Bellicon is the most expensive bungee rebounder as it is an import and there are lot of custom fees and import fees to get it to different countries. Also the shipping cost a lot to the distributor and then it has to be shipped back out to the customer, this makes it very expensive, probably over half the expense of the rebounder itself. But, for those looking for a Cardio and Toning Only rebounder, this is the best one on the market.
I urge people who buy this to get the cover for the cords to you don’t step through them and sweat on them which can make them noisy. There are different frame types. I like the heavier premium frame that is stainless steel over the standard one most people get that is cheaper. As far as the legs, I like the screw on legs over the folding legs. But, the folding legs are easier to store so you don’t have to take the legs off each time. The screw on legs make it feel more grounded to me. There are many bungee rebounders out there that have synthetic bungee cords. The Bellicon rebounder has natural latex.
As far as G force, for those that want to get rid of the deep decelerations to get a similar bounce to the health bounce, I add 2 bungee cords to each hook. That’s the little hack that I figured out. This makes the tensile strength exponentially stronger and the cords last longer so you don’t have to change them so often to keep up the tensile and yield strength. Many people tell me they have to change their cords every 6 to 9 months if they want to keep that same tensile strength similar to when it was new. It can get really expensive having to change cords all the time. The feet on the Bellicon are not polymer but the feet can be changed out with polymer feet for those that are sensitive to rubber smell and off gassing.
As far as the bounce quality, I like the 39 inch model if using only one spring per hook as there is less coning in but if using 2 cords per hook then the larger models should be fine. As far as the Health Bounce, NOOOO. This is a rebounder that if someone tries to jump just above the mat there will be very little G force. In order to do the health bounce there needs to be a pop, not a throw motion. So, the high jumping and deep decelerations are good for toning and cardio but for lymph drainage, I would not recommend it. I have rebounder strictly for the Health bounce like the Health Circulator (see my review page) and for those that don’t want a rebounder just for cardio and toning, I recommend a multi purpose rebounder like the Cellerciser which is our best multi purpose rebounder (see my Cellerciser review).
Those with knee and foot problems will not feel the jarring on a bungee but inversion can be an issue. The deep decelerations can turn some people’s ankles in and even though it is low impact, turning in really hard my ankles can hurt. This is why the right tensile strength with not too much deceleration should be kept in mind before choosing the right cords. But, hands down this is the best for cardio and toning, especially if using the elastic hand strap
If someone gets bungee cords that are too weak, it will be hard to get “free bounces” and if it is to firm it can make the workout too easy. Having just the right tensile strength can mean working out my legs or not. The strongest bands give the lowest amplitude but the yield strength can be too low for certain people.
The bigger the mat, the more airtime I get. Since I usually do toning exercises with the 49 inch model, I get burned out twice as fast as I do using the 39 inch model as the bigger mat gives me deeper bounces that I have more room to do larger range of motion exercises and more time in between bounces to get the workout. For those wanting the extra strong bands, my hack is to get 2 lower strength bands and double them up and this make them last much longer exponentially than having one single extra strong band that I have to replace ore often. I hate replacing bands as I can’t just replace one band if it snaps, I have to replace all the cords to keep the mat tension even so it keeps me centered.
As far as noise, most bungees are quiet at first but as they dry up and rub their fuzzy stuff off the cord, they can get noisy. I urge people to keep rotating their cords often to make sure the latex does rub the steel frame as quick. As far picking out the right size, many people get the wrong size cords and the wrong size mat that fits their needs. I like the larger models as they have a bigger sweet spot. Nearly everyone that tries the 39 inch model and then the largest model always wants the larger one. It just has that feel that everyone loves. When I look on Ebay, I rarely see a 49 inch model for sale. It is nearly always the 39 inch models. For those that have foot inversion problems, then I would not recommend the 49 inch unless doubling up on the cords per each hook.
Those that weigh 130 pounds or less may have issues if not getting just the right size. Many people once they buy realize that the tensile strength was suitable for someone just 20 pounds heavier. If just one bungee cord strength level more than someone should have is bought, the efficiency rating goes down exponentially with lower tensile strength cord. If too many or too little free bounces are given, then it is probably the wrong size. It should be a 50/50 duty cycle. Same time airborne a the person is on the mat.
To see if this the Bellicon Rebounder is right for you take my Rebounder Quiz.