In-ground or above-ground trampoline?
If you have got this far, you probably know the size that fits your garden and are now deciding how it should sit: up on legs, or down in the lawn. BERG makes its trampolines both ways from the same parts, so the jumping is not what separates them. Three practical questions do. Is someone available to do groundwork? How windy is the site? Are you staying in the house?
We deliver both kinds and do the groundwork for neither, so we have no reason to push you one way.
The two types, point by point
| Point | Above ground (on legs) | InGround (in the lawn) |
|---|---|---|
| Where the mat is | Raised on legs above the grass. | Close to lawn level, inside a low raised edge. |
| What we list | 26 trampolines, €449 to €4,999. | 40 trampolines, €339 to €1,949. |
| Work before it can be used | Assembly from BERG's manual, on level ground. | Groundwork first. BERG's manual asks for adequate drainage and a check of the ground water. |
| Who does that work | The household. We do not assemble. | An independent installer, a landscaper or a builder. They quote you. |
| Safety net | Part of every model and every price. | Optional. Each size comes with a net or without. |
| In wind | The whole frame and net stand in it. Anchor it. | Low to the ground. A net, where fitted, still catches wind. |
| From the kitchen window | Legs, frame and net in view all year. | A padded ring at grass height, plus net poles if you chose a net. |
| If you move house | Take it apart and bring it. | The trampoline can come. The hole stays. |
| Each year | BERG's checks before use. Anchors after storms. | BERG's checks before use, and an inspection of the hole at least once a year. |
| Clear ground | 2 m on every side, 7 m overhead. | Exactly the same. |
The price gap, worked out from our own prices
A trampoline on legs always includes a net, so we set each one against the InGround of the same range, shape and length that also has a net. That gives 20 matched pairs. 11 cost exactly the same either way. In 9 the InGround is dearer, by €20 to €90.
Leave the net off the InGround and the price drops by €130 to €420. That is the last column.
| Range, shape and size | On legs, with net | InGround, with net | Gap | InGround, no net |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Favorit, round, 6.5ft (200cm) | €449 | €469 | +€20 | €339 |
| Favorit, round, 9ft (270cm) | €539 | €609 | +€70 | €459 |
| Favorit, round, 11ft (330cm) | €659 | €739 | +€80 | €569 |
| Favorit, round, 12.5ft (380cm) | €769 | €849 | +€80 | €619 |
| Favorit, round, 14ft (430cm) | €869 | €959 | +€90 | €709 |
| Favorit, oval, 17 x 11.5ft (520cm) | €1,079 | €1,139 | +€60 | €929 |
| Favorit, rectangular, 9ft (280cm long) | €669 | €749 | +€80 | €549 |
| Favorit, rectangular, 11ft (330cm long) | €829 | €899 | +€70 | €699 |
| Favorit, rectangular, 13.5ft (410cm long) | €959 | €1,009 | +€50 | €809 |
| Champion, round, 11ft (330cm) | €1,119 | €1,119 | No difference | €779 |
| Champion, round, 12.5ft (380cm) | €1,259 | €1,259 | No difference | €859 |
| Champion, round, 14ft (430cm) | €1,389 | €1,389 | No difference | €969 |
| Champion, oval, 11 x 8ft (350cm) | €1,279 | €1,279 | No difference | €929 |
| Champion, oval, 15.5 x 10ft (470cm) | €1,399 | €1,399 | No difference | €1,039 |
| Champion, oval, 17 x 11.5ft (520cm) | €1,519 | €1,519 | No difference | €1,139 |
| Champion, rectangular, 7 x 11ft (330 x 220cm) | €1,189 | €1,189 | No difference | €859 |
| Elite, round, 11ft (330cm) | €1,449 | €1,449 | No difference | €1,109 |
| Elite, round, 12.5ft (380cm) | €1,639 | €1,639 | No difference | €1,239 |
| Elite, round, 14ft (430cm) | €1,759 | €1,759 | No difference | €1,339 |
| Elite, oval, 17 x 11.5ft (520cm) | €1,949 | €1,949 | No difference | €1,569 |
Delivered prices for the trampoline only. Groundwork is on top, and we give no figure for it: it is priced by the person who does it, after seeing the garden.
