Pound for pound, there are probably no more fun projects than the trampoline. Jumping is such a natural “high” that thousands of people every weekend fork up to $200 to rent a bouncy house for a day at birthdays and holiday celebrations.
Sooner or later kids who go to gymnastic practice or who’s parents bought one for their kids, want a full-fledged trampoline of their own.
And why not you think? They aren’t that expensive, and God knows, anything that will keep your kids engaged in physical activity is a good thing, right? But which trampoline to buy? I apparently missed that lesson in parenting.
Never fear, we’ve got you covered with a review of 7 great trampolines that will keep the entire family engaged for years to come.
#1. The JumpSport AlleyOOP 10 x 17-foot trampoline
First, JumpStart is not a huge, international company. Based in San Jose California, the company has only around 15 employees.
Its founder, Marc Publicove was the inventor of safety enclosures for trampolines, and over 15 patents are involved in the safety enclosure itself.
There are several great reasons to choose the JumpSmart AlleyOOP/ The first, besides the safety enclosure which is second to none, is the Unforgettable Doorway System.
The doorway always remains closed because there is no zipper. Instead, kids or adults stretch two layers of net with their hands and feet to crawl in. The doorway automatically closes behind them.
The second advanced feature is the springs. They are made of high tensile piano wire. Once formed in a factory, the wires are then coated with a strong coating of paint to keep them weather protectant. The springs themselves have a 5-yar warranty.
Then to add professional features, there is an additional there are additional springs called PowerBoune Springs. Particularly important for athletes such as gymnasts or divers, the PowerBounce Springs let you adjust and fine-tone the bounce for the individual user.
PowerBounce alone is a great reason to buy as many other trampolines can’t be individually adjusted.
Another great feature is the safety zones. As every safety-conscious parent knows, kids (and adults) should only jump one at a time. However, if the kids are sharing there is no downtime getting in and out of the trampoline. The AlleyOOP is built with Safety Zones, areas where kids can await their turn without affecting the jumper.
#2. Skywalker 15-Feet Round Trampoline
The Skywalker is among the most popular trampolines on Amazon, with over 1300 reviews and rated within the top 15 of Amazon’s full-sized trampolines.
A 15-foot trampoline with an enclosure and 9 padded restraint poles, the Skywalker is among the bargains in the trampoline market, yet it does not suffer too much in quality for its price.
The Skywalker features a no-pinch system of netting and hidden springs to protect children’s fingers, and the jumping pad and the surrounding protective pocket is protected by ultraviolet protected material, as the main enemy of outdoor trampolines is the sun.
The skywalker has 9 enclosure poles, which are held in place by reinforced T-sockets. The t-sockets ensure the netting stays in place.
The bouncing surface is held together by a total of 96 interspersed attached to the jumping surface via steel clips. Each spring has its own v-clip on one side, and then the spring has a u=-shaped hook on the other end that attaches to the galvanized steel base.
The result is a strong, easy to assemble trampoline with which has decent bounce and will satisfy teens and younger kids alike.
Be sure to buy a ladder to enter the tramp easily, and also be sure and tie down the tramp with the included tiedown stakes. An extra set of tiedown stakes is recommended if you live in windy areas.
#3. Springfree 13 Foot trampoline
What can you say about the Springree trampoline o!ther than wow! While trampolines are fantastic products, particularly for kids, there’s no denying that they aren’t 100 percent safe. Statistics show nearly 100,000 people per year wind up in the emergency room.
If you don’t want to be the type of mom or dad that says, “absolutely not on my dead body,” when the kids ask for a trampoline, consider the ultra-safe Springfree.
First, as befitting the name, there are no springs. Instead, a series of bendable fiberglass rods act like the springs. The bounce action takes place inside these fiberglass rods, so even if a child sticks their hand on the rod, he will feel and experience nothing.
And as far as the steel frame of the Springtree is concerned, it is the reverse of a traditional trampoline with the steel frame on top and covered by a small protective pad.
With the Springfree, the steel frame is a significant distance below the jumping pad, so there is no hard surface for a child or teen to hit their head upon, nor have their feet fall beneath the jump pad and have their feet hit the springs.
Similarly, flexible rods like you might find on a tent, hold the netting in place, and the rods are outside of the enclosure. If you fall against the netting, the rods bend, with the netting, and thus you are cushioned from hitting either falling nor hitting any hard metal poles.
The Springfree is billed as the safest trampoline in the world, and one look and you will agree.
#4 Happy Trampoline – Galactic Xtreme Gymnastics trampoline
If you are looking for durability and don’t mind paying a little more for it, the Galactic Extreme Gymnastics trampoline is the one you want.
