Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

First, let me start with the positives. This is a great product out of the box. The plastic base, when filled with water, holds the pole and backboard securely. Metal hardware is heavy-weight and powder-coated an attractive blue color. Two screws / bolts allow you to adjust the angle of the pole (easy) as well as the height of the backboard and rim (moderately difficult). The backboard is attractive and substantial and the rim and net are high-end. This is the best basketball system I have found for a pool in that it feels like you are shooting hoops on a real backboard and not some cheap toy. It is not EXACTLY the same as shooting on an in-ground system, in that the pole wiggles a little and the backboard gives a little, but it is close enough considering you are in a pool :) The big downside for this product is rust. I have owned this for three years and it is starting to degrade - large flakes of rust are falling into the pool and it appears that this will be its last year. It is rusting at the bottom of the pole, where the angle brackets meet the pole - even the rim is rusting (and discoloring the net). I live in Southern California where it never rains, so the rust issue is surprising. For a heavy steel pipe to rust completely through in a few years is unusual - I have steel all around the outside of our house that does much better (steel fencing, steel gates, etc). I hope they either improve the metal they use, or figure out some other solution. UPDATE: This is such a good product that I threw out my old one (it rusted) and bought a new one. Perhaps it is wishful thinking on my part, but after one year with the new product, there is only the tiniest sign of rust on any parts. At the end of the summer I will take the unit down, clean it, and seal any rusting areas with clear epoxy. Just be aware that this maintenance is part of owning this basketball system.