Spillway Review

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Review
by Christine Fitzgerald

2007 update:  The article below was written in 2oo3.  Since then the trampoline may have been recalled.  It is now 2007 and the safety netting is torn.  In the course of looking into getting a new net, I found out about the recall. 

Trampolines

The AMA says don’t get a trampoline, don’t let your kids on one at the neighbors, or at school, or at a gym, or at a playground.  So don’t get one.  But if you want to know how it is to have one one of these fun, dangerous, objects taking up most of your yard, read on.  We recently got a Jumpking 15ft. trampoline from Sam’s with the netting enclosure to keep the kid’s from falling off.  The AMA has made it very clear that falling off is not the only danger; kids can break thieir necks right in the middle of the trampoline,  and don’t get one etc., even with the netting enclosure.  I think that’s their current position. 

The trampoline is packed with good karma.  The trampoline itself is amazingly easy for two people to put up.  The enclosure netting is more difficult.

Assembly:
Little tips for those having the vicarious experience of putting one up (remember, don’t get one, as per the AMA above):

1.  And this is VERY important.  The enclosure has some brackets that have to go on the legs of the trampoline.  If you, (in your mind’s eye, because you are NOT getting a trampoline for medical reasons) are getting the enclosure netting, put those brackets that hold the arches of the enclosure on the legs of the trampoline BEFORE you put the top/bed of the trampoline on the legs.  Otherwise you’ll be pulling apart the trampoline to get those brackets on the legs. 

2.  When putting on the springs, hook the spring to the trampoline bed and pull the other end toward the little hole in the frame.  We started by putting the spring in the frame and pulling it toward the hook in the bed of the trampoline, but it’s a two person job that way. 

3.  Putting up the enclosure netting is a two person job.  One person can assemble the arches, but two, or better yet three adults ought to be around to actually put up the arches.  I put the netting on the arches by myself, but it was a job.

Safety:
Well there is no safety on these things, according to the AMA, but if you want to imagine that they could be safe, imagine that nobody is doing ANY flips, and only one person is jumping at a time, and you’ve got that enclosure netting up.

Have fun not having a trampoline.