What would your ultimate winter holiday look like? Would you like to hit the slopes in style this year? Do you always dream of being able to ski but don’t know how? Has the thought of skateboarding while on the slopes crossed your mind? If so, you should look into making your own trampoline ski.
With a little bit of creativity, determination, and some plywood, you will be able to turn your living room into a paradise for the wintry weather. All it takes is some free time and a few pieces of gear. With these simple steps, you can start making your dream a reality. Keep reading to know more.
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The Benefits Of Making Your Own Trampoline Ski
Apart from looking cool, trampoline skis allow you to enjoy several benefits. First of all, they are very stable and easy to control. You will not lose your balance while on them as much as you would while using regular skis or snowboards. This is a big advantage when it comes to learning how to ski or just having some fun. Second, they are very easy to make. All you need to do is slide a few boards on your hands and jump. Another plus of making your own trampoline skis is that you get to customize the shape and size according to your needs. There are no predefined templates like there are with regular skis and snowboards. This means you can create a whole array of different skis and bindings to suit your needs. Third, trampoline skis are ideal for ice skating. This is because they are easy to move around on the ice and give you a lot of momentum when you push off. Also, they stay attached to your feet better than regular skis, which allows you to use them for longer and achieve higher speeds.
What Is A Trampoline Ski?
A trampoline ski is a cross between a snowflake and a pogo stick. They are essentially two parallel boards connected by a spring-like material. You step on them and jump off, just like in a traditional ski setup. The difference is that the spring makes the whole thing bounce back to you, instead of just you on a snowflake-like structure like a regular ski.
The boards can be of any shape or size, as long as they are thick enough to distribute your weight evenly and have the right flex. The thinner the board, the more it will hurt your feet when you step on it. In case you are wondering, yes, you can make the whole thing out of foam, and it will look even more like a traditional ski.
How Do I Make A Trampoline Ski?
You will need a few things to begin with. The first and most basic one is a trampoline. This can be either an outdoor or indoor one, as long as it has the same components. Indoor ones usually have four polyester springs which hold the boards in place. Outdoor ones are usually made of foam and have steel cables instead of springs. Do not get any old trampoline, but rather the best one that you can afford. If you live in a colder climate, you may choose to use an electric heat mat under the foam instead of a polyester spring.
The second and third items you will need are PVC pipes and Teflon tape. This is because the PVC pipes are used to create the necessary tubing, while the Teflon tape is going to be used to make the whole thing smoother and prevent any sliding during use. There are several ways to cut the PVC pipes. You can use a laser cutting device to do the trimming or you can use a Dremel tool with the cutting wheel to rough it up manually. It is preferable to use a laser, as it will make the cut much cleaner and precise. You don’t need any special tools to cut the PVC pipes. The only thing you need is the ability to trace a straight line.
The Final Step
Once you have your trampoline, you can move on to the last step and that is to cover it with some sort of surface material. This can be either carpet tiles or plastic sheeting, for example. Cement is another option, as it is almost as hard as concrete but a lot lighter. You can also use wood, bamboo, or even cardboard as the surface material for the trampoline. Make sure that the surface material is smooth and non-slip, otherwise it will be a real pain when you are trying to bounce around on the surface.
Once you have finished making your trampoline ski, you can use it immediately or store it inside a freezer for later use. Freezing works well for storing and maintaining the shape of the device as it prevents ice buildup that could cause damage.
To use your trampoline ski, just step on it and jump off. Do not worry too much about how high you jump or how many times you bounce. All you need to do is have fun and enjoy yourself. If you want to make it easier, you can always attach a hockey puck to a string and make it easier to catch when you jump. This will also help you practice your landing skills.
As you can see, making a trampoline ski does not involve a lot of complicated steps and it is rather easy to do. All you need is a bit of creativity, patience, and a desire to have some fun in the winter months. With these few simple steps, you can easily start making your dream of skiing a reality. Be careful not to cut too deeply into the PVC pipes, as you may end up causing an obstruction which could lead to an emergency situation. If you want, you can also add some weights to the system to increase the bounce. Just make sure that these weights are small enough not to interfere with your ability to control the speed of the device. Also, cover all sharp edges and tips with carpet tiles or plastic so as not to cause any accidents when you are jumping on the trampoline.