Trampoline Weight Limits And Why They Are Important
Understanding a trampoline’s weight limits are important when your kids are bouncing in the backyard. And not without reason. While trampolines help kids maintain active, fun, and healthy lifestyles, you may face some safety concerns if their weight exceeds the trampoline weight limit.
According to the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), a trampoline should have the capacity to hold more than four times the manufacturer’s recommended weight limit. This means that a trampoline with a 250-pound weight limit should be able to withstand a weight of up to 1000 pounds during testing. However, not all trampoline manufacturers adhere to ASTM’s guidelines. So, don’t assume (or try to test) that your trampoline can withstand four times the recommended weight limit.
This article looks at trampoline weight limits and why they are important. It also explores some of the key factors that determine a trampoline’s weight capacity and how to find out the weight limit of your trampoline.
What Is A Good Weight For A Trampoline?
A good weight for a trampoline should be within the weight limit recommended by the trampoline’s manufacturer. If the trampoline weight limit is 400 pounds, for instance, then the total weight of all jumpers (and everything else on the trampoline) should not exceed 400 pounds at any given time.
It’s essential to make two distinctions about trampoline weight limits:
- Weight limit per person. This refers to the maximum weight of an individual jumper that a trampoline can hold.
- Total weight limit. This is the maximum combined weight of all jumpers (and everything else on the trampoline) that a trampoline can hold at a particular time.
Children are not very heavy; thus, they can bounce safely on a trampoline with a limit of 250 pounds. However, these dynamics quickly change if you decide to join your child on the trampoline. Your combined weight could easily exceed the trampoline weight limit.
Similarly, if your child is playing with their friends simultaneously, their combined weight could be too much for the trampoline, causing it to give away and injure them. So, it might be a good idea to check the trampoline weight limit before multiple jumpers hop on board. On the same note, estimate the average weight of each jumper to determine how many should use the trampoline at any given time.
What Happens If You Go Over The Weight Limit On A Trampoline?
If you go over the weight limit on a trampoline, you could damage the trampoline’s mat and springs/bungee cords, causing the whole equipment to break. This may cause injury to anyone using the trampoline at the time of breakage.
Even if the trampoline doesn’t break immediately, consistently overloading the equipment may cause extensive wear and tear on the springs/bungee cords and the mat, reducing the trampoline’s overall lifespan. You might have to keep on replacing damaged parts, which can be quite expensive.
What Determines A Trampolines Weight Limit?
There are essentially three factors that determine a trampoline’s weight. They include:
Materials
The materials of the trampoline’s springs/bungee cords, mat, and frame dictate how much weight the equipment can hold. The more the number of springs/bungee cords, the more distributed the weight, and the higher the weight limit. The recommended weight limit will also hold longer if the springs are rust-resistant, with a high weight rating.
Ideally, the jumping mat should be of canvas or polypropylene. It should also be water-resistant and UV-resistant and have multiple stitching. These factors enhance a trampoline’s sturdiness and make for a higher and more resilient trampoline weight capacity over time.
Lastly, trampolines with a steel frame are more sturdy and have a higher weight limit than other materials like plastic.
Size
The size of a trampoline plays an essential role in the equipment’s capacity. All else held constant, the smaller the size of the trampoline the lower the weight limit and vice versa. This means that a 16-foot trampoline will have a higher weight capacity than a 12-foot trampoline.
Generally speaking, a 12-foot trampoline can hold a weight of up to 250 pounds while a 14-foot trampoline can manage up to 300 pounds. For a 15 or 16-foot trampoline, you’re looking at a capacity of up to 400 pounds.
Shape
As surprising as it may sound, a trampoline’s shape determines how much weight it can hold. Two trampolines could be of the same size and materials but have different weight limits due to their shape. Rectangular trampolines usually have a higher weight limit than round or circular trampolines (of similar size and materials).
How To Find Out The Weight Limit For Your Trampoline
You can find out the weight limit of your trampoline on the equipment’s user manual. In most cases, this information is also available on your manufacturer’s website. If you don’t have access to the trampoline’s manual, head over to the manufacturer’s website to check the weight limit of your particular model.
Key Takeaways
Understanding a trampoline’s weight limit is key to ensuring the safety of your children while playing in the backyard. Ideally, a trampoline should be able to withstand up to four times the manufacturer’s recommended weight limit (based on American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards). However, staying within the manufacturer’s recommended trampoline weight capacity is safer.
Going over a trampoline’s weight limit can cause extensive wear and tear to the mat and springs/bungee cords or cause the equipment to break altogether. Staying within the recommended weight limit ensures you get more out of your trampoline and don’t deal with the cost of replacing damaged parts.
The material, size, and shape of a trampoline are the main factors that determine its weight limit. Information about your trampoline’s weight limit is available on the equipment’s user manual or the manufacturer’s website. As a rule of thumb, you should always stick to the trampoline weight limit set by the equipment manufacturer.
