Top 5 Best Rectangular Trampolines | 2016 Reviews
“I really need to start getting some exercise.”
Nearly everyone who’s ever had that thought (and who hasn’t?) has visualized themselves running, jogging or biking (or working out on a treadmill or stationary bike) – and then gone right back to whatever else it was they were doing. All of those activities are great exercise and have many devotees, of course. But let’s face it, most people don’t consider them “fun.”
If you’ve been one of the many who have tried – or just thought about – some form of exercise to lose weight or tone your body, you probably never gave a thought to trampolines. You should, though, because they’re not just for kids; they provide one of the best forms of low-impact cardiovascular exercise you can get.
NASA research has shown that “rebounding” (jumping on a trampoline) is 68% more effective than jogging, while supporting the metabolism and preventing the type of impact injuries you’re likely to suffer from the repetitive pounding that knees, ankles and hips routinely absorb while running. Trampolining also boosts circulation and helps improve bone density and strengthens ligaments, tendons and joints. In fact, the space agency now has its astronauts do trampoline exercises after space walks for all of those reasons.
Of course, kids love trampolines too – and they’re a great way to get young ones off their tablets or video game systems for fun sessions that they don’t realize are also exercise. That’s one reason why the most common types of trampolines sold today are small, round ones perfect for children, although larger round models can also bear an adult’s weight. But the traditional rectangular trampoline that you may have encountered in school or at camp is still very much with us, and is an outstanding backyard option for family rebounding exercise and fun.
High-quality rectangular trampolines are more expensive than round models, and they don’t come cheap; as you’ll soon see, our top-rated model will cost you more than $2500. However, there are many more-affordable, well-built and safe choices on the market which will give you plenty of room for multiple jumpers or for doing those cool tricks you see on TV or YouTube. They’ll even let you exercise without getting bored.
Before going through our list, you may want to check out first our Best Rectangular Trampoline Buying Guide here.
Here’s our list of the top 5 best rectangular trampolines. We’ll start with that high-priced luxury model, and then move on to the ones that fit more easily into a normal budget.
Quick Comparison Table
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AlleyOOP 10’x17’ PowerBounce Trampoline |
ACON Air 16 Sport Trampoline |
Skywalker Rectangle Trampoline |
Upper Bounce Rectangular Trampoline |
Summit 14’ Rectangle Trampoline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
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$$$ |
$$$ |
$$$ |
$$$ |
$$$ |
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10’ x 17’ |
9’ x 16’ |
9’ x 15’ |
9’ x 15’ |
8’ x 14’ |
|
Pre-galvanized steel |
Galvanized steel |
Galvanized steel |
Galvanized steel |
Galvanized steel |
 |
|
|
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AlleyOOP 10’x17’ PowerBounce Rectangular Trampoline
There’s just one brand that defines “highest-quality” and “home trampoline,” and that brand is AlleyOOP. They make a large range of round, oval and rectangular models which feature proprietary technology that brings the experience of jumping on a professional trampoline right into your backyard.
The PowerBounce is one of three 10 x 17 rectangular trampolines manufactured by the company, and we’ve selected it for this list because it’s the best of the bunch (and we are ranking the best, right?). The list price on the PowerBounce is $2799, compared with $2499 for the Variable Bounce and $2099 for the Classic. Since you’re probably not going to want to spend more than $2K anyway, we figured it made sense to show you the qualities that make the PowerBounce so exceptional, to help you understand the qualities that should be most important to you when looking at more-affordable trampolines. And if you’re ready to put down a few grand for a bouncer, this is all you’ll ever need to know about the PowerBounce.
The key to any great trampoline is the bounce, and AlleyOOP has a number of trademarked or proprietary technologies to send rebounders sky-high; perhaps the most important is the “TripleStage DualSpring” method of connecting the springs to the jumping mat. Without getting into too much technical detail, traditional trampolines have one level of springs which attach to the mat. On the PowerBounce, however, there are upper-level and lower-level springs which attach to different parts of the assembly (with steel V-rings and straps, not simply threaded through easily-ripped grommets) and engage at different, split-second intervals. That means the springs actually cushion the impact of landing and then act as levers to propel the jumper back up into the air – with greater force than any other trampoline can provide.
