Specialists in Trampolines, Trampoline Accessories and Trampoline Spares

What to look for when Buying Garden Trampolines

As with most successful products it doesn't take long before they are copied and today you can buy a trampoline from many different sources - BUT - beware of cheap imitations. Did you know there is no official British or European standard for garden trampolines. As the pressure grows to make products cheaper, so does the temptation to cut corners and compromise on quality. The result is that there are numerous low-quality, cheap trampolines available today which in our opinion have no place in the children's play equipment market. So ask lots of questions of your retailer to reassure yourself that they know what they're talking about - if they don't, you could be buying a whole lot of costly trouble. The question that is often asked is "Who makes the best trampolines". Of course, we would say that Super Tramp make the best trampolines but the question you should really ask is "what is the best trampoline for me".

Round or rectangular?

Contrary to popular belief not all trampolines are round. Proper Sports Trampolines have always been rectangular.

Rectangular Trampolines are best suited for people wanting performance - a competition level trampolinist will bounce 10-12 meters high on a large rectangular trampoline. If you are serious about the sport of trampolining or want to practice aerial tumbling and twisting moves for other sports such as gymnastics, high diving, freestyle skiing, freestyle boarding or wake boarding then you should consider a rectangular trampoline. Rectangular trampolines fit into the garden easier.

Round Trampolines provide an ideal fun activity for the whole family. 12ft circular trampolines provide the best bounce but don't expect the super peformance that you would get from a rectangular trampoline. Arguably round trampolines are safer because they have a lower performance and if caught off-balance they tend to direct you back to the centre of the trampoline bed. For extra safety consider attaching a safety enclosure which will stop anyone from falling off the trampoline.

Word of mouth

If you have not already done so, talk to people you know who already have a garden trampoline and have used it for a few years. If they are happy with it then find out who they bought it from? They have experienced the ordering and delivery process of the supplier. They have assembled the trampoline. They will be able to tell you how well it works. What might have broken and how well their supplier has looked after them if they have had any problems or needed replacement parts (and if they did need parts, were they readily available?)

What size trampoline should you buy?

I can tell you that the most common regret we hear from customers is: ''How I wish I had bought a bigger trampoline". So if you have the space and budget then buy the biggest. Do avoid non-standard trampoline sizes as you will find it very difficult to buy spare parts. Standard round trampoline sizes are always even numbers - 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 feet in diameter.