Frequently asked questions

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's trampoline guidance says no child under 6 on a full-size trampoline, one jumper at a time and no somersaults; the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages home trampolines at any age. Our trampoline age recommendation guide sets out what each body says and what the makers print, and are trampolines safe for kids covers the injury evidence.

On published design: a net that attaches to the mat inside the springs so a jumper cannot land on the springs or frame, padded poles that curve away from the net, and anchors in the box; or a springless design that removes the springs and rigid poles from the jumping zone. No design changes CPSC's rules. See best trampolines for kids and best enclosure net designs.

Published single-jumper limits run 220 to 350 lb on the models we cover. The 1,000 lb-plus figures on some listings are static test loads, not a limit for people. The difference, and each maker's printed number, is on trampoline weight limit.

Measure the flat, level part of the yard, subtract the clearance the maker asks for on every side, and buy the largest single-jumper mat that fits. A bigger mat never means two jumpers at once. The clearance each brand publishes is on what size trampoline, and the shape question on round vs rectangle.

It removes the springs, frame edge and rigid poles from the jumping zone and warrants every part for 10 years; its single-jumper limit is 220 lb and anchors are sold separately. How that compares with the best spring designs is on Springfree vs spring trampolines.

CPSC says not to use one, because a ladder gives small children unsupervised access. If your kids are old enough and you buy one anyway, take it off between sessions. See best trampoline ladders.

A swing set is a beam with swings. A playset adds an elevated deck with a slide and climbing routes, which brings CPSC's platform, guardrail, surfacing and entrapment rules into play. See swing set vs playset.

It depends which unit the maker prints: Swing-N-Slide 300 lb per beam and 345-595 lb per set; Gorilla 800 lb total; KidKraft 110 lb per child; Lifetime 135 lb per seat; Backyard Discovery a child count. Why those numbers are not comparable is on swing set weight limit.

Cedar sets publish more structure and longer warranties; steel needs no sealing and more often ships with anchors. Neither is safer because of its material; anchoring, hardware and the use zone decide that. See wooden vs metal swing sets.

Makers print 3-10 (KidKraft, Lifetime Adventure Tower), 3-11 (Gorilla) and 3-12 (Lifetime Monkey Bar Adventure). Deck height decides the younger end. See best playsets for older kids and are backyard playsets worth it.

Only Trekassy's steel frames print an adult rating (440 lb). The other makers we cover print child age ranges and per-seat limits of 100-135 lb. See best heavy-duty swing sets.

Yes. A trampoline frame catches wind, and CPSC's playground handbook says to anchor play equipment per the maker's instructions. Zupapa, Jumpzylla and ORCC ship trampoline stakes; Backyard Discovery ships playset stakes; the rest sell kits. See how to anchor a trampoline and how to anchor a swing set.

The footprint plus 6 ft on every side, plus twice the beam height in front of and behind the swings, all of it surfaced, per CPSC. The measuring method is on swing set safety zone.

CPSC's handbook: 9 in of loose fill maintained (12 in as filled) for equipment up to 8 ft high, across the whole use zone; grass and dirt do not count as protective surfacing. Products and bag math are on best playground mulch and surfacing.

CPSC says not to install play equipment over concrete or any hard surface. The mitigation, rated rubber tiles, has a printed fall-height ceiling of 4 ft on the tile we cover. See swing set on concrete and anchoring a trampoline on concrete.

Frame diameter measured outside to outside, the pole count and pole shape for a net, and spring length and frame tube for a pad. Skywalker also sells by model code. See best replacement nets and best trampoline safety pads.

No, and we say so on every page. Scores come from the makers' published product pages, manuals and warranty terms, weighed on a rubric we publish, and every safety claim links to CPSC, the AAP or a study. The full method is on how we rate.

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Email mike@blackironathletics.com or use the contact form with the page and the source that contradicts it. We check corrections against the source and log fixes on the page.