Trying out a Budget Rebounder First

It can be an attractive notion to invest in a low-cost rebounder if one is a beginner, then based on the experiences with that, decide on investing in a more expensive one. The concerns that arise with this is that budget rebounders often, despite being brand new, can introduce painful and unpleasant experiences to the end user due to poor quality control, poor materials, and inferior design elements. Then, the user will not know whether it’s rebounding causing the issue, or an inferior device. Here, we’ll explore whether this is a good option, and what to be aware of if you decide to go this way.

Soft-bounce, Flat Surface, Comfortable Recoil

Although it’s hard to gauge the comfort of a bounce without having a comparative rebounder to test it with, make sure any rebounder you purchase provides a comfortable, soft bounce – it should not jar the knees at all, and in fact should feel somewhat ‘cloudlike’ when landing. As well, whether you bounce on the edge or the center, it should provide an almost identical platform, and not sag or sink in any one place. Your ankles should not have to fight to stay upright, and should not want to curl to either side. Finally, you should experience a strong, consistent push back so when you land, you are pushed back up into the air – you should be able to sprint-jump just as readily as doing a casual and slow health bounce. All three of these components are important for a healthy and maximized bounce experience.

Tensile Strength

A rebounder frame is holding up your entire weight, over and over, as you jump up and down. The frame has to be constructed of high-gauge steel for any type of longevity, and many of our customers have not only complained, but sent us pictures of legs that have cracked due to poor welding, bungees that rip prematurely, or frames that are warped. These issues pose a direct threat to the health and well-being of anyone using them as irreversible damage can occur if any of these components fail during a jump or landing.

Warranty, Parts

No matter how cheap or expensive the rebounder you purchase is, a warranty along with an abundance of spare parts for every component are integral. Why? Because aside from the fact that rebounder maintenance is a part of every owner’s life, if a company has a strong warranty in place, and most importantly, readily available parts, that is an indication that they are not producing a device that is one they expect you to throw away. In fact, most rebounders you will purchase that are on the budget level are not intended to be maintained but rather thrown away after a year or so, only to be replaced by a new one. This is not only inconvenient for you, the end-user, due to the expense and danger of it breaking, but it contributes to environmental waste.

Lead & Harmful Chemicals

Budget products will often be produced with more unsafe materials to cut costs and the quality control will necessarily be less robust – many of these companies will come and go, re-branding themselves once enough of their products are out there so they are no longer liable for warranty or other issues that may arise from using a budget rebounder. From the coating on the mat to the steel used in the springs, to the material used in bungees, it is important to safeguard the health and well-being of you and your family by purchasing a product from a reputable manufacturer that has full control over the entire production process, and isn’t just reselling some product made by a bulk manufacturer elsewhere in the world.

Lifetime Support

A rebounder, and rebounding, like any lifestyle change, is hopefully a permanent positive addition to anyone’s life. If a product is budgetary, or the manufacturer is not established or long-running, it is unlikely you will receive the type of support you require to ensure you are rebounding steadily for years to come. Most, if not all, budget rebounding companies are simply resellers and do not have any vested interest in rebounding itself, and are in essence branding a generic product that a handful of other companies are selling. This is why there may be so many of them available, rarely differentiated from each other. With so much disconnect between the producer and the end user, there is no vested interest in making sure the product performs in a superior way, but that the customer receives all the support they require to make full use of it.

Should I Start with a Budget Option?

Monetary concerns are a real and normal part of life – everyone understands this. But just as one will suffer in the medium to long term, accruing increased costs by purchasing a cheaply built car, so too does a rebounder require to be produced with a great deal of care, with robust, strong components. In all likelihood a budget rebounder will cause more harm than good, and we always recommend both veterans and newbies invest in a quality rebounder their first time out, and can almost guarantee that this will save them money in the long term. If purchasing a Needak, for example, is a bit expensive, do consider using Afterpay to break down the payments, or save up until you can afford one instead of spending less money on an inferior product – we want you to do what’s right for yourself and your loved ones.