I received another great email from a Basketball Hoop Guide reader earlier this month. I’d like to share his email too. I have summarized his comments below. The full email is below that.
Goalsetter covers dunking and after being pressed about hanging on the rim will cover this as well. It looks like this reader found somebody to bend the rules because it is clearly disallowed in the warranty and warned against in the installation instructionsGoalsetter Warranty (found here)
“NOT COVERED is damage caused by deliberate hanging, multiple player hanging, vandalism, non-basketball activities or any other activity that could be regarded as abusive”
Goalsetter Assembly Instructions (found here)
“DO NOT HANG on the rim or any part of the goal system. This includes the backboard, support braces or net.”
He believes the hinged mounting on the Goalsetter basketball goal system and internal crank are attractive features of the system. He notes that the offset extension arm is polarizing because of it’s aesthetic attributes. He also notes it is the most expensive system out there.
He goes on to mention several different brands and warranties associated with them. For those of you who are very concerned about the warranty attached to your new basketball goal, this is the post for you.
This post has inspired me to write up a comparison chart of the different warranties offered by different companies. I believe many of our readers will find it usefull. Look for a post announcing this addition to the basketball guide section soon.
“Your profile on goalsetter is not accurate. Goalsetter absolutely covers dunking on its goal systems. It does not cover hanging. However, when I contacted its support center, the person I spoke to said they would definitely cover hanging under the warranty — they just won’t cover egregious abuse (e.g., six people hanging on the rim, trying to break it). http://www.goalsettersystems.com/warranty/WarrantyStatemnt-102006.pdf
Frankly, I think Goalsetter is the most intriguing goal out there, with the patented internal crank system and hinged mounting system (which “seems” better than the j-bolt system used by others). The style of the offset goal is polarizing — I like it, but my wife hates the look and would never let me buy one. But that is somewhat moot, as it’s just about the most expensive system out there.
Anyway, love your site. I love the transparent approach to your products and competition. I’ve researched the premium goal market for at least three years now and will finally be purchasing this spring. Goalsetter, [removed by request], Doman, Barbarian, etc. I keep active data on them, regarding price and materials. I’ve found your site to be very good at representing pros and cons. Keep up the good work.
Also, keep highlighting the durability. Isn’t that the reason to spend $1,000 - $2,500 on a residential hoop. You’ve got the pretenders like [removed by request] which clearly markets a system at the dunking customer with the caveat of “no dunking.” Total sham of a system. Ironically, I expect that [removed by request] is the most successful system, because it has a contract with Dick’s and others, which includes in-store display. I’ve not seen any other brand of premium goal displayed in a common store.
Then, there are those like Gared who only offer a 4-year warranty on its goals (less on the rim and such) and don’t even specify what that warranty covers. Then, some are spotty by either offering long durations with spurious coverage terms (Wilson — lifetime, no dunking?) or good coverage and low durations (Porter — dunking and hanging covered, but only for 1 year). [Manufacturer Removed] and Goalsetter are proud of their lifetime, dunking included warranties, but back away when you bring up hanging. Sure, Goalsetter stepped up to the plate when I pressed them on the issue, but it remains specifically uncovered in the official warranty statement.
In fact, that’s one thing I’d challenge Pro Dunk on. You state a 10 year warranty on dunking and hanging. Doman, Barbarian and First Team are a few that offer lifetime warranties, inclusive of dunking and hanging. Do you really expect to see warranty claims on goals 10+ years old? I’m guessing you won’t, or at least very few. So, what is the true financial cost of offering the Lifetime warranty and having one more advantage in the market place? In fact, a casual glance would seem to indicate that you are using First Team’s goal design, but offering it at a much cheaper price. Why would First Team have a better warranty?
Anyway, keep up the good work. Will be waiting for the ground to thaw around here and then it’s time for a goal!”
–Andy Young