Updated 25 September, 2024
Trampolines are great fun for both kids and adults! Their popularity keeps growing, especially around Christmas, when many buy them as gifts for children or grandchildren. Brands start promoting their trampolines in August, often offering discounts and free accessories. Sales peak by November and drop off during New Zealand's summer holidays (24th Dec – end of Jan).
If you're considering buying a trampoline, we can help. As experienced trampoline assemblers in Auckland, we've assembled hundreds and have seen the best and the worst. We assemble, move, and dispose of trampolines regularly, giving us a clear understanding of the key factors involved in owning one.
Now, let’s dive straight into helping you choose the best trampoline for your needs!
Popular Trampoline Brands in NZ
The most popular trampoline brands available in New Zealand include:
Springfree Trampolines
Round, Oval, and Square Models | $999 to $3999 | Upto 700 Kg Capacity
They offer the most versatile range of shapes. You can find trampolines in all sizes – small, medium, large, and jumbo. These trampolines are built to a premium quality, lasting up to 10 years, and hold good resale value. However, assembling and disassembling them can be quite challenging.
Where to Buy: Available on the official Springfree website
Jumpflex Trampolines
Round Trampolines in All Sizes | $599 to $1299 | Upto 250 Kg Capacity
Offers round trampolines in all sizes. They are of decent quality with a lifespan of a couple of years, and come with a lifetime warranty. These trampolines are among the most commonly found in NZ and come with a good range of accessories.
Where to Buy: Available on the official Jumpflex website
Spacejump Trampolines
Round Trampolines in All Sizes | $799 to $1099 | Upto 250 Kg Capacity
Sells round trampolines in all sizes. They have average quality and last a couple of years. Like Jumpflex, these are among the most common in NZ and offer a good range of accessories.
Where to Buy: Available on the official Spacejump website
Bigbounce Trampolines
Round Trampolines in All Sizes | $600 to $1400 | Upto 250 Kg Capacity
Sells round trampolines in various sizes, offering average quality with a 250 kg weight capacity and a lifespan of a few years. They are also quite common in NZ, with replacement parts readily available.
Where to Buy: Available on Torpedo7 stores
Superfly Trampolines
Round Trampolines in All Sizes | $499 to $999 | Upto 220 Kg Capacity
Sells round trampolines in all sizes, offering affordable options with average quality and a weight capacity of up to 220 kg. They come with a 10-year frame warranty and typically last a few years. Overall, it's a decent purchase for the price.
Where to Buy: Available on the official Superfly website
Gee Trampolines – Perfect for Gymnasts!
Rectangular Trampolines in All Sizes | $1100 to $4000 | 150 Kg Capacity
They are known for their rectangular gymnastics trampolines, offering a wide range of sizes. These trampolines are built to premium quality for a high bounce. However, assembly and disassembly can be quite challenging.
Where to Buy: You can buy them from their retailers in Australia
Vuly Trampolines
Round Trampolines in All Sizes | $700 to $1700 | 150 Kg Capacity
Offers round trampolines in various sizes. They are of good quality with a better safety rating than most, supporting a maximum weight of 150 kg and typically lasting a couple of years. However, assembly and disassembly can be somewhat difficult.
Where to Buy: Available on the official Vuly website
Warehouse, Farmers and Kmart Trampolines
Round Trampolines in Various Sizes | $200 - $400
Several budget-friendly brands are available at Warehouse, Farmers, and Kmart, such as Plum Trampolines and Active Intent Trampolines. They are not very sturdy, have a lower weight capacity compared to other brands, and typically last only 2-3 years. Remember, you get what you pay for!
Our key observations about trampolines in Auckland:
Some cheap trampolines in NZ aren’t of good enough quality to waste your time and money on.
We understand which trampoline size a particular customer should get – sometimes contrary to what manufacturers claim.
We know how much weight certain trampolines can bear, whether they have springs or are a spring free trampoline.
We have seen how fragile some otherwise sturdy-looking trampolines can be.
We have a good understanding of how safe different spring and spring less trampoline brands are.
Key Factors To Keep In Mind When Buying A Trampoline
1. What Size Trampoline To Buy
The first thing to do when shopping for a trampoline is decide which size you want. Most trampolines are big enough for two or three children, but trampolines that hold more can be found if you shop around.
