One of the top selling features of a trampoline is the number of springs that the trampoline comes with, but the question is; do the number of springs make any difference? I put this question to the Etoys Zone in-house sales team, and the answer they gave was quite interesting. The team weren’t able to answer the question fully, they said that it depended on what the customer was looking for in the trampoline. The amount of springs on a trampoline does change the type of bounce that the trampoline produces, especially on round trampolines. However on rectangular and oval trampolines it depends on the structure and size of that specific trampoline as to how many springs should be on that trampoline.

Round Trampolines – When it comes to round trampolines, there is no question as to whether more springs make a difference, the clear answer is yes they do. The round shape creates an equalised bounce platform that means anywhere on the trampoline bed you get a clear bounce difference when more springs are added. We have tried and tested this system in-house with our own trampolines, where we have created defined trampoline ranges within the market. We started off with the more budget end range, which are our Fun Trampolines. These were built to compete with the more affordable trampolines sold by the likes of Argos and Homebase etc. They are designed with the bare minimum of springs too accommodate 16 stone adequately, meaning that for the average household, this is a perfect trampoline. If you are looking for something that can take a few more children and to let the kids try out the new tricks they learnt at school, then you start looking up the range, this is where it gets interesting.

We moved on to design the Skyhigh Trampoline Range a few years ago now, it has proved to be a huge success. This is where the principle of more springs came into affect. The Skyhigh trampoline range are produced with above the average number of springs, but not the highest number of springs. This means that they have a smooth controlled bounce, not to taut, but not soft by any means. You can do a full range of gymnastics activities on the 14ft Skyhigh trampoline as you need the space, but overall they can accommodate most needs. Why not go for the trampoline with the most springs though? Well, this is why it’s interesting, as a retailer of these trampolines not everyone wants a super duper high performance bounce machine, on the other hand they don’t want the village bin. The smooth mid range bounce offered by the skyhigh trampoline range is very popular, accommodating both children and adults it gives the family a cross platform bounce experience while being totally safe.

Now we move onto the Xtreme 360 Trampolines, designed about 2 years ago, we went all out on these trampolines and what we got was remarkable. The bounce on these trampolines is just mind boggling, we say that because round trampolines shouldn’t have the same performance as rectangular trampolines on a whole. However these trampolines are testament to the fact that you can produce a round trampoline that is in most cases much higher performance than a range of rectangular trampolines on the market. What’s the bounce like though? This is also an interesting factor as the bounce is slightly different to what was anticipated. The result from all those trampoline springs is something of a likeness to an exquisite exotic sports car. It delivers exactly what you ask it to, the amount of effort you put in you receive to perfection. This is rare in trampolines as they are rather primitive in their design, but it does seem that we have found the key to a magnificent trampoline. I can’t give all the credit to the springs though as a lot of it comes down to the sprung frame along with t bar fitting fixtures etc. But the overall result was very positive.

Rectangular Trampolines – Rectangular trampolines are totally different in every way in relation to round trampolines. They are designed and built solely for one purpose and that is for single user performance bouncing. The shape restricts these trampolines bounce area to the middle zone of the trampoline bed which means that they are generally 1 user trampolines. The bounce however is superb as you go up the trampoline range. The interesting thing here though is you don’t need the same number or more trampoline springs to achieve the same performance as a top end round trampoline. The rectangular shape changes the way you bounce and makes a much more definitive bounce area which in turn means you can have less equipment creating the same and better bounce than most round trampolines. The general guide here is not the springs and they are not a benchmark when it comes to rectangular trampolines. There are a large number of other factors that come into play when choosing the right rectangular trampoline for you.

Oval Trampolines - Oval trampolines are very young on the market and have seemed to have created quite a stir. In the short time that they have been available they have proved to be quite good trampolines overall. They are somewhere in the middle between a round trampoline and a rectangular trampoline. The number of springs used on the ovals is less as the shape principal of the rectangular trampoline still applies while at the same time the sheer brute force of the round trampoline over spec principal is used creating quite a well balanced trampoline unit. There are really only 2 brands of oval trampolines on the market so far and they have established themselves quite well in such a short time period, those are the Skyhigh Oval Trampolines and the Jumpking Ovalpod Trampolines. The bounce on the oval trampolines is a firm bounce that is stable across the whole surface of the trampoline bed. The major benefit in regards to bounce on these trampolines is the fact that 1 child can be bouncing in corner and another in the other corner and they wouldn’t know each other was there.

