New Rebounder-Review - Compare Bellicon, Cellerciser, Needak ReboundAir Urban rebounding Lymphaciser

Rebounder Comparison Results

This page breaks down all the different rebounder models I have tested over the last 12 years.

After reviewing all the rebounders on the market (the rebounders on my home page), I've chosen certain rebounders to be best for different needs. The Lymphaciser is hands down the best over-all rebounder for lymphatic drainage. Most people that get on the Lymphaciser instantly say it is too jarring. These are the same people that for some reason get on this rebounder and think they can just start jumping as high as they want. This is a Health Bounce rebounder only. The Lymphaciser is certainly not the most fun rebounder I've used to jump on, but for therapeutic purposes I can't recommend anything better.

Comparing the Lymphaciser to a Cellerciser, both are the top 2 lymphatic rebounders on the market that do not invert my ankles nor jar me. The Cellerciser has slightly less bounces, although the Cellerciser you can jump high on it and do toning exercises that you can't on the Lymphaciser with its low coil count springs. If someone has any back or knee problems, the Cellerciser is my better choice. The Needak Rebounder is the 2nd softest rebounder I've used, but the Cellerciser has the even bounce and doesn't invert my ankles. Both the Cellerciser and Needak feel very similar to me the first 2 years until I have to change the springs to keep up the initial tension like when it was new.

As far as doing the Health Bounce, I do not recommend bungee rebounders with the exception of the Jumpsport's smallest mat rebounder with the highest tension bungee cord setting. Technically, it won't let you do the health bounce without jumping high out of the mat, but the low inversion and the more even resistance due to the small mat makes it best for every day usage. I don't have to jump as high out of the mat like I would as on the larger bungee rebounders. I just don't like to smell rubber from rubber feet on this model. But, if off-gassing is an issue for someone, they might want to stay away from any rebounder with rubber.

NOTE: The latest bungee cord rebounders to hit the market are the hexagonal rebounders. Due to the shape of the hexagonal rebounder, the inversion problem with the larger size mats (over 28 inches), the hexagonal shape makes a big difference. With the hexagonal bungee rebounder, if you are going to get a bungee rebounder, there is nothing better I've found than these, especially if someone is worried about inversion or has knee or ankle problems. Note that you do get low bounces per minute on the hexagonal and are still not made for the health bounce as cool as they are.

Springs:

Over the years, about 1 in 10 calls from my site are the calls from people who want to get new springs and see if my price on replacement springs are cheaper than the manufacturer's prices. NO, I don't sell springs. Its almost always the Needak soft bounce or the Rebound Air and Urban rebounder that people call about. With the Lymphaciser and Cellerciser, I have not had one call ever with someone asking for a spring replacement. When people complain their rebounder is bottoming out, they usually don't do anything because they say that is "normal" wear and tear.

Frames:

The frames that have at least 13 Gauge steel are the most stable of the rebounder frames. Period. It is hard to feel grounded and stable with a lightweight frame. The Cellerciser feels the most solid, with its 39 pound frame. Most rebounders in this size are 25 pounds.

Mats: I only promote rebounders made of Permatron mats. (There are 2 types of Permatron...the type I like and the cheap type I don't like. Make sure that your mat is laminated (meaning it has gone through the calandaring process) so that the mats are resistant and don't get the burn holes that eventually rip. The type I don't want is the porous mat that lets air flow the mat.

Bungee rebounders:

If using the rebounder for exercise, the larger 49 inch mats are the best and have the largest sweet spot but not directly in the middle of the mat. The smaller bungee rebounder mats, like the one on the JumpSport 370, have a sweet spot that is close to the center. The smaller the mat is, the less inversion of the ankles. It is much safer to jump on the small mats especially if you aren't using the balance bar. I don't like using a bungee rebounder bigger than the smallest Jumpsport size without a balance bar. The bounce is too unpredictable.

