A trampoline can provide countless hours of fun and exercise for your family. They can also be quite intimidating and dangerous. I’m sure you’ve heard horror stories about kids falling and suffering severe injuries on a trampoline. While trampoline safety has advanced quickly and the risk of injury has been reduced, many parents are still hesitant to purchase a trampoline.
Enter springless trampolines. These trampolines claim to be safer than traditional trampolines. How do they compare to traditional spring trampolines? We’ll discuss the pros and cons of each type of trampoline and decide if springless trampolines are worth the money in this article.
Trampoline Basics
If you’ve been in the market for a trampoline, you may have noticed there is a wide range of products. Today we’ll be discussing the merits of steel spring trampolines and springless trampolines.
Traditional steel spring trampolines have upgraded technologies that make them much safer than they used to be.
Springless trampolines are a newer product. They feature a unique design that eliminates the springs. The spring-free designs claim to be a much safer product than steel spring trampolines.
Which one is right for your backyard? After extensive research, we’ve found that both steel spring and spring-free trampolines are safe and fun to use.
Steel Spring Trampolines
When most people think of backyard trampolines, they probably envision a traditional spring trampoline. These trampolines use a set of steel springs to stretch the trampoline fabric.
Steel springs have been known to cause injuries related to carelessness during use. Most modern trampoline products will provide safety padding for the springs to reduce the risk of injury during use. They will also provide a safety enclosure to prevent falls out of the trampoline.
High-end steel spring trampolines are extremely safe and will provide plenty of bouncing time for you and your family. They are made from durable materials that will last for years and require little maintenance. A steel spring trampoline will provide a professional bounce and is easy to use for kids of any size.
What is a Springless Trampoline?
These trampolines are designed without steel springs. Instead, they rely on stretch fabric and flexible rods to create the spring in the trampoline. They claim to be safer than a traditional spring trampoline. They are also more expensive than spring trampolines.
Instead of springs, a spring-free trampoline uses flexible rods and a springier material to create jumping power. They claim this design virtually eliminates up to 90 percent of all product-related injuries. The safety net enclosure should keep you and your kids safely inside the trampoline further reducing the risk of injury.
A spring-free trampoline will provide ample bouncing ability while keeping you safe. They come in a wide range of shapes and sizes as well.
Trampoline Safety
When discussing trampolines, we need to consider their safety first. Modern trampolines are much safer than you think. While injuries due occur, most involve cuts or sprains. Due to advances in safety technology, serious injuries rarely occur.
Many injuries are related to misuse. Other injuries are attributed to poor assembly or the owner did not install the safety features. Avoid these behaviors to stay safe on your trampoline.
- Always install the safety enclosure and padding during construction.
- Avoid performing high-risk stunts or jumps.
- Multiple users at one time should be avoided.
- Don’t use the trampoline under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Regularly inspect and repair any damage to your trampoline.
- Children should always be supervised by an adult during use.
- Avoid cheap trampolines that may have poor build quality.
Almost every trampoline-related injury is due to misuse and not the tool itself. Being safe and responsible will ensure you always have a fun time on your trampoline.
In the past, many injuries were related to the exposed springs on the outside of the trampoline. Springless trampolines were invented to reduce the risk of injury caused by springs. These trampolines eliminate the steel springs that hold the trampoline fabric in place. Spring trampolines have also added safety features that generally offset this old injury scare.
Things to Look for When Purchasing a Trampoline
Not all trampolines are created equal. Purchasing a cheap trampoline can be a recipe for disaster. We found that the quality of trampolines can vary greatly and you should always choose a high-end trampoline to ensure your safety.
When buying a trampoline you should consider these key components.
- Metal frame build and durability
- Foam padding quality
- PVC covering should be UV resistant
- Thick padding to protect against impacts
- Number and quality of the springs
- Safety netting materials
High-end trampolines will be built to last and keep you safe. You can find high-end spring and Springfree trampolines on the market that will meet your needs.
How do Spring and Springless Trampolines Compare?
When choosing a trampoline for your home, you will want to look at several factors. From durability to fun, we’ll compare the trampolines and see who comes out on top. Let’s discuss some important factors like bounciness, durability, safety, and cost.
Bounciness Comparison
You buy a trampoline to bounce. So which type of trampoline bounces the best? While both types of trampoline provide ample bouncing power, you will find a steel spring trampoline to be easier to bounce on. More bounce means more fun.
