labeled and sometimes it took a few minutes to figure out which parts went with which section of instructions. Also, there is not one picture of a fully assembled unit and some of the pictures leave you making an educated guess as to which parts go in what direction, etc. Once you do figure it out, you will find that most parts fit snugly and appeared to be machined well. No rough edges and only one screw that was a bit out of line on the backboard. It took about 2 1/2 hours of continuous work to put it all together, so be prepared to spend an afternoon putting this together (along with impatient kids waiting to play on it!). That said, I was pleasantly surprised with the finished product. My worries about the backboard disappeared with the first shot. It does have some wobble as would any portable backboard and it is a bit dead (meaning you can make a shot off the backboard with a bit of force and it will die softly into the net). I didn't see a lot of wobble and even with my shots, it seemed pretty true with the exception of the weak backboard. The best thing about the goal is the height adjustment. It is literally just a aqueeze of a handle and the backboard moves very easily to the height you want. I was very impressed that it worked so easily and didn't take anything away from the sturdiness of the goal. If you want to make an investment in a portable goal, then spend the extra money and get the larger, polycarbonite backboard. It is worth the difference. I found that, once assembled, it looks great, is sturdy enough for rougher play should sit in out driveway for many years. I think once you work through the assembly you will be pleased with the goal. NOTE: The 5 digit models (51XXX) come with the easy adjustment. The 4 digit ones (13XX) require bringing the goal down and unscrewing bolts to raise or lower. It took me a bit of investigation to figure that out and it isn't stated in some of the model descriptions, so I hope that helps. Pro's: * Upgraded model well worth the cost over the "base" units. * Height adjustment is very easy to use. * Very stable and sturdy, strong rim. * MADE IN AMERICA!! Con's * A bit of a struggle with assembly. * The pole and wheels aren't really attached. They just kind of snap to the base and if moved, they can pop out, which could be hazardous and should be fixed. Hey, Landmark, if you read your reviews, I would love to edit your instructions to fix some of the things that need further clarification and labeling the bags with numbers to match the instructions would be a plus as well. Other than that, good job!!!