Overall there is no basic answer to this question and we hope that this guide has clarified some grey areas for you.

Progressive Power Tumbling – What exactly is it? Well here’s the best way to explain it, below is a video of Progressive Power Tumbling.

It seems to have taken America by storm, i wonder if it will have the same success in UK though. It seems that our American neighbours have embraced the whole professional trampolining world a lot more than we have ion Britain. That is understandable though as the weather is very different in the on this continent and it does have a big affect on a variety of sports. I also believe that the population of the UK prefer the more traditional sports that have been cultured over the years. However this is a new exciting sport that hopefully trampoline clubs across the UK will invest in and get the youngsters off the streets. Let me know what you think of this new sport and if it’s going to be any success in the UK.

Happy Trampolining.

My colleague suggested we talk about this topic recently and so here we are with a guide on how to put your trampoline in the ground.

Here are the steps to dig your trampoline into the ground:

1. Place the trampoline over it’s desired location and mark the dimensions and positioning of the trampoline legs. This will help the operator of the digging machinery to dig the trenches correctly to fit the trampoline legs.
2. Remove the trampoline, then dig up the turf that is within the markings you have made. Dig the trenches to the required depth.
3. When digging the main pit, remember to angle the walls 45 – 60 degrees but give adequate clearance between the trampoline bed and the slope of the wall to ensure users can bounce safely on the edge.
4. Carefully place the trampoline in the newly dug out pit, making sure the trampoline bed is flush with the ground. Remove any excess debris beforehand. The earth left over can be used to further conceal the trampoline and to secure it in it’s place.

ADVANTAGES

• Bulky trampoline frames is out of the way and out of sight
• Easy to mount and dismount the trampoline, perfect for elderly or disabled members of the family
• new users will be safer closer to the ground with less distance to fall from the trampoline.

DISADVANTAGES

• Cost has to be taken into consideration, especially round trampolines, for material moved, surplus material disposal and any drainage requirements
• The trampoline is accessible to younger members of the family and pets which may cause damage to your trampoline
• With trampolines at ground level there is a greater risk of injury if pets have access or objects have been left on the bed when children are playing
• Loss of performance from the trampoline can occur with enclosed trampolines as air gets compressed underneath the bed when its being used which acts as a damper, although trampoline could be raised higher or air holes could be created to combat this problem

Generally the best trampolines to put in the ground are rectangular trampolines, besides the fact the shape is a lot easier to dig. Generally the rectangular trampolines are more hardy over a long period of time and preferable due to their performance. We recommend the Skyhigh Rectangular Trampolines , they have been tried and tested and prove to be the more hardy trampolines in the range.

If you would like a more visual representation of this post, here is a link to a great visual guide: Ground Trampolines

If anyone has any questions on how to dig your trampoline into the ground, surface or performance issues. Please feel free to contact our team or leave comment on the blog.

Happy Trampolining..

Yes there it is the dreaded word, fitness. We all hear about it, especially this time of year. Just the other evening i was driving home listening to the news lady going on about how obese the UK Population  is and how the government has instituted a new program of fitness. It is true though, mankind is being plagued by this new silent disease that creeps in slowly. Including myself it seems as my wife has decided to start us on a trampoline fitness regime.

i have to be honest i wasn’t hugely excited by the idea, being the IT guy who sits and plays with the computers all day. It seems though that my worries were unfounded. It actually has turned out to be great fun and i would recommend it to anyone out there. We have a trampette trampoline each along with a fitness training DVD that goes through the exercise routines. I would recommend taking it slow the first few times, don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s easy. It’s actually quite a regimental routine that works your entire body. Overall it’s great fun though that gives a good work out and it’s something that everyone can do.

Now here’s the fun part, try taking that training to the next level. How about if everyone out there who is pretty comfortable on their trampettes takes it outside this summer. Get yourself a decent trampoline for the family, set it up in a nice sunny and accessible spot and get bouncing. We’ve had great fun on our rectangular trampoline this summer, my wife really took it to the next level with her training and proved to be a great success. Not only was she getting fit and loosing weight, she was outside enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. There’s nothing like it, my advice to all you trampoline fans out there is get your training outdoors this summer.

As always any questions or comments please feel free to ask.

Happy Trampolining..