in step basket or mach lite basket

[spitfire]

i am having a hard time deciding which basket to go with. i am looking at either the in step basket or the mach lite basket. wanted to get some opinions. its just going to be a backyard putting basket and once in a while i will take it to the fields. thanks for any info

[Blake_T]

if you will be breaking it down and picking it up i wouldn't go with the instep.

imo, the skillshot catches better than the mach lite by a lot.

[spitfire]

so you would say go for the skillshot then? just looks like the mach lite would catch better because it looks more like a traditional metal basket. but the only baskets i have ever shot on was the mach III. so i have no idea which ones catch better. thanks for the reply

[Blake_T]

for overall value, that is durability, portability, ease of breakdown, and catching ability, my money is on the skillshot.

the mach lite has a bigger catching area, but catches less putts than a skillshot.

[spitfire]

should the instep even be an option. i would maybe move it from my backyard 2 times a month.

[Blake_T]

neither the mach lite nor skillshot will really weather the elements.

the instep is definitely a good value.

in the sub-$200 all metal range, the db-5 is the most durable, the discatcher sport most closely resembles a basket on the course, and the m-14 is imo, by far the worst with the instep being the best overall value.

[presidio hills]

i putt on an instep, and although i haven't added the inner chains i could put together myself, it doesn't catch so hot. you really have to think of practice as just how good putts feel... and make sure you feel okay when they blow throw or swing completely around the tray and slide out. i got mine for $68 shipped, which i think is no longer an existing deal. it's held up awsome considering i live a 1/2 mile from the ocean and everything rusts. it's just rusted a tiny bit after a year.
the skillshots totally catch everything that gets in, plus they're easy to move around... in a way i wish i had one of those, but then again a year later it wouldn't still be in near perfect condition.
both would be great but i need a higher paying job first.

[Solty]

ive had my db-5 for just about 10 months....and i love it. I take it to the local courses when we wanna add some holes and it breaks down nicely. After 10 months, no rush, no nothing. Took a lil bit of time for the chains to break in, and it catches fairly well.

mike

[spitfire]

thanks for all the opinions guys. my main concern with the mach lite or the skillshot is that i think it will wera a lot quicker because of the material its made of. i don't want to have to purchase another one in a year.

mikesolt.....i see you are from jim thorpe. i live in bloomsburg,pa.
where do you buy your disc from. are there any shops near you that carry baskets so i can see them in person? thanks

[Blake_T]

the mach lite and skillshot cannot be left outside exposed to the elements 24-7.

however, they are light enough to easily carry with 1 hand while they are assembled.

all of the metal baskets without inner chains will suffer from the same problem: cut throughs.

the db-5 is the only basket under $200 that is fully dipped/galvanized.

the discatcher sport is partially galvanized, but depends on paint otherwise.

the m14 is a rust machine.

every basket suffers from some sort of weakness: catching ability, durability, price, or portability.

[CincyKeith]

With reguards to comparing the Mach Lite and the Skillshot, I wanted to know a few more things.

Do either of these stand the same height as a regulation basket?

Which of them folds up into the most compact space?

It is surprising to hear that the skillshot catches better....because the pictures from both would suggest otherwise.

Thanks for your help, I was just about to purchase a Mach Lite this week when I read this. I'm glad I didn't make the wrong choice.

[Blake_T]

basket heights vary depending upon the terrain/erosion.

the skillshot has a slightly shorter catching area, but that can be expanded if you separate the center pole and pull the top upwards.

in terms of stability, the skillshot has better structural stability than the mach lite and has better overall material durability.

they are both compact, but imo, the skillshot is a slightly easier take down to bag although they are nearly equal in this regards.

in terms of catching, the skillshot catches much better assuming it is not full of discs. i have done quite a bit of putting on both... with a variety of styles. the mach lite is easier to make a loft putt with but it has some fairly large dead spots where you will be dependent upon the backside chains to catch the putt as it will nearly always cut through the front set.