How to choose a mini trampoline for home: size, weight limit, bungee or springs

5 min read

In "When did grown-ups stop jumping?" I wrote that studies using mini trampolines have reported improvements in balance and heart and lung function.

So what should you look at when choosing one for home? The short version: decide in this order and you won't go far wrong: ① a diameter that fits your space, ② a weight limit with room to spare above your weight, ③ bungee if noise and vibration worry you, ④ a handrail if you might fall.

Bottom line: decide in this order

More important than finding "the bounciest one" is choosing one you'll take out every day and keep using safely at home. In a study of older women with low bone mass, for example, participants exercised twice a week for 45–60 minutes at a time for 12 weeks [2]. If you can't keep it up, no study's results will reach you.

Space and diameter

Most mini trampolines for home use are around 1 m (about 40 in) in diameter. Before buying, measure the spot where you want to put it.

• Beyond the diameter itself, are there furniture or wall corners around it? Is there enough room that you won't hit anything if you misstep?
• Is the ceiling high enough that your head and hands won't hit it when you jump? (Avoid putting it right under a light fixture)
• Is the floor flat and non-slip?

A bigger diameter gives a wider jumping surface, making it harder to step off the edge. On the other hand, it takes up more of the room. A good rule of thumb is to choose the widest jumping surface that fits your space.

Avoid a weight limit "just at" your weight

Product pages list a maximum user weight. That's a guide to the heaviest user it's designed for. When you jump and land, the mat takes more force than your body weight, so avoid numbers right at the edge and choose one with margin.

If the family will use it, go by the heaviest person. If you plan to use it for a long time, also check how the legs attach (screw-in or push-in), and whether replacement bungees or springs are available.

Bungee or springs

Mini trampolines have mats held either by elastic bands (bungees) or by metal springs.

If you're in an apartment and worried about noise and vibration reaching the floor below, the safe choice is a bungee model with an anti-vibration or soundproofing mat underneath. Even then, vibration won't be zero, so be mindful of the time of day you use it.

Do you need a handrail?

A study where older adults trained on mini trampolines for 14 weeks reported improvement in their ability to recover balance after losing it forward [1]. A study of older women with low bone mass also found improvements in balance and walking ability [2].

But the people most worried about unsteadiness are also the ones most at risk of falling mid-jump. If you don't exercise regularly or aren't confident in your balance, a model with a handrail gives peace of mind. Check that the handrail height is adjustable and that it doesn't wobble.

Using it safely

Japan's National Consumer Affairs Center has reported serious injuries such as fractures and nerve damage on trampolines at play facilities, and advises starting low and getting used to it gradually the first time [3].

The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly discourages home trampoline use by children. Noting that most injuries happen when several people jump at once and that somersaults are especially linked to serious neck injuries, it recommends one jumper at a time and no somersaults [4].

• One person at a time. An adult should be nearby when a child uses it
• No somersaults or high-jump games. Start with light bouncing in place
• Before use, check the legs, bungees, and springs for looseness or tears
• Start with about 5 minutes. If you have concerns about your knees, back, or ankles, or a condition for which you've been told to limit exercise, talk to a doctor first

How much to jump is covered in the original article.

If you choose by these guidelines