As far as sound on a bungee, the larger the mat like on a 44 or 49 inch mat the more the mat can vibrate when you bounce. That deep noise of the mat when someone is jumping high can get annoying. Its the equivalent to a squeaky spring. It almost sounds like a low bass drum. The smaller mat bungees are quieter. Some of the spring rebounders have a loud frame noise that can also be loud. The Cellerciser has special pins in holes of the frame that helps to absorb the vibration of the frame during the bounce. The Lymphaciser has special hooks that are welded into the frame and is one of the few rebounders that has no holes in the frame. If getting the Bellicon, I strongly recommend the premium version. These have a 10 year warranty unlike their older classic models that are painted. The premium Bellicon has no paint. It also has screw in legs but they are higher quality and don't get jammed.

Inversion:

This is probably the biggest complaint that I get. It is not fu when the rebounder has a strong gravitational pull towards the center. This is especially a problem with heavier people, their is much more pull to the center. The Cellerciser has the least pull to the center of all the rebounders I have tested. With bungees, the larger the mat the more people usually want to keep your legs angled in order to not invert your ankles.

Sweating on the rebounder: If someone is going to sweat on the rebounder, I strongly recommend avoiding Nylon threading like they use on the lower end rebounders. Sweat and the sun will not damage polyester like it does Nylon. It is also UV resistant. Also sweat and the sun can damage bungee cords so if doing exercise that you are going to sweat a lot, make sure you get a bungee cord cover. Covers made of Naugahyde are the best and don't have a chemical smell.

Spring Replacements: Almost every rebounder can eventually have a broken spring sooner or later or a broken spring hook. The bad thing is that when one spring breaks, I have to change out all the springs, not just replace that single spring. NOTE: The only exception is with the Cellerciser. You can just replace one spring if you lose a spring. Many people when traveling lose a spring as sometimes if you fold the rebounder in half if the spring hook is in just the right position it will fall out. Since a Celleriser spring adjusts to your weight, I can't tell if the new spring has a higher tensile strength as the 3rd tier will always make up for any loss of tension in the middle tier that has a lower tensile strength. With any other rebounder I've compared, if you change one spring it will feel totally off and unbalanced.

Rebounder reviews IN A Nutshell:

The Cellerciser:

The latest Cellerciser has the softest bounce for anyone doing the Health bounce. The Needak is known for the softest bounce but this is mostly doing higher jumps based on all the people of different weights of people I have tested bouncing on them. The Cellerciser is firmer due to the 2nd and 3rd tier spring while jumping higher giving it fewer free bounces than the Needak. The Cellerciser has the largest sweet spot. I can jump directly in the middle with my feet barely touching and my feet won't invert. Because it adapts to whatever your weight is, their is always a higher tensile strength tier that will stop the jolt at the bottom that causes the feet to invert. I cannot say this about any other rebounder. If someone has any type of joint problems, although its not technically the softest bounce throughout, the lack of inversion, even bounce, and the same balllistic impact based on your weight each time gives it the best bounce of all. The Cellerciser is the only rebounder that has a 30 day money back guarantee without restocking fees from us. A very light weight person should only engage mostly the belly of the spring so the firmness of the 2nd and 3rd tier will rarely completely engage. The Needak, which is the 2nd most similar rebounder to the Cellerciser uses all the tiers as they are not separated by 3 different tension levels in each spring. For certain weights it can be too hard or too soft. Never with the Cellerciser. A very light weight person and a super heavy person can get the same bounces per minute doing the Health Bounce (See my Cellerciser review page here)

The New Zealand Lymphaciser

I recommend the Lymphaciser for those people who have bad backs or bad knees as this has the least inversion. This is designed especially for the Health Bounce. Any jumping out side the mat will jar me and this is ONLY made for Health Bouncing. I give it an A+ 100% perfect score for therapeutic health bouncing but this is not a fun rebounder. It gives me results only. I only recommend this rebounder for someone that has a serious lymphatic issue and not doing it for cardio or working out. Just gentle health bouncing. The G force on this is much higher than the Cellerciser. Every bounce is like using a dry skin brush and brushing the entire body in one stroke. If not interested in cleaning the waste out of the body as an only reason, then the Cellerciser is my top recommendation. The Cellerciser just has a deeper bounce and fewer flushes per minute although its a more plusher bounce. 15% less bounces per minute and just requires slightly more energy to bounce. It takes about 17 minutes to get the same amount of bounces on the Lymphaciser as the Cellerciser. The bounce is super smooth on the Lymphaciser and there are no holes punched out of the frame on it like they do on the cheap rebounders.

