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Plum 8ft Wave Springsafe Trampoline review: a brilliant bounce on a budget

A fraction of the price of the more premium garden trampolines of similar size, the Plum 8ft Wave Springsafe is a great budget option for families - particularly if you choose to put it together yourself. Mumsnet editor and mum-of-three Jenny Wonnacott put it through its paces with the help of a (very) keen panel of bouncers.

By Jenny Wonnacott | Last updated Jul 2, 2024

Mum having a fun conversation with her child

Price on writing: £150 | Buy now from Amazon

Our rating:
What we like
  • Big enough without being obtrusive

  • Fairly easy to assemble (but you do need someone strong enough to spring load it)

  • Feels sturdy and safe

  • Weatherproof

  • Good price

What we don't like
  • Took nearly two hours to assemble

  • Not meant to be used by more than one child at a time

  • Weight limit of 50kg excludes some bigger children/teens

Key specs

Price on writing: £150 | | Age: 6+ | Size: 210 × 244 x 244cm

Our verdict

Having dithered about getting a trampoline for the kids for years due to safety concerns and worries that it would be another one of those short-lived novelties left to the inevitable fate of yet-another-place-for-the-cats-to-nap-in-the-sun*, we have been pleasantly surprised by the success of the Plum 8ft Wave Springsafe so far. Not only does it feel safe and sturdy, it’s big enough to keep the kids entertained for hours (literally hours) but it’s not so big that it can’t be moved easily. In my experience, it’s the mark of a good toy when the kids find ways to play with it that go beyond the item’s initial remit and having observed my three using the trampoline (so far) as a stage, a bed, a house, a place to do homework(!), a rocket ship and a variety of other weird and wonderful things in addition to bouncing platform, I am very happy we decided to take the plunge. 

*I can confirm that the cats have also given their approval that the trampoline is an adequate napping spot.

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How we tested the Plum 8ft Wave Springsafe trampoline

My husband and I assembled the trampoline ourselves and it has been used by our three children daily over the last month or so. During this time it has also been rigorously tested by a number of visiting children aged from two (with supervision/help) to ten. The following review is based on their feedback as well as ours.

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How easy was the Plum 8ft Wave Springsafe to assemble?

three wooden spoons

The trampoline comes with a full set of instructions as well as extra tools needed for assembly, such as an allen key, spring loading tool and a plastic needle for threading the net to the base. It took us just under two hours to put the trampoline together.

The fiddliest bit was threading the top poles through the top of the safety net as they needed to be a certain way round to fit properly and we got it wrong once or twice, which meant having to go back a step. In terms of loading the springs, DH found this fairly simple, but after having a go myself I definitely wouldn’t have been able to do it on my own as the springs required a significant amount of strength to pull into position. Luckily Plum does specify that assembly is a two-person job, but I couldn’t find any reference in the instructions or online to needing one person to be strong enough to spring-load the trampoline.

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What is the Plum 8ft Wave Springsafe trampoline like to use?

The trampoline isn’t too massive, but considering that it’s advised to be used one child at a time, it’s plenty big enough for a whole range of bouncing, tricks and fun. Feedback from the bouncers has been resoundingly positive and several weeks later my kids are still very keen to clamber on for a bounce any time they can. I’ve also had a very quick try of it myself and it is very fun!

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How safe is the Plum 8ft Wave Springsafe trampoline?

Thanks to the safety net enclosure and padded surround, the trampoline feels very safe and is nice and sturdy on the grass. The springs are heavy-duty and very well concealed away from the bouncing area. There is also a zip which keeps everybody in (or out!) and the greatest risk seems to be of collision (though it’s important to note that Plum’s guidelines recommend the trampoline is only used by one person at a time).

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How weatherproof is the Plum Springsafe trampoline?

The jumping mat is UV-protected and the springs are fully covered by the foam pads which go around the perimeter of the trampoline, so it feels pretty weather-proof. It’s certainly not showing any signs of wear and tear yet, having undergone the extremely changeable start to summer we’ve had!

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Will the Plum Springsafe trampoline last

We’ve only used it a matter of weeks so far, but the trampoline certainly feels sturdy and weather-proof enough to withstand the test of time. It’s not taken too much of a battering by the elements yet though, so it will be interesting to see how it bears up over the winter. 

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How easy is the Plum 8ft Wave Springsafe trampoline to keep clean?

I’ve given the trampoline a good sweep when the kids decided it would be fun to bounce in leaves/lawn trimmings. I haven’t needed to clean it any further than that, but I imagine any stains or marks would be fairly easy to hose off. 

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How sturdy is the Plum Springsafe trampoline?

Something I really like about this trampoline is that it feels really sturdy when it’s up, I’ve never seen it wobble or tilt even when we’ve been slightly lenient with the maximum capacity/weight rules. Having said that, it’s also lightweight enough to move out of the way to mow the grass underneath or simply re-position. 

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Does the Plum 8ft Wave Springsafe trampoline represent good value for money?

Based on our experiences so far, yes. There aren’t many 8ft trampolines by a known and trusted brand that you can pick up for under £100 (or even under £150 for that matter!) Time will tell, but it’s looking promising so far.

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About the author

Jenny Wonnacott is a Content Editor for Mumsnet, specialising in writing, editing and optimising pregnancy, baby care and general parenting-related content. As a parent of three primary school-aged children, Jenny is passionate about making Mumsetters' lives easier through rigorous research of all items recommended in reviews, features buyers' guides.

Jenny is also a best-selling sci-fi author (writing as J M Briscoe) and parenting blogger.

About Mumsnet reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real parents after weeks of research and testing – this includes recommendations from the Mumsnet Talk boards. We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. However, we never allow this to influence our coverage.