Groundwork, and who does it
On legs there is none. The boxes arrive, and the household builds the trampoline from BERG's manual on a level piece of lawn. We do not assemble.
In the lawn, the ground has to be prepared before the trampoline can go in. That is a job for an independent installer, a landscaper or a builder working from BERG's manual. BERG asks for "adequate drainage" and a check on the ground water, and the person on site is the one who can judge both. We supply and deliver, and we can pass you the name of an independent installer who will quote you directly. Who installs an in-ground trampoline covers what to have ready for them.
Wind
BERG's manual warns that strong winds and gusts can displace a trampoline, and tells owners to secure it. For one on legs BERG suggests an anchor set and, where possible, a position beside a fence or wall.
One in the lawn has far less standing in the wind. On an exposed or coastal site, our own advice as the retailer is to look at an in-ground model first. The care guide has the storm routine for both.
The safety net
On legs you get one, and BERG asks that its entrance is fully closed before anyone jumps.
In the lawn it is a choice. A BERG name starting with SPORTS means no net is supplied. The mat is nearer the grass, so a fall is shorter, but the net is still the only thing that keeps a jumper over the mat. BERG's rules stay as they are: a single jumper, a supervising adult, and no somersaults.
Looks
A trampoline on legs is a tall object in the garden twelve months a year. Set into the lawn without a net, the same trampoline is a ring of padding at grass height.
Add a net to an InGround and the poles go back up. If the view is why you are thinking of digging, settle the net question first.
Moving house
A trampoline on legs comes apart and travels. To shift one across the garden, BERG's manual says to take off any anchors first and lift it by the top rail with at least four adults.
An InGround can be taken out too, but the groundwork cannot follow you, and the hole has to be dealt with. Renting, or likely to sell within a few years? That leans towards legs.
The third option: FlatGround
A FlatGround sits lower again. There is no raised edge at all: the mat and its surround finish flush with the grass, so there is no step and no ladder. BERG makes it in Champion, Elite and Pro Bouncer, and we list 23 from €699 to €4,999. The round ones are supplied without a safety net.
Everything said above about groundwork applies to it, as does BERG's yearly inspection of the hole. See the FlatGround trampolines on our in-ground page.
Which way to lean
- On legs if you rent, may move, have ground that lies wet, or want it up and in use without waiting on anyone.
- InGround if the site is open to the wind, the ground drains, and you have someone to do the groundwork.
- InGround without a net, or FlatGround if the look of the garden is the deciding point.
- Undecided? Send photos through a free garden consultation.
Whichever you choose needs the same clear ground. The size guide has the figures, and the buying guide puts this decision in its place among the others.
Questions people ask
Which costs more, an in-ground or an above-ground trampoline?+
Taking the trampoline alone, we matched 20 sizes sold both ways with a safety net: 11 are the same price, and in 9 the InGround is €20 to €90 more. Groundwork is a separate cost on top, and whoever does it will quote you for it.
How much does the groundwork cost?+
We do not publish a figure, because we do not do the work and it depends on the ground, the access and the size. An installer, landscaper or builder will price it after looking at your garden. Ask for that price before you order the trampoline.
Is an in-ground trampoline the answer for a windy garden?+
It helps, because less of it stands in the wind. On an exposed or coastal site our own advice is to consider one. BERG still recommends taking a safety net down before severe wind, whichever type you own, and staying off any trampoline in strong wind.
Can I skip the net on an in-ground trampoline?+
You can buy it either way. Without a net an InGround is €130 to €420 less at the sizes we matched. The fall is lower than from a trampoline on legs, but only a net keeps a jumper over the mat, so think about who will be using it.
What if my garden is wet in winter?+
Then have it looked at before deciding. BERG's manual asks for adequate drainage and a ground-water check for any trampoline set into the lawn, and that judgement is made on site by the person doing the groundwork. A trampoline on legs asks only for level ground.
How is a FlatGround different from an InGround?+
An InGround has a low raised edge around the mat. A FlatGround finishes level with the grass. FlatGround is made in Champion, Elite and Pro Bouncer only, and we list 23 from €699.
Legs or lawn? Ask us
Send photos of the garden, rough measurements and a word on how exposed it is. We will tell you which way we would go and what the trampoline costs delivered. Free, with no obligation.
Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm