I’m a huge kid, and I get jealous when other people buy cool things for their kids, and I sit at the sidelines and watch as the ‘kids’ get to play. When my younger cousin got a trampoline I looked at it in awe. Yet the whinny spoiled rich girl she was, would not allow anyone on her trampoline.
Screw her, hopefully she falls off and breaks a leg. Everyone watched as little miss princess went about trying to get our attention as she hopped around attempting to do flips. Ah! Loser.
My paycheck came 4 days later, I had to show this clown up, and I had to have a trampoline! I didn’t even know they sold them so big to regular everyday people. I assumed these large sizes were only sold to people in the circus. However when I saw big blue hanging from a ceiling in Walmart for only $199 I knew I could afford it, I knew I could have it, and I knew it was a matter of hours before I’d be hopping away doing flips and impossible jumps.
The trampoline was made by AirZone and was approximately 14′. The protective padding was blue, even though I would have preferred pink.
Setup was a cinch, however it did require 2 people to set it up. This was where I put my dad to work. Setting up the bars which simply slid into one another was the easy part. Next we had to attach the springs, again this came easy. Then we hit an issue. We slowly attached each spring to the trampoline pad, and at first we thought this was going smoothly, up until we hit the last 3 springs. We had to tug really really hard to get the last 3 attached, and this feat was quite dangerous. One slip and you could cut your hand up pretty good.
After a grueling 10 minutes tugging and pulling we finally had the trampoline all set up. My was she a beaut! Next we simply had to decide where on the lawn we would drag it to. We found a pretty level area on the lawn in the back yard, and there she has rested for nearly 2 years now, still working as excellent as she did when we took our first jumps.
We knew we had to be careful while jumping because trampolines are dangerous. No horsing around, and no doing flips by the sides. These rules are pretty easy to follow as an adult, but kids…eh, kids tend to bend the rules a lot and end up hurt as a result. So if you are going to buy one for your kids, do make sure you are present while they are jumping. Even with those lame ass protective nets kids can still fall off and get really hurt.
Sturdy?
When you go to take your first jumps the trampoline is going to make a bunch of grinding clattering noises. Don’t sweat it, it’s simply tightening up as you jump. A few jumps will make the trampoline feel sturdy and supportive in no time.
The next 2 days were spent jumping and camping on the trampoline. After the initial obsession, you will grow less and less obsessed with it. I use it about once a month give or take now.
Injury?
You can get injured on a trampoline easily. There are rules to follow, and if you don’t follow them of course you’re going to get hurt one time or another. For one, only one person should be jumping at a time. More than that is bound to cause injury. Did I follow that rule? No. I have jumped on our 14′ trampoline with 3 people. We didn’t get any injury, but again we are adults, and we sort of are aware of ourselves and our surroundings. Am I saying you should do it? Hell no, but I do know I can’t stop you, and most likely you won’t be jumping alone, thats just the reality of a trampoline.
However, do monitor children on the trampoline. If more than one child is on the trampoline keep your eyes peeled, and remain around the edges of the trampoline while children are jumping.
The trampoline also warns against flips. However, the reality once again is that most likely every user is going to try and do a flip. I’ve done flips, and let me tell you, it is dangerous. You can hit your leg against the metal bar pretty frigging hard, which could cause a sprain or break if you land wrong. There have been reports of people flipping off of the trampoline and breaking their necks, so my advice is to not try it. No matter how badly you want to.
Neighbors:
Once the neighborhood becomes aware of your trampoline you have a problem. It’s not long before you have strange kids knocking on your door asking to use the trampoline. No matter how cute, and how badly they beg, it’s a big NO. You do not want a lawsuit on your hands if someones kid hurts themselves. If you are feeling generous let them know they cannot jump on it unless their parents are present.
Protection:
The trampoline can be left out in the winter time, as taking it down can be a pain in the rear. Walmart sells protective covers for such a purpose. I will say this though, we have had our trampoline for 2 years and counting, and we have never used a cover. Our springs are still as fresh looking as day 1. However if you don’t use a cover do inspect your trampoline before using it after long periods of time. Check for rusty springs. If any are rusted over, do not use the trampoline. You can simply replace the spring.
Other trampoline gadgets:
1. Protective netting. It’s not really fun, but it could save you or a child from injury. However it is not 100% injury proof.
2. Trampoline tents can also be bought. This is a large dome enclosure for the trampoline. You can go camping on your trampoline without getting rained on, or eaten by mosquito’s.
Where to buy a trampoline:
Walmart has the best deals on trampolines, and also carries a large assortment of different sizes suited for any lawn size. Prices vary from $194-$349. You can take a look at the different types of trampolines available at www.walmart.com.
Overall:
A trampoline provides hours and hours of fun year after year. The best thing about a trampoline is that you are getting exercise while having fun. However they can be dangerous and one should take caution while on a trampoline.
