cheap-trampolines

Cheap trampolines have been around for longer than most people think and Walmart was not the originator. Most are made in Canada and the USA. The trampolines that are in most department stores are so different than the orginal models. They don't make'em like they used to" definitely applies. Frames were thick, heavy, and solid. Springs were large and made of quality wire. Pads (when they were eventually introduced) were thick, wide, and had a strong and weather resistent vinyal cover. Trampolines, in the old days, were considerably more expensive. Department stores then started to carry the "economy" models, but the only way to cut the purchase price of trampolines was to cut the cost. Trampolines are somewhat labor intensive, and require a lot of expensive materials (nearly every component is linked to the oil or steel industry). So if a trampoline is cheap, since the materials are comodities on the market, it makes me question them.

Most cheap trampolines are manufadtured over seas. They are lighter and this is what I mean when I talk a bout cutting material costs, also cutting the quality of the materials (low carbon steel, non Permatron mats, holes drilled in).

Also thinner layers of "low" foam density, cheap low grade vinyl coverings, and a few rows of stitching with lower quality threads, and most of all, thin low gauge steal.

There is nothing wrong with these cheap trampolines as long as you know what you are getting for what you pay for. It will though be more expensive in the longrun. What pisses me off the most is cheap trampolines or those with slightly better materials that have inflated prices and sold as medium grade models when they are in thecheap category.

A cheap trampline will usually need to have parts replaced every 1 to 3 years or even the entire trampoline. If buying just for a beginner one that is fine as long as you only want it temporarily. (Who has ever tried buying replacement parts from a big box chain store?)... yea right... good luck sending it back to China to get it fixed. The pads in the cheap models usually are gone within a year and the safety is compromised if you fall on the worn out padding. They are hard to set up. A quality trampoline shouldn't need to have a instruction manual to put together. It should be self explainatory.

The bounce is bunk. It is much better to buy a better one if you plan on keeping it a decade and have the bounciest trampoline for years and years. The better the quality of the trampoline bought up front, the more years of trouble free bouncing and probably no "running" of the mat which is a huge complain on chgeap trampolines.

Oh, and lastly, no burn holes as easily, no leaching of the mat onto the feets, less noise, and most importantly, on the better trampolines, you don't have to worry about them inflating the higher weight capacity. If it says x amount of weight can jump on it for example, then it shouldn't matter if you have up to that weight. When multi users jump on these cheap trampolines and the springs stretch out and frame warps, this is normal wear and tear and I have never heard of a cheap trampoline being replaced or getting a refund.

Please take one of my quizes below and I will help you pick out a trampoline. If a cheap one is what you want, I will try to find the best quality cheapest one in this category. Some cheap ones have better springs but worse frames. Some even have Permatron but have a short warranty that would normally cost more.

Last thing, if you don't want the warranty card, this can significantly decrease the price. A trampoline that costs 2000 that comes with a great warranty can cost way less if the manufacture doesn't have to worry about returns from those that abused their trampoline and tries to get a replacement. Ask about this if this interests you. About 50% of the people in my business prefer this. It's nice when you can get a professional trampoline for around the cost of a middle of the road trampoline. It's all about the warranty card.