In-ground garden trampolines VS Springfree trampolines

Deciding which trampoline brand/type/shape/size to purchase is no mean feat! The most common questions we hear are ‘Is my garden too small?’ ‘Which brand is safest for my children?’ ‘What are the additional costs involved?!’

As if matters weren’t complicated enough already…now you can consider whether you would like your trampoline to sit above the ground or be an in the ground trampoline  

Which type of trampoline you decide to go with for your family is a subjective decision – in many cases budget/overall finish and available space can be deciding factors. It is important to mention that we believe SAFETY should never have to be an option though…

In a bid to simplify things we have put together the following information to help you compare in-ground trampolines and above-ground trampolines and hopefully help you decide which type to go for!

Ground preparation

• Above ground - Springfree trampolines need to have a ‘safety zone’ of 3ft+ measured from the edge of the mat outwards on all sides of the trampoline. This is to ensure that our flexible enclosure rods have space to do their job (keep bouncers safe whilst bouncing) before coming into contact with anything else e.g. fence, bushes, brick walls etc.

• In-ground trampolines – These need FAR MORE preparatory work. Firstly, you must make sure that there are no gas or water pipes in the area before digging your hole.If your garden is prone to flooding you’ll need to dig a channel for the water to drain through and a surrounding retaining wall to make sure no earth falls underneath.

Surrounding floor area

• Above ground - Springfree Trampolines can sit quite happily (and safely) on any type of flooring: earth/soil, artificial grass or turf, concrete, wood chippings, rubber shred or mats etc. If your garden is on a slant - don’t worry! Anything up-to approximately a 12% gradient should be fine! If you have a steeper gradient to work with, you can look to dig the frame legs on the higher side in slightly to level out the jump mat.

• In-ground trampolines – well, this means you can walk straight onto your trampoline and start bouncing! The downside here is that the air can get trapped underneath the jump mat which pushes the padding over the springs as you bounce – causing a slight ‘slapping’ noise as you jump.

Maintaining your trampoline

• Above ground - Springfree Trampolines have a 2.4 gauge, galvanised steel frame which has been powder coated twice - eliminating rust. Simply use a brush to get rid of any dirt or use a jet wash to clean it from top-to-bottom! Springfree Trampolines are also now backed by a market-leading 10 year warranty so you have complete peace of mind that your investment is covered!

• In-ground trampolines – as the trampoline mat is at ground level it is easier to clear of any unwanted garden debris. Unfortunately making sure the mechanical elements of this type of trampoline stay clean, tidy and rust-free can be difficult due to them being buried in the ground. Improper installation commonly leads to water pooling underneath the trampoline mat – not only is this hard to drain when it happens, it can also cause rust to the metal components.

Appearance

• Above ground – Dependent on taste/priorities, some people may see the enclosure netting on above-ground trampolines as invasive to their garden and the scenery. Luckily Springfree think of everything and have come up with the Black Rod upgrade, which allows you to make the trampoline completely black – trust us when we say, this makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE!

• In-ground trampolines – these trampolines eliminate the trampoline netting in your garden. If you decide to go with this type of trampoline then we recommend keeping a close eye on the springs for signs of wear, tear, damage or rust due to being in contact with the often-wet British ground!

Safety

• Above ground - Springfree Trampolines are quite literally spring-free! Eliminating the springs from our design also eliminated one of the main causes of trampoline related injuries. Our enclosure netting (although not to everyone’s taste) is another crucial feature that contributes to our safety rating. Throw in the fact that our frame is completely out of reach of bouncers, our soft-edge mat technology, double zip entry and the fact that each trampoline is sold with a lock so you can 100% monitor unsupervised play…and you officially have the World’s Safest Trampoline!

• In-ground trampolines – This design allows you can walk straight onto the mat without having to step up into the trampoline or have any safety-netting. Most in-ground trampolines are spring-based though so this brings back the risk of spring-related injuries.

Mobility

• Above ground – A Springfree Trampoline gives you options. They can be moved around within a garden for storage, mowing the lawn, away from trees in the Autumn, into the shade in the Summer etc. Check out our blog on ‘how to move a trampoline’ for more help on this.

• In-ground trampolines – these trampolines have to stay where they’re installed.To change location of the trampoline, you’ll need to go back to stage 1 of the ground work preparations and dig another hole. You can then use the unwanted dirt to fill the first hole!

Costs

• Above ground – Once you purchase a Springfree Trampoline you can add on as many or as little accessories as you wish! Add on your delivery/installation preference and that is the job done!

• In-ground trampolines – these trampolines come with more ‘hidden costs’. Whilst the trampoline unit itself may be less expensive than an alternative brand/model, once you add in the ground works, drainage etc the overall cost can soon rise!

If you have any further questions about Springfree Trampolines – or would like some advice on which of our models may be the best choice for you – please give our team of Bounce Experts a call on 01276 477461.