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A guide to buying the safest trampoline

min read

A guide to buying the safest trampoline

Trampolines can be a great way for kids to have fun, exercise and develop coordination, but unfortunately they're also a common source of injuries.

Many trampolines sold in New Zealand do not comply with the Standard (AS4989:2015 – Trampolines – Safety Aspects) and safety should not be a compromise when it comes to your children… especially when you hear the Product Safety report that more than 3,000 trampoline-related injuries occurring in New Zealand every year.

When a safety is a high priority for you, what do you need to consider when looking for the safest trampoline in New Zealand?

Here are our recommendations based on the New Zealand Standards.

FRAMES

SAFETY CONCERN: With traditional trampolines the frame surrounds the outside of the mat, leaving your children vulnerable to landing on the hard, often, metal structure. You can understand how a collision with the frame can result in serious injury.

LOOK FOR: There are trampoline models available where the frame is completely out of range to little jumpers, with the frame sitting below the jumping area. Meaning a collision could never happen while jumping on the trampoline. You also want a frame that is strong and of good quality to survive our weather conditions and not buckle over time.

EXAMPLE: Springfree trampolines have a SoftEdge® that is enclosed with our FlexiNet® under which you’ll find the solid, steel frame (with three layers of rust-protection for our harsh weather conditions).

SPRINGS

SAFETY CONCERN: We’ve all been there… those traditional coil springs are notorious for pinching little fingers and toes and also for not being a solid place to land your feet with the space between each spring wide enough to fall through, should your jump go awry! While a lot of spring trampolines do come with mats, these can move about as jumpers use the trampoline and they also deteriorate quickly in our harsh weather conditions.

LOOK FOR: Trampolines that do not use a traditional coil spring system. Instead look for a springless system where rods sit below the mat, meaning no harm can come from bouncing. This is the only way to guarantee safety from the spring mechanism.

EXAMPLE: Springfree trampolines use a rod-based system that sits between the frame and net, away from jumpers with no collision possible.

SAFETY NET + ENCLOSURE

SAFETY CONCERN: Firstly, if there is no safety net on the trampoline, the risk is obvious. If your jumpers lose control, they first risk hitting the springs, the frame and (without the net) the ground – which could be grass, concrete, timber… all hard! There are some trampolines that come with nets; however the poles that hold the nets up are also rigid and solid, so while the surface of a pole is smaller than the ground, there is still a huge risk of hitting these poles and causing injury.

LOOK FOR: A net and rod system that extends nice and tall and moves with the jumper so that no matter how out of control their jump goes, the net will catch them and guide them back to the middle of the mat. Also no matter how out of control they jump, the rods will always move in the same direction.

EXAMPLE: Springfree trampolines use a FlexiNet® and Flexible net rods to protect their jumpers from hitting a hard surface of any kind and keeps them in play for longer.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Accessories that are worth considering when purchasing a trampoline to ensure further safety include:

A shade cover – with our hot summer days and enthusiastic jumpers, you want to ensure they are protected from sunburn or heat stroke. The covers will keep them sheltered from the sun as they enjoy their favourite toy.

>> All Springfree trampolines have a sunshade accessory available to purchase with the trampoline.

A step ladder – as trampolines are high off the ground, provide a ladder for the smaller children to get in and out of the trampoline safely and easily. However ensure this is removed when not in use.

>> All Springfree trampolines have a step ladder accessory available to purchase with the trampoline.

So while many trampolines claim to be safe, it is so important to really understand what makes a trampoline safe. We practice what we preach, and built a trampoline that has removed all the impact points that cause 90% of all product-related trampoline injuries.

So what about the other 10%? These come down to the safe jumping rules:

  1. Flips are a no-no
  2. Lock the net
  3. One at a time
  4. Safe clearance
  5. Supervise

An independent consumer group regularly reviews trampolines on the market and you can see the results of their most recent review from 2019 here. The Springfree Medium Round has consistently been the only trampoline to pass the safety tests showing no major failures and getting a performance score of 100%. 

Trampolines are still such a great toy for children to enjoy the many benefits of being active. And they can enjoy these benefits while remaining safe.

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