How Much Weight Can A Trampoline Hold?

Trampolines are becoming very popular in most homes. There are many types of trampolines available today.

Some are specifically designed for children, while others are meant for adults. You can even find some that solely have a fitness purpose!

However, no matter how safe you may feel when you fly through the air, knowing that you are going to land on a bouncy surface, there is always a risk involved when using a trampoline.

It is always possible to push your trampoline too far, particularly in terms of its weight limit.

Carry on reading to find out the average weight limits of certain types of trampolines!

Important note: You should always make sure that a child or an adult knows how to use a trampoline safely beforehand.

How Much Weight Can A Trampoline Hold?

Trampolines are great for exercising. However, you should know how much weight can safely jump on a trampoline before using it. Otherwise, you might get injured or even break something.

The average trampoline can hold between 250 and 350 lbs of weight, but this does vary depending on what type of trampoline you own.

You should always check beforehand on the company’s website, or the trampoline’s care instructions, about the individual trampoline’s weight limit.

What Determines The Weight A Trampoline Can Hold?

Size

The main feature that determines how much weight a trampoline can hold is the size of the trampoline. The size will often vary depending on who its target audience is.

The general rule of thumb is:

• Trampolines less than 10ft in size (intended for young kids) can hold between 50 and 150lbs.
• Trampolines that are 12ft in size (intended for teenagers) will hold between 250 to 300lbs.
• Trampolines that are 14ft (intended for adults) will hold between 250 and 350 lbs of weight.
• Trampolines that are between 15 and 16ft (used for sport) will support between 250 and 450lbs of weight.

Again, all of these are just the general weight load of trampolines, depending on size – each individual trampoline may have a slightly different capacity, so please read the instructions carefully beforehand!

Springs

Another factor that affects the weight limit of a trampoline is the load capacity rating of the trampoline’s support rods or spring.

These are the mechanisms that hold the trampoline’s main surface to the metal structure.

The springs/support rods will have different strengths, also depending on the size of the trampoline they are supporting.

They may need to be replaced fairly often, as they are the part of the trampoline that provides the upward force, and they also hold most of the weight when someone is jumping on the trampoline.

What Happens When You Don’t Follow The Recommended Weight Limit?

It is easier than you might think to accidentally go over the recommended weight limit on your trampoline – particularly with adult trampolines.

If you go over the weight limit nothing awful usually will happen, and it is unlikely to immediately break if you occasionally go over the weight limit that the trampoline company suggests.

This is also because the company will typically lower the advertised weight limit – making sure that everyone who buys a trampoline won’t hurt themselves if they do unintentionally go over the limit.

However, if you do dramatically overload your trampoline with weight, it won’t have good results at all.

With the huge amount of tension that trampolines hold, to ensure that its users can get some brilliant bouncing in, the springs and the trampoline weave are very tightly bound. If you overload something with that high tension, it is going to snap.

The two main things to be concerned about are the springs/support rods becoming exposed when something breaks, and the woven fabric developing a hole.

When it comes to the springs and support rods, they are sharp, metal objects. If these snap in a way that they are sticking up or are just exposed when you are bouncing on the trampoline, then this is incredibly dangerous!

With the mat breaking, when you jump on a trampoline with a hole in it, you will fall through this hole and hurt yourself. If the height of the trampoline is great enough, then this could be very serious.

While this isn’t intended to be scary or put you off using a trampoline altogether, it is definitely something you should consider when you overload a trampoline!

Some Trampoline Safety Tips

These safety tips apply to all trampoline users, no matter what age!

1. You should only bounce in the middle of a trampoline. This prevents applying any extra tension to the springs/support rods that might cause them to break.
2. You should place safety pads over the springs, hooks, and frame of the trampoline. This means that if they do happen to break due to overloading of weight, then they will be less likely to cause physical injuries.
3. You should not be underneath the trampoline when someone else is on it. If the trampoline is overloaded, it can create holes that people could fall through. If you are underneath the trampoline when this happens, it will cause injuries to both parties.
4. Make sure you put some type of absorbent, cushioning material underneath the trampoline. This way, if something does happen to break by the trampoline being overloaded by weight, then you won’t have to worry so much about landing on the ground below.

To Sum Up…

The average total weight a trampoline can hold is between 250 and 350lbs.

However, this will also vary depending on the company that makes the trampoline, the size of the trampoline, and also the load capacity rating of the springs that hold the woven fabric to the metal structure.

If you dramatically overload a trampoline, it can cause the springs to snap, or it can tear a hole in the middle of the trampoline.

To avoid this, you should always try to bounce in the middle of a trampoline, while making sure to stay underneath the trampoline’s weight limit.