It can be costly to buy all of the gymnastics equipment that you need in order to practice your gymnastics skills at home. However, if you are genuine in your desire to improve your gymnastics skills, then you will need to buy at least some things for your home.
How much does a gymnastics air track cost? The average gymnastics air track costs between $200 and $500, with some air tracks being cheaper and others being slightly more expensive. This is quite a range, but there are good reasons for this.
There are several different factors that affect the price of an air track. These distinct factors are useful to be aware of since they can give you an idea of whether or not an air track is truly worth its price. Then, there are also special features air tracks can have, which may add more to the price as well.
Things That Add To The Price
Gymnastics air tracks can be made out of many different things, as long as they hold the air in. Most air tracks are made with some form of PVC in them, which helps them to both hold in the air and to keep their shape as much as possible.
Length And Thickness
The length of the air track is the first, and most obvious, thing that is going to affect the cost of the air track. The smallest air tracks are just a few feet long, and these can frequently be bought for well under $100 each.
The longer the gymnastics air track is, the more expensive the track will be. Most air tracks that are between 10 feet and 20 feet can be found somewhere between $200 and $400 dollars, though it is possible to find some cheap 10-foot air tracks for cheaper while some 20-foot air tracks are more expensive.
The cost of gymnastics air tracks goes up even more with added length. The lengthy air tracks that are around 30 feet in length or longer are often easily $800 or sometimes more. As for width, almost all gymnastics air tracks are 3 to 3 ½ feet wide, so there is very little variation here.
The thickness of air tracks does not vary much either. However, the variation here is more important and can affect the price of the air track. Some air tracks are only a couple inches thick, while others can be six or even eight inches thick.
Thicker air tracks tend to cost a little more, but the extra padding of air does help prevent injuries. Usually, 4 inches is a good amount of thickness to have without it being too much. Meanwhile, 20 feet is a good length to go with if you are not certain what length you should get.
Waterproofing And UV Protection
UV protection allows your air track to be safely used outdoors without being damaged by the sun. Gymnastics air tracks with UV protection are also less prone to fading and are made to be durable enough to sit on the grass or concrete that might be outdoors to set it up on.
For waterproofing, there are a couple of different methods. Some waterproofed air tracks can stand a little water, but this does not necessarily mean that you can put them in your pool. Only if all the seals and stitches have been waterproofed can you put your air track in your pool.
Gymnastics air tracks that are designed for indoor use only do not have either UV protection or waterproofing. Because of this, indoor air tracks are cheaper, since both of these require some form of a coating.
If you plan on inflating your air track outdoors, you will want your track to have one, if not both, of these features. Outdoor air tracks often cost a bit more, but they are also made to withstand the extra wear and tear that simply being outdoors can cause.
Special Features
There are many special features that a gymnastics air track can come with. A simple air track that has none of these features will cost less. However, some of them are extremely useful and are well worth paying a little more to get.
First, handles can be a live saver, and can save your air track from getting punctured, when you need to move it. A 3-foot wide air track can be quite a bit bulky and hard to get a good grip on if you are trying to move it while it is still inflated.
Having handles on the sides of the air track gives you something to grab onto and also gives you more control. Longer air tracks, in particular, can weigh a heft amount. Longer air tracks that have multiple handles along each side allow you to gather a few friends to help you move your track.
Velcro straps are also not on every gymnastics air track. These are something that can attach one air track to another in order to give you a longer track. Since short tracks are easier to move around, both short and long distances, the ability to carry smaller sections of an air track and then put it back together once you have it where you want it can be very advantageous.
These two special features of air tracks are only two examples of things that can add to the price of an air track. However, there are a few other air track features that can be compared to these. Special features are not necessary to have a good air track, but they are very useful.
Warranties And Additions
A warranty for your air track is something that you will most likely want to have. Warranties often come with some sort of extra cost. Either this cost is added when you checkout or it is the cost of buying a brand new air track from a name brand.
As for additions with air tracks, one common addition that you may want is an air pump. While you can purchase an air pump separately, not all air pumps will work with the valves of all air tracks. There are different nozzles you can get to help your air pump fit different air valves, but it is better to get your air pump with your air track. That way, you know they will work well together.
Ways To Get Cheaper Air Tracks
There are a few ways that gymnastics air tracks can be gotten at a cheaper price. You can sometimes get a used air track for a cheap price, and some companies even sell refurbished air tracks at a low cost. There is no guarantee that these tracks will last your long.
If you pay attention, many gymnastics companies have the occasional sale on their air tracks that can make it somewhat cheaper. Then, there are also discounts for buying multiple pieces of gymnastics equipment at once, which can cut the overall cost down as well.
Gymnastics coaches and other gymnasts are the ones most likely to know about where to get the best prices. Getting this hands-on information on air tracks will also give you an idea of the durability and possible negative features that an air track might have.
Final Thoughts
Gymnastics air tracks can be one of the costlier pieces of gymnastics equipment for you to get to train at home. It is also extremely versatile in that you can take it anywhere with you, you can practice any number of things on it, and it can be put away easily when you do not need it.
All of this makes an air track well worth the investment if you are a gymnast. What is more, even non-gymnasts can use an air track for all kinds of things. Cheer skills almost always need a gymnastics air track to practice the various flips safely.
Other uses include a soft place to yoga, a safe pad for various martial arts, and any number of other activities. Lastly, the bounce that an air track has can be quite fun and can provide a nice place for the teams to all gather for a movie night.