To begin with, it’s larger than average, 10 feet by 23 feet. Which does mean you need more space than normal.
Secondly, it supports an amazing amount of weight, 550 lbs, so that practically the entire neighborhood gang can get on at once.
Third, the legs of the Happy Trampoline are made of commercial galvanized steel that is three times as thick as most outdoor trampolines. This means that when people jump on it, the Happy Trampoline does not have that familiar buckling feeling that other trampolines have.
12 steel poles keep the enclosure net tight so that if you bounce off the mat, the mat will bounce you back without injury. And the entire thing is held together by an amazing 144 Springs.
#5. Zupapa 15 FT Trampoline – great value in the lower price tier
Available in 12, 14 and 15-feet models, Zupapa makes a great lower price tier trampoline. The 15-foot model has 106 spring which is more than most, and all of the steel frames are coated with hot-dipped galvanized steel which resists rusting.
While Zupapa will handle up to 375 lbs of jumper and kids waiting, these are probably not the ideal for gymnasts or active teens that like to do flips. The enclosure net appears to be looser than you might expect and may not hold a 200 lb teen.
Still, these are great trampolines for the price, particularly when it includes a protective cover as well.
Since the whole trampoline only weighs around 165 lbs, be sure and protect your Zupapa trampoline from heavy wind by tying the stakes tightly to the ground. Also, while these trampolines do well in the summer, if you live where there is snow in the winter, the best thing to do is disassemble the net, outside net poles and the jumping pad and store it into the garage.
#6. SkyBound Stratos 15 Foot – best in a medium class tier
The Skybounnd Stratus 15 footer is a great choice for families as the Stratos will handle both kids, teens, and adults with ease. With a weight rating of 350 lbs, people feel safe in the Stratus.
The fifteen-foot model comes with 110 8.5 inch springs coated in weather-resistant zinc and the 8.5-inch springs assure a smooth and pleasant jumping experience.
Skybound gives the Stratus an A rating for the jumping experience, and you can tell by watching some of the company’s videos that this is truly a smooth and professional trampoline.
The jumping area can take a weight of up to 350 lbs, which is well above industry standards. The frame is also very strong and coated with a special corrosion-resistant coating. The frame is backed by a 10-year warranty.
The netting is coated with ultraviolet protection and is held in place by 12 poles, which keep the netting taut.
The netting area is recessed away from the edge of the trampoline and the frame so the chance of slipping through and coming in contact with the frame and springs are nill.
#7. Acon Trampoline Air 16 Sport HD – great value in the high-priced tier.
The Acon 16 is a 10 foot by 17-foot trampoline that offers great value in the higher-priced tier of trampolines.
Rectangular in design, the first thing to understand about Acon is they are all about the springs. Acon points out that many trampolines have multiple springs but unless
those springs are harmonized together to create maximum tension as someone is jumping, their trampoline experience will fall flat.
And as far as spring integrity, while 7.5-inch springs are common and 8.5-inch springs are exceptional, the Acon 16 not only has a lot more springs – 140 to be exact, but uses 10-inch springs.
Another feature, which is a hint of Acon’s quality is in overall weight. While some of the tramps we’ve featured here weigh from 165 lbs and up, and Acon 16 weighs three times that amount.
Naturally, the Acon HD comes with all of the design elements of other trampolines such as rust and corrosion protection and ultraviolet protection for the netting and jumping pad, but Acon was designed by the athlete’s in Europe and for many years has been recognized as a premier brand of a trampoline.
Just looking at an Acon HD, with its sleek, all-black design, tells you that this is not a kid’s trampoline although naturally, families can use them.
There are even little touches with the Acon like the inclusion of a four-step ladder which is not extra but comes gratis.
However, it is the quality that makes the Acon shine. While other trampolines brag when their trampoline can accommodate 250 or 300 lbs, the Acon can accommodate an astounding 800 lbs. And the 10-year warranty on most parts gives you peace of mind.
Another thing Acon promises is that if you need a replacement part 5 years from now for your model, Acon will carry it in stock.
Final thoughts
You may question whether your kids will treat a trampoline as just another toy that they play with for a few days and then forget about it.
Rest assured, this won’t be the case.
First of all, jumping on a trampoline is infectious fun. Kids, teens, and adults love it.
Our personal recommendation is to buy the best quality trampoline you can find, set it up, and let the good times roll.
Secondly, a trampoline gets kids out into the fresh air and away from the television and the computer. Jumping on a tramp is a great exercise, and you won’t have to force them to do it.