Have a question? Below are some of the most frequently asked questions. For other questions, please visit our support page or visit our contact page to get in touch with us directly.
Springfree™ Trampoline is rod-based, using strong flexible fibreglass rods instead if springs. Imagine a circle of fishing rods standing upright with their handles stuck firmly in the ground. If you bent them all in towards the center and connected the tops of them with a tight material, you would basically have a workable trampoline. If you landed on the edge you would spike yourself on the end of a rod—not a good thing. So instead of the rods standing upright, they have all been leaned over. They still have the ends bent towards the center, so they still keep the mat tight. But if you land on the end of a leaned over rod, you cannot spike yourself. Instead the end of the rod is just pushed down. This gives a relatively soft and safe edge to the mat.
Springfree™ Trampoline is more bouncy than a round trampoline with springs. Rectangular spring trampolines tend to be a little more bouncy than round spring trampolines, but children generally don’t notice the difference. The fibreglass rods deliver a performance superior to springs.
The edge is not as soft as the center. But it has up to 14 inches of “give” in it. Testing to USA ASTM standards shows the Springfree™ Trampoline SoftEdge is over 20 times softer than what is required by the standard.
The edge is designed as a resilient surface that is safe to land on. It is not really designed as a bouncing surface. It is not as bouncy as the center, but it does have some bounce in it. We recommend that for best bouncing you should stay near the center of the mat, and consider the edge as a safety feature rather than a play area.
Don’t you get splinters in your hands from the fibreglass?
The design team are aware that sometimes fibreglass products cause irritation when handled, as glass microfibres get into the skin. To prevent this happening all the hi-tech fibreglass rods in the Springfree™ Trampoline are sheathed in plastic. This not only protects you from skin irritation, but it also protects the plastic in the rods from UV deterioration.
The Springfree™ Trampoline does not have safety pads around the edge because it doesn't need them. The SoftEdge, pad-free, has much more give in it than most safety pads. In fact, the Springfree™ Trampoline edge softness is nearly equivalent to the 2.75-inch thick padding used at the ends of Olympic gymnastic trampolines. Conventional trampolines require safety pads to protect the jumper from falling on the steel frame, and falling through or getting caught in the springs. Springfree Trampoline has removed these elements completely, so there is nothing to pad over.
Other trampolines have enclosures, why is the Springfree trampoline different?
While some other trampoline companies have added safety enclosures to their products they haven’t addressed the dangerous springs and steel frame at the jumping surface. Basic enclosures are also likely to just redirect wayward jumpers back onto the springs and frame. They also use steel poles to create the enclosure skeleton which introduces another impact risk. Springfree™ is the only trampoline that addresses these impact zones, removing them completely from the trampoline design. By incorporating a safe FlexiNet™ that redirects jumpers back to the centre of the trampoline, and removing all hard edges from the jumping surface, Springfree™ Trampoline is the only safe jumping option.
Yes! Recent figures show that over 100,000 North American children end up in hospital emergency departments each year after injury on traditional trampolines. Independent tests show your child has a 99% chance of suffering a minor injury on a traditional style trampoline that meets the recommended international safety standards. The same tests show your child has a less than 1% chance of the same type of injury on a Springfree Trampoline.
Why do you recommend only one child on the trampoline at a time?
Springfree™ Trampoline has engineered out the dangerous elements that traditionally cause trampoline injuries, but it cannot engineer out misuse. Serious collisions can occur if more than one person jumps at a time. To ensure your family avoids injuries enforce the ‘one at a time rule’ when using the Springfree™ Trampoline.
What is the weight restriction ON A Springfree™ Trampoline?
The Springfree Trampoline is incredibly strong, with our smaller model testing to taking a static load of 380kg and our larger models 500kg. This means it can carry more than 500kg placed on the centre of the mat without exceeding its design criteria. That's about the weight of an adult male polar bear. Recommending jumper weight is a more complex issue, as a suggested weight limit would need to combine the velocity of the jumper, weight of the jumper, and height of the jump off the mat. As we are focused on safety we recommend the following as a safe, conservative guideline.
