You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
We've cleared out a space in the garden for a trampoline for our daughter's birthday but we're not sure which type of trampoline to get. The space is round so we're not looking at rectangular tramps. The round ones seem to fall into 2 types, those with the net inside the springs and those with the net outside the springs. I see a benefit with both (inside the springs mean legs can't get stuck in the springs, outside the springs gives more room to use your arms). An 8ft tramp will fit easily in the space but a 10ft one might fit if we go for the 'inside the springs' type. Will a 10ft one give better bounce or is it just a case of a 10ft one being bigger but otherwise the same?
Any tips would be gratefully received.
According to statistics these were one of the top sources for broken bones in children and regularity was unaffected by lockdown. If you do get one, make sure your kids aren't the smallest ones on it as the little ones are most likely to be broken.
Any tips would be gratefully received.
Don’t get one. Mrs FD has spent a few years as a trauma surgeon seeing the outcomes of kids using trampolines
Research papers are being done to try and get trampoline centres banned
Purchase timing is key. The trampoline market is notorious for going up and down.
In ground seem much safer.. no trampoline to fall off or out of the door. You just have to dig a family sized grave hole for it to go over...
going up and down
*applause*
Go big or don’t bother. The kids grow. Never bounce two people of different weights - my friend broke his daughter’s legs doing that. Make sure there is a decent net. We had a jumpking 10x15 foot. More of a fight cage than trampoline. Never had an accident. They didn’t use it that much and it generally filled with leaf fall and sticks. We gave it away.
By contrast, my nephew had a compound arm fracture from a trampoline centre. Traumatic for the kids and staff. It’s not uncommon.
If you know your children, and they want gentle exercise, it’s no bad thing. If they are going to push things, I’d give it a miss. I would not buy a small one. And I would not let anyone on one without a net. In-ground won’t save you from hitting the ground hard when it goes wrong. A net inside the springs will. Jumpking are not cheap but they are well made and safe when used properly.
how old is your daughter?
Mrs Dubs is a PE teacher. I think I'm right in saying trampolining is the only sport their risk assessment requires them to recertify in regularly to be allowed to teach it.
Obviously that's big, dangerous, rectangular things in a gym, but she's said to numerous friends not to get one for their kids in the garden unless they are super careful kids (as TiRed mentions above).
We finally sold ours on this year. Had a Telstar one that came with the net inside the springs - slightly safer.
It originally had a 'tent' style circus cover over it. Lasted a few years, but the UV damaged the fabric. One of the kids friends thought, 'oh I can jump and touch the roof' and put his hand through the material.
No accidents over the years, nor any 'take offs' in the wind as it was a heavy one.
My daughter fractured and dislocated her elbow falling off a trampoline. We still kept it and she also spent a couple of years having proper training at the local leisure centre and became rather good at it.
They are good exercise and good fun. Kids create many ways to break bones - trampolines are just one of the options available!
We had one of these and it lasted well...
https://www.trampolinesonline.co.uk/shop/telstar-/10ft-telstar-vortex-black-edition-package/
My daughter now works with and rides horses - they are a lot more dangerous! 🙂
Eldest daughter is a paediatric nurse, she says trampolines for kids is like alcohol for adults - single biggest cause of accidents!
(and alcohol and trampolines for adults is the worst combination!)
🙂
good to come on here and bounce around a few ideas
I've obviously been lucky - my girls spent most of ages 7 to 14 on the trampoline with no problems. We went for a 14ft trampoline with net inside the springs.
https://www.acon24.com/ are about the best you can get for home use without spending silly money. I think they now do a 10ft round one as well.
they are all aesthetically abhorrent. especially when unused and neglected.
i held out until we had an area of garden to accommodate one that was out of sight... tbf the kids do use it quite a lot. 12ft, net inside the springs job.
We got a 10ft, and the sides bow outwards so it feels a bit roomier. Bigger definitely better for bounciness and having a bit more room if there's more than one on. Plus most 8ft won't take an adult's weight.
Fretted about the dangers, wasn't that keen but grandparents wanted to get them one as a present. First few months it was one at a time only, they've had it drilled into them about closing the zip and being super careful when there's more than one on there. If I hear them getting a bit too silly then I get them to do something else. Have got away with a few minor bumps only so far.
In-ground would be great but you need loads of room around them and obviously a big hole that will drain. Our garden is clay so would be a pond within weeks.
Whatever you get, make sure the manufacturer is good with spares - you will need a new net at some point (UV kills them) and maybe other bits too.
Supply will be a problem, it was tough to get one. We bought an 8ft, net inside springs and a tunnell entry as opposed to a zip that needs an adult to fasten.
I have a play area i built for the kids and put rubber mulch all over it so they are safe from 2m fall (we have climbing wall as well outside) and the trampoline sits on this, held in place by large auger type screws.
Used daily in the summer but a leaf trap in autumn and an ice creator in winter.
