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.