Larger sized trampolines allow more people to jump at once without putting too much weight in one place on the trampoline mat. If your garden is small, however, it’s probably not worth paying extra for a bigger frame, as you may have trouble fitting it into your backyard.
In our experience, though, bigger isn’t always better. The key is to ensure you buy a trampoline that fits comfortably and safely in your property and has enough space for children to bounce safely inside it.
An important factor when deciding what size trampoline to buy is how many people will use it at once. Smaller trampolines are great for smaller families who just want a couple of children to jump at one.
Bigger trampolines, however, can accommodate bigger groups of children at the same time, which can be useful when your children’s friends visit.
It’s essential to measure your backyard before you make a final decision over what sized trampoline to buy. We recommend having around 1-2 metres of extra space around your trampoline over and above the mat size for safety reasons.
In the image below, for example, the mat size is 4m, so it’s recommended you should have more than 6m of space for safety.
Our key observations around trampoline size:
10-feet and 12-feet are the most common sized trampolines that people buy. In our opinion, this is a reasonable size that’s not too big and not too small.
An 8-feet trampoline is suitable for 1-2 children.
14-feet is too big because these sized trampolines are not as sturdy as smaller ones. The exception to this is large Springfree brand trampolines.
Go for a round medium or oval medium trampoline if you’re buying the Springfree brand.
A bigger size doesn’t mean a trampoline can carry more weight. It’s essential to check the weight specifications of the product before buying and installing it.
Are Bigger Trampolines Better?
In short, no; the bigger a trampoline doesn’t mean it can carry your entire family of 10! For example, a 14-foot trampoline has the same weight capacity as a 10-foot trampoline – around 250 kg. Overall, Springfree brand trampolines are sturdy in our opinion and can accommodate 2-3 times more weight than other brands.
To illustrate this, below are specifications for the Jumpflex trampoline brand. You will see that the 12ft, 14ft and 15ft trampolines all have the same weight capacity of 250kg.
Image source: Jumpflex website
2. Trampoline Durability
In our experience, you can expect almost all trampoline brands in New Zealand to last for two to three seasons. The fact is that trampolines are outdoor equipment, and they are constantly exposed to extreme weather conditions. For example, a trampoline in Auckland can expect to be exposed to rain, sun, hail, and potentially salt air too.
Exposure to these varying weather conditions cause rusting of the metal parts. This includes the trampoline frame, springs, bolts, and safety net enclosure rods. The main impact of weathering is on the trampoline springs, which lose their strength and start rusting over time.
One reason we recommend the Springfree brand is that they have composite rods instead of springs. This means there is no corrosion, and they don’t lose their strength, unlike metal springs. The same applies to the Springfree trampoline safety net enclosure rods.
This doesn’t mean they are perfect, however, as we’ve seen rust on Springfree trampoline bolts and frames too. Overall, though, Springfree trampolines can last a lot longer if they’re properly stored. We have disassembled trampolines as old as eight years and seen the difference between Springfree and other brands that have metal springs and other components.
Image Source: Rusty trampoline springs
Our key observations about trampoline durability:
We recommend Springfree trampolines for their durability, as they use fibre rods instead of metallic springs.
After Springfree, the next best brand we recommend is Jumpflex trampolines.
3. Trampoline Price
Like most things in life, you get what you pay for. If you buy a cheaper trampoline, you can expect it will be lower quality and won’t last as long. This is because cheaper trampolines have lower-quality parts, which will break, rust, and deteriorate more quickly over time.
Not everyone has the budget for a more expensive trampoline though, and some people aren’t sure their kids will stay interested in the trampoline for a long time and question whether it’s worth the extra cost
In our experience, however, children love trampolining and will get many years of fun and exercise from one. If you spend a bit more, you’ll also have peace of mind that your children are protected with better quality components that won’t break and endanger their safety.
Our key observations about trampoline prices:
Don’t automatically go for the cheapest trampoline – you get what you pay for. Not all trampolines are designed and built equally.
The cheaper a trampoline is, the lower quality its parts will be.
Budget-wise, you can get a reasonable quality 10ft or 12ft trampoline from Jumpflex, Plum, Bouncepro and other manufacturers for $800-$1,200. Springfree trampolines start from $1,000 and go up to $3,000. In our opinion, the extra cost is worth it.
4. Trampoline Assembly & Disassembly DIY Challenges
Assembling a trampoline yourself is not for the faint-hearted! For a first-time trampoline assembler, you’re looking at around four hours to get a trampoline assembly job completed.