Note for the critics this is all painted now 😉
We've got a Jumpking here as well, you get what you pay for, highly recommended, spares readily available
We got an 8foot one for my daughter last year from Smyth's toys. The space we have sited it wasn't big enough for a 10ft but I would have preferred that, I think. If you have the space, I would go bigger.
The trampoline has the net inside the springs & this seems the safer option to me. She generally bounces on it on her own, as we got it at the start of the pandemic last year so her mates haven't been able to come round.
I can see how it could get a bit dangerous with a few kids on it, particularly if they are being very boisterous.
I screwed it down to the decking it sits on with large pipe clamps.
Bought one in the first lockdown, took ages to get one after a failed order from Argos who took my money told me a delivery date and only told me they had cancelled the order when I called to ask why it wasn't delivered.
But has been a great source of exercise for the kids while being stuck at home so much this year can't really think of anything else that could have done the same.
Yes there's a risk they can get injured, same thing as riding their bike or on their scooter in the skatepark etc but imo worth the risk Vs them being a lot less active.
Our neighbours have an 8ft one – it doesn't get used much as they are usually at ours playing on our 10ft one as it is much bouncier (anecdotal experience). Ours has the net outside of the sprung area as it was the only one we could afford but it's been used regularly for the last six years without injury.
Here's my question though... my girls are now 11 and our trampoline is end of life due to age – would they get much use out of a new one or do older kids stop playing on them?
We had a 14" one with padding over springs and net surround. We replaced it with the same when it died. We only had one incident when the padding had been removed and the net failed, apart from that we had many years of run and exercise for the children. I get that there have probably been a large number of accidents amongst children but would be interested to know how many of these are down to mis-use or poor equipment.
I would certainly recommend going big, children grown and they will use the space. From experience, the benefits out weigh the drawbacks.
do older kids stop playing on them?
We didn't buy ours until the kids were the age yours is now. We moved to a house with a large garden - in fact that was one condition of the house choice. But you need a BIG one for teenagers. They enjoyed it. I did too. It was well-made and robust. It also came apart easily after seven years when we freecycled it.
We have a spring free one. It's good to bounce on and 'safer' than most.
It was pricey, but cheaper than a bike and gets used a lot more. Bearing in mind we'll have this for 10 yrs + didn't mind spending the extra.
Love all the "don't get one they're dangerous" on a mountain bike forum!!
We have a Jumpking oval one and its great. Had a right job buying it last year, no stock for months over lockdown 1. Got a new stock alert from John Lewis, bought it within minutes and minutes later no stock again!!
one bouncing at a time, net always on, make sure the entrance is closed properly before bouncing as they do tend to fly out if not shut. Warm up. etc etc. Our kids love ours, great exercise, spend hours on it. Not had any A&E trips yet. One of our friends however was bouncing with a pal at the same time. She went to sit down as the surface was coming up, her elbow took all the load and shattered.
how old is your daughter?
She's about to be 7. Older brother is 9.
Thanks for all the comments and help. Think 10ft with net inside is the way to go then.
I put a nice sunken trampoline in our garden a couple of years ago - the kids love it and go on it more (I think) than a netted one as they can just run over and bounce.
so far there's only been one broken leg (tib & fib) on it, so I don't think that's too bad?
OP
Make sure you peg it down 😉
so far there’s only been one broken leg (tib & fib) on it, so I don’t think that’s too bad?
100% hit rate :))
Research papers are being done to try and get trampoline centres banned
I agree. I work in a school and we joke (correctly) every time a kid has a cast that they got it at Bounce, a hugely popular local trampoline centre.
At a trampoline agility place where you land at angles, may miss the soft bit, and are travelling laterally at speed is lethal. I won't do it as I like my ACLs the way they are.
However, I have a trampoline for my kids.
Reason being is that it's just that, a trampoline. Full net all round, nothing but the soft bit to land on, etc. Definitely a few bumps from each other but it's not comparable.
It's a bit like not letting your kid ride a bike because mass start downhill events are dangerous.
Back on topic, I've got a decathlon one and they're decent. The 240 is fine for 2 smaller kids but over maybe 7 then you want the next step up. More bounce and more space.
100% hit rate :))
well there's 2 kids and they've each got two legs, so I'm working on 25% 😉
Every day's a school day.
I thought Trampoline was what you used to clean homeless people.
Bigger is better if you can, and will be played with longer.
As for the risk, a large fraction of the accidents are kids falling off while climbing in/out the doors, so get the ladder if offered, and think about where the door goes & its surrounding & levels.
With a net & one jumping at once they're not (statistically) that risky.
The ground level/net-free ones look better, but don't save the bouncer from bouncing off the bouncy bit and landing unexpectedly on non-bouncy things.
