A conventional portable basketball hoop is built to sit in one spot. The IGL Travel Hoop is built to leave. It is a suitcase-style system that packs down to about 30 by 20 by 6 inches, has a height range of 4.6 to 8.5 feet, and costs about $500 at IGL Hoop.
This page is a research-based look, not a hands-on test. It draws on the brand’s spec sheet, FAQ and policy pages, set beside two independent write-ups of the hoop.
The short version: it solves a real storage problem for families with younger players, and in return you accept a smaller rim and a lower top height.
What the Travel Hoop Is
IGL Hoop organizes its catalog by where a hoop will live, not by skill level. The Travel Hoop is the model the brand introduced through a Kickstarter campaign, and it is designed for kids aged 5 to 13.
- Height range: 4.6 to 8.5 feet.
- Backboard: a foldable panel measuring 32 by 20 by 6 inches.
- Rim: 15 inches across, which IGL calls the Sharpshooter rim. The brand’s other lines use 18-inch rims.
- Stability: a 95-pound anchor system, built from a 60-pound alloy frame and a 35-pound water ballast bag on a triangular base.
- Packed size: about 30 by 20 by 6 inches, with a rolling case.
- Materials: powder-coated aviation aluminum and rust-resistant hardware, according to the brand.
- Price: about $500 at IGL Hoop.
Besides the hoop itself, the box includes a mini basketball with a pump. The structure arrives as a collapsible water anchor, triangular base poles, middle and upper poles that lock with knobs, and the foldable backboard with its rim attached. A rolling travel case completes the set and later becomes part of the frame.
IGL describes the hoop as a precision shooting system, not something to hang from or dunk on. The smaller rim is deliberate, the brand says, and is meant to push young players toward cleaner shooting form.
To look over the rest of the catalog, you can browse IGL Hoop’s range at IGL Hoop, which opens the home page of IGL Hoop’s own store.
Setup, Storage and Daily Use
IGL describes the hoop as arriving pre-assembled, with a tool-free routine of unfold, snap and lock that takes under three minutes. An independent buying guide reported an assembly time nearer half an hour, so give the first session more room than the brand’s figure suggests.
Indoors, the brand wants a ceiling that clears 8 to 9 feet, and it says the wheels are non-marking so they will not harm floors.
Outdoors, IGL says the powder-coated aluminum and rust-resistant hardware can handle the weather. It still suggests folding the system back into suitcase mode when conditions turn severe, which it says helps the hoop last.
The ball is IGL’s custom Pro-Mini. For the 15-inch rim, the brand says a youth size 5 or an intermediate size 6 ball works as well.
What Reviewers Report
Independent feedback on this hoop is thin, and I would rather say so than pad it. Two write-ups are worth knowing about, along with the ratings the brand shows on its own site.
- A mixed verdict from a buying guide: it felt the construction falls a little short of what the price implies, found the net more flimsy than the marketing images led it to expect, and reported an assembly time nearer 30 minutes than the advertised three.
- A parent’s account: after building one for her kids, she praised how quickly it went together and how it got the family playing, and her son soon called a round of H-O-R-S-E.
- Her complaints: stiffness in the pin of the folding backboard during both assembly and takedown, plus a rolling case that cannot be reopened after assembly because it forms part of the frame, so an overinflated ball puts the pump out of reach.
IGL’s own storefront shows an average of about 4.8 out of 5 across its products, and the Travel Hoop’s page lists fewer than ten reviews. Both figures come from the brand’s site, so treat them as a light signal, not a verdict.
Who It Fits, and Who Should Skip It
Think of the Travel Hoop as the answer to a space problem. IGL aims it at apartment dwellers, at neighborhoods where an HOA rules out permanent hoops, and at households that need to wheel the hoop into a garage or closet when play ends. The brand also pitches it for road trips.
Skip it if the player already dunks or wants a regulation ten-foot rim, because the 15-inch rim and the 8.5-foot top height will cap what they can do. IGL itself warns that hanging on the rim upsets the balance of the base.
