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#223850 06/28/10 11:18 AM
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I am thinking of buying one and the investment seems great up to 4000 dollars which I'm willing to do for the right trampoline. Does anyone have any knowledge of good ones? We don't have that much knowledge of these because the beach is 3 hours away. Any help would be appreciated.

thanks guys.


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docg #223855 06/28/10 11:35 AM
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Hey Docg

I made a recent inquiry on the forum on the same topic but not sure many of us are experienced with these products.

I have researched these and it seems high quality versions are made by Aqua Sports, Rave, and Aviva - the leading manufacturers. Since trying one out on the water isn't possible, I've been researching customer reviews on a myriad of sites across the web. It seems important to select a trampoline, and not a bouncer - the latter of which won't bounce much at all - it's more of a raft/sunning platform. With all the accessories I wanted pricetags were up into the 2-3k range. I have no clue which brand is better and recommend scouring the web for reviews. Maybe one of our new users on the Forum can help us both by relating their experiences here. I can say that the launch pad looks like an absolute blast.


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Both of my dad's neighbors, as well as several other homeowners on the lake have them. I can tell you that one in particular has been out there every year since mom & dad moved in (7 years ago). It seems like the best option (since the others are all disappearing or being replaced). I'll check into the brand when i get up there this week, and check back if i can get the owner to comment.

Thanks
Mike

Last edited by skinnybass; 06/28/10 11:45 AM.

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I would also love to add one of these to our "amusement park". Had a small one on hold that a friend didn't use at his lake anymore but never went through and bought it, not knowing how it'd work when our pond was complete. Would love to see some reviews and experiences with these though.

Omaha #223967 06/28/10 11:30 PM
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Mike please let us know. Some questions to ask are:

How tough was the anchor system to set up?

How BOUNCY is the trampoline?

How hard is it for kids to climb back on?

How durable is it?

How long to set up/take down?

If you don't mind...THANKS Mike!


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N8tly, maybe you could help after building that awesome water park of yours.

Anyone know where I could get just a launcher???

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I have seen and used lots of water trampolines, and never have really liked any of them. Over the years we have even assembled regular trampolines out on floating docks, etc for fun.

Basically a water trampoline isnt really fun to jump on at all. Just way to much work to get 12 inches in the air if you can picture the water sucking up all your force and momentum. They are best used for swimming to, laying out on, and for looks-- ohh wow look at the water trampoline, I bet that is so awesome!!!

If I were to ever buy one, I would get the very most expensive one on the market, dont try to save on them or you will end up with a pile of junk that doesnt work or look very good over time.


n8ly #223992 06/29/10 09:34 AM
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Another question to ask, how deep, minimum, is suggested for these?

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I Can already answer a few of these:
Originally Posted By: teehjaeh57

How tough was the anchor system to set up?
Whatever the answer here, it would only be once, as i am sure you would do, they just put a milk jug on the line in the winter to keep the anchor line easily accessible. Just make sure that people ice-fishing know where they are so they don't snag the line.........
How BOUNCY is the trampoline?
Very....if you use it right. I weigh well over 200 lbs and it can throw me a good 10 ft straight out into the center of the pond. It took some getting used to...like n8ly says, they don't throw you very high- but 10 hours of "let's do it again, uncle mike!" and you figure out how to hit it just right to chuck you out into the water. if it is getting used, splash some water on it first....it will help your feet, knees etc from getting cut up on the slightly rough tarp.
How hard is it for kids to climb back on?
Easy. I have seen my 6yo nephew get on and off the thing many times in very little time. Some have plastic, like pvc, almost, ladders that go up the side, which makes it even easier. I also don't think it would be hard to fabricate a ladder.
How durable is it?
Like i said, there is one out there that gets heavy use and has been out every year for 7 years. I would call that durable. I bet it is a case of you get what you pay for.
How long to set up/take down?
I have seen the neighbor north of my dad do his in about 3-4 hours to set up, and it didn't look like he was trying very hard, just hooked an electric air compressor up to it, made sure everything was unfolded out of the storage container properly and there it went. I am sure there was some wrangling to get it hooked to the anchor first.
If you don't mind...THANKS Mike!
no problem.