Steel springs are the industry standard and have been used for years on trampolines. They hold the trampoline fabric tight and make it easy to bounce on. Kids and adults should have no problem bouncing on a steel spring trampoline. Professional trampolines will be built with steel springs.
The fiberglass rods and spring fabric on a springless trampoline require more force to bounce. This can make it difficult for lighter participants to generate adequate bouncing power. Less bounce will equal less fun for you and your family.
If you need professional jumping ability, we strongly consider investing in a steel spring trampoline. The bounce of a steel spring is what you would experience in a gymnastic competition or a professional performance.
Smaller children will have an easier time jumping on a steel spring trampoline as well.
- Steel springs provide a better, professional bounce.
- Spring-free trampolines require more force to jump higher.
- Kids will find jumping on a spring trampoline easier.
Durability Comparison
When investing in a trampoline, you will want one that lasts for years and requires little maintenance.
We found that the “springier” fabric on springless trampolines tends to wear out quickly compared to the material on high-quality spring trampolines. This fabric will need to be replaced more often compared to traditional trampolines.
The fiberglass rods supporting the fabric on a spring-free trampoline can also pose a safety risk. Adverse weather could cause fiberglass to shatter. This may result in shards of fiberglass on the mat that could damage your skin.
A high-end steel spring trampoline will last. Steel is incredibly tough and will last for years without needing to be replaced. Steel springs are also easy and cheap to replace making a spring trampoline easier to maintain.
When looking at steel frames and springs, you should choose galvanized steel. This will reduce the risk of rust problems in the future. If springs do rust, they are easy to replace.
- The fabric on springless trampolines is prone to wear and tear.
- The fiberglass rods on springless trampolines may shatter.
- Steel springs are cheap to repair.
Safety Comparison
Safety should be a key concern when choosing a trampoline. Anyone who has researched trampolines probably has read a horror story of a kid seriously injuring themselves.
Most trampoline injuries are due to poor construction of the trampoline or the users didn’t install the protective coverings. Today’s trampolines come with many safety features that will keep jumpers of any age safe.
Spring-free trampolines claim to be much safer than traditional spring trampolines. Due to advances in safety technology, we found modern spring trampolines offer ample safety features.
Modern steel spring trampolines come with protective coverings for the springs. This has greatly reduced the number of injuries related to the springs. Steel springs are incredibly tough and won’t snap during use. The fabric used on spring trampolines is also durable and can withstand thousands of hours of use. Enclosures keep you safe from falling off the trampoline as well.
- Springs are covered with protective padding.
- Steel Springs won’t break.
- The trampoline fabric is durable and won’t tear.
- Safety Enclosure will keep you from falling off the trampoline.
Spring-free trampolines are also incredibly safe. They claim to reduce product-related injuries due to their design. Instead of springs, the trampoline has a soft edge and the frame is outside the safety enclosure. You will be safe from most injuries while using a springless trampoline.
- Flexible rods won’t trap toes and feet.
- Shock Absorbent mat protects the edge of the jumping surface.
- The frame of the trampoline is outside the safety enclosure.
- Safety Enclosure prevents falls out of the trampoline.
Style and Shape Comparison
You should be able to find a spring or springless trampoline that meets your specific needs. Both come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Rectangular trampolines offer the highest bounce while oval-shaped trampolines will provide the most bouncing surface.
- Square and round trampolines are ideal for one person use.
- Gymnastic pros should invest in rectangular trampolines.
- Oval trampolines are great if two people are using the trampoline.
Cost Comparison
Cost can play a major factor in choosing the right trampoline for your family. As a premium product, spring-free trampolines can cost two to three times more than a high-end steel spring trampoline.
For the added costs, you do receive a high-end product that has been well designed. Springless trampolines are incredibly safe and will provide hours of jumping fun. Modern steel spring trampolines are just as safe due to the use of padding. Safety enclosures should be used at all times to prevent falls off the trampoline.
We did find that the jumping surface is prone to wear and tear and may need to be replaced more often than similar surfaces on steel spring trampolines. This will result in repair costs added to the overall cost of the trampoline.
Should you Invest in a Springless Trampoline?
Any high-end trampoline should be a safe and fun investment. Both spring and springless trampolines will provide countless days of safe fun. But is a springless trampoline worth the money invested?
You can get the same safety features from a high-quality spring trampoline for a fraction of the price. A steel spring trampoline also provides excellent durability and bounciness. We feel that traditional spring trampolines win out due to their cost, durability, and fun factor.
