What's the difference between $200 and $500 trampolines?

April 16, 2007 1:22 PM

Besides $300, what are the differences between a $200 trampoline and a $500 one? Also, springs vs elastic?

Lots of local superstores and sporting-goods stores have similar $200 trampolines(like this one). A few playground-supply stores charge $500 or so for the same size trampolines. Besides different manufacturers and warranties, what makes a similar trampoline worth that much more?

Bonus points-springs vs elastic straps?

posted by neilkod to Shopping (8 answers total)

Springs, the straps are safety killjoys.
posted by togdon at 1:43 PM on April 16, 2007

Springs are more fun.
posted by JackarypQQ at 6:44 PM on April 16, 2007

Springs. I get the idea from owning a springs one and seeing many ragged out elastic ones that the springs last a lot better. Everyone has a trampoline horror story, but I managed to not fall off, kill, or maim myself in the whole time we had it (which was a long time).

They're fun to sleep out on, too - just make sure the kids have a good sleeping bag (or, geeze, maybe we're beyond the days when kids can sleep out in their own yards . . . I have no idea now that I think of it).
posted by Medieval Maven at 7:12 PM on April 16, 2007

In highschool I had a friend that did Trampolining her mother is a trainer. Pretty seriously too like international competitions ect. She had the most tremendous trampoline I've ever laid eyes on. 3-4 people springing really high it was huge no double bouncing. Did not need siblings to weigh it down if two people wanted to double bounce each other at the same time cause lets face it only one at a time would work if you wanted to jump real high... yes my brother was so irritating that it's still irritating. Oh and hers had springs. So deffinitely springs and deffinitely don't let my brother know because he will ruin everything!
posted by mu~ha~ha~ha~har at 7:47 PM on April 16, 2007

Doh and the point of that was maybe they're like different grades of trampoline like a training kind and a kids muckin' around kind.
posted by mu~ha~ha~ha~har at 7:49 PM on April 16, 2007

Well, there's a chance of course that a more expensive trampoline with a longer warranty will be more durable. Have you examined them to see whether there's a visible difference in sturdiness? I'm thinking of things like sufficiently thick metal struts and strong welding. You really don't want a trampoline to break while you're using it.

The trampoline I grew up with was great... it had springs but no cover, so every now and then when a spring broke (I used it a lot, and we had to buy boxes of replacement springs - they wear out where they hook onto the metal frame) it would turn into a lethal projectile aimed directly upwards, then downwards. The other good thing about having exposed metal was the little bolts of electricity you got by touching the frame.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 2:21 AM on April 17, 2007

That's rather eponysterical, ATBH.
posted by wzcx at 2:31 PM on April 17, 2007

Well, maybe after all I subconsciously named myself after a trampoline! That may explain something, but I don't know what.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 4:44 AM on April 18, 2007