Baden Contender Basketball Review

Main Features

• Features the total feel technology for enhanced grip and feel during play
• Designed to have the performance for indoor play while having durability that can handle the outdoor elements
• Stealth soft valve system hides the air valve and helps to make the bounce more consistent
• Perfection symmetrical design

Basketball Quiz

Review

Looking for a basketball that performs at a high level with a price that is affordable for almost any budget?  The Baden Contender could be the perfect basketball for your home.  Baden as a brand finds itself positioned behind some of the more recognizable basketball brands like Spalding and Wilson.  However, that does not mean that Baden’s products cannot measure up to those that are produced by these brands.  This is shown through the  the Baden Contender being selected as one of the best indoor/outdoor basketballs available according to use here at Hoops Fiend.

The Baden Contender finds itself as the premiere indoor/outdoor basketball option by Baden.  Many of the other indoor/outdoor basketballs produced by Baden are made of either rubber or synthetic leather, unlike the Contender, which is made of higher quality composite leather material.  If you are set on Baden as your brand of choice, then there is no doubt that the Contender is your best option.

Let’s dig a little deeper now about the Baden Contender and see why this basketball was rated so highly by us.  First, the cover has a good grip and for many this basketball can be easily palmed and controlled.  The other aspect of this cover is that it provides a feel of durability.

We expect that this basketball will last significantly longer than many of the other basketballs we tested.  With typical use we see no reason why this basketball could not last you three years or more with consistent performance.  The bounce of this basketball is also quite good.  While testing it on an outdoor court surface the ball performed consistently and we felt we could trust it while dribbling.  We have yet to see the Baden Contender give any funky bounces.  This may be due to the stealth soft value system, which hides more of the inflation valve under the composite leather cover for superior performance.

You like your basketball with a little more flair?  Well the Baden Contender has definitely got some flair.  You can get this basketball in many different color combinations which you can see on Contender’s Amazon page.  Choose from the retro ABA style, green, red and white, or even blue.  While this does not impact the performance of the basketball it makes the game more fun and adds a dash of style to the playground.

As we mentioned earlier the Baden Contender is one of the best values to be found in terms of a quality indoor/outdoor basketballs.  The prices range depending on color, but these basketballs can be found for less than $25.  Compared to some indoor/outdoor basketballs like the Molten GM7, this price is a steal.

While this basketball does not have any glaring weaknesses there are some things that Baden could improve on to make the Contender even better.  The feel on this basketball is not poor, but it is certainly not the best of the basketballs we tested.  It tends to have a more firm feel on the cover than some of the more expensive basketballs we tested, which may be where price comes into play.  If feel is the most important characteristic for you in a basketball then the Contender may not be your best choice.

Pros

• Size and symmetry of this ball appear to be spot on
• Grip on this basketball is above average and is easily palmed by many adult hands
• The channel design size is between average and wide
• Stealth Value System enhances the consistency and bounce of the Baden Contender
• Quite possiblly the best value for a basketball that can be found

Cons

• The feel on this basketball is more firm than we prefer

While we were familiar with Baden it was nice to actually be able to test out one of their best indoor/outdoor basketballs.  The value of the Baden Contender is impressive and would make a great fit in many homes.  Check out the different color schemes that this basketball offers and get to your nearest basketball court and get to work on your game in style!