What to Look for When Buying a Trampoline (7 Things) 

With so many different trampolines available, ranging from inexpensive to premium quality, picking the right one is not easy task. 

There’s a lot to look for when buying a trampoline, such as safety, pricing, size, who’s going to be using the trampoline, etc.  

This is why you need to have a plan before deciding which trampoline model you want to serve your family for the long haul.  

Because buying the wrong trampoline that doesn’t fit your yard can result in frustration, wasted money, or worse, injury to your child.  

At Springfree Trampoline, we strive to use our 20 years of expertise as a pioneer in the trampoline industry to be the honest voice of reason for consumers that are curious about purchasing a trampoline. 

Using our background, we will go over seven of the most important things you need to consider before buying a trampoline. 

While we will use our Springfree Trampoline models as examples throughout the story, the points discussed in the text will apply to any kind of home trampoline model, no matter which brand it is.  

7 Things to Look for When Buying a Trampoline  

Let’s now go over the seven most crucial factors to consider before purchasing a trampoline: 

1. What Size Trampoline Do You Need? 

The first question you need to ask yourself before anything else when buying a trampoline is: “Will this trampoline actually fit in my yard?” 

Trampolines range in size from as small as six feet round and as large as 13 x 19 feet in diameter. 

To figure out if you can fit the trampoline into your yard, choose the trampoline model you like and measure your yard to find out how much space you have.  

Let’s say you were interested in purchasing the Springfree Medium Oval Trampoline. Here are some of the key specifications you want to be aware of:  

Jumping Mat Dimension- 8 ft, 11 ft  

Trampoline Width (From one net rod to the other)- 10 ft, 5 in, 13 ft, 4 in 

Trampoline Height- 9 ft 

Trampoline Footprint- 7ft, 2in x 11ft, 10 in 

Jumping Surface Area- 77 sq. Ft 

IMPORTANT: While this may not be popular, our recommendation is to make room, for additional safe clearance space, usually around 3-5 ft, When measuring, make sure to account for the additional space. See the graphic below for a visual representation of clearance space: 

 

Next, look for a section of your backyard that is clear of branches, debris, fences and slopes. Here are our recommendations to find the best space: 

• Flat and even (if the space you have isn’t level, we recommend the rise/gradient be no more than three degrees across the whole space.  We don’t advise installing where the slope is greater than that). 

• Safe lateral clearance space of 1.5m on all sides of the trampoline.  

• Clean and free of obstacles or debris.

You can typically find the dimensions of the trampoline online; if not, contact the company whose trampoline you’re interested in and ask for dimensions.  

 

2. Who Will Be Jumping on the Trampoline? 

The trampoline model you choose also depends on who will be using the trampoline. Is it just the kids? Will mom and dad also be jumping? 

There’s a key number to look for that will qualify and disqualify trampoline models for your family: The trampoline’s single jumper weight capacity. 

The single jumper weight capacity is based on how heavy you are and how high you jump. It is about ensuring jumpers don’t ‘bottom out’ (touch the ground while jumping). Each trampoline will have this marked and depending on who will be using it, you may need a larger trampoline. 

For example, the Springfree Mini-Round Trampoline has a single jumper weight capacity of 175 pounds. But say you’re a parent that weighs over 175 pounds and you want to use the trampoline for workouts (an underrated aspect of trampolines!).  

This would mean you would need to look into a trampoline model that has a higher single jumper weight capacity, like the Springfree Large Square Trampoline, whose single jumper weight capacity is 220 pounds.  

Note: If you weigh more than the single jumper weight capacity it doesn’t mean the trampoline will break and you can’t use it. However, you do run the risk of bottoming out if you reach maximum height on the trampoline and weigh over the single jumper weight capacity.  

No matter what trampoline model you’re looking at, figuring out who is going to be using the trampoline and how much they weigh will help you narrow down your trampoline options. 

Springfree’s Advice: If you’re buying a trampoline for your child and you want them to grow with it, consider purchasing a larger trampoline model. It will ensure that the trampoline will last for your child's full childhood and provide you with a greater return on investment.  

3. What Type of Trampoline Do You Want? 

There are two types of trampolines on the market –- traditional spring-based trampolines and new springless trampolines. 

Springless designs completely remove springs from the equation – this is the basis for our product line (hence, the “Springfree” name).  Instead of springs, springless trampolines use flexible composite rods that are underneath the jumping surface to prevent injuries caused by the product itself. 

Both traditional and springless trampolines provide solid bouncing surfaces, and most of the time, traditional trampolines will cost less than springless trampolines (more on pricing later). 

Springless trampolines, however, have proven the be the safest trampoline design on the market and this is backed by independent research studies. 

When choosing the type of trampoline you want, ask yourself these questions to help guide you to your solution: 

1. Would I rather have the less expensive trampoline with fewer, short-lived safety features? (Go with spring-based if you answered “Yes”)  

2. Would I rather have the more expensive trampoline with higher-quality safety features? (Go with springless if you answered “Yes”)