Jumpsport 370 Rebounder

If someone wants a similar bounce to the Health Bounce I recommend the Jumpsport 370 over all the bungee rebounders, including the import rebounders. (You can try these at Costco for free. I strongly recommend this before buying to see if you like it). If using a bungee rebounder for working out they also have larger mats but I recommend the smaller mat unless you are going for Cardio and toning exercises, then the 49 inch Bellicon is the best. Although the sweet spot is smaller on the small bungee, the mat doesn't invert your ankles like on the larger mats. The larger bungee mats cone in much more and you have to jump with your feet more spread apart at an angle. This can invert the ankles and make my knees tender if I space my feet to far apart. In order to get the firmness and not sink in I have to jump closer to the edge the bigger the mat is. The JumpSport smallest model has the most pop unlike the larger mats that have more "push". The more pop the rebounder has the more of that dry skin brush feel you get after the workout. Everything feels stimulated. I do not recommend the larger mats if jumping for lymphatic drainage. The Jumpsport can also be adjusted to your weight. It is the Cellerciser of Bungee rebounders if trying to get one that is just right for your weight.

NOTE: If your main concern is lymphatic drainage, every health practitioner that knows about rebounding has told me that springs are the way to go.

Every book on rebounding I have ever read talks about the Health Bounce and to use springs. You can't get enough G force when barely leaving the mat on a Bungee cord rebounder because the springs need to stretch out and you need to jump high in order to do this. You CAN get 3 G force on a bungee but you have to jump high and this stops the lymphatic flow and all the air time prevents maximum bounces per minute. When the body is airborne like on a bungee, it stops the negative pressure that the Health Bounce is known for when bouncing for lymph drainage.

Urban Rebounder:

Everyone that comes out of those Urban Rebounding classes tell me how great the rebounder is. The Urban rebounder is great for working out. This 100 dollar rebounder is better than even the most expensive bungee rebounder for working out. Trying landing on your heels and doing the Health Bounce, that is another story. People working out on the Urban Rebounder are not landing on their heels first so I never hear complaints. It is a jogging rebounder. I would never jump on it. Its better than jumping on a hard wooden floor in an aerobic class. People jog on them and do workouts that don't require them to avoid ballistic impact. The people who have these rebounders who call me always tell me how it hurts their back or their knees hurt. Well, this is not what the rebounder was designed for. Landing on your toes first is perfect for this rebounder. Not Health Bouncing!! And I mean that. These are much better than the 50 dollar ones at the sporting goods store but nothing in comparison to a Cellerciser or even a Needak.

Rebound Air: This is one step above the Urban. That is the best way to categorize this. See my ReboundAir review page here.

Inversion (pronation of the ankles): Some rebounders will invert your ankles, some rebounders won't. On some you have to wear shoes that stop your feet from inverting, especially, a larger mat where you want to jump more in the middle. Their are only a few rebounders that you don't always have to be focusing on where your foot positions are. When watching TV many people lose balance on rebounders that are known for inverting the ankles.

Noise: Some are just noisy no matter if you oil them or not. Some get noisier not from just the springs but the way they wobble due to a cheaply made design and materials used. Some bungees get noisy after you sweat on them and some start to fray if in a humid place. On my latest bungee, I've made it a point to jump on it 30 minutes a day and see how it ages. It's very quiet at first, I can say that for sure. Some springs use a softer alloy that don't make as much noise while some get noisy as soon as the oil dries up. Some make a crunch sound and some make a squeaky sound. The more expensive springs with high grade alloys tend to make the least amount of noise and very quiet when oiled.

Comfort: Some feel plush and like a pillow top and some get the job done but don't have the comfort. If you want comfort or you just want the benefits no matter what the comfort, both can be done with a high carbon spring rebounder. The hexagonal bungees not being round allows a bigger mat with less inversion. The Cellerciser is still my all time most comfortable rebounder.

Frame: Some frames start to wobble and get noisy, and some frames have a wobble that is good for bouncing that rids tension from the rebounder. The more folds a rebounder has in the frame, the more it can keep you in the center if done right. 3 folds in a triangle like position keeps you in the center as you jump against the grain. Non folding rebounders, if the frame is not good, can warp and you will find you will have to put a piece of cardboard under one of the legs in due time just like a table that warps over time that never seems to lay flat without sticking something under a leg.

