Trampoline Safety Pad

Village not jumping at trampoline plan

Whether kids in Buffalo Grove and neighboring suburbs will have new walls to bounce off of remains to be seen.

The Village Board voted Monday to further study the issue of allowing a trampoline-jumping business to open in the municipality.

Xtreme Trampolines offers multiple trampolines linked together, with each edge covered by pads, giving kids and teens several yards of individual jumping spaces. Owner Eric Beck’s first facility, in

Carol Stream, also includes a 6-foot-deep pit filled with foam pads that customers can dive into — all of which makes for exciting and, by Beck’s admission, risky recreation.

“We’ve had more than 100,000 kids, and some of them do get hurt,” Beck said.

The trustees spoke at length about the multiple angles of the opportunity: giving youth a physical activity that some would prefer to games and computers, protecting their safety during the activity, attracting a new business, adding competition to long-established businesses, adding emergency calls for ambulance crews ... and whether the board should be making decisions that have traditionally been left to parents.

Trampoline Safety Pads-Best Defense Against Pinching And

Trampoline safety pads are essential for every trampoline owner, whether they be a child or an adult. Most trampolines have safety pads with them but there are also trampoline models that do not come with the pads. In such case, you can buy an affordable safety pads which can be sold separately in sporting goods stores.

What They Are

Trampoline pads are also known as spring covers. They are often made of polyethylene foam or vinyl and go around and over the frame and springs. Some have skirts that completely cover the outer rim of a frame. When attached correctly, they serve as a good defense against injury. They can help prevent bruises and scrapes in case a jumper accidentally strays from the center and falls on the frame. Since pads also cover springs, they also protect against getting your digits caught in the springs and their rings.

Pads have one other safety use. They can serve as reminders to kids to keep away from the edge. With pads in place, young users are better able to consciously locate the center of a trampoline, thereby avoiding falls and other accidents.

Trampolines should ideally have pads when you buy them. Some however only have covers. In this case, you may have to shop for a pad on your own. Some manufacturers sell pads that readily fit the models that they sell.

Measuring and Installing

Safety pads can differ depending on the trampoline size.  If you are not buying the pads directly from the same trampoline manufacturer, make sure to manually measure the frame.  Use a measuring tape and run it from one outer edge across the other outer edge.  For irregularly shaped trampolines, you can measure it point-by-point.

Tips to Remember

Here are some important things to remember when choosing and using your safety pads.

Since pads come in different colors, it can be a good idea to buy those that contrast greatly with the color of the trampoline mat. This way, it is easier for young users to see the boundary of the mat and the edge of the trampoline. It makes it easier for them to stay always at the center of the trampoline mat.

Safety pads are made of sturdy and durable material. With frequent use though, you can only expect them to fray and thin or tear so you might want to regularly check if these pads are still in place, doing what they are supposed to do. Another thing, since these pads cover trampoline springs and other small parts, it is likely that you will miss checking up on these small, crucial parts, too. Do not forget to check regularly if these small, crucial spring parts are still good and working.

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