WAG Remember where you first learned about this. :)

[Haismom]

Also there is always the chance of catastrophic failure, think of a pool float, I take great care of it just sit on it, check it's pressure before every use, yet one day it just pops. Preventing injury to ankles yes, but what happens to that gymnast who is on it when it just gives out...

 

[JBS]

I would love to have a small one for drills and things. As far as a full size air floor...I'll get one when we compete on them.

 

[CAGymmie]

Also there is always the chance of catastrophic failure, think of a pool float, I take great care of it just sit on it, check it's pressure before every use, yet one day it just pops. Preventing injury to ankles yes, but what happens to that gymnast who is on it when it just gives out...

That's what I would be afraid of as a gymnast.

 

[gymdog]

Yikes, only 7 years for a piece of equipment that costs between $6000-$7000? Of course I don't really know how long a normal floor is supposed to last.

Ten years, depends on what you want to put up with and your gym's level/needs.

Also a real good floor is more like $30,000-$40,000 once you factor in assembly, shipping, and labor, and the carpet. Shipping of these items is very expensive. Air floor shipping is undoubtedly less though since they could pack it to take less space.

Personally I hate landing on them and think something like a rod floor is better. I don't mind tumbling off air floors. Maybe if it had carpet bonded foam on top. I guess it would need some kind of carpet anyway, which the gymnastics floor carpet is very expensive.

 

[Aero]

Also there is always the chance of catastrophic failure, think of a pool float, I take great care of it just sit on it, check it's pressure before every use, yet one day it just pops. Preventing injury to ankles yes, but what happens to that gymnast who is on it when it just gives out...

Something like this would not just pop or explode. The amount of force required to do that would be ridiculously immense. Little pressure leaks around the seams? Yes. A cut or tear from a sharp object? Yes. But there could never be a way to pop it strictly from impact alone. The amount of air pressure in the floor is very high and provides huge resistance. It is force applied over a large area, like how snow shoes work. Not to mention, it looks like it's built with incredibly durable materials. This product would be quite safe from "equipment failure."

 

[Haismom]

What I was thinking, was something unexpected happened, not related to the actual gymnast performance, maybe a bolt got kicked across the floor and got under it, something completely random, but caused it to lose air suddenly, while a gymnast was on it... I know something like that happened to my air mattress... A barrette got under it and actually punctured it, but I didn't notice, I was out of town for several days returned home, it was fine that night while sleeping, I moved it slightly and all the air rushed out....