Compare Needak® to the imported competition
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(For the purposes of this comparison we are examining the ReboundAIR® rebounder)
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Needak® Non-Fold and ½ Fold1 |
Non-Fold and ½ Fold2 |
¼ Fold2 |
| Type of company | Manufacturer with direct retail sales | Marketing/Promotional Company |
| Country of manufacture |  United States |
 Various Asian countries |
| Years in production | Continuous rebounder production since January, 1990 | ReboundAIR® label has been applied to units from various manufacturers since 1994 and the current rebounder has been available since Dec. 2001. Other marketers may change source more often. | ReboundAIR® introduced this latest version in June, 2002. Three previous evolutions of this design have been sold by them. All failed to endure in the real world when released to the public. |
| Frame | 40 inch diameter-American Steel | 40 inch diameter-Some models use Steel others use brittle plastic (ReboundAIR® frame flaws) |
| Legs | American Steel-Overall rebounder height is 10 inches | Test unit legs are made of Aluminum-Overall rebounder height is 11 inches |
| Leg Tips | Synthetic rubber. Shorter design puts more rubber where it's needed. Doesn't fall off the leg. | Weighs the same as the Needak® leg tip (1.7oz). Same diameter as Needak® tip, but concave design allows uneven wear. (Comparison photo) |
| Polypropylene Jump Mat | Yes Permatron | Yes (Mat separation flaw) |
| Mat Cleats | American Steel-No "bullhorns" | ReboundAIR® Non-Fold and 1/2-Fold use the old "Bullhorn" design. 1/4-Fold Ultimate-Rebound® uses coated Aluminum. |
| Springs | Needak® pioneered the 4¼ inch Soft-Bounce™ configuration in 1992. All of our springs are made with music wire. | Others have attempted to duplicate Needak®'s spring design. |
| Hinge | Time Tested design with no failures. For your safety, hinges are securely attached with a high tech welding process. | Not secured to frame. Attached with a bolt. Could result in catastrophic failure and collapse of rebounder and injury. | Plastic, held together with screws or bolts (Plastic Hinge) |
| Weight | 25 pounds | between 28 and 32 pounds depending on model |
| Manufacturer's Warranty | Best available today | Asian manufacturer(s) unknown. Marketing/Promotional company warranty.3 |
| Frame Warranty | Lifetime of original purchaser | "Lifetime"3 of rebounder |
| Mat Warranty | Unlimited replacement for 5 years if mat should fail. | ReboundAIR®2 will replace only 1 mat |
| Spring Warranty | Unlimited replacement of broken springs for 2 years. | ReboundAIR®2 will replace up to 36 springs |
| Warranty Weight Limit | 300 pounds. Needak offers unadvertised options for those requiring additional weight resistance. | 300 pounds | 400 pounds. Frame failed in less than 60 days with use by individual weighing less than 200 pounds. View frame |
| Replacement Parts | New OEM parts always in stock and are easy for the user to install. | Since ReboundAIR® is not a manufacturer, availability varies. Needak® parts often fit imported rebounders. | Some parts are not easily serviceable by the user. Others cannot be replaced and require the entire unit be retired. |
| Endorsed by Albert Carter | See Al Carter demonstrating and selling a Needak rebounder | Mr. Carter understandably endorses whatever rebounder his marketing company is currently selling | |
| Recommended by Dr. Morton Walker | Yes, see "Jumping For Health" from The Townsend Letter For Doctors | No | |
| Availability | Always in stock since we are a manufacturer | Depends on delivery schedule of Asian manufacturer, ocean shipping delays, etc. | |
| Shipping |  Almost always sent same or next business day. UPS e-mails tracking Info and estimated delivery date to you. |
Delivery time varies with service. Actual shipping time depends on stock availability. | |
| Supporting Materials | Largest selection of videos and books on rebounding available anywhere. | Some | |
There are various additional claims made by ReboundAIR regarding Al Carter and his team of Asian engineers designing the Needak rebounder in the mid 1980s. Since Needak wasn't founded until January, 1990 there is no point to discuss this further.
A further claim is made that Al Carter's former students own and operate Needak. Only one person even remotely associated with Needak has ever even met Mr. Carter, let alone having been trained by him. We are baffled by some of these wild statements and don't even know how to begin to discuss them.
1) The Quarter folding rebounder design has several serious flaws which cannot be overcome by fancy engineering or trendy materials. In the interest of consumer safety, Needak® does not produce a Quarter fold rebounder.
2) Taken from ReboundAIR® marketing materials January, 2011. Correspondence by an independent surveyor regarding clarification of details and specifications of ReboundAIR® rebounders and their programs remains unanswered.
3) "Fine print" of the ReboundAIR® warranty severely restricts the "marketing hype".
ReboundAIR® is a registered trademark and Ultimate-Rebound is a trademark of the American Institute of Reboundology, Orem, UT.
Needak® is a registered trademark and Soft-Bounce™ is a trademark of Needak Manufacturing LLC, O'Neill, NE.
All photographs and test results are the product of testing and examination conducted on a ReboundAIR® rebounder in June/July, 2003 by Needak Mfg. Comparisons are made with average production rebounder test results of Needak Mfg. production line units. All of the information is accurate to the best of our knowledge and is based on statements found in ReboundAIR® promotional materials, direct observation, and sources deemed to be reliable. This page is provided for informational purposes only.