How to Anchor a Trampoline: The Best Way on Grass, in High Winds and in Soft Ground

The two methods

Auger and strap. A helical stake screws into the soil; a strap runs from its eye over the trampoline's horizontal base tube and back. Pull-out resistance comes from the thread bearing on undisturbed soil, and the strap holds the frame down rather than pinning one point. ACON, Jumpflex and Springfree sell this type. U-stake. A bent steel rod driven over the base tube with a mallet; the two legs of the U resist lift by friction and by the soil above their length. Skywalker's are 12.5 in galvanized and fit legs up to 2 in; Zupapa, Jumpzylla and ORCC include theirs. Which trampolines ship anchors and which sell them is tabulated on best trampoline anchors.

Step by step: auger and strap

1. Site the trampoline per CPSC: away from structures, trees and other play areas, on level ground, and per the maker's clearance (Jumpflex 3.3 ft, Springfree 5 ft, Jumpzylla 3-5 ft).
2. Mark a point beside each leg's base tube, on the outside of the frame, where the strap will run straight up and over the tube.
3. Screw the auger in vertically until the eye is at ground level. Use the T-handle or drill adapter if the kit has one (Jumpflex's PRO includes tools). If it stops on a rock, move a few inches, do not force it.
4. Run the strap over the base tube and through the eye; tension it so the frame cannot lift, not so tight that it bows the tube.
5. Repeat on every leg. ACON: 2-4, all 4 in open windy yards. A 6-leg or 8-leg frame needs a stake per leg or the unanchored legs become the lever.
6. Recheck tension after the first week and after every storm; straps stretch and augers settle.

Step by step: U-stakes

1. Same siting rules.
2. Place the U over the base tube next to each leg, legs of the U straddling the tube.
3. Drive with a rubber mallet until the bend sits on the tube. Skywalker's are 12.5 in; that whole length should be in the ground.
4. One per leg. A 4-pack covers four legs; count yours.
5. After a freeze-thaw cycle or a wet week, check that the stakes have not lifted with the soil.

High wind: what changes

Use augers with straps, use all of them, and add a strap kit even on a trampoline that shipped U-stakes. Jumpflex sells its PRO kit specifically for "more exposed settings and even stronger winds," with the disclaimer that it is a preventative measure and not a guarantee, which is the honest position for any anchor. Take the net down and, if a named storm is forecast, take the trampoline down: no anchor is rated for a hurricane. A frame full of leaves or snow adds load; a weather cover is a separate purchase. And note the failure mode: an anchored frame in a big enough gust does not fly away, it folds, so the kit protects the neighbor's car more than it protects the trampoline.

Soft ground, sand and clay

Backyard Discovery's advice for playset stakes applies to trampolines too: anchors need solid soil or clay, not loose soil or sand. In sand, a longer auger and a strap are the only thing that holds; in saturated clay, an auger holds until the clay dries and shrinks around it, so recheck after a dry spell. Artificial turf can be cut and an auger driven through to the base beneath, then the turf laid back. Concrete, pavers and decking cannot take a stake at all; the options are on anchor a trampoline on concrete. In-ground trampolines sidestep the whole problem: in-ground kits.

Kits that fit

Mistakes to avoid

• Anchoring two legs of a six-leg frame. The free legs become the hinge.
• Stakes in loose fill or fresh topsoil. They pull out with two fingers.
• Straps over the net poles instead of the base tube. The poles are the weakest part of the frame.
• Trusting the anchor through a named storm. Take the net down; take the trampoline down if you can.
• Forgetting the trip hazard: CPSC's playground handbook wants anchors buried or covered so nobody catches a foot on them.