SF40E: Maximum recommended jumper weight = 70kg SF60E: Maximum recommended jumper weight = 100kg SF90E: Maximum recommended jumper weight = 100kg
This doesn’t mean someone over these weights can break or tip the trampoline, it means they could run the risk of ‘bottoming out’ (a fancy word for hitting the ground) if they were to be jumping like the world’s next Olympic trampolinist! If you have a budding Olympian in your family, we suggest you invest in the SF90E with a leg extension kit, offering years of safe and very active enjoyment.
The recommended weight for a Flexistep is a conservative 154lb, which is an average adult. That does not mean that someone who weighs more then 154lb will break it if they use it as it is intended - that is, as a step ladder to access their Springfree™ Trampoline. In fact, we tested it with the weight of two average adults, and it didn't break!
The Springfree design complies with all of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) guidelines on avoiding “pinch point” risk. In the same way that it is not natural for a child to insert their head or neck through the springs in a Traditional Design Trampoline so it is not natural to put your arm through the rods when someone is jumping with full force directly on top of the Springfree™ Trampoline soft edge. To cause the rods to have any contact with its neighbours would require a VERY heavy jumper who (after some practice) could jump with EXTREME force on the very edge of the mat (where there is very little rebound and no ‘joy’ in the jump - so what's the point?). This is no more “normal use” than suggesting that a user of a TDT would jump with full force from a height onto the springs and frame of a TDT.
CAN A JUMPER HIT THE GROUND EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A NET ?
Our enclosure is not designed to be a rigid resistant surface, rather a flexible cushion which catches wayward jumpers and guides them to safety - usually back to the centre of the mat. Rigid enclosures can cause injury upon impact, making the jumper absorb the impact. This is exactly what Springfree's FlexiNet is designed to AVOID. The FlexiNet is purposefully flexible in order to absorb impacts on behalf of the jumper, ensuring the jumper's safety even when they overbalance at the mat's edge.
Even if the surface is misused by intentionally jumping into the top of enclosure at high speed then its key design characteristics will maintain jumper safety. It is designed to be flexible, fully deforming and, in the case of severe misuse, still allow the jumpers body weight to be absorbed and lowered to the ground. Here's an example: If a jumper is close to or in excess of 100kg, running at a speed of 25km per hour, and throws themselves directly into the FlexiNet at a height, there is a potential for a controlled ground impact. In this extreme situation the flexible net system is designed to lower the jumper to the ground slowly and safely.
It is important to understand that any such ensuing ground impact is actually gentle because the net system absorbs the energy and slowly lowers the jumper. Any such impact is equivalent to a fall height of about 10 to 15cm depending on the aggressiveness of the initial jump. Remember, Springfree designed its trampolines with maximum user safety in mind, and the FlexiNet is designed to cushion and catch a jumper so no or minimal impact is transferred to the jumper.
At first glance it looks as if the Springfree™ Trampoline rods would twist during a bounce. In fact the effect is undetectable in normal use. Springfree's patented fibreglass rods are designed to work in unison, to bend inwards as a jumper bounces, with about 0.3 of a degree of twist. This equates to ~5mm movement in a lateral direction, i.e. sideways/rotationally at the edge of the mat surface. All other movement is “axial”, or inwards, towards the center of the mat. Heavier jumpers (upwards of 85kg) will generate more axial movement, but little to no more lateral/rotational movement at the mat edge. Lighter jumpers generate less of both types. springfree's patented fibreglass rods are incredibly strong (stronger than steel in this installation) and in fact with the new Airbus 380 jet exterior made from a fibreglass compound, we believe we're in good class.
Springfree Trampoline FAQs
Springfree FAQs
Have a question? Below are some of the most frequently asked questions. For other questions, please visit our support page or visit our contact page to get in touch with us directly.
How does Springfree™ trampoline work?
