Skywalker Trampolines Explorer Mini 48"

This review is for the 48 inch round trampoline with enclosure. This was our first ever trampoline purchase. it was purchased with our 1 1/2 year old son in mind- although it was used by kids aged 1 1/2- 9 years old. It lasted from November 2014 until June 2016. The netting tore and the styrofoam covers for the metal bars tore as well. The trampoline was still useable after the tears, but we decided to call it quits and upgrade to the larger size. For the cost of the item, the amount of use it got, and the level of abuse it took, I was pleased with how long we were able to use it for before needing to replace it. The assembly of this trampoline took quite awhile to do. I gave up and walked away from it several times so I can't really give an exact time frame. Having stumbled and cried my way through the assembly of it, I decided that I would have been smart to head over to YouTube. There are YouTube videos dedicated to explaining the assembly process . My recommendation to anyone with a short temper is to check one of those out before beginning. All of the necessary tools are included to assemble this, but I found that using a power drill speeds along the process. After this bad boy is assembled, your kids will all try to crowd in at once to jump. It supported the weight of my 3 kids- aged 1 1/2- 10 1/2, but the suggested and safe max weight to use this is 100lbs. It wasn't all too much fun for all 3 to be in because it didn't leave any of them room to maneuver. Ideally, this trampoline works well for 1 person at a time, but it can comfortably accommodate up to 2 children with a combined weight of 100lbs or under. I had two 2 year olds in it at the same time which worked quite well. My small 8 1/2 year old could bounce on it just fine, but it wasn't very entertaining for him. Children who are still working on balance will get use out of the bar that circles around the interior perimeter of the trampoline netting. The bar is sturdy enough for a child to hold onto whilst jumping without causing the trampoline to tip. Children might be tempted to grab onto the netting while bouncing, but I would discourage this as the netting will tear when enough pressure is applied. I've never had it tear when the children fall into the sides, but it has torn when the older kids grab onto it for balance when jumping up and down. This trampoline uses bungee cords in lieu of springs. Not having springs means no pinched fingers or toes, but it also means sacrificing a bit of the bounce that you'd get from a typical trampoline with springs . Since we bought this trampoline with our toddler in mind, we feel that the bungee cords were the better choice for us. If we were looking for our tween and teenager, we'd for sure look for a trampoline with springs. Our toddler has slammed himself all around on the trampoline and has never gotten hurt. I feel the styrofoam covers over the metal bars provide enough cushioning to prevent the sting that would happen if you smacked up on a bare metal bar. Because we bought our trampoline for indoor use, we found the small footprint of the 48inch to be the perfect size. Our second trampoline purchase was the skywalker 60inch trampoline which- although better for older and multiple kids- is not ideal for keeping in our child's bedroom. The 48 inch (this particular trampoline) comfortably fit into a corner section of my son's bedroom. If you're deciding between the two, I would say that the 48inch was suitable for 2 small children but ideally for 1 small child (I would say 5 and under). If your hopes are to use this with multiple children or for children who are 5 and up, I would say that the 60inch is a better choice for you. And although I do enjoy the smaller footprint of the 48inch, the 60inch is still manageable for indoor use. I'm including a picture to compare the sizes of the Skywalker 48inch round trampoline and the Skywalker 60 inch round trampoline. The pic shows my 3 year old son and my 10 year old son.