All in all i love using the one up by my dad's house. They have thiers set into an area with varying depth, if you jumped off towards shore it would be about 6ft deep, out to the middle of the lake it would be about 12-15.

Laying out on it with a brewski is also fun, I will agree with nate on that one.

-skinny

Disclaimer: All of that info might change as soon as i see it in use again.......



Last edited by skinnybass; 06/29/10 10:14 AM.

Trying to help with 7.5 Acres in the Chain of Lakes Illinois
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Alright all, sorry i haven't gotten to this question again since getting up to see it in use.

N8ly (as usual) is very right. It won't throw you as far as you would expect a trampoline to do, but it will throw a child. After his post, i totally agree, that the inflatable float does suck up a large portion of the bouncing that will throw you very far.

However, that being said, the kids have an awesome time with it, and for some reason it sends them absolutely flying. I bet that the fun in playing with the kids on the thing tainted my original nothing-but-good-things-to-say diagnosis. Now that being said, with as much fun as the kids had, i say it is totally worth it.

There were 2 owners who i asked the questions of. They both had the "Rave" brand, or model or whatever it is. One, though, spent the extra hundred bucks or so to get the thicker model. As was stated earlier, you do get what you pay for. the price difference comes in one model being a certain mm thickness, the thicker one being the one that has been on dad's pond for years, the thinner one being newer, was not staying inflated the one day we saw it in use. Buy the more expensive one if given the opportunity. His has been in perfect working order for over 7 years. He has had to repair one grommet (but re-sealed all of them when he had to repair this one) with a sealing kit you can buy from the distributor online.
Originally Posted By: teehjaeh57

How tough was the anchor system to set up?
easy as pie. drop a few cinderblocks with a rope or vinyl coated chain attached (enough weight that the wind hitting the float won't move it), keep a float on the thing in the winter so you don't lose the chain/rope, and you are all good. attaching the anchor to the float takes about 2 minutes, although the first time was tricky to learn (says both of the owners)
How BOUNCY is the trampoline?
from personal experience, it depends on your weight. Looking at my experience critically this time, the most that it shoots you out into the lake depends more on your ability to jump that far than the trampoline actually throws you. Young ones, though, seem to have an awesome time with it, and can propel themselves much farther than they would be able to jump unaided.
How hard is it for kids to climb back on?
I watched several age groups do it repeatedly. the youngest (4) needed a boost up the ladder near the end as he was starting to get worn out (as they do). All in all easy breezy, lemon cheesy. A pvc ladder on the more expensive model and a rope ladder reinforced with plastic tubing (I think this one may have been homemade) on the cheaper one both were adequate for all children to use.
How durable is it?
I you get what you pay for. the owner whose trampoline had been in use for now the 8th summer was very proud of the fact that he had purchased the better one, and it lasted. However, he did say that the seals break around the grommets that hold the trampoline to the float. there is a seal kit you can order to solve the problem, and he recommended that since they are prone to breaking (when one breaks he did all of them at once), it is better to slit the trampoline open, re-seal it from the inside at those weak points, then put the patch (from the seal kit) on the slit you made to gain access to the interior of the float. His fix has lasted 3 years without a hint of deflation.
How long to set up/take down?
Minutes. you unpack it, lay it out in the sun (to fight mold issues, i suppose), then you hook your wetvac up to it to fill it up (best to do this while in the water, owners did it at the end of their docks). 2 minutes to inflate, Once inflated 5 minutes to affix the trampoline to the top, one minute to tow it out to the anchor with a rowboat (with someone else swimming out to it), 2 minutes to get the anchor affixed to the bottom.
If you don't mind...THANKS Mike!

Hope that helps in any way.

Mike

Last edited by skinnybass; 07/17/10 06:22 PM.