Springfree™ Trampoline is rod-based, using strong flexible fibreglass rods instead if springs. Imagine a circle of fishing rods standing upright with their handles stuck firmly in the ground. If you bent them all in towards the center and connected the tops of them with a tight material, you would basically have a workable trampoline. If you landed on the edge you would spike yourself on the end of a rod—not a good thing. So instead of the rods standing upright, they have all been leaned over. They still have the ends bent towards the center, so they still keep the mat tight. But if you land on the end of a leaned over rod, you cannot spike yourself. Instead the end of the rod is just pushed down. This gives a relatively soft and safe edge to the mat.
top
Is it as bouncy as an ordinary trampoline?
Springfree™ Trampoline is more bouncy than a round trampoline with springs. Rectangular spring trampolines tend to be a little more bouncy than round spring trampolines, but children generally don’t notice the difference. The fibreglass rods deliver a performance superior to springs.
top
How soft is the edge?
The edge is not as soft as the center. But it has up to 14 inches of “give” in it. Testing to USA ASTM standards shows the Springfree™ Trampoline SoftEdge is over 20 times softer than what is required by the standard.
top
Is the soft edge bouncy?
The edge is designed as a resilient surface that is safe to land on. It is not really designed as a bouncing surface. It is not as bouncy as the center, but it does have some bounce in it. We recommend that for best bouncing you should stay near the center of the mat, and consider the edge as a safety feature rather than a play area.
top
Don’t you get splinters in your hands from the fibreglass?
The design team are aware that sometimes fibreglass products cause irritation when handled, as glass microfibres get into the skin. To prevent this happening all the hi-tech fibreglass rods in the Springfree™ Trampoline are sheathed in plastic. This not only protects you from skin irritation, but it also protects the plastic in the rods from UV deterioration.
top
Why doesn’t it have safety pads around the edge?
The Springfree™ Trampoline does not have safety pads around the edge because it doesn't need them. The SoftEdge, pad-free, has much more give in it than most safety pads. In fact, the Springfree™ Trampoline edge softness is nearly equivalent to the 2.75-inch thick padding used at the ends of Olympic gymnastic trampolines. Conventional trampolines require safety pads to protect the jumper from falling on the steel frame, and falling through or getting caught in the springs. Springfree Trampoline has removed these elements completely, so there is nothing to pad over.
top
Other trampolines have enclosures, why is the Springfree trampoline different?
While some other trampoline companies have added safety enclosures to their products they haven’t addressed the dangerous springs and steel frame at the jumping surface. Basic enclosures are also likely to just redirect wayward jumpers back onto the springs and frame. They also use steel poles to create the enclosure skeleton which introduces another impact risk. Springfree™ is the only trampoline that addresses these impact zones, removing them completely from the trampoline design. By incorporating a safe FlexiNet™ that redirects jumpers back to the centre of the trampoline, and removing all hard edges from the jumping surface, Springfree™ Trampoline is the only safe jumping option.
top
Is my normal trampoline really that dangerous?
Yes! Recent figures show that over 100,000 North American children end up in hospital emergency departments each year after injury on traditional trampolines. Independent tests show your child has a 99% chance of suffering a minor injury on a traditional style trampoline that meets the recommended international safety standards. The same tests show your child has a less than 1% chance of the same type of injury on a Springfree Trampoline.
top
Why do you recommend only one child on the trampoline at a time?
Springfree™ Trampoline has engineered out the dangerous elements that traditionally cause trampoline injuries, but it cannot engineer out misuse. Serious collisions can occur if more than one person jumps at a time. To ensure your family avoids injuries enforce the ‘one at a time rule’ when using the Springfree™ Trampoline.
top
I have a small backyard, how much space do I need for the Springfree™ Trampoline?
SF40E – 16 ft all around
SF60E – 16 ft to the sides and 20 ft to the ends
SF90E – 20 ft all around
top
What is the weight restriction ON A Springfree™ Trampoline?
The Springfree Trampoline is incredibly strong, with our smaller model testing to taking a static load of 380kg and our larger models 500kg. This means it can carry more than 500kg placed on the centre of the mat without exceeding its design criteria. That's about the weight of an adult male polar bear.
