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Trampolines
Introduction
Don't skimp on quality if you're buying a trampoline for Christmas. Our guide explains how to choose a good one.
Trampolines are a great way for kids to develop balance, co-ordination and general fitness. Prices can range from $300 to as much as $1700. But does price make a difference? We find out.
Note: this is a buying guide only and does not contain test results or brand-specific recommendations.
Does price matter?
New Zealand trampoline coach Angie Dougal says yes, price does matter:
"You can buy a trampoline for a couple of hundred bucks nowadays but the springs are only a few centimetres long. That's ridiculous. You get no bounce and the springs break when anyone over a certain size climbs aboard."
Angie's advice is to spend a little more money and buy a good-quality trampoline that your kids won't outgrow.
Quality components
Whether you're buying a new or second-hand, Victor Boyd from Apex Trampoline Mats can tell you what to go for in a traditional trampoline:
- Look for "V" shaped legs at each corner. Trampolines with four or more legs are more stable.
- Choose a trampoline with box-section steel frames or very heavy duty circular tubing frames. Try before you buy: make sure that the frame doesn't rock when you bounce.
- Look for spring lugs welded on to the frame rather than holes drilled into the frame. Lugs are easier on spring hooks. Holes drilled into the frame weaken it and leave it more susceptible to corrosion.
- Get a trampoline mat that's at least 3m long. Smaller trampolines have less room for error.
- Shop around. Compare warranties and weight restrictions on various trampolines within your price range. Will you be able to buy spare parts from the retailer in years to come?
- Make sure that your trampoline comes with safety pads. If these aren't included, new ones can be made (Apex charges $285 to make pads for a frame approximately 3.8m by 2.5m). The absence of pads should be reflected in the price.
What to look for
Anatomy of a traditional trampoline
1. Mat
Get a trampoline mat that's at least 3m long. Smaller trampolines have less room for error.
2. Springs
Trampoline springs should be 250mm (10") long when no one is on the mat (when the springs are "relaxed"). Shorter springs result in less bounce - and they're also liable to break when heavier children or adults bounce on the trampoline.
3. Frame
Choose a trampoline with box-section steel frames or heavy duty circular tubing frames. Look for spring lugs welded on to the frame rather than holes drilled into the frame. The lugs are easier on spring hooks. Holes drilled into the frame weaken it and leave it more susceptible to corrosion.
4. Legs
Look for "V" shaped legs at each corner. Trampolines with four or more legs are more stable.
5. Pads
Make sure your trampoline comes with safety pads that can be securely fastened over the frame. If these aren't included, new ones can be made (Apex charges $250 to make pads for a frame approximately 3.8m by 2.5m). The absence of pads should be reflected in the price.
Warranties
Compare warranties and weight restrictions on various trampolines within your price range. Will you be able to buy spare parts from the retailer in years to come? Ask to try before you buy. Make sure that the frame doesn't rock when you bounce.
Trampoline safety
January is a bad month for trampoline-related injuries. Twenty-five children were admitted to Auckland's Starship Children's Hospital in January 2007 after coming to grief on their new gift.
Injuries occur when kids fall off or hit the side of the trampoline. There are also risks for young children who wander underneath the trampoline while another child bounces above.
If you buy a trampoline for Christmas (or any other time), consider sensible rules for your children to follow. Here are 8 basic tips:
- Make sure that the trampoline is set up on even, grassy ground. The area should be clear of fences, trees and other obstacles.
- Cover the springs and frames with securely fastened pads.
- Place soft materials (like wood chips or bark) under and around the trampoline.
- Use the trampoline only when the mat is dry.
- Allow only one person on the trampoline at a time.
- Climb off the trampoline - don't bounce off.
- Check the wear and tear on the trampoline regularly.
- Supervise small inexperienced children while they bounce.
Springfree trampolines and safety nets
There has been a varied response to trampoline related injuries. The Australian Consumer Organisation Choice recommends trampolines as one of ten toys that you shouldn't buy your kids. In New Zealand (as in the UK) the Society of Physiotherapists recommends that you erect netting around the outside of your trampoline to stop children falling off.
"Springfree" trampolines were invented in New Zealand by a professor at Canterbury University. A small Springfree Trampoline retails for $1299. Their mats are supported by flexible fibreglass rods rather than metal springs. The mat sits upon the rods and is encircled by a net which makes it nigh on impossible to fall off or injure yourself on the steel frame.
Springfree Trampoline's Josh Hill says that the net will repel a 100kg person travelling at 25km/h. They come with a one-year warranty and an ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standard.
Unfortunately not all nets are created equal. While some are robust, others just give that impression. Victor Boyd says: "You'll find many nets on low end products - and they're flimsily built. Boys are also inclined to use them as boxing-type rings."
New Zealand trampoline coach Angie Dougal isn't a fan of safety nets either: "Large safety nets are great for pre-schoolers - it gives them a big bouncy play-pen. But older kids don't learn how to control their bodies if they're encircled by a safety net."
Our advice
- Trampolines provide hours of fun and good exercise for kids if used properly. We're reluctant to rule them out as "unsafe".
- It's important to buy a good-quality trampoline - one that comes with a warranty that covers the frame, springs and mat. Shop around for the most comprehensive warranty available. Some trampoline-makers guarantee their frames for 10 years or more.
- If you do decide to buy an additional safety net, look for one that's robust and covered by a warranty. Be warned: many top-quality nets are still only covered by a one year warranty.
More from consumer.org.nz
Report by Luke Harrison