Springs: Some you have to change every year or two, and others never. Depending on the type of bounce you want, and your weight, and jump style (do you want to jump with your feet always even apart from the center), you will have to decide which type of spring is best for you. Do you want high bounces with slower deceleration or faster deceleration that will give you 2 g forces or do you want 3 g forces. Do you want more or less bounces per minute. If you are watching a movie and will be on the rebounder anyway, you might not care and just want a soft bounce and take 2 to 3 times as long to get the same results as the "picture perfect" Health Bounce. The most called about springs that need to get replaced are from people who call me needing Needak spring replacements and ReboundAir the 2nd.

Self Adjust: Some rebounder springs bottom out when you stand next to them and others self adjust. If springs on one side get too loose and the other side is more firm, it can throw me off balance. Triple tiered springs will usually help if someone has a balance problem or doesn't want to have their feet inverted. Or, if you want a soft bounce that gets you the 3 g forces, you can utilize a full spring without a "self adjust" spring, but by using all the coils every time I WILL HAVE TO CHANGE SPRINGS EVERY 1 TO 2 YEARS.

Digitally Tuned: Do you want your rebounder springs tuned so that each spring is the same or do you want each spring to be analog made so that it was not tested or tuned for the same tone. You can tap on each spring with a spoon and you can tell if they sound differently when they are on the rebounder. This is very important. I WOULD RETURN ANY SPRING THAT DOESN'T SOUND CLOSE TO THE REST OF THEM. Digitally tuned springs do not have air bubbles in them and have the highest tensile strength.

Mat: Some rebounder mats fray and look almost like it came from a potato sack. Others are made of Permatron. Some are even 2, 3, or even 4 ply that give more comfort and less mat sag. The bounce is as good as the mat, not just the springs.

Cover: Some rebounders have covers and some don't. Some rebounders have thicker covers than others too. It' not pretty to get your foot stuck without having a cover. If getting a bungee rebounder, where people tend to jump high, this is when having a cover is super important.

Chemical smells: Some of them leach a smell similar to that of a tire store. Some only do that when it is left in the sun. Some don't have any formaldehydes or other chemicals that leach. I will find out if you have a chemical sensitivity before I sell you a rebounder. If used outdoors, it doesn't matter only if you bring it in from the hot sun on the leaching models. If used in a cool place, on some there is no problem. I try to avoid rebounders with rubber feet and Nylon.

Storage: Some are easier to store and put together than others. Some of them are so hard to open it's very dangerous. Some open very gently that even someone very weak could open. Some have problems with getting the cover chewed up in the hindges.

Price: Some are way more expensive than others. The better quality up front the less I usually pay in the end as I don't have to constantly change springs. If a spring has too much weight on it and it stretches out it can loosen the spring tension, ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT NOT BREAK, but you can definitely experience a lack of responsiveness and lack of the original G force it gave when new.

Over all, the higher carbon springs of the Needak and Cellerciser are the rebounders that are my top picks for doing not just the Health bounce for all types of exercise. The Cellerciser gives the most even of bounce. The Lymphaciser is my favorite rebounder if only doing the Health Bounce. The Lymphaciser gives the most bounces per minute with the most G force of its kind, but I do not recommend it for doing any other type of bouncing. The springs are just too short and to low of mass to keep up its tension. The Needak Soft bounce is still my 2nd favorite all around rebounders next to Cellerciser.

I hope that this helps you to understand more on how to pick out the right rebounder for your weight range and type of bouncing you want to do. If you need to ask any questions before you pick out the right rebounder for you, you may call me or email me and I will try to answer all your questions.

And remember, this these reviews are based on landing on my heals first. Landing on your toes first takes out the instant force applied to the springs and is the wrong way to do the Health Bounce. The G forces when landing as close as you can to 100% of the landing on your heels is why you don't have to jump high to gain G force. If jumping and landing on your toes first or flat, this defeats the whole purpose of lymphatic rebounding.

Contact me now or anytime you want to talk about rebounders.