Recommending jumper weight is a more complex issue, as a suggested weight limit would need to combine the velocity of the jumper, weight of the jumper, and height of the jump off the mat. As we are focused on safety we recommend the following as a safe, conservative guideline.
SF40E: Maximum recommended jumper weight = 70kg
SF60E: Maximum recommended jumper weight = 100kg
SF90E: Maximum recommended jumper weight = 100kg
This doesn’t mean someone over these weights can break or tip the trampoline, it means they could run the risk of ‘bottoming out’ (a fancy word for hitting the ground) if they were to be jumping like the world’s next Olympic trampolinist! If you have a budding Olympian in your family, we suggest you invest in the SF90E with a leg extension kit, offering years of safe and very active enjoyment.
top
What is the weight restriction ON A FLEXI STEP?
The recommended weight for a Flexistep is a conservative 154lb, which is an average adult. That does not mean that someone who weighs more then 154lb will break it if they use it as it is intended - that is, as a step ladder to access their Springfree™ Trampoline. In fact, we tested it with the weight of two average adults, and it didn't break!
top
CAN THE RODS OVERLAP AND 'PINCH' OR TRAP SOMEONE?
The Springfree design complies with all of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) guidelines on avoiding “pinch point” risk. In the same way that it is not natural for a child to insert their head or neck through the springs in a Traditional Design Trampoline so it is not natural to put your arm through the rods when someone is jumping with full force directly on top of the Springfree™ Trampoline soft edge.
To cause the rods to have any contact with its neighbours would require a VERY heavy jumper who (after some practice) could jump with EXTREME force on the very edge of the mat (where there is very little rebound and no ‘joy’ in the jump - so what's the point?). This is no more “normal use” than suggesting that a user of a TDT would jump with full force from a height onto the springs and frame of a TDT.
top
CAN A JUMPER HIT THE GROUND EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A NET ?
Our enclosure is not designed to be a rigid resistant surface, rather a flexible cushion which catches wayward jumpers and guides them to safety - usually back to the centre of the mat. Rigid enclosures can cause injury upon impact, making the jumper absorb the impact. This is exactly what Springfree's FlexiNet is designed to AVOID. The FlexiNet is purposefully flexible in order to absorb impacts on behalf of the jumper, ensuring the jumper's safety even when they overbalance at the mat's edge.
Even if the surface is misused by intentionally jumping into the top of enclosure at high speed then its key design characteristics will maintain jumper safety. It is designed to be flexible, fully deforming and, in the case of severe misuse, still allow the jumpers body weight to be absorbed and lowered to the ground.
Here's an example: If a jumper is close to or in excess of 100kg, running at a speed of 25km per hour, and throws themselves directly into the FlexiNet at a height, there is a potential for a controlled ground impact. In this extreme situation the flexible net system is designed to lower the jumper to the ground slowly and safely.
It is important to understand that any such ensuing ground impact is actually gentle because the net system absorbs the energy and slowly lowers the jumper. Any such impact is equivalent to a fall height of about 10 to 15cm depending on the aggressiveness of the initial jump. Remember, Springfree designed its trampolines with maximum user safety in mind, and the FlexiNet is designed to cushion and catch a jumper so no or minimal impact is transferred to the jumper.
top
DO THE SPRINGFREE™ TRAMPOLINE RODS TWIST?
At first glance it looks as if the Springfree™ Trampoline rods would twist during a bounce. In fact the effect is undetectable in normal use. Springfree's patented fibreglass rods are designed to work in unison, to bend inwards as a jumper bounces, with about 0.3 of a degree of twist. This equates to ~5mm movement in a lateral direction, i.e. sideways/rotationally at the edge of the mat surface. All other movement is “axial”, or inwards, towards the center of the mat. Heavier jumpers (upwards of 85kg) will generate more axial movement, but little to no more lateral/rotational movement at the mat edge. Lighter jumpers generate less of both types. springfree's patented fibreglass rods are incredibly strong (stronger than steel in this installation) and in fact with the new Airbus 380 jet exterior made from a fibreglass compound, we believe we're in good class.
top
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