However, trampoline assembly isn’t easy, and we’ve been called in to help rectify many partially or incorrectly assembled trampolines after people give up on DIY. Trampolines with springs, in particular, are notoriously difficult to assemble as they have many smaller parts.
The fibre rods in Springfree trampolines pose a different challenge. This is because correct technique is needed, as well as a lot of physical strength. Often, this is beyond the skills and experience of many DIY assemblers.
Oval and square shaped Springfree trampolines raise the DIY trampoline assembly bar even higher, as they are more complicated. For example, you need to be very careful with the orientation of the mat right from the first step.
Transporting a trampoline takes the challenge to another level. Unfortunately, there are countless stories of trampolines being moved in ways that result in severe damage and to address this issue, we’ve dedicated a post to provide essential tips on how not to move a trampoline.
Assembling a Springfree trampoline
Our key observations about trampoline assembly:
Trampolines are notoriously difficult to assemble, particularly those with springs, as they have many components.
Springfree trampolines require correct technique and physical strength.
Help with trampoline assembly is highly recommended.
5. Trampoline Safety
One of the most important factors to consider when buying a trampoline is safety. While many of the latest trampolines have covered springs, safety nets, and extra padding, their quality isn’t guaranteed. That’s because there are no mandatory safety standards in New Zealand
There are voluntary safety standards, but these are largely ignored by the importers of cheap products, which is why it’s so important to look at trampoline reviews in NZ and invest in a better brand. In the absence of mandatory laws here in New Zealand, we tend to look to the Australian standards for safety guidelines.
According to the Kiwifamilies website, many of the apparent trampoline safety features give a false sense of security. One reason is that safety nets often don’t have adequate UV protection, which means they tear easily. Also, safety pads degrade rapidly in sunlight.
Consumer NZ has tested trampoline safety three times since 2012 and, in its 2021 test, found safety issues with three out of four trampolines. While the Springfree trampoline passed the Australian standard and the Jumpflex model had only minor failures that didn’t affect user safety, other brands were found to have significant shortcomings
Our key observations about trampoline safety:
Based on our experience and trampoline safety tests, Springfree trampolines are of the best quality and offer the highest safety levels.
6. Trampoline Bounce
When we think about trampolines, one of the first things that usually crosses our minds is which one will be the most fun. Our next thought is often about which trampoline will give us the best bounce. The majority of trampolines that come equipped with springs usually deliver a better bounce compared to those without springs.
If you're in the process of researching and deciding which trampoline to purchase for the maximum bounce, be sure to take a look at our other post about the bounciest trampoline brands in New Zealand.
7. Trampolines Resale Value
Not every trampoline holds its value well when resold. This is mainly due to longevity issues. While many brands offer long warranties for their trampolines, their quality often doesn't last even five years.
If you're unsure whether your children will get enough use out of your purchase, we recommend buying a Springfree brand. Although the initial cost is higher, they offer the best resale value. You can often find used Springfree trampolines listed on TradeMe, with people willing to buy them. Depending on their condition, you could resell them for over $1000!
Springfree trampolines have high resale value (Source: Trademe NZ)
The Final Word On Trampolines
If money isn’t a concern, a Springfree brand trampoline is the best trampoline in NZ, in our opinion. They are available in different sizes (compact, medium, and large) and in round, oval, and square shapes.
Our views are based on the following brand trampolines that we have had personal experience with: Springfree; Spacejump; Big Bounce; Jumpflex; Plum; Superfly; BouncePro; Active Intent.
How Ezy Peazy can help with your trampoline
Ezy Peazy is a network of skilled and experienced taskers who offer a range of trampoline services across New Zealand. These include:
Trampoline assembly – all brands.
Trampoline disassembly – all brands.
Trampoline relocation (disassemble, move, re-assemble).
It’s quick and easy to find a local and affordable trampoline service near you. With Ezy Peazy, it’s safe, convenient, and easy to find a local tasker to assemble, disassemble, relocate, repair or dispose of your trampoline.
Put it up on Ezy Peazy
It only takes a few clicks for you to post your trampoline task requirements. Add your location, budget, and preferred time to the Ezy Peazy platform for free and wait for the offers to come in. Select your preferred tasker for the job and get your trampoline task sorted quickly and easily.