With the trampoline market ever changing this has been a difficult one and people still ask us from time to time what we think about it. Our conclusion is that we prefer the trampoline springs, they are safer and more robust. They stay bouncy for longer, they are easier to maintain and they are what people are comfortable with. Against the trend we believe that if something works perfectly why change it, enhance it yes. Redesign it? No. The trampoline spring design has been around for a few generations now and there is no sign of that ever changing. A few manufacturers have designed trampolines with the patent elastic technology, but the designs never really took off in the UK.
A testament in itself as to what the public want, they just want something that works, is affordable and looks half decent in their back garden. Needless to say at Etoyszone we only sell the spring version, not saying that we will never move to the spring free design. For now though we are happy with the conventional trampoline that has brought so many smiles to children across the nation.
If anyone else has had experience with the spring free trampolines and would like to post a comment please feel free to do so.
Tags: spring free trampolines, trampoline spring, Trampolines
There are technical and safety reasons why springs are preferable to shock cord (call them cables or bungees if you like) or elasticated webbing as on the old Airzone trampolines. The strands of elastic are either encased in fabric or interwoven with fabric. The elastic will stretch and stretch but the fabric will not. Thus there is a point at which the elastic suspension system stops dead. The shock to your skeletal frame when this point is reached is unpleasant and could cause injury.
On the other hand a steel spring will stretch and stretch, Even if overloaded and therefore irreparably damaged (set)it still goes on stretching.
It is also much easier to see when a spring is damaged and needs replacing.
John
We do read your blogs and we are still very much in business.
Chris
Thank you for your comments Chris, you are by far one of the leading experts in the industry and your input is appreciated. look forward to hearing from you in the future as well.
I completely agree with your comments about elactic bands. From my experiance trampolines without springs are harder to get a good bounce out of and are much more dangerous. For e.g. my son recently trapped his finger inbetween the elastic bands luckily it was not broken but it was very swollen and bruised.
To back you up I have found a video review of a trampoline which uses elastic bands:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=RP7LuaIYF8Y