As for...
they are all aesthetically abhorrent
... fine they don't look great, but that's a bit much,
Sink it into the ground then your kids can use it to ride over and launch into the air off it on their bikes! During lockdown one my lad was clearing the whole trampoline on his mtb. He's disappointed that I've finally got round to sorting the levels out in the autumn and removed the kicker 🙂
@cougar 😂
When the cast came off miss OTS leg after she broke it skiing, the physio recommended getting a trampoline to help with rehab.
I thought Trampoline was what you used to clean homeless people.
Well it made me laugh. So much so, I'm gonna steal it for future use. 🤣
Trampolines make people happy.
Get one.
Then you'll be happy too.
Yep the biggest n best you can get.
Missus hates them, she’s a radiographer and it’s all she sees in summer is nasty breaks from when it goes wrong...
If you can control the kids then could be fun but be prepared for injuries!!
Without doubt the best value for money product we ever bought.
Kid B bounced and bounced and bounced and... well you get the picture. Get the enclosure set up to begin with, but then remove it because it's now torn to f.
By then you won't need it - you will need to replace the pad around the rim at least three times over its lifetime, and you *might* need more springs (if you do I've got a box full of them that I'll happily post to you).
Then they hit an age - somewhere between 14 and 15 - when they will just abruptly stop using it for no apparent reason, and it will be for ever.
It will remind you of when they suddenly stopped being interested in Dinosaurs, and it will make you feel a little sad.
It will have been very much worth it though.
A friend of mine did academic research into this as mentioned above. He definitely warned against adults being on at the same time as kids (adult comes up as kid comes down creates equivalent force as kid dropping from big height onto concrete)
That said, we have the trampoline that my wife had as a teenager ~3m x 2m i guess. Pads over the springs. No net. Kids go nuts on it. His kids go nuts on it with my kids.
@scotroutes - now imagine trampolining wearing a poncho and playing maracas.
We moved into our current house which had a knackered 12 foot round trampoline down the garden 6 years ago. The mat was full of small holes and it had a tattered net and rusty springs. The 3 kids (now 4,6 and 8) loved it despite minimal bounciness, so we decided to buy a new one as a Christmas present this year.
We bought a Telstar Elite 12 foot square trampoline, which fits in the same footprint as the old round one, but with slightly more space due to the corners. It bounces much better, and is a lovely solid bit of kit.
The kids love it and spend a lot of time playing on it every dry day. We do bounce with the kids at times, although I feel very conscious of risks doing so. More often find myself wishing they'd bugger off so I could get some decent bouncing time for myself!
I was just starting to get our garden sorted out. Clearing the endless rockeries, thorny bushes and shite from the previous owners. Getting some nice space for running around, playing games, kicking balls etc. Then first lockdown is about to hit and SWMBO insists that we get a trampoline to annihilate the space we've created, so got a 10x12 ft oval. No incidents yet, Little miss (3) mostly wants to play duck duck goose running around it or for me to throw her up in the air as high as I can. What could go wrong?
We do bounce with the kids at times, although I feel very conscious of risks doing so
Please don’t. The rebound force on a young one from a heavy adult at the wrong phase shattered two small legs. You can imagine how my friend felt. “And how did your daughter break her legs?”
I enjoyed bouncing alone on ours. Not getting over excited and doing summersaults though. That way leads to A&E and requires training. And a bigger trampoline!
Will look at decathlon ones. Thanks.
The Zero Gravity ones get great reviews on Amazon but their own website is cheaper and has loads of spares for when things wear out. Has anyone got a Zero Gravity one? Thoughts?
TRAMAPOLINE! TRABOPOLINE!
We had one for a few years. All the neighbouring kids would come round to use it and we found we were having to supply copious amounts of squash during the summer 😊
We didn't have a net and broke all the safety guidelines. One of the girls did break her arm, but that was when intentionally jumping off it to ground level - in a "frog" pose 🤔
Latterly, it just became somewhere the kids would hang out rather than jump around on.
Here in the US you have to tell your home insurance company if you get one. They will then hike up your home insurance because of every accident mentioned earlier in this thread.
Wow, I feel like I have dodged several bullets over the past decade 😳
13 footer here, bought sh for £50 ten years ago. Springs on the inside of the net.
It was the biggest one on a busy street with 20 young kids, so a bit of a magnetic draw.
It's regularly seen multiple person action, somewhere between 4-10 kids depending on size.
Amateur flips and acrobatic attempts? Yes.
Drunken adults? That's a yes.
17 stone adult bouncing multiple small kids? Yes.
Use during torrential thunderstorms, hail, snow, ice? Yes.
Garden sprinkler underneath? Yes.
We've never had worse than regular burst lips and minor bruising.
In that time, it's had two replacements of everything bar the actual frame.
I'll be quite sad to see it go this spring, a bit of an end of an era as my girls grow up.
Get one, the bigger the better, and enjoy!
Despite my gung ho approach to safety, I cringe at the ones without a net, that just seems like madness to me.
Does anyone else, when they hear the word 'trampoline', immediately sing 'from the heavens to the bottom of the sea' in their head?