Best replacement basketball nets for a driveway hoop, and how to change one

What kills nets

Sun. Ultraviolet light breaks down nylon; a cheap net goes stiff, then brittle, then the loops tear at the rim hooks. Rain and freeze-thaw help it along, and a ball that catches the fraying loops finishes the job. Every net here is nylon rated for outdoor use; the Goalrilla net is the only one whose page says “UV-resistant,” and that is the property that decides whether a net lasts a season or three. Chain nets last longer and are louder, harder on the ball's cover, and heavier on a light portable's rim; on a driveway with neighbors, nylon is the courteous choice.

The numbers

The one rim that takes its own net

Goalrilla's 180 Breakaway Rim uses a recessed net attachment and sells a matching “180 Breakaway Net and Cable” ($19.95) rather than a standard loop net. If you own that rim, buy that net; every other rim on this site is a standard hook-and-loop rim. Best replacement rims covers the rims.

Buyer's guide: fit, chain nets, the swap

Fit

A regulation rim has 12 net hooks and every net here has 12 loops; Goalrilla's page lists all Goalrilla, Silverback and Goaliath rims, and Spalding's say “fits standard rims.” Youth rims (Lifetime's 15-inch, the Silverback Junior's 14-inch) may have fewer hooks; count them before buying.

The five-minute swap

1. Lower the rim to 7.5 feet if the hoop adjusts; otherwise a step stool.
2. Unhook the old net from each hook, or cut it off if it is fused to the hooks.
3. Find the net's wide end (the loops); hang one loop on a hook, then work around the rim pulling each loop over the next hook so the cords cross the same way all around.
4. Tug the bottom to seat the loops. Done.

Buy the spare now

A net fails in a week once it starts, usually in July. A spare in the garage is the whole plan.

While you are up there

Check the rim hooks for wear-through and the rim bolts for rust; a rim that has cut through its net hooks is a rim to replace. Rust prevention.