When purchasing new equipment it's always hard to decide what are the essential teaching tools to start a new gym or added location. We all would love to start with everything, starting with every piece of tumbling equipment is not budget friendly and allows no room for future growth. Here is a comparison between the Rod Floor and the Air Floor. Each tool has more bounce than a spring floor. When beginning the ordering process ask the following questions. What options are available? What is the product and shipping costs? Does this tool aid us in efficiently and affectively use our space? What is better value for our program? Today we are going to compare the Air Floor Vs. Rod Floor
Rod Floors
Rod floors are a great training aid for athletes. Rod Floors are stiff enough for bigger athletes, but soft enough to help younger/smaller athletes too. Coaches find that this floor increases the learning capabilities of their athletes which allows them to progress faster. They are common in Gymnastics, Cheer and Tumbling facilities across the US. The tubular fiberglass rods ensure a fantastic amount of spring with increased safety. They are sold in 4’ X 6’ sections and covered by two rolls of foam (not included in rod floor cost). The rod floor units (without foam) are 8” tall when assembled.
A Competition Size Rod Floor is 84 feet (21 sections). Rods are covered by a layer of Carpet Bonded Foam (1 3/8") over a layer of 1.875" to 2" (50mm) polyethylene (aka Trocellen) foam with Scrim backed Foam. The Scrim side is placed directly on the rods for these floor. The Scrim will prevent the rods from chewing up or tearing up the bottom of the foam. You can make yours a custom length if you like (divisable by 4').
These Rod Floors require simple assembly to be done once received. Rod Floor units just abut each other. We would recommend that the legs be zip-tied to connect unit to unit if you select the Ross Floor, but this is optional.
AIR FLOORS
A great alternative to a rod floor especially if you have a smaller space such as a dance studio or are working on skills at home. The air floor is very similar to a rod floor and has a softer impact than the rod floor. This is a great training tool to be used in any location for several skills and drills.
The new Air Floor PRO at 8" thick, is a bouncier version of the regular three inch thick Air Floor and is not required to be placed on a padded surface. It can be a substitute for Rod Floor or as an all around training aid. The Air Floor PRO offers versatility in a gym, or as a portable station for mobile programs or exhibitions. Airhead Super pump included. These mats come in 3 different sizes, each allows for Velcro attachment to another unit.
Each unit includes an electric pump, a carrying bag and a Velcro flap which can be used to connect two or more pieces together creating a longer tumbling strip. The Air Floor Pro has a center line which can be used as a visual aid for tumbling. 3M units d-rings to easily attach the unit to uneven bars for a bar wall station. Additional accessories that you may want to purchase will be mini ramp for easy run up access and Booster blocks can be used for spotting off to the side. One-year warranty on material and workmanship.
