Are Trampolines With Nets Safe? [Safe Or unsafe]

“Safe” would not be the first word that I would use to describe a trampoline. Saying this, as a guy who has owned a trampoline ever since his childhood, even I have to admit that there are certain risks to jumping on it.

You can collide with another person while jumping

You can land awkwardly on the mat and sprain your ankle

Or worst comes to worst – You can fall off and break a couple of bones in your body

The list goes on. But should that stop you from getting one for your backyard? Not necessarily.

Yes, trampolines can be unsafe sometimes, but you can minimize a lot of the risks by practicing caution. Installing a safety net around your trampoline, for instance, is a quick and easy way to reduce the chance of accidents. Trampolines with a safety net are a lot safer than ones without it.

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If you own a trampoline in your backyard, my first advice would be to install a proper enclosure around it. Some trampolines come with one in the box – some don’t. And if yours doesn’t have one, you should just go out and buy it. From here on out – I will talk about trampoline safety nets and all the ways they make them safer for you and your kids.

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What are Trampoline Safety Nets?

A trampoline safety net is an accessory that is designed to reduce the risk of falling off the jumping mat when you are bouncing on it. Typically made of zinc tubes and thick synthetic materials, these nets are extremely durable and can handle a lot of stress.

You can find trampoline safety nets in different shapes and sizes to match the design of a trampoline. So, if you have a 10 feet rectangular trampoline, for instance, you need to get a net that is specifically designed for that shape and size.

Thankfully, trampoline safety nets are quite affordable. You should be able to pick one up in any local store that sells trampolines.

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How Dangerous Are Trampolines Without Nets?

Jumping on a trampoline without safety nets to catch you is really not a good idea. It can lead to some pretty serious injuries if you lose your footing. If you do not manage to stick the jump perfectly, you can easily fall off the trampoline and hurt yourself.

Head injury or breaking bones in other parts of the body is a real possibility when you are jumping on a trampoline without safety nets. Even if you keep a watchful eye on your kids as they are using the trampoline, there is no guarantee that you can catch them if they start to stumble.

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A safety net will give you a few extra moments to respond to any situation and help prevent major disasters. I would never recommend anyone to use a trampoline without safety nets. Without nets, a fun backyard toy like a trampoline can easily become a deathtrap.

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How Does a Safety Net Make Trampoline Safer?

A safety net around the trampoline minimizes the risk of accidents. It serves a lot of functions that, frankly, I never thought about before. But once I looked a bit closer, all the safety benefits of a trampoline enclosure became much clearer.

If you do not already have a safety net around your trampoline, I urge you to get one immediately. Let me give you a quick rundown of the different ways a trampoline enclosure makes it safer for kids and adults.

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1. Prevents Falling Off

The most obvious way a trampoline net makes it safer is by preventing kids from falling off the trampoline if they do not manage to stick the landing. Let’s be honest; regardless of how long you had a trampoline in your backyard, your kid is not going to become an acrobatic sensation overnight.

It is natural for him to lose control now and then when jumping. If there are safety nets around the trampoline, you will not have to worry about him falling off into the solid ground, even if he messes up the jump. A safety net will catch him while falling and toss him back into the jumping mat away from harm’s way.

2. Protection Against Burns

During the summer, the temperature in your backyard can get quite hot. Since most trampolines come with steel frames, they can become extremely heated under the sun. And grabbing that can easily scorch your hands.

One of the more underrated ways a safety net makes your life better is by offering protection against burns. Since these nets are made of soft UV-resistant synthetic materials, they do not get super-hot. As a result, rubbing against the netting will not cause burns or bruising.

3. Easier Supervision

You should always keep an eye on the kids if you let them jump on the trampoline. But even when you keep a watchful eye, it is quite difficult to respond to an emergency. Even if you see your kid start to stumble, there is no guarantee that you will catch him in time to prevent accidents.

With a safety net surrounding the trampoline, though, it is much easier to respond to any problems. The safety net will be the first line of defense and will buy you enough time to pick him up before he falls off. And since safety nets offer an unobstructed view of the trampoline, it will not affect your visibility.

4. Allows You to Spread Out

If two or more people are jumping on the trampoline, collision is a real threat. It is pretty easy to bump into another person mid-air, especially if you have a round trampoline in your backyard. As you might know, these trampolines have a center-focused bounce which means you will tend to move towards the center when jumping.

However, with a safety net in place, you will have a bit more flexibility to spread out and jump freely. Since you do not have to worry about falling off the trampoline, you can focus on avoiding collisions with nearby people. This is another underrated aspect of a safety net, but one that is worth knowing.

5. Better Control

No, a safety net will not give you better balance or control of your body when you are jumping on the trampoline. However, with a safety net in place, you will have an enclosed area which means better control of what goes on inside the trampoline.

For example, if you are an adult supervising your kids jumping on the trampoline, you can control how safe they are while they are bouncing. If you notice them trying to pull off dangerous stunts, you can respond to it before it gets too late.

Think of the alternative; if there are no safety nets, their first attempt at a trick might lead to a serious injury. With a safety net, you will have better control over the safety of the people inside the trampoline.

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Are Trampolines Safer Without the Net?

Definitely not. On the contrary, without a safety net to protect you, a trampoline is nothing short of an accident waiting to happen. Jumping on a trampoline without a safety net is extremely risky. Even if you are a pro at this, accidents do happen, and if you take a bad fall from the trampoline, you can severely hurt yourself.

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Do All Trampolines Come with a Safety Net?

Most trampolines these days come with a safety net in the box. However, there are some models, especially the cheaper ones, that do not include a safety net. Of course, when I am shopping for a new trampoline, I gravitate towards one that has an included safety net, and I would recommend you do the same.

But if you want to go with an affordable trampoline that does not give you a safety net for free, you need to buy one yourself. Safety nets are typically not that expensive, so they should not be a major issue. If you don’t have the budget right now, I would suggest saving up and buying one before you set up your trampoline.

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The Bottom Line

Jumping on a trampoline without a safety net, frankly, is not worth the risk. If you break your arm or leg from a bad fall, it would mean months of healing and bed rest. But if you simply go with a decent safety net to protect you, the risk of that happening gets quite low.

Yes, trampolines can be risky. Some might even argue that it is not safe for adults. However, I believe kids and adults alike should get to feel the joy that trampoline brings without putting themselves in harm’s way. Installing a safety net is a small price to pay for a safe jumping experience.

I hope my article was enough to convince you of the importance of safety nets. To sum it all up, yes, trampolines with safety nets are as safe as they could be. Cheers!