Trampoline Reviews 2017 – Why We Love These 4 Trampolines

If you know the AirT family, you know we’re big-time trampoline aficionados –  we absolutely LOVE them! I mean, why else would a busy family of five open a trampoline store? And as such, we spend a lot of time talking trampolines with friends, family, and our customers. In those conversations, a common question we get is, which of all the tramps out there is our favorite?

Here’s the thing though, after two years open for business and a lifetime of jumping, we don’t have just one favorite trampoline. We like some more than others for certain reasons, but I wouldn’t say we have one favorite. So with that said, allow me to share our four favorite trampolines based on: 1) Pure Awesomeness (is that a word?), 2) Toughnesss, 3) Price, and 4) Value.

Winner of this year’s: Awesomest Trampoline

The Awesomest Trampoline – Irrespective of Price

The most awesome (what other word could I have used, raddest perhaps?) trampoline in the world – yes THE world – is hands down the Vuly Thunder XL. It has incredible bounce, is uber safe, and is just plain cool. Made by Vuly, an equally cool Australian company intent on maintaining that label, the Thunder comes in three sizes and is packed with features. Foremost among them, is the highly innovative Leaf Spring system that means no more metal coil springs.

So why should you care about coil springs? Remember those days of trying to outdo your friend’s double backflip only to land, legs spread wide, through the springs? As a kid, I hated those coil springs with a passion and yet, after curling up in a ball for a few minutes in excruciating pain, I’d get right back to doing what I loved most – jumpin’ on the tramp. Kids hate them because they hurt – parents hate them because they hurt their kids. But we live with them because that’s how trampolines are built. No longer!

The Thunder is built with an innovative, leaf spring system that generates the bounce under the mat rather than adjacent to the mat. The result is that literally the mat goes to the end of the platform – no more gaps between metal springs or painful metal bar around the circumference of your trampoline. And when combined with Vuly’s integrated safety net, the trampoline not only produces incredible bounce but does so without the pain.

And while you can buy a Thunder in 10ft (medium) and 12ft (large) models, the 14ft Thunder XL is the mack-daddy of trampolines. Of course, it’s not cheap – Vuly retails the model at nearly $2,100 ($200 less with us course!) – but it’s worth every penny. So put that 90’s Honda you’ve had sitting in the garage on Craigslist, and use the proceeds to buy your kids what they really want: a Vuly Thunder XL, the awesomest trampoline in the world!

The Toughest Trampoline – Made in the (where else?) USA!

If you want a trampoline you can pass down from generation to generation (imagine the look on your great grandchildren’s faces when they finally inherit Great Grandma Jenny’s trampoline!), buy a Magic Circle.

Now to be honest, they’re not the slickest looking trampoline on the market. In fact, they look EXACTLY like the trampolines I jumped on as a kid and that was a few decades ago. But what they lack in visual appeal, they make up for in pure toughness. They’re built the way things used to be built before globalization and all of that.

The frame is made of 13 gauge steel (the thickness of a nickel!). The springs are 8.5 inches long and made of thick, galvanized steel. The net is sewn directly to the mat. And it’s all made right here in the good ‘ole U.S of A. The result is the trampoline can hold – wait for it – 450 lbs and comes with a 10-year warranty! To put that into perspective, the Vuly Thunder (which is awesome, remember) is only rated for 350 lbs and offers a seven year warranty.

So if you want to be tough – or at least want your trampoline to be tough – buy a Magic Circle Trampoline. You may not have the coolest looking trampoline in the neighborhood, but you’ll own the only trampoline in the neighborhood that can hold every freakin’ kid in the neighborhood all at once!

The Cheapest Trampoline – Money Matters Don’t Cha Know

Awesomeness, toughness. They don’t have anything on frugalness! Some of us just want it cheap. A trampoline that gets the job done. And frankly, the kids won’t likely notice the difference, am I right?

The Propel Trampoline takes the cheapskate cake. I mean, what other brand offers a 15 foot trampoline with safety pad and enclosure for $550 bucks? The answer is, not many; including those big box brands that are barely worth the cardboard they’re shipped in.

The Propel Trampoline is worth the money. It comes with a mesh enclosure plus a colorful safety pad, protecting those little feet from the tramp’s coil springs. It also ships quickly to your house from a quaint warehouse in Utah, ground-zero for all things frugal.

So sure, it’s no Vuly. But it’s a get-the-job-done trampoline and a decent one at that. So own it! You’re frugal, we get it and we dig it. Buy a Propel Trampoline, you won’t regret leaving money in your pocket.

The Best Trampoline for the Money – Value is King

Life is about all compromise. Moderation makes for a healthy, happy life – or so I’ve been told. In the world of trampolines, there’s something for everyone including those who want the most for their money but also don’t want to spend all there money (I’m looking at you, Mr. CPA). For those wise souls, the Vuly 2 12 Foot Trampoline is the jump for you.

Here’s the thing. The Vuly 2 is the ‘goldilocks‘ of trampolines – “not too cold, not too hot”. It’s priced just right, at under $665. It looks good, especially with its HexVex™ game mat. It comes standard with a high-end mesh safety enclosure, two-directional coil springs with safety pad for an incredible bounce (especially for the price), and it comes with the aforementioned game mat. The enclosure is stitched to the mat to save you from those unfortunate coil spring incidents and the springs, frame, mat, and enclosure are made to last. Plus you’re protected with a pretty decent warranty – seven years on the frame, five years on the springs and mat.

So what more could a value conscientious shopper want? It’s the smart buy. Check out the Vuly 2 – It’s the perfect compromise between awesome and cheap.

You Decide for Yourself

Disagree with our assessment of the top trampolines of 2017? Peruse our wide selection of quality trampolines, including our recent addition of JumpSport brand trampolines, and make up your mind for yourself; Go on, ‘Fly the friendly jump’!