Also think twice if you want a hoop with no fiddly steps. The parent reviewer’s two complaints, a stiff backboard pin and a case that cannot be reopened once built, both involve steps you repeat whenever you set up and take down.
Travel Hoop vs a Lifetime Portable Hoop
IGL names no competitors on its site, so I picked one for contrast: Lifetime’s 54-inch adjustable portable hoop, model 90600. It is a conventional driveway hoop, which shows clearly what the Travel Hoop gives up and what it gains.
| Question | IGL Travel Hoop | Lifetime 90600 |
| Does it fold for travel? | Yes, to about 30 by 20 by 6 inches | No, it rolls on its base but stays full-size |
| What weights the base? | A frame plus a water ballast bag | Sand or water in a large portable base |
| What is the backboard? | A 32 by 20 inch foldable panel | A fixed 54-inch polycarbonate board |
| Can you dunk? | No, the 15-inch rim is not dunk-rated | Yes, the Slam-It Pro rim is dunk-rated |
| How high does it go? | Up to 8.5 feet | Up to 10 feet |
If dunk height and a hoop that stays in the driveway are the goal, the Lifetime fits better. The Travel Hoop earns its place only when storage or transport is the problem you are trying to solve.
Returns, Warranty and Shipping
These points come from IGL’s policy pages, so reread them before you order in case the wording has moved on.
- Window: 30 calendar days after delivery to start a return, or 7 days to report damage.
- Condition: the hoop must go back new, unassembled and unused, boxed with its manuals. IGL says assembled equipment that shows wear is refused.
- Who pays: IGL covers return postage for a defect or shipping damage. For any other reason you pay it, and a 10% restocking fee applies.
- Refund: processed 5 to 7 business days after IGL inspects the return.
IGL’s pages do not agree on the warranty. A dedicated warranty page describes 3 years of limited coverage, but the FAQ and several product pages, the Travel Hoop’s included, say 1 year. Before ordering, ask IGL support to put the term for your model in writing.
Neither version covers misuse, cosmetic wear such as scratches or faded paint, or weather damage from storms and high winds.
Free FedEx Ground shipping applies to orders over $100 in the 48 contiguous states, and delivery typically takes 3 to 7 business days. IGL itself says shipping costs are built into its prices. To compare the range for yourself, you can look through IGL Hoop’s range at IGL Hoop, which opens the home page of IGL Hoop’s store.
Travel Hoop FAQ
Can my kid dunk on it?
No. The brand built it for shooting practice, not dunking, and cautions that hanging from the rim throws off the base’s balance.
Will it fit in a car trunk?
IGL says it suits most sedans and SUVs, based on a folded footprint of about 30 by 20 by 6 inches. Measure your own trunk before you order.
Will it tip over in the wind?
IGL’s answer is no. It credits the 95-pound anchor system and the low triangular base. The sources behind this page include no independent wind test, so treat it as the brand’s claim.
Can I use it if my HOA bans permanent hoops?
That is one of the situations IGL markets it for, because it rolls away after play. Rules differ between associations, so check yours on portable hoops before you buy.
Which warranty term applies?
IGL’s pages cite both 1 year and 3 years. Email support and ask for the term for your model in writing.
The Verdict
The Travel Hoop answers a narrow question well: how do you give a younger player a real hoop without giving up a driveway or a closet? Its folding design, no-tools setup claim and 95-pound anchor are documented on the brand’s own pages, and the two independent write-ups are mixed.
Go in knowing the limits. The rim is smaller by design, the height tops out at 8.5 feet, setup may take longer than advertised, and IGL’s own warranty pages disagree on the term. If those trade-offs suit your family, it is a reasonable buy at about $500 at IGL Hoop. If dunking or a ten-foot rim matters, look at a conventional driveway hoop instead. When you are ready, browse IGL Hoop’s range at IGL Hoop’s store, where you can look up the Travel Hoop’s current price.
