You can have your own water park that will keep your family and friends
actively
entertained for
hours. A water trampoline also
doubles as a swim raft
for lounging and playing.
Water Trampolines with Springs:
True water trampolines such as the Rave Aqua Jump pictured here are built using a heavy duty
inflatable tube to provide the support for the trampoline bounce
mat. Springs connect
the tube to the bounce mat. A safety pad covers the springs. For a true
trampoline experience,
with lots of height in the bounce, this is the right choice for kids, teens
and
adults alike.
Quality counts. Don't be fooled by the cost of cheap imports on
websites like Alibaba. Rave and Aquaglide make high quality products that
will last for years.
Aquaglide Supertramp and Recoil
water trampolines are designed
for superior bouncing performance. They are built using an eight sided,
tubular steel frame to
ensure that all of the jumper's energy is focussed, providing a bigger sweet
spot and better
bounce. The frame is strapped to the tube and the bounce mat is connected to
the frame with the springs.
Until recently, all water trampolines were built using a steel
frame. The Rave AquaJump Eclipse is built without the steel frame
making them safer, lighter and easier to
install. The bounce mat is connected with springs to flaps welded
directly to the tube.
Water Trampoline Bouncers:
Lighter, portable and less costly, a bouncer like the Aquaglide
Ricochet
pictured
here, is a great choice for everyone but ideal for younger children. You
don't get the
bounce height with a
bouncer that you do with a water trampoline, as the jumping mat is attached
directly to the inflatable tube without springs. This makes theAquaglide Ricochet
and Rebound bouncers and
the Rave
Bongo, portable and easily anchored. As the kids get older though,
interest may
wane.
Quality counts. This is a much more competitive market with many
inferior products. Be
sure that you check the thickness and material of the inflatable tube. Heavy
gauge, fabric
reinforced PVC is by far the best.
Locating and Anchoring
Water trampolines and bouncers are typically anchored for the season and
setting them up,
although easy to do, requires some effort and the right tools.
You will need a high speed
inflator or high output shop vacuum to get the tube properly
inflated. The tube should be inflated basketball hard.
An anchor
connector
kit with a shock
chord on the anchor line will absorb vertical movements and wave action
and simplify installation.
You will need a lot of space around the trampoline, away from boat
traffic and
docks. They
should be used only in larger bodies of water with depths of 8- 10
feet. You will need a location that is
of sufficient water depth and free of obstructions above and below
the water.
A
minimum of 150 lbs of anchor weight is required. Larger water
trampolines in open areas
will need even more weight. Precast concrete
anchors used
for anchoring floating docks or rafts are ideal. Concrete
anchors
are available at
many building supply and dock centres in cottage country.