For gymnastic facilities and trampoline parks, foam pits are becoming a thing of the past. Here is our step-by-step checklist if its time to go for a Bagjump. 

If you have been running a gymnastics facility or a trampoline park for a while, chances are you’ve been relying on a foam pit for years. We understand it. It’s been the industry standard forever, and before airbags entered the market, there was no reason to change. But times have changed, and today, more and more owners are asking themselves the same question: Is it time to move on from foam cubes? 

We have been discussing this topic for a while, and even though the answer should already be obvious, we understand that change does not necessarily happen overnight. 

Still, there are some visible signs that indicate it’s time to switch to an airbag, and in this article, we want to walk you through them—signs that tell you it’s time to stop holding your business back and upgrade to a Bagjump. 

1. Look at the Age and Condition of Your Foam

Foam breaks down very fast. If you have been in the business for a while, you’ve probably experienced it firsthand. Even high-quality cubes lose their shape and absorbency after one or two years of regular use—and this doesn’t count the minimal deformations that happen just a few weeks after use. 

We talked with our experts, and we believe that if you haven’t replaced the foam recently, these are some of the things you need to check: 

• Are foam cubes discolored, torn, or dusty?
• Do they feel hard or uneven when you land?
• Are users complaining about discomfort or landing too hard?

Old foam pits not only reduce safety—they also result in a bad athlete/gymnast experience. On the other hand, airbags offer a consistent, non-deforming surface engineered to distribute impact forces evenly across its structure and won’t deform over time. 

2. Review Your Cleaning and Maintenance Routine

Foam pits are nearly impossible to clean properly. Coaches from different gymnastic facilities in North America have already told us. Dust, sweat, chalk, and even bodily fluids get trapped inside the foam—and there’s no realistic way to clean every cube. 

If you feel that cleaning the foam pit is taking more energy, time, and cost than it should, you need to start asking yourself if this is the time to switch to an airbag. 

Ask yourself the following questions: 

• When was the last time you cleaned the bottom of your pit?
• Do you regularly rotate or replace the foam cubes?
• Are these regular cleanings costing more and more every month?

Our Bagjump Airbags are made with a smooth, wipeable top sheet and can be machine washed as well as maintained in minutes, not hours. We have run the numbers, and when it comes to cleaning and maintenance routines, Bagjump wins by far. 

3. How concerned are you about the safety of the athlete?

Safety is, in the end, the most important concern for a facility. When using a foam pit, two landings will never be exactly the same. This is not only an issue for the consistency of the athlete, but also for their safety. Athletes using foam pits complain regularly that after a few jumps, they start feeling the pit’s hard floor due to cube displacement. Reorganizing the foam pit regularly is simply too time-consuming. Other athletes have also mentioned getting stuck or even struggling to exit the pit. 

Unlike foam pits, airbags always have a consistent landing surface. Athletes get the same landing experience over and over. This creates more comfort for the athlete, better development of their skills in the long term, and a smaller risk of injuries. 

This step is crucial—especially if your foam pit is part of a gymnastics program or used for high-risk landings. 

4. Check for changing regulations

Foam cubes are often made from polyurethane or polyethylene, and unless they’re certified flame-retardant, they can pose a serious fire risk. 

This has been causing concern in several countries—especially in the European Union. France’s fire codes are pushing facilities to eliminate foam pits entirely for safety reasons, and yes—this is just the beginning. 

Some parts of the U.S. are also part of this shift, and it’s just a matter of time until these regulations become the new standard and facilities are left with no option but to deal with additional inspections of their foam pits or switch to a more sustainable option like an airbag. 

5. Consider the efficiency and flow of your facility

Coaches are very open about this topic. One of the biggest challenges with foam pits is how they slow down training. Athletes get stuck, crawl out, and waste time recovering between jumps. Getting out of a foam pit takes at least three times longer than getting out of an airbag. This doesn’t sound like a big issue, but if you consider that the training period of elite athletes and rising stars is precious, every second counts. 

Our recommendation is to observe the sessions in detail. How long does it take a user to exit the pit? Are coaches spending time helping kids climb out? Does the pit create a bottleneck at your most popular attraction? 

If the answer to at least one of these questions is yes, we think it’s time for you to switch to an airbag. 

6. Count the costs— direct and hidden

We’ve heard it before: “Foam cubes are cheaper.” However, have you ever counted the hidden costs of your foam pit? Because over 3–5 years, the story changes. When you calculate the cost of replacement cubes, labor, downtime, and sanitation, the total often surpasses the same costs with an airbag. 

We have broken down the numbers in other articles about this issue, but here are some of the key facts you need to know for a foam pit: 

• Foam cube replacement every 1–2 years: ~$3,000–$5,000 per pit
• Cleaning labor and materials: ~$1,000–$2,000 per year
• Downtime for maintenance: Lost revenue from closures

Now compare that to a Bagjump Airbag. They require minimal cleaning, they hold their shape for 6+ years, and need only occasional spare parts (like blowers or top sheets – and these are exceptions). 

We did the math, and many of our clients recoup the cost of their airbag within a few years years through higher throughput and lower maintenance expenses. 

7. Think about future-proofing your facility

Your business is evolving. Maybe you’re adding a ninja course, a Tumbl Trak, or an indoor tubing slide. Will your foam pit support those updates? 

In the past two years, we have seen a big shift in facility configurations, and we are experiencing dozens of transitions from foam pits to airbags every month. We also spoke to facility owners to better understand the market and their concerns. 

Some want their landing zone to be flexible—able to be relocated or resized. They’re thinking about expanding or reconfiguring their attractions in the future, or they want more customized branding at their landing zone. 

Foam pits are fixed and visually unappealing. On the other hand, Bagjump solves these issues. 

And most importantly.. 

Talk to your staff and customers 

Before making a final decision, there’s something extremely important: get feedback from the people who use the pit daily. 

You can ask the following questions: 

Coaches: What’s the biggest challenge with your current pit? 

Maintenance staff: How long does it take to clean or fix the pit? 

Customers: Would they feel safer or prefer a different setup? 

This can give you an idea if they are satisfied with your offer—or if an airbag should be the next step for your facility. 

We’ve asked these questions too, and in most cases, they’ll tell you exactly what you already suspect: the foam pit is no longer the best option. 

Bagjump Airbags are already trusted by all major gymnastics facilities. If you’re curious about the switch, we’re happy to help.