How to tell if you are buying a 'quality' garden trampoline

In the world of trampolines if it's cheap then it is usually due to corners being cut, rustproofing is not as good, fewer springs and the quality of the safety padding is not as high. As a bare minimum you should look for a quality standards kitemark , and be realistic about who will be using it. Kids don't listen to safety instructions when faced with an exciting new toy!

So what price you should be paying for a decent / safe trampoline?

8ft - £350
10ft - £500
12ft - £600
14ft - £700

With this you would get a frame that would take teenage / adult weights (Frames under £200 tend to be weaker at the at the leg welds and can colapse, often suddenly)

With this you will get longer springs and more springs which are the indications of a quality trampoline. If your budget trampoline has short springs or have half as many as a quality trampoline then each one has to take more strain, and doesn't have as far to go before it stretches out of shape permanently.

Safety Pads
There are Safety pads around every trampoline sold in the UK These safety pads need to be able to protect your childs head against the frame of the trampoline if they fall badly, sometimes from 3-4 feet in the air.

You should be happy to lay the pads on a hard floor and punch it with your fist with reasonable force. If your hand is broken then you are not getting a safe toy.

Safety Nets
These rarely last long. Rather than treating them like an airbag - to be used once in the case of something going wrong - kids usually think of it as a new toy to throw themselves against and they often break within the first week. It's a false economy to get a trampoline with net, you are better put the extra money from the net to increasing the size of the trampoline and better safety pads. Alternatively look at digging out under the trampoline and installing it at ground level so a fall won't be from as high.

Using the Trampoline
Only one at a time on a trampoline . Forgetting the fact that the cheap trampolines will not support the weight at the leg welds, The users will be pulled to the centre of the trampoline pad and bang heads together, plus if the second user lands while the first is still on the mat the elastic limit of the trampoline will already have been reached and the user could break their legs / ankles as there is no more give in the springs.

Also note that if your child is good at trampolining they will bounce with their legs together, not spread apart, this doubles the pressure on the trampoline instantly. A lightweight gymnasts could break most garden trampolines within minutes. Also round trampolines are almost useless for serious gymnastics. You will need a large rectangular trampoline, to give the same bounce required for gymnastic movements.

Remember there is a limit to quality over price, and with something that could be as dangerous as a trampoline that line should not be crossed. It has been now for the last 3-4 years and as such we have seen many recalls from major household names including TP Toys, B&Q, Plum Products, Hedstrom and others.

If in doubt ask how many and the length of the springs to give you an indication of the strength of the trampoline.

8ft should have 64 x 7 inch (18cm) springs
10ft should have 72 x 7 inch (18cm) springs
12ft should have 80 x 8.5 inch (22cm) springs
14ft should have 96 x 8.5 inch (22cm) springs

Any less that this then you will know corners have been cut.