Going to buy a trampoline this summer (8ft) Any advice/tips?

[Elle Driver]

Hi, as the title says - going to buy the girls a trampoline for the summer, stick it out in the garden.

I am thinking an 8ft will be big enough. I hope so as our garden isn't exactly big!

I have been told to make sure the padded seating bit is actually *inside* the zipped/protective meshing around the side, so that kiddies can wait their turn inside rather than zip down, come out, zip up, zip down, go back in, zip up..etc etc. Iyswim

Any other tips? Advice?

Any good stockists?

My sister says they may go up in price around the summer - is this probable do you think?

I'm not looking to buy one yet; I want to wait until we get back from our honeymoon.

TIA for any pointers

PVx

[DietCoke]

We got one from B&Q last summer, i think they're cheap still in their stores.

The kids love it and both go on together with very few accidents. you def need the netting as they'd go flying off the edge.

One word of advice, find a way to fix it down to the grass, ours blew over recently in the high winds and it bent a couple of the poles that support the netting...

[Fitmonkey]

I don't have any advise but we are looking to get an 8ft one too and I came across this:

http://www.sweatbandoutdoor.co.uk/sh...11&c=2685&d=15#

[bubblewrap]

Don't put it on a balcony or near an open window!

[*Uptowngirl*]

We have a 12ft one and where advised by some friends to get a minimum of a 10ft as it will last the kids so much longer, so you might want to consider a slightly bigger one?? We got ours last september from B&Q and paid £90 for the Trampoline, enclosure and anchors to hold it in the ground.

Couple of tips are - if you have it on the grass make sure you keep moving it around as it completly wrecks your grass as no light gets to it and make sure you take it down it the winter as the frost, cold and rain will ruin the trampoline.

I love going on ours as its such good excercise, but very tiring!

[Katiekipper]

I have been told to make sure the padded seating bit is actually *inside* the zipped/protective meshing around the side, so that kiddies can wait their turn inside rather than zip down, come out, zip up, zip down, go back in, zip up..etc etc. Iyswim

I disagree with that... the padded area is to cover the springs to keep the children away from them, not for sitting on. They come up quite easily and it'd be so easy for a child to stick their hand under it and be badly hurt so we deliberately chose one where the enclosure leaves the spring cover on the outside.
The only part of the trampoine they can play on/sit on, is the safe bouncing area. Ours doesn't zip, the exit is hard to explain but it's like the pieces overlap, so it's still 100% enclosed if they fall against it, but they exit by pulling the 2 bits apart and sliding through.
Mine just sit down to rest and get bounced around by their siblings.
I'd also echo getting a 10ft. Ours is 10ft and it's only really comfy for 2 of them, when the 3 get on it's crowded, so an 8ft for the 2 of them would be just as cramped.

[Elle Driver]

I will measure where it's going tonight UTG as I think the bigger the better, for sure

Will check B&Q out. Have just found this site that is tempting me but I will not give in just yet. I do not want a trampoline arriving at the house right now. Not in the middle of all the wedding sh!t I've got going on!

http://www.outdoortoysdirect.co.uk/trampoline-sale

[Elle Driver]

Interesting Katie, thanks for that

As I said just now, I'll measure and if I can get an extra two foot in then I will definitely get a 10 instead of an 8.

[zummerzet lou]

Homebase had a 10ft trampoline and enclosure for £99 a week or so ago.

Is that a good price?

[Elle Driver]

Yes. VERY good price ZL! I'm definitely going to mooch up to B&Q to check out their prices.

Thanks for the B&Q rec, all