It’s not just the technology that stands out, it’s also the quality of the springs. Standard trampolines use springs which are about seven inches long. AlleyOOP models use industry-leading 10-inch, zinc-plated steel springs to provide the best bounce possible. The emphasis on high-quality material extends throughout the trampoline’s manufacture, with 2” heavy-duty pre-galvanized steel for the frame, a high-tensile Permatron jumping mat with U-V protection, and a jumping pad that’s made from gym-quality polyethylene foam and covered with a water-resistant, reinforced PVC outer shell. In every case, the quality is far above any other home trampoline on our list – or on the market.
The PowerBounce is tunable so the bounce can be adjusted for different skill or age levels, and the safety enclosure is built to interlock with the rest of the trampoline unlike lesser trampolines where there are gaps or holes that could pose a risk to younger children. The play space is a full 40 inches high, so there’s no chance that powerful jumpers will find the pad hitting the ground. This model can handle users weighing up to 350 pounds, and has been “real-world” tested by AlleyOOP up to 800 pounds.
In short, this really is the ultimate rectangular trampoline at a price that befits its status. We can’t recommend it more highly.
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Details of the AlleyOOP 10’x17’ PowerBounce Rectangular Trampoline |
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|---|---|
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Size |
Rectangular, 10’ x 17’ diameter |
|
Frame |
Pre-galvanized steel |
|
Springs |
164 10” zinc-plated steel |
|
Mats |
Permatron, UV-shielded |
|
Weight Rating |
350 pounds, single user (tested to 800 pounds, multiple users) |
|
Warranty |
Lifetime |
ACON Air 16 Sport Trampoline
We’ll be looking at less-expensive rectangular trampolines from this point on, and you’ll be happy to know that it’s possible to move down about $1000 in price and get most of the PowerBounce’s performance with this Finnish-designed ACON model. It’s not quite as big, at 16 x 9 feet, but the jump on the Air 16 is really, really good.
The strength of this trampoline is due in large part to the fact that ACON uses many of the same approaches that AlleyOOP does, although not always with the same top-level manufacturing techniques. The Air 16 has the same 10-inch long springs, but there are fewer of them and they’re all attached to the jumping platform at the same level. It has the same type of strong polypropylene UV-treated mat, but it’s cross-sewn six times instead of ten and has a somewhat-lesser vinyl pad instead of foam. The safety net is strong, but it’s attached to the outside and not integral to the structure. As you can see, the techniques are similar – but since you’re paying $1K less, you just don’t get the same incredible attention to quality and detail as you do with the PowerBounce.
What you do get, though, is a terrific trampoline; unless you’re a very experienced jumper, you’ll never notice the difference. The ACON is extremely sturdy (the frame is actually a little thicker than that on the PowerBounce), the manufacturer claims there’s no user weight limit (although they do admit that 800 pounds on the mat at one time would be “pushing it”) and you can definitely get big air on this unit. It also sits 40 inches off the ground, just like the AlleyOOP.
In many product categories, you’d be making an enormous sacrifice in quality by dropping down a thousand dollars in price. The Air 16 is the exception to that rule; it’s certainly not as good as the PowerBounce, but it’s a wonderful runner-up.
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Details of the ACON Air 16 Sport Trampoline |
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|---|---|
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Size |
Rectangular, 9’ x 16’ diameter |
|
Frame |
Galvanized steel |
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Springs |
138 10” zinc-plated steel |
|
Mats |
Polypropylene, UV-treated |
|
Weight Rating |
Manufacturer claims no weight limit |
|
Warranty |
Five years, frame and mat |
Skywalker Rectangle Trampoline, 15 Feet
We’re now moving into the sub-$1000 range, where you’ll start having to make more “sacrifices” in size and/or quality. The Skywalker requires you to give a little in both categories, but is still a very substantial backyard trampoline that costs around $600. This is a 15 by 9 foot model, so that’s the size concession you’ll be making. The quality concessions come primarily in performance rather than safety or durability – so all in all, that’s not a bad deal for saving about $2000 off the price of the PowerBounce.
