The Cost of Trampoline Safety

(H1 tag) What is the cost of trampoline safety?

The trampoline market offers a wide assortment of products where features and prices vary significantly.  Begging the question, what is the cost of trampoline safety?  As tempting as it may be to buy a backyard trampoline at the low end of the price scale, price alone does not determine your “best deal.”   The value of a safe trampoline cannot be measured in dollars.

Trampoline Quality and the long term Cost of a Safe Trampoline are closely related

As with all consumer products, it is self evident that lower priced items almost always equate to lower quality.  Trampolines are not immune to this rule.  But, the question of price versus quality is even more important where our children’s safety is concerned.  And, as with other consumer products, not all trampolines are created equal.  It’s important to think of your family when you consider the cost of trampoline safety and your outdoor trampoline purchase.  Peace of mind comes from knowing your children are safe so make sure you buy a trampoline that delivers safety with every bounce.

Quality materials, such as well-padded spring covers and a shock-absorbing mat, help provide a safe trampoline environment for children to play in.  Buying a trampoline with low quality materials will result in higher maintenance costs in the form of repairs or multiple replacements.  Spending a little more up front will save you a lot of money later.

Safety nets aren’t sold with all outdoor trampolines, and yet they’ve been credited with reducing trampoline-related injuries by over 40% since being introduced to the marketplace.  With a well-made and properly installed safety net, children are protected from fall-off accidents and incidents involving the frame.  A trampoline without a safety enclosure will obviously cost less than an equivalent trampoline with an enclosure.  But the well documented benefits of including an enclosure are so great that the additional cost is a very small price to pay for the peace of mind you gain when yours and other children are jumping in your backyard.  No one would agree to purchase an automobile without air bags and seat belts to save a little money.  And while the law requires such safety features for cars, it has yet to do so for trampolines. All current safety guidelines call for having and enclosure with every trampoline.  With a 40% reduction in injuries, it is no wonder why.  For total peace of mind be sure to include a safety net for your trampoline.

Finally, the higher the quality, the longer the trampoline and enclosure system will last.  In some cases one will have to purchase two or three replacements with cheap trampolines to just one high quality trampoline.  Unfortunately, when the parts of the cheap units start to degrade, they become much less safe, as original equipment starts to fail but is not replaced. Human nature is to delay replacement, but this makes for a very bad habit when safety is involved.  The real cost of trampoline safety revelas itself overtime. Because they last longer and stronger, the more expensive trampolines become the lowest cost trampolines in as little as 3 years.

Longevity is not the only gain; the performance and quality of jump is also superior with the better made (and therefore more expensive) trampolines.

(H3 tag) Compare trampolines and get a safe trampoline

Before you buy a trampoline, consider the engineering that went into making it.  A safe trampoline needs to be a rugged piece of backyard equipment, one that takes repeated poundings from children and adults of all sizes. It should be made from high-quality steel and long-lasting materials.  The cheaper trampolines often have frames with thinner and weaker metal alloys; which saves the manufacturer money, which in turn allows them to lower the price you pay.  A good idea to test this theory is to take a look at the warranty.  It’s a good bet that short warranties equal lower quality materials. In contrast, a longer warranty means that the manufacturer is confident that their product will outlast that warranty.  This can be especially true with enclosures, which always have a separate warranty than the frame.  Compare warranties!

Pads are important and are always subject to sun wear and damage.  The better pads will have thicker and denser material, as well as thicker and more sun resistant coverings.  The cheaper pads will be more squishy and fluffy feeling; they are much less dense than the good pads.  The better pads can support a person’s weight, whereas the cheaper pads cannot be stood on without the feeling that it can be pushed through the springs.

Also, some trampolines have engineered surface and spring designs that help decrease the kick-back effect when a jumper hits the mat in an awkward way.  Some enclosures are made with safety nets that have softer netting so jumpers aren’t scratched by rough cords when they contact the enclosure. These improvements cost more but provide a safer and more pleasant experience for the jumpers that pay dividends year after year of use.

(H4 tag)Be an educated consumer.

Since you want to buy a safe trampoline, be sure to ask questions like:

• How long are the springs?  And not just the springs, but the coils of the springs.  Coil length can make a substantial difference between a jarring and a smooth bounce.  How thick is the padding covering the springs?
• How soft is the net?  Can I see through it to see if my kids are playing safe?
• How thick is the steal?  Is it galvanized?
• What kinds of warranty does the company offer?
• Who picks up their phone number when I call?
• What kinds of reviews does this company have?
• What is their social media presence?

The company you buy from should have your family’s safety in mind as a priority.  Research business practices of two or three companies to see which one aligns most with your values.  Remember, a quality trampoline frame will last up to ten years; a cheaper trampoline frame much less.  If there’s a repair or warranty issue to be dealt with, you’ll want to work with a company that has been around for awhile, is responsive, reliable, and ready to handle any problem professionally.

Buying a safe trampoline is an investment…in your family.  Raise the value of your investment by giving yourself the peace of mind that comes with buying a quality trampoline and netting that will offer you and your family years of fun, healthy activity in the safety of your own backyard.  What price will you put on the cost of trampoline safety?  The answer is much less than you might think when you learn to ask the right questions and consider the numbers.