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Originally Posted By: skinnybass
I have seen the neighbor north of my dad do his in about 3-4 hours to set up, and it didn't look like he was trying very hard, just hooked an electric air compressor up to it, made sure everything was unfolded out of the storage container properly and there it went. I am sure there was some wrangling to get it hooked to the anchor first.


It took him this long again. However, i think that is because his leaks. The neighbor to the south, with the more expensive model, did not need even an hour to get it done. he was grilling hot dogs in no-time.


Trying to help with 7.5 Acres in the Chain of Lakes Illinois
- -
The fish would stay out of trouble if it could just keep its fool mouth shut.
Turns out there is a lot I should be learning from the fish.
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Originally Posted by skinnybass
Alright all, sorry i haven't gotten to this question again since getting up to see it in use.

N8ly (as usual) is very right. It won't throw you as far as you would expect a trampoline to do, but it will throw a child. After his post, i totally agree, that the inflatable float does suck up a large portion of the bouncing that will throw you very far.

However, that being said, the kids have an awesome time with it, and for some reason it sends them absolutely flying. I bet that the fun in playing with the kids on the thing tainted my original nothing-but-good-things-to-say diagnosis. Now that being said, with as much fun as the kids had, i say it is totally worth it.

There were 2 owners who i asked the questions of. They both had the "Rave" brand, or model or whatever it is. One, though, spent the extra hundred bucks or so to get the thicker model. As was stated earlier, you do get what you pay for. As you can read in the reviews the price difference comes in one model being a certain mm thickness, the thicker one being the one that has been on dad's pond for years, the thinner one being newer, was not staying inflated the one day we saw it in use. Buy the more expensive one if given the opportunity. His has been in perfect working order for over 7 years. He has had to repair one grommet (but re-sealed all of them when he had to repair this one) with a sealing kit you can buy from the distributor online.
Originally Posted by teehjaeh57

How tough was the anchor system to set up?
easy as pie. drop a few cinderblocks with a rope or vinyl coated chain attached (enough weight that the wind hitting the float won't move it), keep a float on the thing in the winter so you don't lose the chain/rope, and you are all good. attaching the anchor to the float takes about 2 minutes, although the first time was tricky to learn (says both of the owners)
How BOUNCY is the trampoline?
from personal experience, it depends on your weight. Looking at my experience critically this time, the most that it shoots you out into the lake depends more on your ability to jump that far than the trampoline actually throws you. Young ones, though, seem to have an awesome time with it, and can propel themselves much farther than they would be able to jump unaided.
How hard is it for kids to climb back on?
I watched several age groups do it repeatedly. the youngest (4) needed a boost up the ladder near the end as he was starting to get worn out (as they do). All in all easy breezy, lemon cheesy. A pvc ladder on the more expensive model and a rope ladder reinforced with plastic tubing (I think this one may have been homemade) on the cheaper one both were adequate for all children to use.
How durable is it?
I you get what you pay for. the owner whose trampoline had been in use for now the 8th summer was very proud of the fact that he had purchased the better one, and it lasted. However, he did say that the seals break around the grommets that hold the trampoline to the float. there is a seal kit you can order to solve the problem, and he recommended that since they are prone to breaking (when one breaks he did all of them at once), it is better to slit the trampoline open, re-seal it from the inside at those weak points, then put the patch (from the seal kit) on the slit you made to gain access to the interior of the float. His fix has lasted 3 years without a hint of deflation.
How long to set up/take down?
Minutes. you unpack it, lay it out in the sun (to fight mold issues, i suppose), then you hook your wetvac up to it to fill it up (best to do this while in the water, owners did it at the end of their docks). 2 minutes to inflate, Once inflated 5 minutes to affix the trampoline to the top, one minute to tow it out to the anchor with a rowboat (with someone else swimming out to it), 2 minutes to get the anchor affixed to the bottom.
If you don't mind...THANKS Mike!

Hope that helps in any way.

Mike


Thank you Mike!
Im actually planning to get one for the kids for this summer and was doing a research on it. Your post is very helpful!


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