The Skywalker has a rust-resistant galvanized steel frame with reinforced T-sockets that make the unit relatively easy to assemble and disassemble, and the pad and mat (attached with V-rings, not grommets) are made from foam and UV-resistant PVC, not as thick as on our first two reviewed models but still designed to stand up to wear and quite comfortable for jumpers. The performance difference stems comes from the fact that there are only 76 7.5-inch springs attached to the jumping platform, as opposed to the 138 or 164 10-inch springs on the ACON and AlleyOOP, respectively. Kids and older amateurs probably won’t notice, but experienced trampolinists certainly will.
This is a safe trampoline, and one nice feature that you see on all Skywalker trampolines is the way the safety net attaches to the jumping surface: a buttonhole design that eliminates the small holes which can trap younger jumpers’ fingers or toes.
As a model which should keep the family satisfied for a number of years without structural issues, this is a good mid-range trampoline.
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Details of the Skywalker Rectangle Trampoline, 15 Feet |
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|---|---|
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Size |
Rectangular, 9’ x 15’ diameter |
|
Frame |
Galvanized steel |
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Springs |
76 7.4” rust-resistant steel |
|
Mats |
Polypropylene, UV-treated |
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Weight Rating |
250 pounds, single user |
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Warranty |
One year frame, 90 days materials |
Upper Bounce Rectangular Trampoline
We would have ranked the Upper Bounce at #3 on our list of the top 5 best rectangular trampolines if it wasn’t so darn hard to assemble (despite the fact that the manufacturer includes the words “Easy Assemble” in the official name of this product). The 9 x 15 model costs about $100 more than the Skywalker (there’s also an 8 x 14 version that’s the same price as the Skywalker), but we liked the fact that some of the construction details on the Upper Bounce make the jumping platform better able to stand up to continued use by rambunctious kids. It was just hard to assemble.
The frame is made from heavy-duty steel, there are only 90 springs but they’re 8.5 inches long, and the polypropylene mat has eight rows of stitching, more than all of the competition except for the PowerBounce. That explains why the performance of this trampoline exceeds what you’d expect from a lower-priced rectangular trampoline. The safety net is well-constructed, the platform is 35 inches off the ground, and the unit bounces well. We’d suggest taking it in over the winter if the weather’s bad in your area to protect the fabric, but otherwise the Upper Bounce should give you lots of use for well under a thousand dollars.
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Details of the Upper Bounce Rectangular Trampoline |
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|---|---|
|
Size |
Rectangular, 9’ x 15’ diameter |
|
Frame |
Galvanized steel |
|
Springs |
90 8.5” rust-resistant steel |
|
Mats |
Polypropylene, UV-treated |
|
Weight Rating |
500 pounds, single user (according to manufacturer) |
|
Warranty |
Not specified |
Summit 14’ Rectangle Trampoline
Time for honesty: there are really only four rectangular trampolines that we originally chose to put on this list. The others you commonly find don’t bounce well at all, aren’t safe – or are competition models which will cost you more than $10,000.
So to fill out our list of the top 5 best rectangular trampolines we’re going back to Skywalker for another of their models, the Summit, which is quite similar to the namesake Skywalker we reviewed earlier but a bit smaller, at 14 x 8. The galvanized steel frame with T-sockets is the same and the jumping surface is the same polypropylene/PVC combination. But even though this trampoline is smaller than the Skywalker it has more springs, 82 as opposed to 76, which is the reason why the Summit performs a little better than its big brother. It’s also probably the reason why it costs about $70 more, despite having a smaller jumping area.
Our preferences run to a bigger trampoline with all other factors being more or less equal, which is why we put the Skywalker higher on our rankings. This is an equally good choice, though – maybe even a bit better if you’re buying with smaller kids in mind.
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Details of the Summit 14’ Rectangle Trampoline |
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|---|---|
|
Size |
Rectangular, 8’ x 14’ diameter |
|
Frame |
Galvanized steel |
|
Springs |
82 7.4” rust-resistant steel |
|
Mats |
Polypropylene, UV-treated |
|
Weight Rating |
200 pounds, single user |
|
Warranty |
One year frame, 90 days materials |
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Originally posted 2016-06-17 06:46:01.
The post Top 5 Best Rectangular Trampolines | 2016 Reviews appeared first on ParentsNeed.
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